Dan Ziskie, 'House of Cards' and 'Treme' Actor, Dies at 80: 'A Man of Remarkable Talent'
NEED TO KNOW
Dan Ziskie died from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease on July 21, according to his obituary
His family remembered him "as a creative, thoughtful, and interesting man whose presence enriched their lives"
Ziskie was well known for his recurring role in Netflix's House of Cards and HBO's Treme
Dan Ziskie has died. He was 80 years old.
The House of Cards and Treme actor's family announced his death in an obituary, which revealed he died on July 21 in New York City from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Ziskie is survived by his brother David and his wife Cynthia, along with his nephews Jesse, Brett and Austin and their six children, who say they 'will miss him deeply.'
'Dan was a man of remarkable talent and a keen observer of life,' the obituary reads. 'He was as vibrant and multifaceted as the characters he portrayed on stage and screen.'
Born in Detroit in 1944, Ziskie was an athlete throughout college and went on to be a crewman on a Great Lakes freighter before moving into acting.
According to his obituary, Ziskie's 'love for performance led him to the Second City of Chicago,' alongside major names such as John Belushi, Brian Doyle-Murray and Joe Flaherty.
His success in Chicago led Ziskie to work on Broadway productions in New York, where he was an understudy in Morning's at Seven in 1980. In 1985, he acted with Judd Hirsch in the play I'm Not Rappaport. His other Broadway credits include After the Fall and I'm Not Ready.
Ziskie was best known for his recurring role as Vice President Jim Mathews on Netflix's from 2013-2017 and C.J. Liquori on the final three seasons of HBO's from 2011-2013.
He also appeared in Chappelle's Show, CBS' Person of Interest, NBC's The Blacklist and Fox's 24, as well as films Zebrahead (1992) and Adventures in Babysitting (1987), among others.
Some of his many episodic cameos were in Remington Steele, St. Elsewhere, The Equalizer, Newhart and Murphy Brown.
'Dan's natural talent and dedication to his craft were evident in each role he played, earning him the admiration and respect of his peers,' his family wrote.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
He also pursued his passion for photography, with his family praising 'his eye for detail and ability to capture the essence of his subjects.'
His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian and the Financial Times, and he also has a photo book called Cloud Chamber, published in 2017.
His obituary describes it as 'a testament to his artistic vision and continues to be cherished by readers and photography enthusiasts alike.'
https://people.com/app/scene?sceneId=9de86c07-a15a-409e-8382-c1ab68eaf839&shortlink=kz7l4cuf&c=People.com%20Featured%20Link%20link&pid=People.com_xp=custom&source_caller=ui
In his free time, Ziskie enjoyed traveling and exploring 'complex topics such as the nature of the cosmos and quantum physics.'
'Dan's life was not only marked by his creative achievements but also by the bonds he shared with his family,' his loved ones wrote, adding: 'Dan's legacy extends beyond his family, as his colleagues and friends will remember him as a creative, thoughtful, and interesting man whose presence enriched their lives.'
'His was a life lived with passion, a life that exemplified the beauty of pursuing one's dreams and the importance of cherishing every moment,' the obituary concluded. 'Dan will be profoundly missed, yet he will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew him, like a cherished character in the timeless narrative of their lives.'
