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YouTuber and influencer MrBeast has issued an apology after a video resurfaced online featuring him using racial and homophobic slurs. MrBeast, 26, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, acknowledged the video in a statement provided to Variety from his representative.
“When Jimmy was a teenager he acted like many kids and used inappropriate language while trying to be funny,” his rep commented. “Over the years he has repeatedly apologized and has learned that increasing influence comes with increased responsibility to be more aware and more sensitive to the power of language. After making some bad jokes and other mistakes when he was younger, as an adult he has focused on engaging with the MrBeast community to work together on making a positive impact around the world.”
MrBeast is known for his documented philanthropic efforts, like building 100 houses and giving them away, and providing medical devices to deaf and hard-of-hearing children. However, his kindness brand has recently been called into question.
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In the video clip, which is said to have been taken from a 2017 livestream, reads a viewer’s comment talking about “‘selling N-word for $400 money,'” to which he replies, “The most I would pay is probably 300 [dollars]. Sorry, 400 is just out of my price range for that type of thing.” At another point in the video, he tells a participant to “shut the f**k up” before calling him a homophobic slur.
Earlier this week, MrBeast also came under fire after people claiming to be participants in his upcoming Prime Video game show competition Beast Games took to TikTok to report unsafe conditions. They also claimed that MrBeast’s team offered eliminated contestants $1,000 on their way out if they signed an agreement to remain silent on the set conditions and to not file a lawsuit.
At the time of writing, MrBeast has yet to comment on the Beast Games allegations. A premiere date for Beast Games has not yet been announced.