James “Jimmy” Donaldson, known as Mr. Beast online, is the biggest YouTuber in the world with over 329 million subscribers. The Internet sensation is known for his videos containing huge stunts, giant cash giveaways and philanthropic work. However, the star has recently fallen from grace and is under fire for his latest career endeavors.
In March 2024, Mr. Beast announced the release of a new reality show, “Beast Games,” which would premiere on Amazon Prime Video. The show is set to be the biggest reality competition series in history.
Applications for the show were open to the public on the “Beast Games” website. From the applicants, 1,000 people were selected to compete for the $5 million cash prize.
While big stakes have been promised for the show, little has been shown for it thus far. After the initial announcement in March, the show was said to be released in late 2024. But with just two short months left of the year, there is no set release date from Amazon or Donaldson. Assumably, the quiet about the release date comes from the controversy that surrounds the show.
In August, The New York Times investigated the conditions of the show and spoke with over a dozen participants. The report detailed unsafe working conditions, including the hospitalization of some participants and 20 hours between meals. In September, the allegations went further and five participants filed a class action lawsuit.
The Los Angeles class action lawsuit was filed by five anonymous contestants, listing Donaldson’s production company MrB2024 and Amazon as the defendants. The 54-page complaint detailed a range of issues on set including contestants being penned in enclosed spaces, participants forced to not sleep to compete, a lack of medical staff and sexism and misogyny on set.
Since the lawsuit, little information has been released regarding results or updates on “Beast Games.” Still, no set release date and no comment from Mr. Beast has led to criticism from fans and creators.
YouTuber Rosanna Pansino has been a prominent name for openly discussing the issues on “Beast Games.” Pansino has spoken out about Donaldson’s poor treatment of contestants on X, formerly known as Twitter, and YouTube, revealing information she received directly from participants. A long-time critic, Pansino criticized Mr.Beast for editing her out of a video.
Her latest role in Donaldson’s controversy comes from another one of his new projects, Lunchly. Lunchly was announced in September as a healthier, better alternative to the beloved Lunchables, and Mr. Beast worked in collaboration with YouTubers and Prime sports drink founders, Logan Paul and KSI. The flashy pre-packaged lunches feature three different meal options, a miniature Prime drink and one of Mr. Beast’s chocolate bars, Feastables.
Lunchly, however, fell under fire after release, with many people stating it was not as healthy as it claimed. Mr. Beast took to the platform to speak out against allegations but has been relatively quiet on X since.
Lunchly is unhealthy and unsafe. Pansino released a video testing the product only to find mold in the food. Her experience is not unique as other creators and fans took to social media to share their own Lunchly boxes containing mold. Since the controversy around Lunchly, KSI and Logan Paul have joked about the backlash, but Mr. Beast has yet to respond.
While Mr. Beast is under fire for two of his latest career endeavors, it is not the first time the YouTuber has been in controversy. Over the summer, Mr. Beast and his company were investigated for workplace harassment and misconduct after one of his employees, Ava Tyson, was accused of grooming. Although the allegations were disproven, Tyson has since left the channel.
Mr. Beast is the most successful YouTuber on the platform who has built his career around ambitious stunts, challenges and massive giveaways. With serious allegations surrounding his newest endeavors, the YouTuber is facing massive criticism and public disapproval. Whether he chooses to speak out or fix his mistakes will define the momentum of his career moving forward.