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
15 Influencers Whose Careers Tanked Basically Overnight
Ballinger skyrocketed to fame in the late 2000s through her alter ego Miranda Sings, who would confidently and badly sing popular songs with lipstick smeared above her top lip. She was able to foray this into a Netflix special and show, and she was successful for over a decade — until allegations came out that she'd put underage fans in exploitative positions and engaged with them in inappropriate ways. Brands began to pull ads from Ballinger's projects as public backlash increased, but the nail in the coffin for Ballinger was her "apology" video. In the video, she decided to sing about the allegations while playing a ukelele, saying, "Even though my team has strongly advised me to not say what I want to say, I recently realized that they never said that I couldn't sing what I want to say, so..." Ballinger was widely mocked, and has not posted on her official YouTube channel in two years, though she continues to post on her vlog account. Still, her reputation never really recovered. In the video, Ballinger denied being a groomer, stating (well, singing) that she'd overshared and made jokes in poor taste, but that she hadn't been creepy. She also said that her content has always been labeled PG-13 and that she's relied on parents to decide if it's appropriate for their kids to attend her shows or watch her content. She later addressed the controversy, calling the video "embarrassing" and saying, "I should have handled that situation with maturity and empathy, but instead I just let my ego take over and I'm really disappointed in myself." She also addressed the allegations, saying, "Over the last 15 years of my career, there have been moments where I was immature and inappropriate with some of my comedy. And there were times when I did not put enough thought into my fan interactions. And because of that behavior, people got hurt, and I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt anybody, but it's clear that I did and I feel so terrible about that." the mid-to-late 2010s, Ruby Franke ran the popular family vlog 8 Passengers, where she showcased content with her husband and six kids. Some of her parenting (specifically discipline) methods, including withholding food and making a child sleep on a bean bag for months, began to receive backlash in 2020, leading to her YouTube page becoming less and less popular. It was later deleted, and Franke began to make other content with counselor and business partner Jodi Hildebrandt. This career turn may have been successful, but the next year, both Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested on child abuse charges after one of Franke's children escaped Hildebrandt's house from a window and asked a neighbor for food and water, appearing malnourished and injured. Both pled guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse and were sentenced to up to 30 years in prison. Franke has obviously not made content since. and James Stauffer were popular family vloggers who consistently posted about parenting their four children on YouTube. Then, in 2017, the parents adopted then-2-year-old Huxley from China. They documented the difficulties of this process, as well as Huxley being diagnosed with autism post-adoption. Then, in 2020, Huxley began to disappear from their videos. They then posted a long video saying he had been "rehomed." Related: The backlash was strong and swift, with several brands cutting ties with the Stauffers. They deleted their YouTube Channel, and Myka has not posted on Instagram since her apology. James currently runs a car detailing account. Abulaban (@jinnkid) grew famous through comedy videos on TikTok, which sometimes involved his partner, Ana, who later found internet fame of her own. Growing jealous and possessive, Ali began to abuse Ana, even livestreaming some of his verbal abuse. He murdered her and her friend, Rayburn Barron, in October 2021 and was later found guilty of their murders and sentenced to life in prison. Morshun Brownlee, one half of TikTok couple @denoandzahra, gained fame for his videos with then-girlfriend Seyeddah "Zahra" Hashemi. But last year, witnesses claimed Brownlee and Hashemi got into an argument that turned physical, leading to Zahra being shot. Brownlee, according to authorities, allegedly confessed to having shot her on a 911 call and with detectives. He was arrested, while Hashemi survived but, according to her sister, suffered a traumatic brain injury. Brownlee later pleaded guilty to charges, with his lawyer claiming the gun accidentally discharged. He was sentenced to ten years' probation. The couple apparently remains together, but they have not posted since last May. YouTuber Jaystation's content had always been controversial (usually involving him entering locations after hours and trying to get out without triggering alarms), he reached a new low when he was accused of faking the death of his girlfriend, Alexia Marano. Jaystation (real name: Jason Ethier) posted multiple videos about her "death," including one where he attempted to contact her using an Ouija board. Then he admitted the whole thing was a lie, claiming Marano was in on it but that she'd since left him. Marano then spoke out and said she hadn't wanted to go through with it, but that she was afraid of Ethier, whom she called controlling. Ethier claimed Marano was trying to ruin his life with false accusations about an assault weapon. Ethier's career took a massive hit, and his YouTube accounts were later suspended, which marked the end of his YouTube career. Star is perhaps one of the most infamous examples, both because of how far he fell and because of the sheer number of controversies. After initially rising to notoriety