James Stephen "Jimmy"Donaldson (born May 7, 1998), better known asMrBeast, is an AmericanYouTuber, media personality and businessman.[a] The founder of Beast Industries, a conglomerate that holds various media channels,MrBeast Burger,Feastables,Lunchly and more,[7] he produces high-pacedYouTubevideos built around elaborate challenges and grandiosephilanthropic efforts, that are noted for their highproduction values.[8] With more than 467 million subscribers, his main channel is themost subscribed on YouTube. He also is the third most followed account onTikTok.[9][10]
Donaldson was born inWichita, Kansas, and raised inGreenville, North Carolina. He began posting videos to YouTube in early 2012[11] under the handleMrBeast6000. His early uploads ranged fromLet's Play videos to estimations of other YouTubers' wealth.[12] In 2017, after his video "I Counted to 100,000!" drew tens of thousands of views within days, his productions quickly became more extravagant.[13] As the audience expanded, Donaldson brought longtime friends into the brand and launched companion channels including Beast Reacts (formerly BeastHacks), MrBeast Gaming, MrBeast 2 (formerly MrBeast Shorts),[14] and BeastPhilanthropy.[15][16]
After dropping out of college, Donaldson and his friends attempted to analyze and understand YouTube'srecommendation algorithm to createviral videos.[36] Donaldson recalled regarding this period, "There's a five-year point in my life where I was just relentlessly, unhealthily obsessed with studying virality, studying the YouTube algorithm. I woke up. I would orderUber Eats food. And then I would just sit on my computer all day just studyingshit nonstop with [other YouTubers]."[30]
YouTube career
2012–2017: Early career
Current members of the MrBeast crew. From left to right:Karl Jacobs, Nolan Hansen, and Chandler Hallow
Donaldson uploaded his first YouTube video in February 2012, at the age of 13, under the channel name "MrBeast6000".[37] His early content includedLet's Plays focusing onMinecraft andCall of Duty: Black Ops II,[37] videos estimating the wealth of otherYouTubers,[38] videos that offered tips to upcoming YouTube creators, and commentary on YouTube drama. Donaldson appeared infrequently in these videos.[37]
In 2015 and 2016, Donaldson gained popularity with his "Worst Intros on YouTube" series, poking fun at YouTube video introductions.[37] By mid-2016, Donaldson had around 30,000 subscribers. Donaldson dropped out of college in late 2016 to pursue a full-time career as a YouTuber.[12][38] His mother disapproved of his decision and forced him to leave the family home as a result.[39]
As his channel grew, Donaldson hired four childhood friends—Ava Kris Tyson (at that time named Chris Tyson), Chandler Hallow, Garrett Ronalds, and Jake Franklin—to contribute to his channel.[39] Franklin left the crew in 2020.Karl Jacobs, previously a cameraman, was promoted to replace him.[40][41][42] Tyson left the crew in 2024.[43]
2017–2020: Rise to fame
Donaldson in December 2018
In January 2017, Donaldson published an almost day-long video of himself counting to 100,000, which became his breakthrough viral video.[13] The ordeal took him 40 hours, with some parts sped up to "keep it under 24 hours".[44] Donaldson gained popularity during this period with stunts, such as attempting to break glass using a hundredmegaphones, watching paint dry for an hour,[33] staying underwater for 24 hours, which ended up failing due to health issues, and an unsuccessful attempt to spin afidget spinner for a day.[45] By 2018, Donaldson had given out $1 million through his stunts, earning him the title "YouTube's biggestphilanthropist".[39]
In June 2017, Donaldson gained his first brand deal, from a digital collectibles app called Quidd. This partnership funded his first philanthropic video in June 2017, where he gave the entirety of the $10,000 sponsor's fee to a homeless person.[46] This set the stage for his now-famous brand of large-scale giveaways and philanthropic stunts.[47]
During thePewDiePie vs. T-Series rivalry in 2018, a competition to become the most-subscribed channel on YouTube, Donaldson bought billboards and numerous television and radio advertisements to helpPewDiePie gain more subscribers thanT-Series.[48][49] DuringSuper Bowl LIII, he purchased multiple seats for himself and his team, whose shirts spelled out "Sub 2 PewDiePie".[50][51]
In March 2019, Donaldson organized and filmed a real-lifebattle royale competition in Los Angeles with prizes totaling $200,000 (two games were played, each awarding $100,000) in collaboration withApex Legends.[52]Apex Legends publisherElectronic Arts sponsored the event and prize pool.[53]
