AFTER VIDCON A POPULAR YOUTUBER ALLEGED THAT
HE WAS IN WEST HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA AND WAS ATTACKED BY
ANTI-GAY PEOPLE.
LATER ON IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT HE PROBABLY MADE
THE WHOLE THING UP.
LET ME GIVE YOU DETAILS ON THIS.
>> LET ME GIVE YOU CONTEXT.
THIS IS A STORY WE CONSIDERED
COVERING YESTERDAY WHEN IT CAME OUT THAT HE WAS, WHEN AT THE
TIME IT SEEMED LIKE HE WAS
ATTACKED.
A LOT OF US THOUGHT THAT THE STORY HAD RED FLAGS.
>>YES, WE KIND OF HAD A GUT FEELING THAT IT WAS FAKE.
>> OUR BEN MANKIEWICZ RED FLAG CAME OUT.
HE IS FAMOUS FOR THAT.
I WAS SAYING, LET ME GET THIS
RIGHT YOU ARE IN ANAHEIM AND ARE A FAMOUS YOUTUBER AND SOMEONE
SEPARATED YOU FROM THE CROWD ñ IT'S NOT LIKE IT IS
INCONCEIVABLE AND THEN WE FOUND OUT LATER THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE
ANY MARKS ON HIM.
THERE WAS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE STORY.
IT TURNS OUT THAT WAS THE CASE.
>>LET ME GIVE YOU SOME MORE DETAILS ON WHO HE IS AND HOW HE
LIED.
>>I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH HIS CHANNEL.
IT IS NOT LIKE A HATE
CRIMES DON'T HAPPEN.
WE REPORT ON THEM ALL THE TIME.
WE HAD A
GIANT ONE JUST HAPPEN IN ORLANDO, BUT IT DOESN'T
HELP TO MAKE STUFF UP.
THAT IS REALLY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
>>HE ORIGINALLY POSTED SOMETHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA SHOWING HIM
INJURED.
HERE IS THE PICTURE HE
POSTED.
AND THE CAPTION HE TALKS ABOUT HOW HE WAS TARGETED
FOR
BEING GAY.
COPS RESPONDED TO THAT AND SAID, NO, THAT IS NOT
WHAT HAPPENED.
LET ME GIVE YOU
THEIR DETAILS.
SO, HIS BOOKING PHOTO LOOKED LIKE THIS.
>> WHERE DID ALL THE STITCHES IN HIS HEAD GO?
>>COME ON, BEFORE YOU POST TO THIS NONSENSE ONLINE, I
DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS INCENTIVES WERE FOR DOING THAT, JUST
THINK ABOUT THE PAPER TRAIL YOU LEFT BEHIND.
>>IT IS SO OBVIOUS TO FIGURE OUT.
IF YOU THINK IT WAS WEIRD
FOR ME TO WONDER WHY IT COULDN'T HAPPEN ñ THERE WAS SO MUCH TALK
AT VIDCON ABOUT SECURITY, AND SOME OF THE MORE FAMOUS YOUTUBERS
HAD BODYGUARDS WITH THEM BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO
CHRISTINA GRIMMIE.
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF ATTENTION BEING PAID TO
PEOPLE WITH SECURITY ISSUES.
SO YOU HAVE ATTACKS AGAINST GAYS IN
THE NEWS, AGAINST YOUTUBERS,
AND HERE IS AN UP-AND-COMING YOUTUBER SAYING
I AM GAY AND I GOT ATTACKED.
I THOUGHT IT WAS AN INTERESTING
COINCIDENCE.
THEN YOU FIND OUT THE STITCHES AREN'T THERE AND
HIS MUG SHOT.
THEN THEY HAVE VIDEO OF HIM SMASHING HIMSELF IN
THE PAYPHONE.
NOT GOOD.
REMEMBER EVERY TIME YOU CRY WOLF, IT
HURTS THE CAUSE OF ALL GAY AMERICANS WHEN THEY DEAL WITH
REAL VIOLENCE.
>> IT REMINDS ME OF A STORY THAT ROLLING STONE DID OF JACKIE WHO
ALLEGED THAT SHE HAD BEEN RAPED
ON CAMPUS.
THEN IT TURNS OUT THAT A LOT OF HER CLAIMS WERE
FALSE.
ROLLING STONE HAD TO RETRACT THAT ARTICLE.
IT DID A
HUGE DISSERVICE TO THE WOMEN WHO ARE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED OR RAPED,
IT MAKES PEOPLE DOUBT THEM.
YOU DON'T WANT TO HURT THE CAUSE
LIKE THAT?
IT DOES SO MUCH MORE
HARM THAN GOOD.
I DON'T KNOW WHY HE DID THIS, BUT IT WAS A REALLY BAD
IDEA TO SAY THE LEAST.
>> SAY YOU GOT THREE BROKEN TEETH, OR STITCHES IN YOUR HEAD.
DO YOU THINK NO ONE IS GOING TO REALIZE THAT YOU DON'T?
THAT IS
RIDICULOUS.
IT IS A VERY UNFORTUNATE STORY.
AS MUCH
SYMPATHY AS WE CLEARLY HAVE ON
THIS SHOW FOR VICTIMS OF HATE CRIMES AND VICTIMS OF SEXUAL
ASSAULT, THAT SAME SYMPATHY IS
WHAT LEADS US TO CALL OUT BS WHEN PEOPLE ARE CLAMORING FOR
ATTENTION.
IT IS A TERRIBLE WAY TO GO.
LOOK, IF THIS ISN'T TRUE
YOU CAN GO DOWN ONE OF TWO DIRECTIONS.
YOU WILL KEEP A LOT
OF YOUR HARD-CORE FANS, THEY
WILL BELIEVE YOU.
ONCE YOU HAVE SOME FANS THEY WILL BE WITH YOU
ALWAYS.
DON'T THINK YOU ONE ON THAT.
THE BETTER WAY TO GO IS,
OH MY GOD I AM SO SORRY.
I REALIZE WAY THIS IS A TERRIBLE
THING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN FORGIVE ME, BUT I AM ASKING
FOR YOU TO FORGIVE ME.
IF YOU ASK ME THAT IS A MUCH BETTER WAY
TO GO IF INDEED IT WAS FAKED, WHICH YOU SAW THE PICTURES.