through MySpace and music, Star launched a makeup brand and YouTube channel, earning him more widespread fame. But in the mid-to-late 2010s, Star began to face backlash as fans and ex-friends recalled instances of racism. This ultimately led to Morphe dropping ties with him. Related: Star apologized in 2017, but in 2020, he was accused of sexual assault, physical assault, abuse, and payouts to accusers (his attorney denied all allegations). In the wake of these controversies, along with a public feud with James Charles, he lost hundreds of thousands of followers, and his brand suffered. He later made anti-nonbinary remarks about "they/them" pronouns being "stupid" and "bullshit," though he said he was not anti-trans. Today, he is still finding success but has been hindered by the amount of backlash and is a wildly controversial figure. guru and YouTuber James Charles' career was riddled with controversy from the beginning, but things really took a turn when fellow YouTuber Tati Westbrook posted the video "Bye, Sister" in 2019, detailing the breakdown of her friendship with Charles. She also accused him of being sexually manipulative, which Charles denied in a response video. That same month, model Gage Gomez accused Charles of pressuring him into sexual situations. Charles responded on Twitter and said anything that had gone down between the two was consensual and that they'd been talking for many months prior. Things were shaky for Charles for the next few years, though Westbrook said she had been manipulated into making her initial "Bye, Sister" video against Charles by Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson (also, incidentally, on this list). Then, in 2021, Charles was also accused of grooming an underage boy and sending explicit photos on Snapchat. Charles did not deny the messages between the two but did deny knowing the boy's age was 16. Three more boys came forward claiming inappropriate behavior from Charles, and Charles was fired as the host of Instant Influencer. In response to Tati's video, Star said he was "really reflecting on my behavior" and apologized to Charles, saying he could have dealt with his issues with Charles offline. However, he also said, "a lot of things that are happening and have been said are false," but that he wouldn't "be entertaining it." Reading live to the video, Dawson said Westbrook was "so manipulative" and "fake crying." He then tweeted, "THIS IS A F---ING LIE AND IM LOSING MY MIND!!!!!!!!!!" (though he deleted it later). Charles apologized to two victims and said he was unaware of the power dynamics at play while messaging them but denied other allegations. Morphe then cut ties with Charles (though Charles' team stated they requested this), and YouTube temporarily demonetized his videos. He lost up to millions, and his younger brother stopped speaking to him. He attempted a comeback, launching the makeup brand Painted. He still regularly posts YouTube videos, but they receive vastly fewer views than in the past. In 2021, he surpassed Jeffree Star as the most disliked beauty YouTuber. Related: Dawson was one of the first major YouTube stars back in the 2000s. After a decade of success, in the 2010s, some of his old videos began to resurface, with fans accusing him of racism and pointing to jokes he had made about pedophilia and animal abuse. He apologized in June 2020, but the damage was done, especially after he was accused of sexualizing Willow Smith as a minor. Target pulled his books from circulation, and YouTube temporarily demonetized Dawson's videos. Dawson then took a long break from YouTube but returned in late 2021, though his videos were less successful than they had been previously. Dawson continues to be a controversial figure, in part due to his continued collaboration with Jeffree Star. His popularity is nowhere near where it used to be. Dobrik first became famous on Vine, transitioning to a career on YouTube and later a successful podcast. He and his friends came to be known as "The Vlog Squad" — which made headlines when one member, Dom Zeglaitis, was accused of a rape that reportedly occurred during a night shoot for a video with Dobrik. Zeglaitis was also accused of other sexually inappropriate conduct. On Instagram, Zeglaitis apologized to his alleged victim but claimed everything had been consensual. No charges were filed. It doesn't appear that he specifically addressed allegations from other women. Another Vlog Squad member, Seth Francois, said he was tricked into kissing a fellow male group member while blindfolded. He later detailed the racist treatment he received as part of the group. Another former member, Nick Keswani, said he was continuously mocked in the group. Fellow influencer Trisha Paytas said while she was dating group member Jason Nash, she was involved in a prank where Dobrik hid while she had sex with Nash and then filmed her naked, which she was unaware of. She said she asked the video not to be posted, but it was. Dobrik posted a video apologizing to Francois and saying he'd taken a step back from Zeglaitis, and overall saying he was "disappointed by some of [his] friends," though many found his apology insufficient. Multiple companies then distanced themselves from Dobrik, and his subscribers and views on YouTube plummeted. Dobrik apologized again, calling out his last apology video and specifically discussing the accusations against Zeglaitis. He acknowledged "creating an unfair power dynamic," but the damage was done. YouTube temporarily demonetized Dobrik's channel (and Zeglaitis's), and Dobrik took a break from the platform. However, he returned not long after and again found success. But then former Vlog Squadder Jeff Wittek posted a video describing an injury he received while filming a video for Dobrik and later sued