In April 2020, Donaldson created arock, paper, scissors competition stream that featured 32influencers and a grand prize of $250,000, which, at the time, became YouTube's most-watched liveOriginal event with 662,000 concurrent viewers.[54] Professionalesports playerNadeshot won the event.[55] In October 2020, Donaldson hosted another influencer tournament. This time, it wastrivia, featuring 24 competitors with a grand prize of $300,000. The tournament's winners were siblingsCharli andDixie D'Amelio, which caused controversy due to claims that they cheated.[56]
On January 1, 2021, Donaldson released the "YouTube Rewind 2020, Thank God It's Over" video. In Donaldson's video, he explains that he had always believed that YouTubers "should get more say inRewind", and with this in mind, he decided to call "hundreds of YouTubers". At the end of the video, Donaldson gives a shout-out to PewDiePie, citing him and his 2018 Rewind as the inspiration for Donaldson's Rewind.[57] Donaldson signed aFacebook andSnapchat content distribution deal with Jellysmack a month later.[58][59]
During aClubhouse room in February 2021, Donaldson removed entrepreneur Farokh Sarmad after he allegedly said he could not pronounce his name, a move that Sarmad later said wasracist. Sarmad's claims were questioned and denied by other Clubhouse users, who were present at the call and argued against Sarmad's claims, claiming that Donaldson removed him and others to make room for women to be more inclusive.[60][61]
In April 2021, Donaldson announced a sponsorship with mobile banking appCurrent, marking the first time he took an ownership stake as part of a sponsorship deal.[62] Donaldson stated he struck the deal with Current's SVP of Marketing Adam Hadi, who worked with Donaldson on his first brand deal with Quidd in 2017.[63]
In November 2021, Donaldson uploaded "$456,000Squid Game in Real Life!", a recreation of thesurvival dramastreaming television seriesSquid Game in real life. The video had 456 people compete for a $456,000 cash prize.[64] It was one of the most-watched YouTube videos of 2021, receiving over 130 million views within a week.[65] A review of the video inVice argued that it "badly misunderstood the anti-capitalist message ofSquid Game".[66] Despite this,Squid Game creatorHwang Dong-hyuk has reacted positively to the recreations and parodies of the series.[67]
In December 2021, Donaldson created a thirdinfluencer tournament featuring 15 competitors with a grand prize of $1 million.[68][69][70] In January 2022,Forbes ranked Donaldson as YouTube's highest-earning creator, earning an estimated $54 million in 2021.Forbes stated that his income in 2021 would have placed him 40th in the 2020Forbes Celebrity 100, earning as much money asVin Diesel andLewis Hamilton did in 2020.[71][72]
On July 28, 2022, Donaldson surpassed 100 million subscribers on his main channel, making him the fifth channel and the second individual YouTuber to achieve the milestone.[73][74] On November 17, 2022, Donaldson achieved theGuinness World Record of "Most Subscribers for an Individual Male on YouTube" with his MrBeast channel at 112 million subscribers.[75] The previous record holder,PewDiePie, had held the record as the most subscribed YouTuber for almost ten years.[76] Donaldson achieved one billion video views over 30 days on his main YouTube channel in November 2022.[77] On October 15, 2023, Donaldson surpassed 200 million subscribers.[78] HisYouTube Shorts video "Would You Fly to Paris for a Baguette?" is the most-watched video on his main YouTube channel, having more than 1.5 billion views and 56 million likes as of May 2025.[79]
Donaldson in 2025
On June 2, 2024, Donaldson surpassed India-based music label and film production companyT-Series for the title of the most subscribed channel on YouTube, with 267 million.[9] On July 10, 2024, Donaldson became the first YouTuber to surpass 300 million subscribers.[80] On July 13, 2024, Donaldson uploaded his 300 million subscribers special, "50 YouTubers Fight for $1,000,000". The video featured guest appearances fromHowie Mandel,Miranda Cosgrove, andJoey Chestnut.[81] This video reached 71 million views in the first 24 hours, becoming Donaldson's most-viewed video within its first 24 hours.[82] In his video "Beat Ronaldo, Win $1,000,000",Cristiano Ronaldo,Tom Brady, andBryson DeChambeau made guest appearances.[83] On April 25, 2025, Donaldson and Uruguayan YouTuberFede Vigevani hosted an influencer basketball game featuring a team of Spanish-speaking creators and a team of English-speaking creators.[84]Neymar,Stephen Curry, andSerena Williams, made guest appearances in the video "Beat Neymar, Win $500,000".[85] On June 1, 2025, Donaldson became the first YouTuber to surpass 400 million subscribers.[86][87][88] In January 2026, Beast Industries raised $200 million from Bitmine at a $5 billion valuation.[89]
Content
