Five anonymous contestants from the show ‘Beast Games’ have filed a lawsuit againstAmazonandYouTuber Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldsonover allegations of sexual harassment, “hostile working conditions”, and even hospitalisation in some cases.
If you haven’t heard of the show, it’s styled much like Donaldson’smost expensive YouTube videos— 1,000 people take part in a reality competition in the hopes of just one of them winning $5 million. As reported byVariety, the suit claims that participants knew they were facing a challenging and lengthy competition, but that they got “a lot more than they bargained for”, with some reportedly “suffering physical and mental complications while being subjected to chronic mistreatment.”
Lead counsel for the plaintiffs Robert Pafundi said that, given California law and the contracts signed, “Their expectation of compensation, along with them being consistently under the control and supervision of the production staff, makes them employees”. However, they allegedly weren’t paid minimum wage or overtime.
Similar to allegations levied by former employees of Donaldson earlier this year regarding how he runs his YouTube channel, the five participants of Beast Games claim that there were no uninterrupted meal or rest breaks, while they were also allegedly deprived of medical care, sleep, and basic hygiene. A female plaintiff, going by “Contestant 5”, said that they joined the show because they were a fan, but that they were “treated like nothing - less than nothing”.
Contestants Were Allegedly Given A Handbook On “How To Succeed In MrBeast Production”
According to the attorneys representing the contestants, one of the key goals of this lawsuit is to “establish a pattern of sexual harassment”. One of the most notable allegations levied is that a plaintiff was given a handbook called “How to Succeed in MrBeast Production”.
They claim that one of the points in the book reads, “If talent wants to draw a d**k on the white board in the video or do something stupid, let them… Really do everything you may to empower the boys when filming and help them make content. Help them be idiots.”
Amazon and MrBeast’s production company allegedly “failed to prevent sexual harassment” on set, which Contestant 5 said made the show’s production feel “like a hostile environment for [the women]. We honestly could not have been respected less — as people, much less employees — if they tried.”
Prime Video has yet to give Beast Games a release date, and neither MrBeast nor Amazon representatives have yet to comment on the allegations.
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