him for negligence, reigniting controversy. The lawsuit appears to be ongoing. Dobrik claimed that Wittek was aware of all the risks and that the stunt was Wittek's idea. He also called the incident an "accident" and "the worst thing that's ever happened to me," adding that he wishes he were the one doing the stunt instead. "He got hurt because I was driving," he said. "That's it, and I f---ing know that, and like I said, any chance I would get, I would take that back." Dobrik did not post on his YouTube channel for two years, but returned earlier this year. His videos are still very popular, but his reputation isn't what it was. streamer and YouTuber PewDiePie became wildly popular in the 2010s for his video-game-related content and vlogging. He had made several controversial jokes, comments, and videos over the years, but the real backlash began when he paid two people to hold a sign saying, "Death to all Jews." PewDiePie apologized but called accusations of anti-Semitism "unfair," saying he was just trying to show people "would say anything for five dollars." He later used the n-word in a livestream. His YouTube Red show, Scare PewDiePie, was canceled, and Disney cut ties with him. Google Preferred also cut him from their advertising program. Related: He later moved to Japan, where he continues to post videos. However, he is not quite as successful as he once was, and he was surpassed as the most subscribed-to channel on YouTube. health influencer Belle Gibson became well-known online for her diagnosis of terminal brain cancer — which she'd somehow managed to survive through whole foods and alternative therapies. She then created The Whole Pantry App and accompanying book and continued providing wellness content, claiming she was donating much of the money she made to charity. After people began to doubt aspects of her story in 2015, she admitted she had lied about having cancer. She was later fined 410,000 Australian dollars and has largely disappeared from the public eye. Authorities are still trying to get Gibson to pay the fine. @jorobe (real name: John Robert Bell) blew up on TikTok over his videos calling out other creators and promoting a safe space for young people. Ironically, in 2021, Bell was accused of grooming by TikToker @dylg16, who claimed he had begun a friendship with Bell while underage. He said Bell had asked him to get an Airbnb with him on his 18th birthday and also offered to buy him alcohol. He also claimed Bell had attempted to alienate him from his friends and asked him, along with a group of other young creators, to take a BDSM test. Bell did not respond publicly; instead, he deactivated his TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Calloway first became popular on Instagram in the 2010s, and as a result, she sold a book proposal she'd written with her friend Natalie Beach. However, when she failed to submit a full manuscript, she made headlines and was ordered to pay back $100,000 to the publisher. At first, it seemed her career might survive, but it all came crashing down in 2019. First, she sold tickets to a "Creativity Workshop" that was met with backlash over its value, with many comparing it to Fyre Festival. Just before the first event, Calloway canceled several of its promised features, including personalized letters, and attendees were disappointed by the care packages and "tips" they received from Calloway. She also had not yet booked venues for many events and ended up moving some to New York. In response to the growing backlash, Calloway canceled the rest of her workshops and refunded everyone who had bought a ticket, including those who had attended one of the workshops that had already been held. 'I think that criticism is really valid and I apologise to anyone who felt cheated by the price point of $165,' Calloway wrote on Instagram. Later that year, Natalie Beach published an essay with The Cut, exposing her toxic relationship with Calloway, detailing her contributions as Calloway's collaborator and ghostwriter, and claiming that Calloway had bought followers. In a response, Calloway said many of the things she'd said to Beach were lies and that she'd been a "shitty friend." She also admitted to buying followers. However, she also said that Beach did not help her become famous and only assisted with "captions that no one read" and a book proposal "only book editors saw." Calloway later embraced the accusations, publishing a book titled Scammer (Beach also published a book). This came after she left New York and moved to Florida to focus on writing. She was able to recover with her book, which was well-received, and released a second book last year. While she has made a comeback, her brand is vastly different, and she still has her detractors. Logan Paul initially became famous on Vine before transitioning to YouTube. His first significant backlash came in 2017 when he posted a video titled, "We found a dead body in the Japanese Suicide Forest," which literally featured a corpse. The video garnered widespread backlash, and YouTube took Paul off its Google Preferred ad tier. Paul took a three-week break from YouTube and then apologized, donating $1 million to suicide prevention. However, he soon posted videos involving tasering dead rats and giving "CPR" to a koi fish, and YouTube pulled all ads from his videos. He's since ventured into a career in wrestling and continued to create content (ads were again allowed on his videos), but he's still a widely mocked and hated creator. CINCINNATI, OHIO - FEBRUARY 24: Logan Paul and CM Punk face off during Monday Night RAW at Heritage Bank Center on February 24, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Heather McLaughlin/WWE via Getty Images) Also in Celebrity: Also in Celebrity: Also in Celebrity:
Buzz Feed
