The vlogger Shane Dawson has vehemently denied allegations that he is a paedophile after a clip of him discussing the matter went viral yesterday.
Dawson, real name Shane Yaw, was accused of being attracted to children in a viral video which took an edited and decontextualised clip from a podcast released four years ago as “proof” of the allegations.
In the clip, Dawson joked about being approached by a 6-year-old Instagram star whilst he was out one day, and being shocked to find that she had almost as many followers as he did.
“I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this, but she’s like sexy,” he says in the clip, before providing his “justification” of paedophilia.
“Having sex with children or touching children is terrible and you should not do it. But. Here’s my thing: people have foot fetishes. People have fetishes about everything.”
He continues: “Why is it that when someone Googles ‘naked baby’ on the internet and jerks off to it they can get arrested? I don’t understand that.”
Dawson then claims he “pretended” to be a paedophile one day by Googling “naked babies”.
“Here’s the worst part of it. I actually went to Google, and I didn’t want to see child pornography, but I was like, ‘let me just pretend like I’m a paedophile for a sec.’
“So I type in ‘naked baby’. First of all, I don’t understand why anyone would be turned on by that. But… they were sexy. I’m kidding.”
Listen to the podcast below, with the conversation about paedophilia starting around the seven minute mark.
https://soundcloud.com/shaneandfriends/episode-3-kingsley
The video alleging that he is a paedophile also included pictures of Dawson’s ex-girlfriend and current boyfriend, claiming their youthful features are further ‘evidence’.
Dawson vehemently denied the allegations in a YouTube response video, commenting that they were jokes typical of his older, “crazy” comedy.
“I cannot believe that I am having to make this video. I cannot believe that this is happening. I’m gonna start by saying: ‘I AM NOT A FUCKING PAEDOPHILE,’” Dawson shouted to the camera.
“It’s disgusting, and people are saying I’m a paedophile because of some shitty ass jokes from six years ago on a podcast.”
He added: “I have changed so much as a person, and as a creative and a director and a writer and stuff. The stuff that I was saying back in those times I would never say now.”
Dawson then claimed that he never actually Googled the naked babies.
“I don’t have time to Google naked babies. And that’s gross and weird.”
Dawson, who claims to have been molested as a child, added that the allegations against him were “distracting from the real issue”: “I think that’s why it hurts the most. Having my name next to the word paedophile is actually the most triggering and the most heartbreaking thing I’ve literally ever seen. I’ve been called everything.”
Dawson repeated his denial of the allegations in a series of Tweets.
I grew up. I changed my content. I apologized countless times for my shitty offensive jokes. instead of dragging me down people should use me as an example of a creator who can CHANGE and better themselves and their content. i’m so proud of who i am today.
— Shane Dawson (@shanedawson) January 10, 2018
really @Twitter? how about shining light on ACTUAL PEDOPHILES instead of jokes taken out of context from years ago that were edited and manipulated? i fucking can’t with this shit. i’m leaving the internet for the day. pic.twitter.com/hQQJIXxG73
— Shane Dawson (@shanedawson) January 10, 2018
He also claimed that the makers of the video had contacted him claiming that a Hollywood insider had forced them to make the content as a revenge move:
Also, the channel that “exposed” me also has videos on their channel like this. proving even more so how hypocritical and disgusting they are. pic.twitter.com/amBw3tPDKl
— Shane Dawson (@shanedawson) January 11, 2018
i genuinely think someone was trying to make a conspiracy theory about me in real time. uploading clues, hints, etc. i don’t believe logan’s people had anything to do with it. it seems almost scripted. it’s all very fascinating. gotta love the internet! https://t.co/4deWoZm0ib
— Shane Dawson (@shanedawson) January 11, 2018
Pop Blast, the account that uploaded the original video, has now been terminated for violating YouTube’s terms of service, including uploading spam and misleading content.