Former employees of YouTuber MrBeast alleged the star created a toxic work environment where he berated and belittled staff, report says
- Past employees of Jimmy Donaldson told The New York Times he created a "hostile work environment."
- They said Donaldson, a popular YouTuber known as MrBeast, made "unreasonable demands."
- Donaldson has over 60 million subscribers on his MrBeast YouTube channel.
Jimmy Donaldson, the YouTuber known as MrBeast, has been accused by former employees of creating a toxic work environment. The New York Times reported 11 people who worked for the YouTuber said his "demeanor changed when the cameras weren't around" and "they described a difficult work environment."
Donaldson, who has over 61 million subscribers, exploded in popularity over the past four years because of his philanthropic videos, in which he donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to content creators and everyday people.
His business ventures - such as MrBeast Burger, which sold over 1 million meals in three months, and his highly successful line of merchandise - continue to grow his brand. Donaldson, who works out of Greenville, North Carolina, uses a mixture of hometown friends, fans, and influencers to help create his content.
"Working for a 22-year-old YouTube star isn't going to be the most professional work environment," Taylor Lorenz, the author of the Times story, told Insider. "But if you are posturing yourself as a business leader or the next Elon Musk, you should think about the type of work culture you're creating and what you are rewarding."
Nate Anderson, who edited for Donaldson for one week, told The Times that the YouTuber was a "perfectionist" and that he made "unreasonable demands." After he released a now deleted video about his time working with Donaldson, Anderson said he received "death threats and hateful comments from Mr. Beast's dedicated fans."
Matt Turner, an editor for Donaldson from 2018 to 2019, told The Times the content creator had scolded him on an almost daily basis. He said he the YouTuber called by a term meant to disparage people with mental disabilities, which brought him to tears, The Times reported. Turner added that he wasn't credited for his work and that when he would ask to be, Donaldson would "credit someone else."
Turner had previously spoken up about his time editing for Donaldson. In 2018, he posted a video explaining the allegations. And in October 2019, he wrote in a since deleted Twitter thread that he was "yelled at, bullied, called mentally r--- and replaceable by MrBeast every single day."
He also released in 2019 a now deleted YouTube video, in which he said Donaldson deleted the project file for a video he was editing because a compilation of clips of his philanthropy did not equal the $500,000 figure mentioned in the title of the video.
"For a large portion of Gen Z that doesn't want to be creators themselves, working for a creator seems like an absolute dream job," Lorenz said. "But we see time and time again that these creators have basically little to no management experiences and, behind the scenes, can create a really hostile, stressful environment."
A representative for MrBeast declined The Times' request for comment on the allegations pertaining to working conditions. MrBeast did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.