3 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
15 Influencers Who Were Canceled Basically Overnight
Colleen Ballinger skyrocketed to fame in the late 2000s through her alter ego Miranda Sings, who would confidently and badly sing popular songs with lipstick smeared above her top lip. She was able to foray this into a Netflix special and show, and she was successful for over a decade — until allegations came out that she'd put underage fans in exploitative positions and engaged with them in inappropriate ways. Brands began to pull ads from Ballinger's projects as public backlash increased, but the nail in the coffin for Ballinger was her "apology" video. In the video, she decided to sing about the allegations while playing a ukelele, saying, "Even though my team has strongly advised me to not say what I want to say, I recently realized that they never said that I couldn't sing what I want to say, so..." Ballinger was widely mocked, and has not posted on her official YouTube channel in two years, though she continues to post on her vlog account. Still, her reputation never really recovered. In the video, Ballinger denied being a groomer, stating (well, singing) that she'd overshared and made jokes in poor taste, but that she hadn't been creepy. She also said that her content has always been labeled PG-13 and that she's relied on parents to decide if it's appropriate for their kids to attend her shows or watch her later addressed the controversy, calling the video "embarrassing" and saying, "I should have handled that situation with maturity and empathy, but instead I just let my ego take over and I'm really disappointed in myself." She also addressed the allegations, saying, "Over the last 15 years of my career, there have been moments where I was immature and inappropriate with some of my comedy. And there were times when I did not put enough thought into my fan interactions. And because of that behavior, people got hurt, and I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt anybody, but it's clear that I did and I feel so terrible about that." In the mid-to-late 2010s, Ruby Franke ran the popular family vlog 8 Passengers, where she showcased content with her husband and six kids. Some of her parenting (specifically discipline) methods, including withholding food and making a child sleep on a bean bag for months, began to receive backlash in 2020, leading to her YouTube page becoming less and less popular. It was later deleted, and Franke began to make other content with counselor and business partner Jodi Hildebrandt. This career turn may have been successful, but the next year, both Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested on child abuse charges after one of Franke's children escaped Hildebrandt's house from a window and asked a neighbor for food and water, appearing malnourished and injured. Both pled guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse and were sentenced to up to 30 years in prison. Franke has obviously not made content since. Myka and James Stauffer were popular family vloggers who consistently posted about parenting their four children on YouTube. Then, in 2017, the parents adopted then-2-year-old Huxley from China. They documented the difficulties of this process, as well as Huxley being diagnosed with autism post-adoption. Then, in 2020, Huxley began to disappear from their videos. They then posted a long video saying he had been "rehomed." The backlash was strong and swift, with several brands cutting ties with the Stauffers. They deleted their YouTube Channel, and Myka has not posted on Instagram since her apology. James currently runs a car detailing account. Ali Abulaban (@jinnkid) grew famous through comedy videos on TikTok, which sometimes involved his partner, Ana, who later found internet fame of her own. Growing jealous and possessive, Ali began to abuse Ana, even livestreaming some of his verbal abuse. He murdered her and her friend, Rayburn Barron, in October 2021 and was later found guilty of their murders and sentenced to life in prison. Ladarius Morshun Brownlee, one half of TikTok couple @denoandzahra, gained fame for his videos with then-girlfriend Seyeddah "Zahra" Hashemi. But last year, witnesses claimed Brownlee and Hashemi got into an argument that turned physical, leading to Zahra being shot. Brownlee, according to authorities, allegedly confessed to having shot her on a 911 call and with detectives. He was arrested, while Hashemi survived but, according to her sister, suffered a traumatic brain injury. Brownlee later pleaded guilty to charges, with his lawyer claiming the gun accidentally discharged. He was sentenced to ten years' probation. The couple apparently remains together, but they have not posted since last May. While YouTuber Jaystation's content had always been controversial (usually involving him entering locations after hours and trying to get out without triggering alarms), he reached a new low when he was accused of faking the death of his girlfriend, Alexia Marano. Jaystation (real name: Jason Ethier) posted multiple videos about her "death," including one where he attempted to contact her using an Ouija board. Then he admitted the whole thing was a lie, claiming Marano was in on it but that she'd since left him. Marano then spoke out and said she hadn't wanted to go through with it, but that she was afraid of Ethier, whom she called controlling. Ethier claimed Marano was trying to ruin his life with false accusations about an assault weapon. Ethier's career took a massive hit, and his YouTube accounts were later suspended, which marked the end of his YouTube career. Jeffree Star is perhaps one of the most infamous examples, both because of how far he fell and because of the sheer number of controversies. After initially rising to