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MrBeast, the YouTuber who bit more burger than he could chew

In September 2022, YouTube sensation MrBeast, known for his philanthropy and stunts, faces legal battles after launching MrBeast Burger.

The lawsuit against his burger supplier reflects influencers’ evolving relationship with the food industry, impacting their brand and audience loyalty.

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1 year ago

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PARIS, FRANCE — It’s 4 September 2022, and around 10,000 people are shouting “Beast, Beast, Beast” in a shopping mall in New Jersey: YouTuber MrBeast is on his way to launch his first burger restaurant, and the crowd is hysterical.

MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, was building out his global MrBeast Burger business from its origins as a product made in “ghost kitchens” available only on delivery apps.

But he has since had a dramatic change of heart.

Donaldson, 25, recently crowned the world’s most popular YouTuber with more than 170 million subscribers, launched a legal case in late July against the suppliers of the burgers to end the deal.

The court filings include choice quotes from customers: “One New York reviewer, echoing the sentiments of thousands, stated that MrBeast Burger was ‘the absolute worst burger I’ve ever eaten in my entire life! It was like eating spoonfuls of garlic powder’.”

The ghost kitchen firm, Virtual Dining Concepts, countersued last week for US$100 million in damages.

“This court case is a signal for a lot of other influencers,” said Jess Flack, founder of influencer marketing agency Ubiquitous.

She said it marked the fizzling out of influencers’ relationships with ghost kitchens, forged during the pandemic when lockdowns kept millions at home and closed restaurants across the world.

‘Implode’ the brand

Analysts predicted ghost kitchens were the next big thing. Market research outfit Euromonitor International suggested the sector could be worth US$1 trillion by 2030.

Forecasts like this might have egged on Donaldson, especially as the path from entertainment to catering is well-trodden.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and others had a pop with the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain, George Clooney flogs his own tequila, and Emimen hawks spaghetti from a hole-in-the-wall in Detroit.

But Flack points out that Donaldson’s position is more tricky than those other luminaries.

“For someone like MrBeast, his entire career is based on his brand,” she said.

“He’s not like an actor or a singer, or a rapper like Eminem who has a career to fall back on.”

From that point of view, she said, it made perfect sense for him to “implode” MrBeast Burger over the bad reviews.

‘Loyal fanbase’

In any case, Donaldson has another food empire spanning cookies and chocolate bars that gains more positive reviews.

And his social media peers are proving that the food industry still is a viable outlet.

Lifestyle YouTuber Emma Chamberlain has a successful coffee business and viral stunt-creator Logan Paul’s energy drinks are doing just fine, to mention only a few.

The phenomenon is not limited to the United States.

Popular French YouTuber Mister V and Spanish internet celebrity Carlos Rios both have their food brands splashed across supermarket shelves.

“Many YouTubers are creating quite a loyal fanbase due to the seeming intimacy of their relationship with their audiences,” said Vince Miller of the University of Kent in Britain.

But what happens if it all falls apart?

‘Nicest guy on YouTube’

For Donaldson, often dubbed the internet’s Willie Wonka for handing out piles of cash or life-changing experiences at random, the future is still very bright.

He says he pays for the stunts by churning his profits — Forbes magazine listed his 2021 earnings at US$54 million — back into the production of his videos, some of which cost millions to produce.

The giveaways and his endlessly cheery, circus-ringmaster shtick have catapulted him to superstardom with tens of millions of fans hanging on his every word.

“Many of them are kids and young people who really care about what he does and see him as the nicest and most generous guy on YouTube,” said Miller.

His latest video, “7 Days Stranded at Sea”, where he and his friends spent a week on a raft, clocked up what he said was a record-breaking 46 million views on its first day.

“I don’t ever want to hear I only get views because I give away money,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We broke the world record with me and my friends suffering and cracking jokes lol.”

What many, mostly older, folk find hard to swallow is his juxtaposition of charity stunts — he recently paid for 1,000 people to have sight-saving eye operations — with a thirst for clicks.

But for his fans that is a huge part of his appeal — they feel like they are doing good just by watching his videos.

“Beast Philanthropy is literally funded by your eyeballs,” he told viewers of his other channel, Beast Philanthropy. “Not even joking.”

