YouTube star MrBeast sued by contestants, claiming "toxic and hostile" environment and unfair wages
One of the world's best-known online personalities is facing a lawsuit.
Jimmy Donaldson, better known as "MrBeast," is a 26-year-old YouTube star with more than 300 million subscribers. He's built an empire offering huge prizes to viewers on his videos.
The proposed class action lawsuit accuses MrBeast's production company and Amazon Studios of "chronic mistreatment" and sexual harassment of contestants in an upcoming reality show. The plaintiffs also claim to be considered employees, not contestants, and dispute wages in the lawsuit.
Legal battle details
Five unnamed contestants in the upcoming Amazon reality show "Beast Games" are alleging MrBeast's production company and Amazon Studios created a "toxic and hostile" environment, that "laid the groundwork" for sexual harassment, according to the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs cite an alleged production guide called "How to succeed in MrBeast Production," which they say encourages obscenities and directs staff to "do everything" to "help" the talent "be idiots."
The contestants also claim they were forced to endure "unsafe" conditions with a lack of access to medical care, food and water, and say they weren't paid a fair wage.
"You can call them whatever you want to, but if they meet the definition of an employee, it doesn't matter what you title them," Lizelle Brandt, the plaintiffs' attorney, said. "Our argument is that they are employees under California law."
Amazon Studios and a spokesperson for MrBeast declined to comment.
"The hope, dream and expectation that you will get a payment is not the same thing as being an employee," said CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson. "There's a real legal battle here that the plaintiffs will have to convince a judge that this group who signed on to be part of a show should be considered as employees, not contestants."
Previous allegations
The accusations come after YouTuber Jake Weddle, who claims to be a former MrBeast employee, alleged mental abuse during a 100-day isolation challenge.
"It got to the point where they weren't turning the lights off," Weddle said. "You know I asked them. I said, 'Could we have like nighttime hours, you know?' They said 'No.'"
Donaldson, 26, has previously faced allegations of racism and inappropriate comments.
"When Jimmy was a teenager he acted like many kids 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 repeatedly apologized and has learned that increasing influence comes with increased responsibility to be more aware and more sensitive to the power of language. After making some bad jokes and other mistakes when he was younger, as an adult he has focused on engaging with the MrBeast community to work together on making a positive impact around the world."
