Controversial YouTube star PewDiePie hits 100 million subscribers in platform first
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YouTube creator Felix "PewDiePie" Kjellberg hit a major milestone by becoming the first person to surpass 100 million subscribers on the video platform.
He has had a significant influence on YouTube's policies over the last nine years, although his notoriety has been mired in controversy at times, particularly over racist language and anti-Semitic imagery in his videos.
"I don't feel worthy, but I'm forever grateful," Kjellberg said in a tweet on Monday regarding the acheivement, adding that it was "unreal."
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In a video prior to the milestone, he said: "Before YouTube I was that kid with no friends, and suddenly there's so many people who enjoy what I do."
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Although that's undeniably true, PewDiePie has also been met with a backlash at various points during his rise on the platform.
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He was criticized worldwide in 2017 for using anti-Semitic imagery and Nazi jokes in videos, prompting Disney to sever ties with him. He was slammed for using a racist slur during a widely viewed livestream that same year and for making offensive comments in a diss track earlier this year. The Google-owned platform also canceled his YouTube Red series "Scare PewDiePie" in 2017 following the controversy over anti-Semitic imagery.
In a video this week looking back on his success, Kjellberg admitted there have been bumps on his road to YouTube success.
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YouTube creator PewDiePie celebrated a major milestone. (YouTube/PewDiePie)
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“Looking back now, I kind of feel very stupid about it, and how a lot of it wasn’t worth it,” Kjellberg said. “Basically, I’m sorry for all the bad things I’ve done. I just want to play Minecraft.”
The creator also said he may need to take a break from YouTube at some point.