In a now-deleted YouTube video, the Swedish YouTube star could be seen watching a video of TikTok user Scarlet May that featured her telling a story while using American Sign Language (ASL).
- Jul 28, 2022
AceShowbiz - TikTok star Scarlet May, who is deaf, spoke out about PewDiePie making fun of her in a now-deleted YouTube clip. Taking to TikTok, May addressed the controversy which resulted in the Swedish YouTube star, whose real name is Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, being slammed online for his offensive reaction to her TikTok video.
Catching wind of the controversy, May addressed the matter in a TikTok video on Wednesday, July 27. "[PewDiePie] made a reaction video to one of my TikToks, making fun of my nails, making fun of my signs with his dogs, and, I guess, at one point, mocking my voice," she told her 6.2 million followers.
While she said that "it was unnecessary" of him to do so, May admitted, "At the same time, I wasn't surprised. I'm used to it. But a big creator comes on here and puts us a million steps back, so it's very frustrating." Adding that things would be different if it had been any other person with long nails telling a story without having to sign, she divulged, "But because I have to sign to communicate and have long nails, he stopped the video after two seconds and didn't even listen to the story, and then after that, proceeded to make fun of me with his dog."
She went on to address PewDiePie directly, "You don't get to just mock deaf people who have been struggling for years with people like you and then go about your day."
In the controversial video, which has been reposted on social media, PewDiePie could be seen watching a video of TikTok user Scarlet May that featured her telling a story while using American Sign Language (ASL). However, he then refused to continue watching after only a few seconds in. "No, I'm not listening to this," so he said.
PewDiePie, who was with his dog, went on to say that the pug has the "same crazy nails" as May. Not stopping there, he used his dog to imitate her signing and speech.
Needless to say, Internet users were coming at him for that. "nobody literally nobody is talking about pewdiepie making fun of a deaf woman in his comments?!? why do white men always s**t on woc when they have long nails?? then goes a head to mimic asl.. he cuts out the clip without taking any responsibility," one Twitter user questioned. Another person said, "pewdiepie is a piece of s**t for putting a deaf creator on tiktok in a cringe comp simply for the way she signs…."
"Pewdiepie mocked a young deaf woman's voice and long nails while using his dog's paws to mock her using sign language. We have to stop giving insipid jacka**es large platforms to bully people," someone else noted. Another comment blasting the YouTuber read, "This woman deserves an apology from PewDiePie. Deaf people have had to endure ableism and mockery all throughout their lives. If you defend him when he's clearly in the wrong, YOU'RE part of the problem."
Following the backlash, PewDiePie edited the clip out of the video and re-uploaded on his YouTube channel that has 111 million subscribers.
