Latest news with #ISurvived100Hours
NDTV
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
MrBeast Responds To Backlash Over Ancient Mexican Temple Video: "It Saddens Me To See..."
Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has reacted to the controversy surrounding a vlog he recorded while visiting ancient Mayan cities in Southeastern Mexico. The YouTuber released a video titled "I Survived 100 Hours in an Ancient Temple," on May 10, and it received millions of views in no time. In the clip, MrBeast and his team explore historic sites, swim in cenotes, eat Maya-style food and spend a night in a temple. The video drew condemnation from Mexican officials, archaeologists and the public, who accused the YouTuber of exploiting the cultural heritage. The video was also criticised by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), which said that they had given MrBeast permission to film at the sites, but not to monetise the content or use it to advertise his products. Now, over the weekend, MrBeast released a statement, announcing his true intention of bringing eyes to the country and revealing that there was no issue with filming as he got permission from the government agencies and even had archaeologists walking them through everything. He also shared a picture showing a message from the state governor where filming took place that defended MrBeast and his team. I've seen a lot of stories about our recent video in Mexico and wanted to clear some false things being said. Me and my team have great respect for the Mexican and Mayan culture and people. We did this video to get people all over the world excited to learn more about their… — MrBeast (@MrBeast) May 18, 2025 "I've seen a lot of stories about our recent video in Mexico and wanted to clear some false things being said. Me and my team have great respect for the Mexican and Mayan culture and people. We did this video to get people all over the world excited to learn more about their culture, much like we did with our Pyramids video. We are not and have never been sued by them lol. That is false and it saddens me to see people spreading lies," MrBeast wrote on X. "We filmed with full permits, followed guidelines, had representatives from government agencies following us, Mexican archeologists to make sure we were accurate, AND representatives from the sites to ensure we were following the rules. The governor of the state we shot in even came out in our defense," he added. The YouTuber further clarified that officials knew he would be promoting his chocolate brand and made sure not to film any content near national monuments. "They were aware of us mentioning Feastables in the video but for respect of the sites, it was filmed off site from any national monuments. The dinner scene where I made the Feastables joke was not near any mayan temples," he wrote. The YouTuber also shared the philanthropic work that his team conducted while out in Mexico. "We also never planned on sharing this, but as always my hand is forced by false headlines - behind the scenes we funded wells and water projects in the state, I've also been working with INAH on a fund to support local Mexican archeology and new discoveries because I wanted to help spread the culture as a thanks for allowing us to film," MrBeast said. "I hope to go back someday and continue to share how awesome the culture is with the world, sad to see this get distorted," he concluded. Notably, MrBeast's statement comes after the Ministry of Culture in Mexico said it would impose sanctions and take legal action against the YouTuber for allegedly misrepresenting events and violating the intended use of cultural heritage sites. The INAH responded to the controversy by stating that the visit and the recording were conducted in response to "formal requests". The government agency stated that their staff was present during the shoot to guarantee site safety and adherence to preservation guidelines. It also confirmed that the filming was done in accordance with the law. But it emphasised that several scenes, including the claimed helicopter landing, drone flights inside the Kukulkan pyramid, and the usage of an old mask, were made up in post-production. Separately, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the "broadcast" was permitted, but she asked the INAH to report "under what conditions this permit was granted."
NDTV
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
YouTuber MrBeast In Trouble Over Ancient Mexican Temple Video. Here's Why
New Delhi: MrBeast, the world's most subscribed YouTuber, is in trouble again, this time with the Mexican authorities over a video shot at multiple federally protected archaeological sites such as Calakmul, Chichen Itza, and Balamcanche The YouTuber, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, released a video titled "I Survived 100 Hours in an Ancient Temple," on May 10, and it received over 55 million views in no time, as per CNN. The video has MrBeast and his group exploring historic sites, swimming in cenotes, eating Maya-style food, and reportedly spending the night in a temple. The Temple of Kukulkan pyramid, called El Castillo, is one of the seven wonders of the world and is located in the state of Yucatan's Chichen Itza. "It's unbelievable that the government is allowing us to do this. It's truly crazy. Not even archaeologists are allowed in here," MrBeast is heard saying in the video. The video drew condemnation from the public, archaeologists, and Mexican officials, whose primary concern was that MrBeast got access to places often restricted to the public and regarded as sacred to Mexico's pre-Hispanic cultures. The Ministry of Culture in Mexico said it would impose sanctions and take legal action against the YouTuber for allegedly misrepresenting events and violating the intended use of cultural heritage sites, according to a report in local media. Among other things that came under criticism were a drone image that appears to show what's inside the temple atop El Castillo in Chichen Itza. There were also visuals of MrBeast descending by helicopter to the archaeological sites or holding a pre-Hispanic mask. According to the Mexican Ministry of Culture, Mr Beast will face penalties and legal action for allegedly fabricating events and going against the intended usage of cultural heritage places. The Mexican government's Ministry of Culture's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) responded to the controversy by stating that the visit and the recording were conducted in response to "formal requests." In a public statement, INAH said their staff was present during the shoot to guarantee site safety and adherence to preservation guidelines. The institute confirmed that the filming was done in accordance with the law. But it emphasised that several scenes, including the claimed helicopter landing, drone flights inside the Kukulkan pyramid, and the usage of an old mask, were made up in post-production. On Wednesday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the "broadcast" was permitted, but she asked the INAH to report "under what conditions this permit was granted." MrBeast has more than 394 million subscribers on YouTube, making him the most popular content creator in the world.