In his early career, Donaldson primarily uploadedLet's Plays, "best and worst" roundups, and commentary about YouTube culture.[13][37] His present-day videos usually fall into three formats: stunt challenges that demand difficult or risky tasks, so-called "junklord" experiments that rely on an unusually large quantity of a single product, and giveaway competitions that award substantial cash or prizes, often through games.[b] Giveaway videos remain a defining element of his channel.[13]
An example of Donaldson's YouTube content
Donaldson designs each video to satisfy YouTube'srecommendation algorithm by maximizingclick-through rate andviewer retention.[13] He focuses on striking topics, titles, andthumbnails to encourage clicks,[90] aiming for concepts he considers "original, creative" and essential viewing.[91] He favors bold keywords such as "24-hours" and "challenge" in titles,[36][90] pairs them with simple, brightly lit thumbnails,[92] and introduces the premise within the opening 30 seconds before promising a finale to hold attention through the usual 10–30 minute runtime.[36][13]
Brand sponsorships and Google'sAdSense program primarily fund Donaldson's productions.[93] By 2022 he was reportedly spending about $1 million on each flagship video,[30] supported by earnings from his lower-cost reaction and gaming channels.[30]The Verge described the resulting cycle as self-perpetuating, with each viral success attracting larger brand deals and higher AdSense income that fund even bigger giveaways.[93] Donaldson has said he prefers to reinvest the revenue so he can keep scaling his ideas.[30][94] He also generates additional revenue through ventures that primarily focus on consumer goods, includingMrBeast Burger,Lunchly, andFeastables.[13][95]
As of 2023[update], Donaldson employs over 250 people, from writers to editors to producers.[96][97] Many employees include people familiar with Donaldson, such as friends and family members.[97] In September 2025, Donaldson uploaded the promotional video "I Bought the NFL", which led to a misunderstanding after some viewers thought he had actually purchased theNational Football League. The video was intended to promote YouTube's first-ever free livestream of an NFL game.[98]
In June 2020, Donaldson partnered with Brooklyn art collectiveMSCHF to launchFinger on the App, a one-off mobile endurance contest where players kept a finger on their phone screen until one person remained to claim $25,000.[99] The competition ran for more than 70 hours and ended with four winners who each received $20,000.[100] Its popularity promptedFinger on the App 2, originally slated for December 2020 but delayed until March 2021 after heavy downloads overwhelmed the servers.[101] The sequel offered a $100,000 grand prize, and the champion outlasted the field for roughly 51 hours while the runner-up earned $20,000.[102]
The first physical MrBeast Burger restaurant in New Jersey
Producer Will Hyde toldThe Wake Weekly in November 2020 that Donaldson would debutMrBeast Burger the following month as avirtual restaurant brand.[103] His team partnered withVirtual Dining Concepts so existing kitchens could license the menu and fulfill delivery orders through third-party apps.[103] The concept expanded to more than 2,000 locations worldwide before opening its first physical restaurant at theAmerican Dream Mall inEast Rutherford, New Jersey, on September 4, 2022.[104][105][106] Donaldson said in 2024 that he was moving on from the venture and sought to close it because of quality concerns that he believed were hurting his brand.[107]
Donaldson introducedFeastables in January 2022 with a line of MrBeast Bar chocolates in original, almond, andquinoa crunch flavors.[108][109] The launch campaign included a sweepstakes worth more than $1,000,000, with $10,000 prizes and a challenge that mirroredCharlie and the Chocolate Factory by offering finalists a chance to compete for a chocolate factory.[108][110] A June 2022 video documented the elimination-style competition, featured celebrity chefGordon Ramsay as a judge, and culminated in a winner choosing between the factory and $500,000 in cash.[111] Feastables generated an estimated $10 million in sales within its first few months and refreshed its recipes and packaging in February 2024.[112][113]
Lunchly-brand "nacho chips with queso blanco and salsa" snack kit
Donaldson unveiled theLunchly snack-kit brand in September 2024 as a joint venture with fellow creatorsOlajide "KSI" Olatunji andLogan Paul.[114] Marketed as a healthier alternative toLunchables, the kits paired Prime drinks and Feastables chocolate bars with options such as turkey and crackers, nachos with salsa and cheese, or pizza components.[115]
Investments and partnerships
Donaldson invested in the gaming startupBackbone, supporting itsBackbone One controller and companion content app for mobile players.[116][117] In March 2021, he partnered with the Creative Juice financial network to launch Juice Funds, a $2 million pool that invests in emerging creators.[118][97] The next month he became a long-term investor and partner in thefinancial technology company Current, which promoted the deal through giveaways, and he later faced criticism when fans lost money in a cryptocurrency venture he had endorsed.[119][120][97]
