Summary
- Amid various controversies, MrBeast hired a crisis management team led by notorious "fixer" Matthew Hiltzik.
- MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) has faced backlash over safety concerns involving contestants in his challenges, and Hiltzik's team responded to the allegations.
- Hiltzik declined to formally work with Harvey Weinstein in 2017.
Embattled YouTube star MrBeast has been under increasingly intense scrutiny all summer, and has retained the services of Matthew Hiltzik, a notable "Hollywood fixer" known for "crisis PR."
Backing up a little bit, this summer has involved a ton of controversies involving prominent YouTubers, creating something of a feedback loop on the platform.
In May and June, YouTuber Cody Ko was embroiled in one such controversy, with allegations of misconduct levied by fellow YouTuber Tana Mongeau.
Very shortly thereafter, MrBeast (real name Jimmy Donaldson) came up in the larger context of allegations against his longtime friend, former roommate, and collaborator Ava Kris Tyson — who was accused of inappropriate interactions with a young fan.
Initially, those claims seemed shaky, as the alleged victim (@LavaGS on Twitter/X) vociferously denied anything unseemly had happened ... until @LavaGS changed his position, and called for an investigation.
Rumors continued circulating, though, and MrBeast's ex-girlfriend Maddy Spidell waded in with a vague series of statements about her famous former flame.
Against the backdrop of a stream of rumors, several collaborators and former employees came forward, including Nerdy Nummies YouTuber Rosanna Pansino, who had previously accused Jimmy of treating her unfairly during a collaboration.
Rosanna has been both following and calling attention to MrBeast's allegations all summer, and on August 13, she tweeted and claimed that Jimmy retained the services of Matthew Hiltzik:
After that, social media users and others said that MrBeast "allegedly" or "reportedly" hired Matthew Hiltzik, suggesting that their business relationship was unsubstantiated.
MrBeast, Matthew Hiltzik, And Harvey Weinstein, Explained
As mentioned above, subsequent reports tended to say MrBeast was rumored to have retained the services of Matthew Hiltzik, citing Rosanna's tweet as a source.
One article indicated MrBeast's hiring of Matthew Hiltzik had "not yet been confirmed":
"The news that MrBeast hired a Crisis Management team to help him out of the mess he created has not yet been confirmed but emerged just two days after a leaked email to the MrBeast team surfaced.
"Now, just a few days later, it has been reported by Rosanna Pansino that the popular YouTuber has hired Matthew Hiltzik. Hiltzik, the popular PR agent, has represented Miramax, Hillary Clinton, Johnny Depp and more."
As for Matthew Hiltzik, back in March, his name came up alongside Andy Cohen's, after Andy reportedly retained his services.
On March 9, The Daily Beast clarified that Andy had indeed hired Hiltzik amid a number of Bravo-related scandals.
The outlet explained Hiltzik's reputation as a "fixer" for crises, but clarified that Hiltzik declined to work with Harvey Weinstein in 2017:
"PR guru Hiltzik boasts a long client list that includes Ivanka Trump, Alec Baldwin and Ryan Lochte ...
"Hiltzik is also well known for representing powerful men at the center of dark scandals.
"In 2017, Hiltzik’s (unpaid) expertise was sought by Harvey Weinstein leading up to the publication of the New Yorker and New York Times stories that detailed the disgraced producer’s sexual misconduct, Vanity Fair reported.
"Hiltzik told The Daily Beast that he declined to be part of Weinstein’s communications team during this time."
As of August 13, online discourse largely held that MrBeast's hiring of Matthew Hiltzik was "unconfirmed" — in actuality, their business relationship was reported earlier in August.
However, that detail was difficult to validate for two reasons — one is that it was reported indirectly, and the other is that it was behind a soft paywall.
On August 9, Business Insider published an article, "How Amazon's Massive TV Deal With YouTube's Top Star Turned Sour."
As indicated, it largely pertained to MrBeast's relationship with Amazon, and how Jimmy's public image had taken several recent hits.
One section mentioned an unflattering August 2 New York Times article about MrBeast's challenges, where Matthew Hiltzik was mentioned only in passing.
First, the outlet summarized the Times' coverage of MrBeast's "Beast Games":
"But the positive sentiment around [MrBeast's Amazon] show was thrown into question when The New York Times dropped a bombshell report this month centering on safety concerns about the production of 'Beast Games.'
"The Times reported that over a dozen people who participated in the show's first installment said that they didn't get enough food or medical care and that some competitors were injured from the physical challenges."
Again, the Times' article certainly didn't do an already under fire Jimmy any favors — and Business Insider then included a comment from MrBeast's representatives, identifying who currently reps Jimmy:
"Donaldson's camp, repped by the crisis-PR pro Matthew Hiltzik, said only a handful of people were injured and blamed a lot of execution problems on local staffers in Vegas hired to handle shooting for the show."
Although it is "rumored" that MrBeast is working with Matthew Hiltzik, a famed "fixer," it's also true — Hiltzik returned comment on Jimmy's behalf in response to allegations about the conditions during his "Beast Games."
- Birthname
- Jimmy Donaldson
- Birthdate
- May 7, 1998
- Birthplace
- Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
- Profession
- YouTuber
- Net worth
- $100,000,000
- Nationality
- American