notoriety through MySpace and music, Star launched a makeup brand and YouTube channel, earning him more widespread fame. But in the mid-to-late 2010s, Star began to face backlash as fans and ex-friends recalled instances of racism. This ultimately led to Morphe dropping ties with him. Star apologized in 2017, but in 2020, he was accused of sexual assault, physical assault, abuse, and payouts to accusers (his attorney denied all allegations). In the wake of these controversies, along with a public feud with James Charles, he lost hundreds of thousands of followers, and his brand suffered. He later made anti-nonbinary remarks about "they/them" pronouns being "stupid" and "bullshit," though he said he was not anti-trans. Today, he is still finding success but has been hindered by the amount of backlash and is a wildly controversial figure. Beauty guru and YouTuber James Charles' career was riddled with controversy from the beginning, but things really took a turn when fellow YouTuber Tati Westbrook posted the video "Bye, Sister" in 2019, detailing the breakdown of her friendship with Charles. She also accused him of being sexually manipulative, which Charles denied in a response video. That same month, model Gage Gomez accused Charles of pressuring him into sexual situations. Charles responded on Twitter and said anything that had gone down between the two was consensual and that they'd been talking for many months prior. Things were shaky for Charles for the next few years, though Westbrook said she had been manipulated into making her initial "Bye, Sister" video against Charles by Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson (also, incidentally, on this list). Then, in 2021, Charles was also accused of grooming an underage boy and sending explicit photos on Snapchat. Charles did not deny the messages between the two but did deny knowing the boy's age was 16. Three more boys came forward claiming inappropriate behavior from Charles, and Charles was fired as the host of Instant Influencer. In response to Tati's video, Star said he was "really reflecting on my behavior" and apologized to Charles, saying he could have dealt with his issues with Charles offline. However, he also said, "a lot of things that are happening and have been said are false," but that he wouldn't "be entertaining it."Reading live to the video, Dawson said Westbrook was "so manipulative" and "fake crying." He then tweeted, "THIS IS A F---ING LIE AND IM LOSING MY MIND!!!!!!!!!!" (though he deleted it later). Charles apologized to two victims and said he was unaware of the power dynamics at play while messaging them but denied other allegations. Morphe then cut ties with Charles (though Charles' team stated they requested this), and YouTube temporarily demonetized his videos. He lost up to millions, and his younger brother stopped speaking to him. He attempted a comeback, launching the makeup brand Painted. He still regularly posts YouTube videos, but they receive vastly fewer views than in the past. In 2021, he surpassed Jeffree Star as the most disliked beauty YouTuber. Shane Dawson was one of the first major YouTube stars back in the 2000s. After a decade of success, in the 2010s, some of his old videos began to resurface, with fans accusing him of racism and pointing to jokes he had made about pedophilia and animal abuse. He apologized in June 2020, but the damage was done, especially after he was accused of sexualizing Willow Smith as a minor. Target pulled his books from circulation, and YouTube temporarily demonetized Dawson's videos. Dawson then took a long break from YouTube but returned in late 2021, though his videos were less successful than they had been previously. Dawson continues to be a controversial figure, in part due to his continued collaboration with Jeffree Star. His popularity is nowhere near where it used to be. David Dobrik first became famous on Vine, transitioning to a career on YouTube and later a successful podcast. He and his friends came to be known as "The Vlog Squad" — which made headlines when one member, Dom Zeglaitis, was accused of a rape that reportedly occurred during a night shoot for a video with Dobrik. Zeglaitis was also accused of other sexually inappropriate conduct. On Instagram, Zeglaitis apologized to his alleged victim but claimed everything had been consensual. No charges were filed. It doesn't appear that he specifically addressed allegations from other women. Another Vlog Squad member, Seth Francois, said he was tricked into kissing a fellow male group member while blindfolded. He later detailed the racist treatment he received as part of the group. Another former member, Nick Keswani, said he was continuously mocked in the group. Fellow influencer Trisha Paytas said while she was dating group member Jason Nash, she was involved in a prank where Dobrik hid while she had sex with Nash and then filmed her naked, which she was unaware of. She said she asked the video not to be posted, but it was. Dobrik posted a video apologizing to Francois and saying he'd taken a step back from Zeglaitis, and overall saying he was "disappointed by some of [his] friends," though many found his apology insufficient. Multiple companies then distanced themselves from Dobrik, and his subscribers and views on YouTube plummeted. Dobrik apologized again, calling out his last apology video and specifically discussing the accusations against Zeglaitis. He acknowledged "creating an unfair power dynamic," but the damage was done. YouTube temporarily demonetized Dobrik's channel (and Zeglaitis's), and Dobrik took a break from the platform. However, he returned not long after and again found success. But then former Vlog Squadder Jeff Wittek posted a video describing an injury he received while filming a video for Dobrik