MrBeast, one of the highest viewed and paid creators on YouTube, has recently come under fire for a litany of concerning allegations. MrBeast, whose real name is James “Jimmy” Donaldson, is an extremely popular YouTuber and content curator who has been uploading videos since 2012. Donaldson’s videos began to gain major traction on the YouTube platform when he became notorious for his outrageously expensive productions that involve games and challenges, in which he makes people compete for ridiculous amounts of money and valuables. These videos made the channel explode in popularity with unprecedented and unparalleled success, leading the channel to become the most subscribed on the platform, as well as Donaldson owning multiple other channels with considerable followings. Donaldson has also extended his success into commercial ventures, creating his restaurant, MrBeast Burger, in 2020, and launching his candy bar company, Feastables, in 2022. He recently announced the launch of Lunchables competitor Lunchly, in collaboration with content creators Logan Paul and KSI.
Lately, Donaldson has found himself immersed in controversy and exposé. The channel has faced a major press onslaught earlier this year when it was revealed that Ava Kris Tyson, Jimmy’s friend and fellow content creator, who has participated in videos on the channel for years, had been allegedly talking inappropriately to multiple minors as well as pressuring a former employee into illicit acts. Many students, even those who had subscribed to Beast for years, were not aware of any controversy surrounding MrBeast, and did not know anything had been brought up against him at all. Still, many shared the sentiment that his newer content was not as good as it used to be, with Mason Shisler ‘26, saying “I don’t like how much he advertises”. Out of those that were aware of controversy, many stated they were only aware of the allegations against Ava Kris Tyson, and did not know Donaldson had any relation or involvement. The revelations against Ava Kris Tyson sent the internet into a shocked frenzy as people theorized about Jimmy’s knowledge of the allegations, as well as if he was involved in any himself. Immediately after, Jimmy took to the app X, formerly known as Twitter, to address the allegations. He claimed that he was not aware of any misconduct by Tyson, and would be severing ties immediately.
The wave of controversy continues on as Jimmy has been accused of lying about his side channel, Beast Philanthropy. On this channel, Donaldson would give away large amounts of money, supplies, and even homes to impoverished communities and peoples. These videos portrayed Donaldson as a hero-like figure, saving entire villages and cities of people, and feature heartwarming stories of how much these donations will positively impact the families of communities ravaged with poverty and issues. However, multiple ex-employees, as well as fellow youtubers, have accused Beast of faking all of these videos in the worst way possible. Many have stated that Jimmy has allegedly been lying about giving communities homes, goods, or money, and may have even been fully staging these videos.
If proven true, these revelations could prove catastrophic for Beast, as he very much may face legal reprimand for actively lying to his viewers for financial gain. The controversy and allegations do not end there, with much more swirling around as new videos from other youtubers and ex-employees come out almost daily. Public consensus on the issue seems to be extremely divisive.
Even so, students made very different claims and had differentiated opinions. Many students previously enjoyed MrBeast’s content, “It was fire” said Ethan Mains ‘26, and student Vaughn Preston, ‘26, claimed he enjoyed “Philanthropy, comedy, and the friends” in the old videos, and that Beast’s prime was “2021-2022”.