Over this past December, Jimmy Donaldson, better known as popular YouTuber star Mr. Beast, released his new game show Beast Games on Prime. This competition includes 1,000 contestants to compete in various challenges like puzzles, obstacle courses, and physical challenges to win a life changing amount of money, $5,000,000 . 

The show is basically a parody of the hit Netflix series, “Squid game”. Donaldson in the past has done a recreation of the hit show on his YouTube channel, which cost him almost 4 million dollars in set and prize money. He asked his audience on social media, X, if he should create part two of this challenge, the overall excitement of the idea resulted in The Beast Games. 

To promote his upcoming show he did many elaborate stunts to bring viewers to his channel. Each video would sponsor his upcoming show in between the video or at the end. A sketchy promotion was shown on the second episode of Beast Games.  A QR code was flashed upon the screen for viewers to enter a $4,000,000 sweepstake. The partnership was with an app called MoneyLion, a financial company that specializes in providing fast short term loans to people with limited credit.

Donaldson got criticism for this strategy because he was connecting his audience to a predatory app that can cause financial distress for its regular customers.

Donaldson made it his mission to make nail biting entertainment through his show. He accomplished this as each episode was full of mental and physical pressure on the contestants that were definitely anxiety inducing, but also full of manipulation, sabotage, cruelty, and greed. Contestants who claimed that there were poor working conditions for the cast behind the scenes caused some additional controversy.They say that the faculty lacked regular access to food, water, proper sleep, and medication.  

 Donaldson stated his team will learn from these mistakes. 

Donaldson at one time had one of the strongest brands of any internet influencer, but has recently come under fire for insensitive comments made on his youtube channel and in his personal life. Donaldson has been performing lots of promotional stunts on his Youtube channel attempting to garner attention for Beast Games and improve his failing PR. The Beast Games, however, were one further misstep in terms of his public image.

The Beast Games are a perfect example of exploitative media. 

While on the show, contestants were expected to put their personal issues on display, demonstrating their severe need for money to help with personal problems. Viewers quickly learn that many of the contestants are desperate, needing money to pay for things like medical bills, college, buying a home, etc. For example, one contestant was a homeless veteran who was forced to sleep in his car, despite risking his life for the public in his career. 

As many Americans know, the average citizen has been in a bad place financially since the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many American families are struggling to make ends meet, and provide basic necessities for their families. 

This might cause the audience to think that Mr. Beast is doing a good thing by changing lives and giving away an incomprehensible amount of money. However, the tactics of the show demonstrate how misguided this idea is.

While on the show, contestants are pitted against one another, forced to essentially steal money from their fellow castmates who they have come to know and connect with. At the end of the day, one person can’t gain money without taking it away from another. This obviously causes emotional duress for the cast, which is on display for the audience to see for their amusement. 

Contestants who are kicked off the show get a consolation prize of $1,000, which is arguably a slap in the face to contestants who showed their tremendous financial needs, only to be met with a small pittance for their participation in the show.

While the world gets to judge people at a low moment in their life, Donaldson gets to reap all of the rewards. He is a tremendously wealthy person, reaching multi-millionaire status because of his massive YouTube empire. 

While there have been many exploitative shows on TV and YouTube throughout the past few decades, the problem with influencers such as Mr. Beast is that they are highly influential with a young audience. Many young people look up to Mr. Beast as a hero to replicate. Is this the example that should be set for our country’s youngest minds?

In closing, it is important to remember the theme of the ever popular Netflix show Squid Game: Exploiting underprivileged people for entertainment is unethical. Mr. Beast totally missed the mark by leaning into the role of the “VIP” who represents the rich factions that take advantage of  the lower classes. This diminishes his value as a true philanthropist, and goes against his own branding as a trustworthy person.