and later sued him for negligence, reigniting controversy. The lawsuit appears to be ongoing. Dobrik claimed that Wittek was aware of all the risks and that the stunt was Wittek's idea. He also called the incident an "accident" and "the worst thing that's ever happened to me," adding that he wishes he were the one doing the stunt instead. "He got hurt because I was driving," he said. "That's it, and I f---ing know that, and like I said, any chance I would get, I would take that back." Dobrik did not post on his YouTube channel for two years, but returned earlier this year. His videos are still very popular, but his reputation isn't what it was. Swedish streamer and YouTuber PewDiePie became wildly popular in the 2010s for his video-game-related content and vlogging. He had made several controversial jokes, comments, and videos over the years, but the real backlash began when he paid two people to hold a sign saying, "Death to all Jews." PewDiePie apologized but called accusations of anti-Semitism "unfair," saying he was just trying to show people "would say anything for five dollars." He later used the n-word in a livestream. His YouTube Red show, Scare PewDiePie, was canceled, and Disney cut ties with him. Google Preferred also cut him from their advertising program. He later moved to Japan, where he continues to post videos. However, he is not quite as successful as he once was, and he was surpassed as the most subscribed-to channel on YouTube. Australian health influencer Belle Gibson became well-known online for her diagnosis of terminal brain cancer — which she'd somehow managed to survive through whole foods and alternative therapies. She then created The Whole Pantry App and accompanying book and continued providing wellness content, claiming she was donating much of the money she made to charity. After people began to doubt aspects of her story in 2015, she admitted she had lied about having cancer. She was later fined 410,000 Australian dollars and has largely disappeared from the public eye. Authorities are still trying to get Gibson to pay the fine. TikToker @jorobe (real name: John Robert Bell) blew up on TikTok over his videos calling out other creators and promoting a safe space for young people. Ironically, in 2021, Bell was accused of grooming by TikToker @dylg16, who claimed he had begun a friendship with Bell while underage. He said Bell had asked him to get an Airbnb with him on his 18th birthday and also offered to buy him alcohol. He also claimed Bell had attempted to alienate him from his friends and asked him, along with a group of other young creators, to take a BDSM test. Bell did not respond publicly; instead, he deactivated his TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Caroline Calloway first became popular on Instagram in the 2010s, and as a result, she sold a book proposal she'd written with her friend Natalie Beach. However, when she failed to submit a full manuscript, she made headlines and was ordered to pay back $100,000 to the publisher. At first, it seemed her career might survive, but it all came crashing down in 2019. First, she sold tickets to a "Creativity Workshop" that was met with backlash over its value, with many comparing it to Fyre Festival. Just before the first event, Calloway canceled several of its promised features, including personalized letters, and attendees were disappointed by the care packages and "tips" they received from Calloway. She also had not yet booked venues for many events and ended up moving some to New York. In response to the growing backlash, Calloway canceled the rest of her workshops and refunded everyone who had bought a ticket, including those who had attended one of the workshops that had already been held. 'I think that criticism is really valid and I apologise to anyone who felt cheated by the price point of $165,' Calloway wrote on Instagram. Later that year, Natalie Beach published an essay with The Cut, exposing her toxic relationship with Calloway, detailing her contributions as Calloway's collaborator and ghostwriter, and claiming that Calloway had bought followers. In a response, Calloway said many of the things she'd said to Beach were lies and that she'd been a "shitty friend." She also admitted to buying followers. However, she also said that Beach did not help her become famous and only assisted with "captions that no one read" and a book proposal "only book editors saw." Calloway later embraced the accusations, publishing a book titled Scammer (Beach also published a book). This came after she left New York and moved to Florida to focus on writing. She was able to recover with her book, which was well-received, and released a second book last year. While she has made a comeback, her brand is vastly different, and she still has her detractors. Finally, Logan Paul initially became famous on Vine before transitioning to YouTube. His first significant backlash came in 2017 when he posted a video titled, "We found a dead body in the Japanese Suicide Forest," which literally featured a corpse. The video garnered widespread backlash, and YouTube took Paul off its Google Preferred ad tier. Paul took a three-week break from YouTube and then apologized, donating $1 million to suicide prevention. However, he soon posted videos involving tasering dead rats and giving "CPR" to a koi fish, and YouTube pulled all ads from his videos. He's since ventured into a career in wrestling and continued to create content (ads were again allowed on his videos), but he's still a widely mocked and hated creator.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Quentin Tarantino Scrapped ‘The Movie Critic' Because It ‘Was Too Much Like' ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' and ‘Who Wants to See a Movie About a F—ing Movie Critic?'
