- An email announced the launch of some new Shane Dawson-designed hoodies made by
Jeffree Star 's company KillerMerch , with the phrase "spiraling since 1988" printed on them. - Dawson appeared in the background of one of his fiancée Ryland Adams' videos, but has been silent on social media otherwise since his fall from grace in June.
- Videos of his old offensive content resurfaced in June and July, including clips of him dressing in blackface, making pedophilic jokes, and sexualizing animals.
- People expressed their confusion and disgust on social media that Dawson would release new merch now when the controversy is still raw.
Many people who received the email posted on social media about their confusion and disgust with Dawson's decision to release new merch while his controversies are still raw.
"It's so uncomfortable that Shane Dawson is releasing new merch while he's been MIA," one person tweeted. "It's just weird knowing he hasn't said anything since June and still comes out with new stuff."
Another asked: "Who's still supporting this man? Why would they launch new merch?"
Dawson has been mostly absent from the internet since July, after a tidal wave of old content came back to haunt him and he released an apology video called "Taking Accountability." It was not the first time he's had to apologize for old offensive content — including blackface, racial slurs, and the sexualization of animals and children — but it did culminate in his biggest fall from grace to date. The internet completely turned against Dawson and he lost over a million subscribers.
Dawson's YouTube channel was demonetized, and his makeup and clothing were removed from Morphe and Target stores over the summer. Some people on Twitter suggested this may be why he is still trying to sell merch.
"Is he trying to get money because his channel got demonetized or some s--t?" one person wrote. "You really expect people to buy this?"
—ඞ ඞ (@1WormOnAString1) September 18, 2020
"This is a bold f---ing move," said YouTuber Adam McIntyre in a reaction video, adding that seeing Dawson in the video actually made him quite uncomfortable. "You're not even dipping your feet in anymore, you're f---ing body-diving in, because this is just, let's be real, people are not warmed up to the fact of Shane Dawson coming back yet."
After months of silence, Dawson did appear in the background of one of the videos posted by his fiancée and fellow YouTuber Ryland Adams in September, but it was noted on the screen that the content was filmed before the drama unfolded.
Meanwhile, Dawson's friend and colleague Jeffree Star is carrying on as normal, even though he faced a backlash of his own over the last few months relating to old clips of him hurling racist abuse and being violent — showing once again that the rules are different if you're already a controversial figure.
Star hasn't publicly addressed Dawson except for once in his apology video, "Doing What's Right."
Smiling, Star called Dawson "genuine, amazing, and selfless," and "one of the most kind people that I have ever met in my entire world."
"That is my best friend, and I was truly shocked that people thought I was going to distance myself from him or that my silence was anything but support," he said. "I know the amazing person that he is today and you don't abandon your friends."
- Read more:
- Shane Dawson quietly launched new merchandise while staying silent on his controversies
- Jeffree Star restocked Shane Dawson's hoodies, but the Killer Merch owner still hasn't acknowledged the drama engulfing the duo
- Jeffree Star company Killer Merch took hundreds of thousands of dollars in coronavirus relief loan
- Disgraced YouTuber Shane Dawson may have just quietly returned to the platform, and people have mixed feelings
- How Shane Dawson went from 'King of YouTube' to the biggest fall from grace the platform has ever seen