David Dobrik (24) is one of the most famous YouTubers in Hollywood. He made a name for himself on Vine, the short-form video app that created a generation of online stars. After that, he went to YouTube, where he and a group of friends, known as the Vlog group, started sharing quick comic content, often involving stunts.
Since 2014, he has amassed more than 18 million subscribers on his primary YouTube channel.
But an investigation that Kat Tenbarge published on Insider, in which allegations of sexual assault against a former member of the Vlog group were made, led many viewers to the work of Mr. Dobrik and their fandom furiously judged. Now it is a challenge to the success of his growing empire.
A spokesman for HelloFresh, one of its sponsors, said on Friday: “We can confirm that we are no longer working with David Dobrik or any member of the Vlog group and that we do not want to work with them again in the future. ”
“We have decided to end our relationship and cancel all planned activities,” said a representative of Dollar Shave Club. A spokesman for EA Sports, who once handed a Lamborghini to Mr. Dobrik said the company “can confirm that we are not currently working with him, and that we are not planning to do so in the future.”
SeatGeek, the ticket company that is one of the biggest advertisers of mr. Dobrik is, told Insider on Thursday that he is ‘reviewing’ the company’s partnership.
In 2018, Mr. Dobrik posted a video on his YouTube channel called “SHE DIDN’T PLAY WITH FIRE !!” It showed footage of young women working with Mr. Dobrik and members of the Vlog group were having a good time while the men made jokes about sexual encounters with them. Later, one of the men, Dom Zeglaitis, tells that he had sex with one of them.
The woman told Insider that she was unfit by alcohol over the course of the evening and described the experience as rape. Her report was confirmed by at least one other woman present.
The woman confirmed her story to The New York Times and provided photos, texts and videos from the evening to confirm her report.
“We’m going to jail,” Mr Dobrik said at the end of the video.
The woman told Mr. Zeglaitis issued to request that the video be removed; after receiving more than five million views.
The accused did not contact the police, and no charges were filed.
Mr Dobrik declined to comment. He released a video on Tuesday addressing the story.
“I wanted to get here quickly and address some conversations on the internet,” he said. Dobrik in the video titled “Let’s Talk.” It was posted on a secondary channel with about a tenth of the fans of its main channel.
Mr. Dobrik said in the video that “permission is something that is super, very important to me.” He added that he is seeking approval from everyone who appears in his videos, and that he will take down videos if those who appear in them no longer want to be included.
“There were also moments where I looked back at videos, and I realized that they no longer represent me, and that they hurt other people and I do not want that, because I have grown content creator and as a person,” he said. . “And I do not agree with some of the videos I posted.”
“I’m sorry I let you down,” he said.
Last month, a former member of the Vlog group named Joseth “Seth” Francois said he had been sexually assaulted in one of Mr. Dobrik’s videos. In it, he was tricked into kissing Jason Nash, another YouTuber; Mr. Francois believed he was kissing a woman.
‘The point of the video is to sexually assault me. That’s the whole point, ‘Francois told BuzzFeed.
Mr Dobrik addressed the incident in his apology. “With the Seth situation, I’m sorry for Seth, because like I said, I just want to make videos where everyone in it, whether you participate or watch, enjoy it and have a good time,” said Mr. Dobrik said. ‘And I missed the point with the one. And I’m really sorry. I really am. ”
Mr. Dobrik’s career as an entertainer made him rich enough to buy a $ 9.5 million home in Los Angeles – complete with a Hawaiian Punch fountain.
Early last year, Mr. Dobrik called by The Wall Street Journal ‘Gen Z’s Jimmy Fallon’. Last April, he returned from regular vlogging, which became challenging during the pandemic, and focused on other projects, including the launch of his own photo-sharing app, Dispo.
The app’s rating fell below two stars in Apple’s app store this week. Apple has briefly interrupted the ability to deliver reviews as people rally the space around Mr. Dobrik in the form of reviews and reviews.
Mr. Dobrik lost more than 100,000 subscribers to his primary YouTube channel last week.
In the apology video of mr. Dobrik also said he “chose to resign” from some people who had previously appeared in his content. “I do not stand for any kind of misconduct,” he said, “and I was really disappointed in some of my friends and that’s why I divorced many of them.”