He’s back. Logan Paul has returned to YouTube in a new vlog following his controversial video of an apparent suicide victim in Japan’s Aokigahara forest.
In the 12-minute video simply titled “Logan Paul is Back!” posted on Sunday, February 4, Paul first appears as a bearded man washed up shirtless on shore.
“The maverick Logan Paul,” a narrator introduces. “Showing his face for the first time after the disgraced YouTuber has been spotted across the country — hiding his face from paparazzi and seen swallowing his tears on social media like a little baby backpick.”
To which the 22-year-old internet star replies boastfully: “Yo, hold up — ‘disgraced’? What you mean ‘disgraced’, boy? I took a break. Besides, I’m still lit as f—k. What other YouTuber can take a three-week break and still get a million subscribers?”
As the video continues, Paul adds in a merchandise plug and takes aim at YouTube. “As you guys know, YouTube cut my ad sense in half — thanks, YouTube, love ya — so I am going to need you guys to buy my merch, Maverick Merch, so I don’t lose my house.”
The Weird Loners actor goes on to recap what he’s done in the past few weeks since he came under fire for the insensitive video, and reiterated that he’s “pledged to donate $1 million to suicide prevention organizations.” Instead of ending the video there, he went on to encourage the “haters” to “go for it,” “crucify me,” and “vilify me.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Paul concludes.
As previously reported, YouTube cut ties with Paul following the December 2017 video filmed in what is known as Japan’s “Suicide Forest,” where many people take their own lives each year. “In light of recent events, we have decided to remove Logan Paul’s channels from Google Preferred,” a spokesperson for YouTube told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement on Wednesday, January 10. “Additionally, we will not feature Logan in Season 4 of ‘Foursome’ and his new originals are on hold.”
Paul later spoke out in an interview with Good Morning America on February 1. “The idea was to shock and show the harsh realities of suicide and get people talking about something that I don’t think people are talking about much and still that’s the goal today,” he tried to explain of his controversial video.
“I am a good guy who made a bad decision … I will think twice in the future about what I post,” the social media star added.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
