PewDiePie is answering the latest backlash against him.
On Tuesday, the popular YouTuber, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, posted a video of reactions to viral videos, in which he appeared to mock a deaf TikTok user.
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The clip in question featured TikToker Scarlet May, who has an audience of about 6.2 million on the platform, outlining an encounter at a fast food drive-thru, in which she signs the story while displaying her long painted nails.
@scarlet_may.1
In his video, which has since been removed and reposted, PewDiePie, with his dog Maya in his lap, joked, “Look, she has your crazy nails, Maya!”
He then began to move Maya’s paws around, as though signing, while appearing to make fun of Scarlet May’s voice, saying, “Sorry, are my nails distracting you guys?”
After being widely condemned for the insensitive mockery across social media, PewDiePie responded in the comments of the video.
“Hey, just to clear a few things up: I edited out the clip with the girl that has the long nails.
“Had no clue she was deaf, but kinda dumb of me to not realize. Still, watching through the clip I only poked fun of her long nails.”
The YouTuber added, “The voice I did for my dog is the same voice I’ve given her for years. (edit: ..and making my dog’s paws move was poking at people always dancing or doing some move on TikTok, which is an ongoing theme in the whole video).”
Finally, PewDiePie apologized by saying, “Anyway, honest mistake, my bad.”
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After PewDiePie began to face backlash for his video, Scarlet May posted another update on her own TikTok feed responding to the situation.
“How do I feel? I feel like it was very weird, very unnecessary but at the same time I’m not surprised, I’m used to it,” she said.
@scarlet_may.1 Replying to @anethepeach we all make mistakes hopefully he learns from this 😊🤟🏽 #fyp #foryou
“It’s been a big issue in the deaf community that I’ve been trying to normalize and put out, is that using nails while signing is normal, it’s okay. But then a big creator comes on here and puts us a million steps back, so it’s very frustrating.”
PewDiePie has previously come under fire for using racial slurs in his videos, as well as boosting anti-Semitism.
