YouTube Puts Logan Paul’s Future Projects On Hold, But Doesn’t Cut Ties With Creator
Logan Paul‘s YouTube Originals projects are on “indefinite hold,” YouTube executives confirmed at the Television Critics Association press tour Saturday — but they would not say that the platform had cut ties with him permanently and did not rule out working with him in the future.
YouTube chief business officer Robert Kyncl and head of original programming Susanne Daniels told reporters that when incidents arise involving YouTube talent, what’s most important is to “protect the community” of YouTube creators, advertisers, and viewers.
“We believe [Paul] made unfortunate missteps,” Kyncl told reporters. “Actions should speak louder than words and Logan has the opportunity to prove that.”
After uploading a tone-deaf and offensive video shot in Japan’s “suicide forest” last month, Paul’s appearances in the upcoming new season of the YouTube Originals series “Foursome” and a sequel to the 2016 film “The Thinning” were canceled. Meanwhile, the YouTube star has taken a general hiatus from social media and vlogging.
The Logan Paul situation was not the first time YouTube original content has been affected by the problematic influencers at its center. In 2017, the second season of “Scare PewDiePie,” featuring creator Felix Kjellberg, AKA PewDiePie, was canceled after controversy arose surrounding anti-Semetic videos posted the creator (once the most-subscribed YouTuber on the planet).
But Kyncl told reporters that he felt that while YouTube has had to deal with situations like this, he didn’t feel it was all that different from what other networks have had to deal with in terms of their talent, and that these situations haven’t changed the ways in which they may vet creators going forward.
That said, they do plan to reveal, in the near future, new community guidelines for creators that will incentivize them to avoid future “missteps.”
Following the executive comments, YouTube presented four new projects to press, including two series based around pre-established brands like the “Jumper” franchise and the “Step Up” films. Also coming soon to YouTube are a teen dramedy series called “Youth & Consequences,” starring Anna Akana, and “Cobra Kai,” reuniting “Karate Kid” stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka.
