The most important identify in on-line content material creation, Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson, is in injury management mode after a collection of alleged scandals have threatened to derail his algorithmically optimized YouTube model. He just lately promised staff a full investigation into his firm’s tradition and current complaints of accidents and mistreatment in a few of his greatest stunt movies.
In response to an inner memo first reported by the AP, Donaldson introduced earlier this week that there can be a “full evaluation” of his enterprise empire, which spans productions for elaborate YouTube movies in addition to licensed meals together with cookies and a series of burger eating places. “As your chief, I take duty, and I’m dedicated to proceed to enhance and evolve my management model,” he wrote. “I acknowledge that I additionally must create a tradition that makes all our staff really feel protected and permits them to do their greatest work.”
This evaluation consists of the hiring of a chief human sources officer, in addition to an investigation into current claims that contestants on his new sport present had been mistreated throughout filming. The New York Occasions reported that folks competing for $5 million on his new Amazon Prime actuality sport present weren’t correctly fed or supplied ample medical care after alleged incidents involving unsafe working situations.
The memo additionally revealed that Donaldson employed outdoors regulation agency Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan to analyze the habits of former colleague Ava Kris Tyson, who was accused in July of sending sexually inappropriate messages to a minor. Donaldson referred to as the habits “unacceptable” in a press release final month when the 2 mutually agreed to half methods.
The YouTuber was additionally just lately in disaster mode over his personal previous habits after critics surfaced clips of him utilizing homophobic slurs and making racist remarks throughout early online game livestreams when he was round 18 years previous. One other incident concerned him joking about having intercourse with then 14-year-old rapper Bhad Bhabie. “When Jimmy was a youngster he acted like many youngsters and used inappropriate language whereas attempting to be humorous,” a spokesperson for Donaldson instructed the AP final month.
Previous to the current controversies, the MrBeast YouTube channel was identified primarily for its viral movies round huge charity occasions like digging contemporary water wells for residents in Uganda and wild stunts like driving trains into large pits. It’s additionally identified, although, for Donaldson’s ruthless gaming of the platform’s algorithm, which incorporates obsessing over his iconic YouTube thumbnails to maximise views and engagement.
“Folks shouldn’t be like me,” he stated in a 2023 podcast. “I don’t have a life, I don’t have a persona.”