Donaldson expanded into education in November 2022 by partnering withEast Carolina University on a YouTube content-creation course.[121][122] He also appeared as a guest judge on Gordon Ramsay'sFood Stars in May 2023.[123] In 2025, he announced a collaboration with James Patterson on a thriller novel slated for publication by HarperCollins in 2026.[124]
Step
In February 2026, Donaldson's Beast Industries acquired the youth-orientedfintech app Step.[125] The app is focused on providing tools to manage money and build credit. In a tweet posted February 9, he expressed a desire to assist young people with increased financial literacy, writing "I want to give millions of young people the financial foundation I never had."[126]
In March 2024, Donaldson andAmazon MGM Studios announced their plans to create a new reality competition seriesBeast Games, set to air exclusively onPrime Video. On December 19, 2024, Donaldson releasedBeast Games on Amazon Prime Video. With 1,000 contestants competing for a $5 million cash prize—the biggest single prize in the history of television and streaming—the show broke numerousGuinness World Records.[128][129] On May 12, 2025, the series was renewed for two additional seasons.[130] Donaldson stated that his $100 million deal with Amazon was a "poor financial decision" as he lost tens of millions of dollars from Beast Games.[131]
Beast Games, Amazon, and Donaldson faced criticism aftercontestants complained that they had been denied food, water, medication, and beds during production. Additionally, several contestants were hospitalized during the first filming sessions, with over a dozen contestants claiming that various injuries had occurred while participating in the challenges and that many had been seen being removed from the arena on stretchers.[132][133] A spokesperson of Donaldson would blame external factors such asthe global computer systems outage caused by CrowdStrike's update to its software, "extreme weather and other unexpected logistical and communications issues".[134]
Beast Land theme park
Donaldson openedBeast Land, a temporaryamusement park inRiyadh, Saudi Arabia which ran from November 13 to December 27, 2025, as part ofRiyadh Season. The theme park featured rides inspired by videos from the MrBeast YouTube channel.[135]
As of June 2025[update], supporters have funded more than 24.8 million trees through the initiative.[141] APBS Terra report noted that only six percent of the first 2,000 trees planted in one monitored location survived, highlighting the challenges of long-term reforestation.[142]
On October 29, 2021, Donaldson and Rober introduced #TeamSeas to raise $30 million by January 1, 2022, for theOcean Conservancy andThe Ocean Cleanup, with the goal of removing 30 million pounds (14 million kilograms) of debris from oceans, rivers, and beaches.[143] Thousands of creators, among them AzzyLand,DanTDM,TommyInnit,LinusTechTips,TierZoo, LEMMiNO, The Infographics Show,Hannah Stocking,Dhar Mann, andMarques Brownlee, promoted the campaign, and BEN plus TubeBuddy's eight-million-creator initiative provided additional reach.[144][145] As of June 2025[update], contributors have raised more than $34 million ($34,080,191) for the effort.[146]
On August 1, 2025, Donaldson and Rober launched #TeamWater to raise $40 million forWaterAid by the end of the month.[22] The campaign set out to deliver lasting clean-water access for two million people and enlisted more than 3,000 creators to help meet the goal.[147] As of 22 September 2025[update], donations exceeded the target, totaling more than $41 million ($41,631,423).[148]
Donaldson launched the Beast Philanthropy YouTube channel on September 17, 2020, announcing a dedicated food bank and naming longtime collaborator Darren Margolias as executive director.[151][152][153] The channel states that it donates all advertising revenue, brand deals, and merchandise proceeds to charity.[13][151]
Beast Philanthropy campaigns have included distributing 10,000 turkeys in Greenville,[149][150] delivering 20,000 pairs of shoes to children in Africa,[154] building 100 wells for communities with limited access to clean water,[155] and donating $300,000 in technology to schools.[156] Donaldson has also produced videos that fund medical procedures, helping 1,000 blind people see again, 1,000 deaf people regain hearing, and 2,000 people walk again.[157]
Former employees have accused Donaldson of fostering a difficult workplace. Editor Matt Turner toldThe New York Times that while he worked for Donaldson between February 2018 and September 2019 he was berated almost daily, called a "retard", and often left uncredited for his edits.[97]Insider reported that Turner described the same allegations in a 2018 video and in an October 2019 Twitter thread.[158]
