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Felix “Pewdiepie” Kjellberg, by far the most subscribed Youtuber in the world, has lost the backing of the Disney owned Maker Studios, over what has been termed offensive jokes in some of his recent videos. In a trial of the service platform, Fiverr, he paid to have a pair of Indian gentlemen hold up a sign that said “death to all jews,” which his backers were none too happy with.
Kjellberg rose to popularity on the creation of let's play videos, where he would video himself playing a variety of games, often noisily, but today he posts a wider variety of content. Alongside his TV show, Scare Pewdiepie, he posts reaction videos and takes part in collaborations with other Youtubers. Some of that content however, has now lead to a severing of ties between him and the organisation that aided his rise to dominance.
The video in question has since been removed, but sees Kjellberg paying $5 on the service Fiverr, which allows anyone to pay for a varierty of services, including say anything, to have a pair of Indian men hold up a sign with a statement and read it out. In this case, Kjellberg had them write “death to all jews,” while ‘pronouncing' it as “subscribe to Keemstar,” a Youtuber who has received much derision over the past couple of years for his own provocative videos and drama sitrring.
“Although Felix has created a following by being provocative and irreverent, he clearly went too far in this case and the resulting videos are inappropriate,” the Disney owned Maker Studios said in a statement (via the BBC).
Other videos cited as part of the reason for the severing of ties, include ones where he played the Nazi party anthem and another where he showed swasticas drawn by fans.
Although Kjellberg claimed that it was “laughable,” that anyone would suggest he supports any sort of anti-semitic message, he did say that he understands why some people would find the content offensive. The original video has since been deleted.
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KitGuru Says: It seems obvious that this sort of content is designed to be funny, but it isn't too surprising that a company like Disney wants to distance itself from it. While this may hurt Kjellberg's bottom line in some senses, he has a unique position, with the largest online following of any individual in the world. He'll be just fine.
I think I am of an age that doesn’t understand the popularity of these You-tube stars or the vast sums they get, but it is odd that someone would do this sort of thing for “fun”. Causal discrimination isn’t fun. If he understand why some people would find it offensive, why do it.
Perpetrating racist stereotypes says more about himself than he thinks judging by his statement after the fact.
Just because you don’t find it funny doesn’t mean it isn’t. It has high shock value and it made me chuckle.
It’s people like yourself that add to the joke, you’re offended over nothing, they are words….you give them power.
racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying, abuse, these can all be words too, does that make them ok then?
It is debatable as to whether or not it is okay.
Use of language is one of many ways which each of those listed activities can be manifested. People can choose to ignore words, and they can be offended if they wish. But why should that prohibit someone from expressing themselves if by doing so they are not really breaching civil liberties.
you are right he is free to say whatever he wants but when you work for someone they also have a right if they want that around them
I agree with you there.
As it is a joke, yes it it. Do you take a joke seriously, no.
Also “Is it okay” clearly that is subjective. Those that get offended by “jokes” are cancer.
Just because you can say anything, does not mean you should, nor that you have a right to be heard. Staying something is a joke doesn’t make it okay. Why would it be any more acceptable than when it was his actual opinion?
Freedom of speech is fine, and if your speech means some people want nothing to do with you, that’s a logical result of trying to be an asshole.
people can say what they want. aholes are aholes but the world moves on.
Go visit Auschwitz and then tell me what is funny about what this ‘experimental’ text said.
It is called freedom of speech but now days we don’t seem to have that any more. With that said I also would like to say did he go a bit to far yes maybe but to totally drop him for it seems a bit like they are over reacting. He was pretty funny 95% of the time and a lot of people liked his game reviews because he did it with a lot of passion & his responses to things happening in a game was pretty funny.
I guess at the end of the day we all now live in a snowflake world where pretty much everyone gets offended by pretty much anything & this is why this is happening to him now. 10-15 years ago 90% of the people would have actually got the joke and found it funny now they just get their panties in a bunch & scream bloody murder whether they are right or wrong.
Never got why people find these idiots on youtubso funny
Hah, no they can’t. Depending what country you live in, that just isn’t true. Go to Thailand and insult the King. Dare ya.
Freedom of speech is stupid and doesn’t seem to do anything to prevent hate-speech. When a multi-millionaire makes anti-semitic jokes, it’s clear that money doesn’t buy you either class or intelligence.
Those who describe people as “cancer” are idiots, and there is nothing witty about what was said, therefore it’s not funny, it’s just stupid, and when anti-semitic ideologies are on the rise, it’s actually really f*cking stupid.
Freedom of speech was good back in the day we have had that luxury in a very long time. Now days pretty much anything you say negative is considered hate speech or racism or bullying of some sort. If this trend continues in ten years we won’t be able to open our mouths without someone getting offended and becoming a panty waste snowflake.
Because I used snowflake in a negative way I suppose someone will say I am racist towards snowflakes….lmao
Actually, depending on the country, people can’t 😛 World still moves on though, that’s for sure.
I don’t even want to waste my time for watching this “joke”.
Hmm Nah was not offensive. If you get offended by a random persons words on the internet you are a WEAK ass cry babie. Pretty funny video tho 🙂
You are old.. Why do you find tv and sports funny? Mostly the same stuff over and over again.. Some people crave a new type of entertainment.
