Issue #259 | July 30, 2024
Since MrBeast, aka Jimmy Donaldson, skyrocketed to fame at 19 years old, he has survived numerous controversies. In fact, sparking viral internet discourse has become somewhat integral to the now-26-year-old’s brand — with his clickbaity thumbnails and titles for extravagant “charity” videos frequently teetering the line between altruistic and exploitative.
There’s no question MrBeast knows how to strike up a conversation online. See: suing his business partner, fanboying over Elon Musk, asking fans to clean up his chocolate bar displays, or buying a dystopian neighborhood compound for his employees to live in.
But, at least for me, it’s been a bit surprising to see Donaldson’s family-friendly, wide-grinning persona emerge from all these controversies with his reputation seemingly unscathed.
Back in 2021, 11 of MrBeast’s former employees spoke to the New York Times about what it was like to work for the millionaire. In short, many alleged a difficult workplace “rife with favoritism and bullying.” The YouTuber was also criticized years prior for his use of slurs and offensive jokes at the beginning of his career. But that did little to stop Donaldson’s upward mobility. Just a few short years later, he became the most-subscribed YouTube channel of all time.
All of this begs the question, can the MrBeast brand survive anything? Well, with a couple of high-profile, disconcerting controversies in the past week — related to workplace injuries and inappropriate comments from MrBeast and his collaborators — it seems that the internet’s perception of the Beast might finally be taking a turn for the worse.
- Grace Stanley, Deputy Editor
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