Another editor, Nate Anderson, said he left after one week in 2018 because of what he viewed as unreasonable expectations and later received death threats from fans after sharing his experience.[97][158] Nine additional former employees similarly stated that Donaldson could be generous but that his demeanor shifted when the cameras were off.[97][158] Donaldson rejected the accusations, saying that the company maintains high standards without being toxic, and he said he paid Turner $10,000 and recommended him for another job when his contract ended.[30]
MrBeast Burger
On June 17, 2023, Donaldson said he wanted to close MrBeast Burger because of quality complaints, calling his agreement withVirtual Dining Concepts "a bad deal" and alleging that the company would not let him walk away even though the brand was "terrible" for his reputation.[159][160][161]
On July 31, 2023, he sued Virtual Dining Concepts in federal court, arguing that the company chased rapid expansion at the expense of food quality, damaged his brand, and failed to pay him.[162][163][164] Virtual Dining Concepts denied the accusations, claimed Donaldson benefited from the partnership, and said he tried to negotiate a new agreement before turning to public pressure.[165]
One week later, Virtual Dining Concepts and its subsidiary Celebrity Virtual Dining, LLC countersued Donaldson and Beast Investments for more than $100 million, alleging breach of contract and tortious interference.[166][167] Donaldson later withdrew his complaint so it could be refiled in state court.[164]
Removal of Ava Kris Tyson
On July 24, 2024, Donaldson cut ties with Ava Kris Tyson, an original cast member, after third-party accusations that she had engaged in sexual misconduct with minors and pressured a former employee.[168] Tyson said she voluntarily stepped away and described the split as mutual, adding that she had only made "bad edgy jokes".[169][170][43]
Donaldson announced that an independent investigation was underway.[171] On November 1, 2024, the law firmQuinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan said it reviewed interviews with 39 current and former employees and more than 4.5 million documents from mobile and chat platforms, concluding that the allegations were baseless.[172] The firm reported that alleged victims rejected the claims and said others had used their names without consent.[43][173]
Allegations from DogPack404
On July 24, 2024, former employee DogPack404 posted a YouTube video accusing Donaldson of staging contests, running illegal lotteries, falsifying signatures, and misleading viewers.[174][175][176] He followed with an interview of former staffer Jake Weddle, who described being denied sleep during productions, said the team employed Jake Franklin's brother-in-law despite his status as a registeredsex offender, and alleged that a cameraman tried to intoxicate female participants with paint fumes.[176] Weddle identified the cameraman as "Delaware", claiming Donaldson knew about his conviction, which stemmed from an incident when Delaware was 16 and the victim was 11.[177]
In September 2024, five former contestants onBeast Games filed aclass action lawsuit inLos Angeles County Superior Court against Donaldson, Amazon, and the show's production partners.[178] They alleged chronic mistreatment on set, includingsexual harassment, unsafe conditions, and unpaid expenses.[179][180] The plaintiffs also said they were pressured to sign illegal contracts and submit false paperwork in order to secure Nevada tax credits for the production.[181]
Unauthorized tour of Mayan ruins
In May 2025, Mexican authorities accused Donaldson of exploiting theChichén Itzá ruins after he released the video "I Explored 2,000-Year-Old Ancient Temples". Officials said the footage showed him waiting until nightfall, climbing restricted structures, entering a temple, and promoting Feastables products in violation of guidelines for tourists and commercial shoots.[182][183] Donaldson countered that his team held "full permits" and followed the rules, but PresidentClaudia Sheinbaum requested a review of how the permits were granted.[183]
AI-generated content tool and plagiarism
In June 2025, Donaldson used his analytics venture ViewStats to unveil an AI-powered thumbnail generator that let users pull imagery from any YouTube channel, remix faces and styles, and receive suggestions for other creators to copy.[184] His demo video showed the tool ingesting his entire catalog. Critics said it encouraged plagiarism because creators could import thumbnails without permission simply by providing a URL.[184]
YouTubers and other artists swiftly reacted, arguing that the product enabled theft of their branding.Jacksepticeye objected after his logo and thumbnail style appeared in promotions for the tool, andPointCrow called the feature a pipeline for stealing artists' labor.[184][185][186] Within days, Donaldson said onTwitter that he had pulled the tool from ViewStats.[187]
