You know what?
We’re starting to think these YouTube personalities only care about making money…
In the wake of Logan Paul being whacked in the wallet by this platform after he shared a video of a dead body on his account, Shane Dawson has now come out and issued an apology of his own.
Like Paul, Dawson is well known for having a popular YouTube account and for posting basically anything and everything on there.
He has over 11 million subscribers.
On Wednesday evening, however, a YouTube channel named “Pop Blast” posted footage to its 677,000 fans titled “I think Shane Dawson is a pedophile. Here’s my proof.”
Cue a troubling clip in which Dawson is heard making quips about a “sexy” child.
When followers started to voice their outrage at the star’s words, the YouTuber chose to respond with his own video, opening the 14-minute reply by sharing the controversial quotes in question.
“I went to Google and I didn’t want to see child porn,” says Dawson in the scandalous footage.
He continues:
“I just wanted to see, let me pretend I’m a pedophile for a second. So I typed in naked baby. First of all, I don’t understand why anybody would be turned on by that.
“But, they were sexy. I’m kidding.”
Few, though, found this attempt at a joke to be funny.
In his response, Dawson explained why he played it again for everyone.
“I wanted to play that clip in full – that moment especially in full – just for context because that seems to be missing nowadays,” he says in the video below, adding:
“I can’t believe I’m having this make this video. I’m going to start by saying I’m not a f-cking pedophile. I go on record saying I am not a f-cking pedophile. Got it? Great. There’s my statement.
“It’s disgusting that people are saying I’m a f-cking pedophile because of some s—ty ass f-cking jokes from six years ago on a podcast.”
Despite clearly being pissed that he’s in this situation, Dawson did acknowledge the misguided language he chose to use in the original clip.
“I’m going to apologize first. I’m sorry that I used to make really s—ty f–king jokes,” he said on Wednesday, going on as follows:
“I’m sorry that I was so f-cking insecure and playing this character of this guy who’s crazy and will say anything and tries to make people laugh by shocking them. That was my thing. That is what I did on YouTube.
“Back in the day, 2008-2012ish, that was my thing. I loved the feeling of making somebody shocked and laugh because they couldn’t believe what was coming out of my mouth.
“I wasn’t confident enough to make smarter jokes. I was making the easy jokes…I was doing some f-cked up comedy stuff that I’m not proud of.”
Dawson proceeded to remind fans that he, himself, has been molested and has evolved significantly over the years as a content creator.
He concluded:
“I think that’s why it hurts the most is having my name put next to the word pedophile is actually the most triggering and the most heartbreaking thing I’ve literally ever seen.
“I’ve been called everything. I’ve been on YouTube for a long time.
“I’m so sorry if that triggered you or offended you or hurt your feelings. It triggers me listening to that.”
In the end?
“I’m sorry for making offensive jokes. I’m sorry that these are making people uncomfortable but it’s also very out of context. When you listen to the full thing, it’s still s—ty and creepy and bad jokes but it’s not me being a pedophile.
“This is not proof of me being a pedophile.”
He probably has a point.
But still: perhaps fewer people ought to admire and support these random people who have nothing to offer the world except lots of attention-seeking videos.