— AFP

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International

UN agency for Palestine refugees reports six staff killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza school

An Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza has killed six UNRWA staff members. The Israeli military claimed the school was being used by Hamas for military purposes, while the UNRWA condemned the strike and called for the protection of civilian infrastructure.

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2 days ago

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13 September 2024

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(Photo: X/UNRWA)

Six employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school in central Gaza, the agency has reported.

The al-Jaouni school in the Nuseirat refugee camp, which shelters thousands of displaced Palestinians, was struck on Wednesday (12 Sept).

Gaza’s Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported a total of 18 deaths in the attack.

Among those killed were the manager of the UNRWA shelter and other team members who were assisting displaced people.

The UNRWA stated that this was the highest single-incident death toll among its staff since the conflict began and revealed that this was the fifth time the school had been hit since the start of the war.

The school is home to approximately 12,000 displaced individuals, mainly women and children.

Since the beginning of the assault on 7 October, at least 220 UNRWA staff members have been killed in Gaza.

In response to the attack, the UNRWA condemned the strike, stating, “No one is safe in Gaza. No one is spared.”

The agency emphasized the need to protect schools and other civilian infrastructure, declaring, “They are not a target,” and reiterated its call for all parties to refrain from using schools or their surroundings for military purposes.

Israel’s military acknowledged responsibility for the airstrike, claiming it was a “precise strike on terrorists” who were allegedly operating from the school.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that the strike targeted a Hamas command and control center embedded within the school.

The IDF also claimed that steps had been taken to minimize civilian harm, including using precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and intelligence gathering.

The IDF accused Hamas of systematically using civilian infrastructure for military purposes, in violation of international law.

They alleged that nine of those killed were members of Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, including three who also worked for the UNRWA.

Israel called on the UNRWA to provide details of the workers killed in the strike, claiming no response had been given.

In response, UNRWA communications director Juliette Touma stated that the Israeli military had not requested a list of the staff who were killed.

She also noted that the names published by the Israeli military had not previously been flagged to the agency by Israeli authorities.

Touma reiterated that UNRWA regularly shares staff lists with host governments, including Israel as the occupying power in Gaza.

Touma further emphasized that UNRWA had consistently called for independent investigations into claims that civilian infrastructure was being used for military purposes.

She said the agency could not independently verify whether the school was being used by Hamas.

UN Secretary General António Guterres condemned the airstrike, calling it a violation of international humanitarian law.

“What’s happening in Gaza is totally unacceptable,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday (12 Sept).

Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, rejected Guterres’ remarks, defending Israel’s actions as part of a “just war against terrorism.”

The escalation of violence follows Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on 7 October, which left approximately 1,200 people dead and led to the abduction of 251 Israelis who were taken to Gaza as hostages.

Since the conflict began, more than 41,000 people have been killed in Gaza, including nearly 16,500 children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

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International

Singaporeans to require Electronic Travel Authorisation for UK travel from 8 January 2025

From 8 January 2025, Singaporeans must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the UK. The digital permit costs £10 (S$17), is valid for two years, and allows multiple visits of up to six months.

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2 days ago

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13 September 2024

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From 8 January 2025, Singaporeans travelling to the United Kingdom will need to apply for and obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before their trip.

According to a UK government press release, tourists from Canada, the United States, and 47 other countries and territories will be required to obtain an ETA before entering the UK.

This new requirement is part of the UK’s border security measures aimed at enhancing security and deterring illegal immigration.

The ETA application costs £10 (S$17), and Singaporean travellers can submit their applications starting from 27 November 2024 via the official UK government website or mobile app.

Once approved, the ETA will be digitally linked to the applicant’s passport and will remain valid for two years, allowing multiple short stays of up to six months per visit.

Applications generally take about three days to process, and applicants will be notified by email if their request has been approved or rejected.

The ETA is mandatory for all modes of transport, including air, sea, and land, such as via the rail tunnel between Britain and France. It is also required for transit passengers who are changing planes at UK airports.

However, the UK ETA does not grant entry to the Republic of Ireland or other European nations.

By April 2025, this requirement will apply to all visitors who are currently able to travel to the UK without a visa, covering over 80 jurisdictions globally.

According to the UK ETA website, the introduction of this system aims to strengthen border security by preventing illegal immigration, combatting organised crime, and identifying potential threats to national security.

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