Burning building video
On September 27, 2025, Donaldson released "Would You Risk Dying for $500,000?", a video in which contestant Eric navigated seven staged hazards, including explosions and a burning house set, to retrieve cash.[188] Critics called the spectacledystopian and humiliating, while some viewers doubted that the contestant faced real danger. Donaldson responded that extensive safety measures were in place.[188]
Personal life
Donaldson has described himself as anintrovert, saying his focus on YouTube leaves little time for a social life. His mother, Sue, linked that temperament to the family's frequent moves and to his ongoing experience withCrohn's disease.[30]
He dated YouTuber Maddy Spidell from 2019 to 2022, and he began a relationship with gaming streamer Thea Booysen later that year.[189][190] Donaldson announced hisengagement to Booysen on January 1, 2025, noting that he proposed on December 25, 2024.[191][192]
After theimplosion of theOceanGate submersibleTitan during a June 2023 expedition to theTitanic, Donaldson said he had been invited on the trip but declined.[193][194]
Political views
Donaldson says he remainsapolitical because taking sides could alienate viewers and undermine his philanthropic work.[30] During a September 2022 podcast appearance, he joked that he might run for president "in like 20 years", arguing that the United States is "due for younger presidents".[195][196] On July 6, 2024, amid the2024 campaign, he tweeted, "If we lower the age to run for president I'll jump in the race," a remark that went viral before he clarified on X that he was simply restating his apolitical stance.[197][198][195] However, he is a supporter ofElon Musk as of an interview withTheo Von on December 3, 2024.[199]
LGBT issues
In an April 2022 interview withRolling Stone, Donaldson said he had leftevangelical Christianity, now identifies as anagnostic theist, and no longer shares the anti-LGBTQ positions he heard while growing up in theBible Belt. He recalled being taught that "Gay people are the reason God's going to come and burn this Earth" and said he has since rejected that rhetoric.[30]
The Atlantic reported in May 2018 that Donaldson usedhomophobic slurs on Twitter as a teenager, often treating the word "gay" as an insult.[66][200][31] He later deleted those posts, and a spokesperson said in 2021 that he had "grown up and matured into someone that doesn't speak like that".[97]
Donaldson publicly supported childhood friend and collaborator Ava Kris Tyson in April 2023 after she revealed that she was receivingfeminizing hormone replacement therapy, writing, "All this transphobia is starting to piss me off."[201][202] Tyson later came out as atrans woman.[203][204]
Fans of MrBeast photographing him at aWalmart in 2025
Donaldson's channel became themost subscribed on YouTube on June 2, 2024, when it overtookT-Series.[205] A February 2021 poll byInsider reported that 70% of respondents viewed him favorably and 12% unfavorably.[206] Coverage fromTime, Yahoo Life, and CNN has noted his particular appeal to younger audiences, pointing to his direct-to-camera delivery and polished but enthusiastic on-screen persona, which could encourage aparasocial relationship.[30][207][208][209]
Writers such as Charissa Cheong have linked Donaldson's success to a broader shift on YouTube toward high-budget, experimental productions.[210][211] Other analysts have credited his format with influencing creators such asFidias,Matthew Beem, andAirrack, who have adopted similar high-stakes challenge videos.[209][97][212] Donaldson's influence on entertainment has been deemed "Mr. Beastification"[213] and "Beastification"[214] by observers.Taylor Lorenz noted in March 2024 that Donaldson's style of "retention editing" involved "loud sound effects, fast cuts, flashing lights and zero pauses" to keep users' attention. This style was mimicked by many other content creators to the point of being the dominant format, though its dominance was beginning to wane by then; Donaldson wanted himself and others to "get rid of the ultra fast paced/overstim era of content".[214]Anthony Padilla ofSmosh felt that MrBeastification had led to a large number of copycats and "this very heavy desire for people to really get caught up in the stats".[215]
Donaldson's approach has also drawn scrutiny. Commentators have accused Donaldson of turning philanthropy into spectacle, sometimes describing his videos as "charity porn."[157][216][155] Critics have argued that his giveaways do little to addressstructural inequality.[217] Donaldson has responded that he does not profit from Beast Philanthropy videos, that all revenue is donated, and that government action is needed to solve systemic problems.[218][219]
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