*Posted September 15th, 2017*
Over the weekend, the most watched YouTuber around the world, PewDiePie (real name Felix Kjellberg), called another player a “fucking nigger” in front of millions of viewers. This is the kind of thing our we’ve got big opinions about, especially when it happens from a stage that big. Frantz and Anissa discuss the ins-and-outs of the situation.
Frantz: Yeah, he done fucked all the way up. I heard about it through the ether but decided I should check in with (quoted from @enmanuelwrites) “the last place justice still exists: Black Twitter.” It was there that I got confirmation that Swedish-born PewDiePie (who’s real name is Felix, so I’ma call his mark ass Felix) said, “What a fucking nigger” describing the play of his opponent while streaming a last-man-standing match in the Playerunknown shooter, Battlegrounds.
Anissa: Felix has since released a 1:36 length video apologizing for his comment. He claims he hates when other people use that language when gaming and he’s upset that he fell into that. To make matters worse, he says it’s something that “slipped out.”
FJ: There’s wild levels to why Felix ain’t shit. One of those levels is how many fucking times your boy got off with being a trifling jackass on one of the most public forums in THE WORLD. He’s used “retarded”, “gay”, and “nigga” in the past. Now he can add “nigger” to the derogatory language he’s been streaming on YouTube. To be clear, when non-Black people say any variation on the ’N-word’ it’s non-negotiable. For further clarity: Don’t. Fucking. Do it.
AH: It really is a shame the way people still continue to support this guy. He could properly shoot an innocent unarmed Black man and claim self-defense and they would believe him. He has shown time and time again that he has no filter when it comes to “making jokes” about different cultures. How many times does a guy have to make racial remarks for people to see that he ain’t shit?
FJ: For my Blerds who don’t know history: Ain’t no damn difference between a hard or soft ‘R’ when it comes to this word. I know it helps some sleep at night to draw false equivalencies between the two, but it’s quiet for that.
AH: Look y’all, the way he blatantly said nigger, sounded like he used the term before. He goes on to say that he doesn’t think he’s able to just say anything and get away with it. But that’s how he ACTUALLY acts. He’s told time and time again that his comments and actions are detrimental to his “career” yet he continues to make light of the situations and make jokes about his jokes.
But no, it’s not his fault as he claims. What’s really pissing me off is that he plays the victim. “The media is out to make him look bad.” “His comments were just jokes.” “People like to downplay YouTubers.” He comes up with every excuse in the book instead of taking responsibility for his actions.
PEWDIEPIE WE ALL TRUSTED YOU LMFAO ?
BUT HARD R THO?? DIDNT HAVE ANY OTHER WORD??
ARE THERE EVEN BLACK PPL IN UR CITY
i'm deceased pic.twitter.com/AoLcDtCAqz
— ♡♪!? (@SkyWilliams) September 10, 2017
FJ: I want the accountability matrix to hit peak levels of equity, so let me say this: if folks continue to be a fan, subscriber, sponsor, or are out here caping for Felix then they’re almost as responsible for this as he is.
AH: Gaming industries are even trying to distance themselves from him. Developer Sean Vanama has requested to have Felix remove all videos from games like Firewatch and others produced by Campo Santo. Disney even pulled their partnership with him because they know better.
FJ: Felix is people-powered. His brand is supported by clicks, likes, and shares. The millions of dollars he is allowed to rake in by playing video games to an online audience is paid for by people’s attention. If you were paying real attention, the first time he let loose and said, ’18 niggaa!’ in 2013 should have been the same day the Internet cut him off from making another penny. That obviously didn’t happen. Folks let that slide.
When he played a ‘joke’ that led to a “Death To All Jews” sign to be held up on Fiverr, the so-called ‘Bro Army’ should have dragged Felix’s ass for life. That didn’t happen. Instead, white supremacist publications like The Daily Stormer cheered Felix’s racist actions. They let that slide. During the advent of his come up on YouTube, when rape jokes were the fucking soup du jour he was serving, no one came for him. People let that slide.
They gave him money, gave him power, and gave him influence. So yeah, Felix ain’t shit; but neither are any of those who supported and defended him after he showed his true colors. Just like the folks who voted for the 45th president after he showed his.
AH: He hasn’t learned and he’ll never learn. For a person who has so many fans and such a huge presence in the media, he needs to do better. But will he? That’s the big question. Because no matter what, his bro ass Bro Army bros will continue to back him up and make him feel like he’s not the piece of shit he actually is. Which he is.
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