2020 has been a year enveloped within tension. Even if we choose to not count the COVID-19 pandemic and the lives it took, there has been a lot to swallow. 2 major wildfires, economic fallout, a sharp increase in reported mental health conditions. Now, more than ever, the world needed uplifting and light-hearted content from celebrities and influencers. These people, having been put up on a pedestal, were being looked at for hope and support.
And a lot of them decided to look that responsibility in the eye and cackle.
Kicking the year off, influencers Charli and Dixie D'Amelio made a YouTube series about having celebrity guests over for dinner. First episode in, they decided to actively insult the chef hired to cook for everyone, at the table no less. Which is a rather blatant example of not checking one's privilege, but we've barely just begun.
Their guest for that first episode, James Charles, tried to defend the twins online, only to get unnecessarily slammed by Trisha Paytas, someone who's already all-too familiar with controversy. As proof that, Dixie D'Amelio in further response made a video of herself dancing to Paytas' rapping an NWA song with the n-word used in it.
Yes, for all the (blissfully) ignorant readers, these are all white people.
Gabi DeMartino, a beauty guru and singer, sold a video of her as a child to unsuspecting OnlyFans users. And no, this author will not be further elaborating on the topic. The DeMartino twins are no stranger to controversial takes, and they honestly deserve to be propelled off of the aforementioned pedestal.
In less serious (and more hilarious) fare, travel influencer Tupi Saravia was caught photoshopping the same clouds across multiple scenic shots on her Instagram. Why was this necessary when the setting of the pictures is clearly real? The answer probably isn't worth it.
Many online celebrities were caught breaking quarantine, seemingly personal responsibility is a difficult concept to comprehending. YouTubers Tana Mongeau and Erika Costell made a video of themselves cursing as they attended a massive party. TikTokker Bryce Hall's power supply was cut off by the LA mayor, after he refused to respect regulations. Bryce Hall even made claims that Ariana Grande, an incredibly famous singer, got famous off of making claims about people like him. The hubris is staggering.
Arielle Charnas, a fashion blogger, travelled cross-country after testing COVID-positive, refusing to wait the prescribed two weeks. Naomi Davis, ironically a parenting guru, took her family on trip in March, when the pandemic was striking the USA harshly.
Death in general is a very sensitive topic to broach during a worldwide pandemic. Well, Jeffree Starr decided to smash through by releasing a makeup palette labelled Cremated. Shane Dawson also went dark on YouTube after an entire debacle around him framing the afore-mentioned James Charles in an unnecessarily bad light.
The Stokes twins (there do seem to be a lot of siblings online these days) were charged with robberies that they uploaded as prank videos. And while that in of itself is darkly humorous, its followed by some sweet comeuppance for controversy magnet Jake Paul, who's house was raised by the FBI in a connection to a mall robbery.
The 2020 pandemic showed us how resilient people can be, and how they can come together in hard times. However, as clearly listed above, not everyone is cut from the same cloth. On a final note, this author begs the permission to go sit in a corner and contemplate what nightmarish world let such people make it to the top.
H/T: BF.
Read next: A Look Back At The Most Viewed YouTube Channels Of 2020
And a lot of them decided to look that responsibility in the eye and cackle.
Kicking the year off, influencers Charli and Dixie D'Amelio made a YouTube series about having celebrity guests over for dinner. First episode in, they decided to actively insult the chef hired to cook for everyone, at the table no less. Which is a rather blatant example of not checking one's privilege, but we've barely just begun.
Their guest for that first episode, James Charles, tried to defend the twins online, only to get unnecessarily slammed by Trisha Paytas, someone who's already all-too familiar with controversy. As proof that, Dixie D'Amelio in further response made a video of herself dancing to Paytas' rapping an NWA song with the n-word used in it.
Yes, for all the (blissfully) ignorant readers, these are all white people.
Gabi DeMartino, a beauty guru and singer, sold a video of her as a child to unsuspecting OnlyFans users. And no, this author will not be further elaborating on the topic. The DeMartino twins are no stranger to controversial takes, and they honestly deserve to be propelled off of the aforementioned pedestal.
In less serious (and more hilarious) fare, travel influencer Tupi Saravia was caught photoshopping the same clouds across multiple scenic shots on her Instagram. Why was this necessary when the setting of the pictures is clearly real? The answer probably isn't worth it.
Many online celebrities were caught breaking quarantine, seemingly personal responsibility is a difficult concept to comprehending. YouTubers Tana Mongeau and Erika Costell made a video of themselves cursing as they attended a massive party. TikTokker Bryce Hall's power supply was cut off by the LA mayor, after he refused to respect regulations. Bryce Hall even made claims that Ariana Grande, an incredibly famous singer, got famous off of making claims about people like him. The hubris is staggering.
Arielle Charnas, a fashion blogger, travelled cross-country after testing COVID-positive, refusing to wait the prescribed two weeks. Naomi Davis, ironically a parenting guru, took her family on trip in March, when the pandemic was striking the USA harshly.
Death in general is a very sensitive topic to broach during a worldwide pandemic. Well, Jeffree Starr decided to smash through by releasing a makeup palette labelled Cremated. Shane Dawson also went dark on YouTube after an entire debacle around him framing the afore-mentioned James Charles in an unnecessarily bad light.
The Stokes twins (there do seem to be a lot of siblings online these days) were charged with robberies that they uploaded as prank videos. And while that in of itself is darkly humorous, its followed by some sweet comeuppance for controversy magnet Jake Paul, who's house was raised by the FBI in a connection to a mall robbery.
The 2020 pandemic showed us how resilient people can be, and how they can come together in hard times. However, as clearly listed above, not everyone is cut from the same cloth. On a final note, this author begs the permission to go sit in a corner and contemplate what nightmarish world let such people make it to the top.
H/T: BF.
Read next: A Look Back At The Most Viewed YouTube Channels Of 2020
