Jimmy Donaldson, better known as Mr Beast, is facing serious allegations regarding his Amazon reality show Beast Games, which was intended to be the largest reality TV show in history.
Story Summary:
- Mr Beast’s reality show Beast Games has been rocked by claims of disorganisation, dangerous conditions, and staff mistreatment.
- Crew members and contestants report unsafe work environments, withheld medication, and multiple injuries during filming in Las Vegas and Toronto.
- Six hospitalisations were reported during the Las Vegas phase, prompting significant backlash from both contestants and workers.
Mr Beast’s reality TV show muddied by shocking claims
While Beast Games promised an unprecedented scale of challenges and a $5 million prize (est. R88 million), multiple insiders have come forward to reveal shocking details about the chaotic and allegedly unsafe production environment.
An exposé by Rolling Stone has shed light on behind-the-scenes issues, describing the conditions during the Las Vegas and Toronto phases of filming as “disorganised” and even “dangerous.”
Six crew members and contestants who spoke anonymously stated that the production was mishandled and that those working on the project were inexperienced, leading to unsafe practices and inadequate support.
One crew member compared the show to the infamous Fyre Festival, stating:
“There’s a reason why this level of production hasn’t been attempted before, and it certainly should never have been attempted without people that know what they are doing.”
Las Vegas Chaos
The Las Vegas portion of the shoot, involving 2,000 contestants, reportedly featured a slew of challenges, such as moving heavy objects and an extreme version of Capture the Flag.
However, insiders claimed that conditions quickly deteriorated.
Contestants and crew reported sleeping on stadium floors, receiving inadequate medical care, and suffering injuries from overly intense challenges.
Scott Leopold, a contestant who competed in Las Vegas, told Rolling Stone:
“It was chaotic. People were hurt, and there wasn’t enough food or proper medical attention.”
He added that the confusion about how the footage would be used made him question why he was even participating.
Several contestants were hospitalised due to the challenges, and insiders pointed to issues with the organisation and preparation of the event.
A Mr Beast representative acknowledged the “CrowdStrike incident” and extreme weather as contributing factors to the chaos but claimed steps were taken to address these issues moving forward.
Toronto Leg Improvement, But Concerns Persist
When production shifted to Toronto, insiders claimed that conditions improved.
Contestants were housed in hotels, and food supplies were plentiful, which appeared to be a response to the Las Vegas debacle.
However, crew members still faced long work hours, extreme temperatures, and pressure to continue filming during unsafe conditions, such as a major storm that caused flooding on set.
“There was water pouring in from the ceilings, and electrical equipment was submerged,” one crew member recalled.
“They kept telling us to work through it. It was insane.”
The production was also nonunion, which led to further controversy.
Reports surfaced that unqualified staff were hired, many of whom had little to no experience working on productions of this scale.
Several crew members claimed that they were either underpaid or not paid at all during their time on the show.
What are the implications for Mr Beast?
The allegations surrounding Beast Games raise significant concerns about Mr Beast’s brand, which has long been associated with over-the-top challenges and philanthropy.
The show’s mismanagement and alleged mistreatment of crew and contestants could damage the YouTube star’s reputation, especially as his fanbase includes a younger, more impressionable audience.
These revelations come on the heels of other accusations that have haunted Mr Beast in recent months.
His former employees have accused him of fostering an exploitative work environment, while separate allegations involving inappropriate behaviour by some of his team members, including Ava Tyson, have further tarnished his public image.
Donaldson, who reportedly hired Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer, has been trying to manage the fallout from these accusations.
However, with insiders continuing to speak out about dangerous working conditions at Beast Games and the additional controversy surrounding the behaviour of his staff, it appears the issues may be far from over.