Disney’s Maker Studios and YouTube have both distanced themselves from PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg) following his recent release of videos that contained anti-Semitic and offensive material. The news was first brought to light by Wall Street Journal who reported that Maker Studios had cut its ties with the video producer, with the company stating that although he’s always been on the provocative end, he went too far this time.
One of the videos, which has now been deleted, saw him paying two men holding a sign calling for death to Jews.
Variety reports that YouTube has cancelled the second season of PewDiePie’s Premium show and has dropped his channel from its “Google Preferred” program, which advertises “brand-safe” content on YouTube.
This will certainly have an impact on Kjellberg’s income but how much is anybody’s guess at the moment. For his part, he’s offered a clarification on his tumblr, stating that he was merely “trying to show how crazy the modern world is, specifically some of the services available online.” “I picked something that seemed absurd to me—That people on Fiverr would say anything for 5 dollars,” he continued.
He ended the post by laughing off suggestions that he endorses hate.
[Source: Wall Street Journal, Variety, Pewdie (tumblr)]
