PewDiePie Dropped by Disney after Anti-Semitic Jokes
PewDiePie; some call him the King of YouTube. With the highest subscriber count of any creator on the platform (currently at over 53 million), Felix
Kjellberg's content reaches a lot of people. Known primarily for his
humorous gaming videos, his success earns him about $15 million (around £11
million) per year.
Recent uproar from some of his 'jokes' suggesting
anti-Semitic messages has cost the 27-year-old his connection
with Disney, the major trans-national corporation which bought Maker Studios
three years ago to work alongside the YouTuber.
As reported by the Wall
Street Journal, the company believe the content including the Nazi-imagery,
which show him reacting to two men holding up a sign with 'Death to all Jews'
written on it, was highly inappropriate, ultimately leading to the decision to
cut ties with the YouTube star. This video, alongside two others
with similar imagery, were viewed 23 million times before being
deleted.
“Although Felix has created a following by being provocative
and irreverent, he clearly went too far in this case,” a representative of
Maker Studios told the Wall Street Journal. “The resulting videos are
inappropriate.”
Google, owners of YouTube, have also pulled their support
for their most popular channel, cancelling a second series of 'Scare
PewDiePie', and removing his channel from the spotlight 'Google Preferred'
feature.
Fellow YouTube success story Casey Neistat shared his views on the matter in a vlog, and judging by the comment section, many weren't happy with what he had to say, while other's believed it was an unbiased and informative. I'm more in favour of the latter opinion, but I'll leave it here for more information and for you to judge for yourself;
Fellow YouTube success story Casey Neistat shared his views on the matter in a vlog, and judging by the comment section, many weren't happy with what he had to say, while other's believed it was an unbiased and informative. I'm more in favour of the latter opinion, but I'll leave it here for more information and for you to judge for yourself;
The
Guardian point out how Kjellberg wasn't promoting Nazi
ideology, but used the images and words of Adolf Hitler for 'shock value' in
his videos, in order to 'show how crazy the modern world is', (worded by
Pewdiepie himself in his recent Tumblr post in a response to the uproar). I do find it bizarre that he thought his audience weren't already aware of how 'crazy'
antisemitism is mind you.
Kjellberg's post continues to say;
“I think it’s important to say something and I want to make
one thing clear: I am in no way supporting any kind of hateful attitudes. ... I
make videos for my audience. I think of the content that I create as
entertainment, and not a place for any serious political commentary. I know my
audience understand that and that is why they come to my channel. Though this
was not my intention, I understand that these jokes were ultimately offensive.”
His supporters have turned to Twitter to question Disney's and
Googles actions:
If Disney are dropping @pewdiepie for using Nazi jokes then they need to drop this popular personality too: pic.twitter.com/KFnJvKU81d— Dan Bull 🍐 (@itsDanBull) 15 February 2017
With a following as huge as PewDiePie's, the messages portrayed from his content - whether intended or not - reach a lot of people. With the short but sincere explanation Kjellberg gave, it seems he’s realized his actions have had pretty big consequences, however looking at Twitter, his support is still present.Did Pewdiepie make edgy/distasteful jokes? Yeah. Is Disney wrong to cut ties? No. Is Felix a bad person? Absolutely not.— MattShayy 👽 (@MattShea) 15 February 2017
What's your stance on the 'YouTube drama?'
An
aspiring journalist, Laura is our Content Writer intern. Pop-punk gig-goer and drag queen enthusiast,
Laura is working her way into the industry, with an English A -Level and love
of writing about anything and everything in tow. Find her daily musings on
twitter @Songbird_Lauras
Contact
us on Twitter,
on Facebook, or
leave your comments below. To find out about social media training or
management why not take a look at our website for more info: TheSMFGroup.com
PewDiePie Dropped by Disney after Anti-Semitic Jokes
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Rating:
Unknown
Keeping you up to date on social media, digital marketing, apps, news & reviews. Social media, and digital marketing as a whole, are rapidly and constantly changing, adapting to new developments at an ever increasing rate. Just keeping up to date can be a nightmare. Our team of writers know their field, and keep an ear to the ground. We aim to keep you informed of all recent developments in the online world, and teach you a little something along the way. So whether you just want to stay connected, or gain some knowledge for yourself, the Social Songbird will keep on singing! More articles are posted every day so keep checking back! Join the discussion on Twitter - #SocialSongbird Or contact us directly - @SocialSongbird_
Entrepreneur, international speaker on Social Media Marketing. First one in the UK to write and speak in conferences about Twitter as a marketing tool. Consultant to Corporate Companies, Government Organizations, Marketing Managers and Business Owners.
Aspiring novelist with a passion for fantasy and crime thrillers. He hopes to one day drop that 'aspiring' prefix. He started as a writer and soon after he was made Executive Editor and Manager of the team at Social Songbird. A position he held for 5 years.
Adrienne is a passionate writer with experience in editing, content creation, and social media marketing. She’s a lover of animals, helping others improve their writing, and 2000s pop culture.
Musician, audio technician, professional tutor and a Cambridge university English student. Interested in writing, politics and obsessed with reading.
Recently graduated with a BA in English Literature from the University of Exeter, and he is about to study an MA in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. He is an aspiring journalist and novelist; in his free time he enjoys playing chess, listening to music and taking long walks through nature.
Lucy is an undergraduate BSc Politics and International Relations student at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Anna Coopey is a 4th year UG student in Classics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She is a keen writer and researcher on a number of topics, varying from Modern Greek literature to revolutionary theory.
Ellie is a recent BA English Literature graduate and aspiring publisher with a passion for writing. Her favourite pastimes include reading and shopping.