Lol… You know that this is a person with no power so the only power his words have is the power YOU give them right now.. Grow up
Freedom of speech originally was to do with freedom to speak about any and all political views, but somehow in the last few decades has been warped into “I can say anything I want”, which is naive, and dangerous.
There’s no reason why freedom of speech can’t exist, while also having sensible laws e.g. don’t promote the killing of religious or ethnic groups – it’s not funny, nor has it ever been funny.
And if you think someone who states such things to an audience of millions means nothing, then you’re unquestionably naive and, more likely than not, stupid.
No need to be rude my man. Offcourse it means something but thats because people take offence from him and makes his words powerfull. But it is just a fucking Youtube video with JOKES. If you really think him making this video changed the world you are naive, stupid and all that jazz sir
So calling people “WEAK ass cry babies” isn’t rude? Don’t get salty when the tables are turned 😉
Once again, people can say what they want. There may be consequences but that wont stop them. People have already threatened to assassinate the president on twitter and gone to jail for it. This is not the same as people can’t fly, as it is a real impossibility. This is something where people “Shouldn’t” do but do anyways.
That’s a glib response – of course people can say whatever they want, that’s down to something called “biology”. What’s your point? Some annoying youtube clown said something anti-semitic and now has lost corporate sponsorship. Action and result. How does his biological ability to chat crap matter in any of that?
My point is simply you “can’t” is not the same as you “shouldn’t”
No one has argued that human biology has somehow magically changed and limited people’s vocabulary….
The only one arguing human biology from an analogy is you.
When the topic is about freedom of speech, why are you bringing up borderline autistic arguments about human biology? Hint: This topic was never about what humans are able to physically say, so you’re comment about “can’t vs shouldn’t” is irrelevant.
Can’t vs Shouldn’t is why this conversation started in the first place. I’ll use your example of insulting the king of Thailand….I SHOULDN’T insult the king of Thailand. That does not mean i CAN’T insult the king of Thailand. Get it? This internet idiot SHOULDN’T make offensive jokes. That doesn’t mean this internet idiot CAN’T make offensive jokes. Need more clarification?
Give me an example where you couldn’t insult the King of Thailand that isn’t due to biology. Your point isn’t some sort of revelation, you’re stating the f*cking obvious….which isn’t anything to do with the article.
thank god you finally understood the obvious.
Go look up the word “glib”.
and the insults continue.
and you not grasping the topic prevails.
keep proving my point
Boohoo, feeling brigrade. It’s a joke.
I think the previous replies show that your “points” are irrelevant. Either join in the conversation meaningfully, or don’t bother replying.
regardless if they are irrelevant or not, you’ve proved it. So thanks.
That doesn’t even make sense…
I have described people as cancerous and have a high IQ. Does that make me so mentally retarded that i’m a fucking genius?
Stop getting offended for others, it’s depressing.
That response shows how oblivious you are to the beating you just took.
Lmao, salty at the other thread, now trying to be an internet tough guy #saltytoughguy
You are like one of those stupid social justice warriors. When confronted with a logical point you respond with fallacies to act as if you are ignorant thus detaching yourself from any obligation to your previous statements and starting a new, even more baseless argument that has nothing to do with what the original conversation was. Nonetheless, I tip my mountain dew to thee.
Nah, you’re just a retard, plain and simple.
That’s a really long winded way of writing “I’m autistic”.
I’m not tough. I like salt though. I mean who doesn’t? But this is what I look like.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9c21be830654c29bc226dc42f3a4103f7273febe3ff6d66061e3fce1572b401d.jpg
So you are for calling people autistic, but not allowing others to say people are cancerous? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d5f7c9eac29f29512c308f771b1699e02161f5e6566ce123445993dcbf083a0d.jpg
It’s like stretch armstrong and a trailer park had a baby.
It’s a Russian i’m pretty sure. That’s what all russians look like.
Stop getting depressed then. Not my problem.
Yep, makes perfect sense if you think about it.
Real story: Maker Studios is not making Disney any money. They’re downsizing it & won’t be renewing the contracts of anyone doing game content. Pewdiepie is the only reason Disney bought Maker in the first place.
Plus the WSJ had some anti-gamergater journalists who are salty that Youtubers make big money off ad revenue while they’re losing subscribers, so they cherrypick unrelated out-of-context jokes from different videos & email them to Disney. People have already found deleted tweets that back up this conspiracy.
Can’t change my natural state.
Those who describe people as “a retard” are idiots, and there is nothing witty about what was said, therefore it’s not funny, it’s just stupid, and when anti-mental disability ideologies are on the rise, it’s actually really fucking stupid.
I thought that’s why drugs were invented?
Stupid people exist, and you’re one of them, regardless of what label you will or won’t accept 🙂
At least i’m not a hypocritical idiot like you, that would suck.
Well played. I just wanted to say originally not all of us are as uptight as you, most of the new generation can take a joke, we know when something is serious and when something is not serious. If you can’t handle it, too bad I guess. We all have opinions and sadly none of us are right.