00:00MrBeast's latest video is going viral not just because his friend Madge lost over 100 pounds,
00:05but because they also lost someone incredibly close to them during the challenge.
00:09Now critics are calling out MrBeast for profiting off grief,
00:12while others are calling it his most motivational video ever.
00:16It's the latest controversy for Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast,
00:20the YouTuber turned mogul who built an empire off of viral challenges,
00:24high-stakes stunts, and game show-style giveaways.
00:27Since launching his channel as a teen, MrBeast has redefined what content creation looks like,
00:32from planting 20 million trees to giving away private islands,
00:35he's turned YouTube into a billion-dollar playground.
00:38And his relentless creativity and storytelling earned him an Amazon Prime show, Beast Games,
00:43that had a $5 million prize, the largest in game show history.
00:47But with his viral videos and success comes viral backlash as well.
00:51According to BBC, in 2024, Donaldson publicly condemned serious allegations
00:57made against former co-host Ava Chris Tyson, who was accused of grooming a teenager.
01:02At that time, MrBeast said he was disgusted by the claims and hired investigators to look into the matter,
01:08while Ava denied the allegations but admitted to unacceptable past behavior.
01:12And not long after that, an anonymous YouTube channel claiming to be a former employee
01:17accused MrBeast of questionable business practice, although the BBC noted these claims remain unverified.
01:23Even some of his philanthropic efforts, like funding surgeries or building wells in Africa,
01:28have drawn criticism, with some accusing him of turning hardships
01:32into what one person called, quote, inspiration porn.
01:36Still, none of it seems to have slowed Jimmy down.
01:39In fact, this past June, Jimmy officially became the most subscribed YouTuber in the world
01:44and currently has 470 million subscribers on his main channel.
01:48And his latest video, Lose 100 Pounds, Win $250,000, has reached over 90 million views in just two days.
01:56Unfortunately, not everyone's a fan.
01:59The video started off just like any other MrBeast upload,
02:03with Jimmy hyping up the challenge and introducing the contestant.
02:06This is my friend Madge, and if he loses 100 pounds in the next year,
02:11I will give him a quarter of a million dollars.
02:13But if you saw what Donaldson posted on X to promote the video,
02:17you already know this one's different.
02:19Over the weekend, MrBeast wrote,
02:21I thought this was going to be a normal video,
02:23but it ended up being one of the most emotional and powerful pieces of content I've ever filmed.
02:28Well, reports stated,
02:29Coach tragically dies during MrBeast's challenge while helping man try to lose 100 pounds for $250.
02:37And although the headline may have you thinking someone dies on set,
02:40that was not the case.
02:42But 14 minutes into the video,
02:44you see one of Donaldson's head producers tell Madge that the coach who has helped him lose weight for the last 80 days,
02:51unexpectedly passed away in their apartment,
02:53leaving Madge distraught and contemplating if the challenge was even worth finishing.
02:58Up until this moment, you see Coach Wall as a constant presence in Madge's life throughout the first half of the challenge,
03:04helping him with workouts, keeping him accountable, and motivating him when the progress stalled.
03:09And MrBeast's creative writing keeps you hooked every moment, cheering Madge on while feeling his deep pain,
03:15especially when you learn this wasn't the first time Madge has lost someone close to him during his weight loss journey.
03:21In the video, Madge spoke on losing his dad a year before, which caused him to regain the weight he once lost.
03:27But during the challenge around day 90, Madge tells MrBeast he wants to continue in honor of Coach Wall,
03:33refusing to get another trainer, and successfully losing 102 pounds in 178 days, leaving the comment section torn.
03:41One YouTube user wrote,
03:42While on X, critics are coming at MrBeast with very strong opinions, as one X user wrote,
03:57Putting people through emotional distress for money. Oh, MrBeast.
04:01And another stated,
04:03Used grief for content, by the way. Jacksepticeye was right about MrBeast.
04:08While another fan reminded everyone, the family of Coach Wall and Madge all agreed to complete the video in honor of the coach.
04:16But what's your take? Is the internet being too hard on MrBeast, or should he have stopped the project after the coach's unexpected passing?
04:23Share your thoughts below and follow us everywhere at What's Trending.
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