YouTube’s biggest star, MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is under fire due to safety concerns in his ambitious new game show, “Beast Games.” This show, involving 1,000 competitors vying for a staggering $5 million grand prize, has sparked complaints from participants regarding inadequate access to food, water, and medication during the preliminary rounds held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Additionally, there were reports of injuries among contestants.
A spokesperson for MrBeast acknowledged the issues and stated that his team is actively reviewing the process and seeking feedback from attendees ahead of the next production phase in Toronto. This move is essential as the stakes are not just high for the contestants but also for MrBeast himself, known for his “stunt philanthropy,” which often includes direct gifts of cash or even houses. These complaints come at a time when Donaldson admitted to using racial and homophobic slurs in recordings made during his teenage years.
The “Beast Games” show, already picked up by Amazon Prime Video to air in 240 countries, marks a significant expansion of Donaldson’s cultural reach beyond YouTube, where his channel boasts over 307 million subscribers. These fans, many of whom are young, are already familiar with his Feastables candy line and MrBeast Burgers. In a March press release from Amazon, Donaldson expressed his ambition: “My goal is to make the greatest show possible and prove YouTubers and creators can succeed on other platforms.”
The production at Allegiant Stadium saw 2,000 individuals cast for an initial tryout, with 1,000 moving forward to the actual show. However, Amazon Prime Video was not involved in this phase and did not respond to requests for comment. The preliminary rounds were reportedly marred by extreme weather, a global CrowdStrike outage causing technological chaos, and other logistical issues. A MrBeast spokesperson stated, “We have taken steps to ensure that we learn from this experience, and we are excited to welcome hundreds of men and women to the world’s largest game show in history.”
Despite the challenges, eliminated contestants were offered $1,000 upon their exit, and many of those remaining are eager to continue. Some contestants anticipated challenges akin to those from Netflix’s “Squid Game,” a fictional series where individuals compete for a massive prize in high-stakes children’s games. However, some participants felt misled, believing they were in the actual “Beast Games” and not a precursor.
Scott Leopold, a 53-year-old father from Austin, Texas, expressed disappointment, feeling deceived about his chances of winning. He suggested that an apology from Donaldson would go a long way. Nancy Libby, a Navy veteran from California, described the conditions as meeting her expectations based on previous MrBeast challenges. She noted that while crowd control was sometimes problematic, the MrBeast team appeared to take safety seriously.
MrBeast’s previous ventures have also faced scrutiny. Donaldson’s companies have had contentious relationships with contractors and vendors, leading to lawsuits and customer complaints about merchandise issues. Despite these challenges, MrBeast continues to push the boundaries of what YouTube creators can achieve.
