Jimmy Donaldson is no stranger to controversy. At just 26, the YouTube star known the world-over as MrBeast has weathered his share of contentious publicity and public backlash for his high profile social media stunts, plus allegations of fostering a toxic work environment for his staff. Throughout it all, Donaldson has steadily grown his brand and his media empire, to the point where he is the most subscribed-to YouTube channel in history with a fortune estimated to be in the range of $700 million.
Unlike comparable superstars whose fame and fortune come from record deals and movie contracts, MrBeast's celebrity is based almost entirely on his simply being MrBeast. He is the definition of self-referential stardom in the social media era. This week, five unnamed participants competing for the promised $5 million prize in Donaldson's forthcoming reality competition, " Beast Games, " filed a class action lawsuit against both Donaldson's production company and Amazon, which is set to stream the series worldwide on its Prime Video platform.
In the suit, the plaintiffs allege they had been "fed sporadically and sparsely," "were not given adequate access to hygienic products or medical care" and that "female contestants particularly and collectively suffered" from a work environment which "systematically fostered a culture of misogyny and sexism where Production Staff did nothing." What does this mean for YouTube's breakout star and his dreams of cross-platform domination? What are.