One of the world’s most famous online personalities is facing a lawsuit.
Jimmy Donaldson, better known as “MrBeast,” is a 26-year-old YouTube star with over 300 million subscribers. He has built an empire by giving out huge prizes to viewers of his videos.
The proposed class action lawsuit accuses MrBeast’s production company and Amazon Studios of “chronic abuse” and sexual harassment of contestants on an upcoming reality show. The plaintiffs also allege that they are considered employees, not contestants, and dispute wages in the lawsuit.
Details of the legal battle
Five anonymous contestants on Amazon’s upcoming reality show “Beast Games” are accusing MrBeast’s production company and Amazon Studios of creating a “toxic and hostile” environment that “laid the groundwork” for sexual harassment, the lawsuit says.
The plaintiffs cite a supposed production manual titled “How to Succeed in MrBeast Production,” which they allege encourages obscenities and instructs staff to “do whatever it takes” to make talent “be idiots.”
Participants also claim they were forced to live in “unsafe” conditions, with no access to medical care, food and water, and were not paid a fair wage.
“You can call them whatever you want, but if they meet the definition of an employee, it doesn’t matter what you call them,” said Lizelle Brandt, the plaintiffs’ attorney. “Our argument is that they are employees under California law.”
Amazon Studios and a spokesperson for MrBeast declined to comment.
“The hope and the dream and the expectation that you’re going to get paid is not the same as being an employee,” CBS News legal fellow Jessica Levinson said. “There’s a real legal battle going on here where the plaintiffs have to convince a judge that this group that signed up to be a part of a show should be considered employees, not participants.”
Previous allegations
The allegations come after YouTuber Jake Weddle, who claims to be a former employee of MrBeast, alleged he was psychologically abused during a 100-day isolation challenge.
“It got to the point where they wouldn’t turn the lights off,” Weddle said. “You know, I asked them. I said, ‘Can we have nighttime, you know?’ They said, ‘No.'”
Donaldson, 26, has previously faced with accusations of racism and inappropriate comments.
“When Jimmy was a teenager, he acted like many children and used inappropriate language while trying to be funny,” a spokesperson for the YouTuber said in a statement to The Associated Press when the allegations surfaced. “Over the years, he has apologized repeatedly and has learned that with increasing influence comes a greater responsibility to be more aware and sensitive to the power of language. After making some bad jokes and other mistakes as a youngster, as an adult he has focused on engaging the MrBeast community to work together to make a positive impact around the world.”
Driver Evans