Quentin Tarantino has offered an explanation for why he scrapped plans to direct his script 'The Movie Critic,' which would've marked his 10th film — and his final one, if he does keep his years-long promise that he will stop helming features at that count. 'I wasn't really excited about dramatizing what I wrote when I was in pre-production, partly because I'm using the skillset that I learned from 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' [of] 'How are we going to turn Los Angeles into the Hollywood of 1969 without using CGI?'' Tarantino explained in a career-spanning conversation on the Church of Tarantino podcast, recorded in Los Angeles at his coffee shop Pam's Coffy. 'It was something we had to pull off. We had to achieve it. It wasn't for sure that we could do it. … 'The Movie Critic,' there was nothing to figure out. I already kind of knew, more or less, how to turn L.A. into an older time. It was too much like the last one.' More from Variety Simon Pegg Says Quentin Tarantino's Unmade 'Star Trek' Movie Was 'Bats-- Crazy': 'It Was Everything You Would Expect' 'Pulp Fiction:' Lawrence Bender Reflects on Producing Quentin Tarantino's Modern Hollywood Classic Quentin Tarantino Shares Michael Madsen 'Reservoir Dogs' Story During Private Memorial: 'I'm On Your Side, Buddy' Tarantino also explained that 'The Movie Critic' was set in 1977 and began development as an eight-episode TV series, a project that he had teased was in the works in 2022. He also clarified that the story of 'The Movie Critic' had nothing to do with 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,' despite rumors that the project was a narrative follow-up. Brad Pitt had been cast in a lead role, leading to speculation that the star would be reprising his 'Once Upon a Time' role of Cliff Booth. Tarantino said that there were no shared characters between the two stories, though he called 'The Movie Critic' a 'spiritual sequel.' He also suggested that he could loop back to the project should he change his mind about it, as it's already written. 'The thing about 'The Movie Critic' is I really, really like it. But there was a challenge that I gave to myself when I did it. 'Can I take the most boring profession in the world and make it an interesting movie?'' Tarantino said. 'Who wants to see a TV show about a fucking movie critic? Who wants to see a movie called 'The Movie Critic'? That was the test. If I can actually make a movie or a TV show about someone who actually watches movies interesting, that is an accomplishment. And I think I did that.' The director continued by saying that he began work on 'The Adventures of Cliff Booth,' the actual sequel to 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,' shortly after walking away from 'The Movie Critic.' The Netflix production, which is now shooting in Los Angeles, is written and produced by Tarantino, but David Fincher is directing. In the meantime, Tarantino is planning to open a play on the West End in London in 2026 before working on his 10th (and allegedly final) feature film. 'It's a little crazy to listen to podcasts and hear all these amateur psychiatrists psychoanalyze as if they fucking know what they're talking about about what's going on with me, about how I'm so scared, alright, of my 10th film,' Tarantino said, launching into an impression for his speculative fans. ''Oh my god! Oh my god! I'm so fragile about my legacy. What's going on? I'm paralyzed with fear!' I'm not paralyzed with fear. Trust me.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
