There's more controversy for Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson, as the content creator is facing fresh critiques over his Beast Games TV series. Debuting on Amazon's Prime Video on December 19, Beast Games was already under fire for more than splashing a jaw-dropping $14,000,000 to build a whole city for the reality series.
Amazon explains that Beast Games is a reality series where "1,000 contestants compete in nail-biting, physical, mental, and social challenges," with the 10-episode series having contestants compete for a $5 million prize. Unfortunately, it's being dogged by controversy.
In documents obtained by Business Insider, participants were asked to agree to some 'humiliating' terms and conditions before joining Beast Games. The site has revealed 24 pages of documents, with one stipulation being that anyone who discloses information on the series is liable to pay the producer and network $500,000 for each breach before the last episode airs. After the last episode airs, the document states they'll then be liable for $100,000 per breach.
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Signing the form apparently gives consent for the use of hidden cameras and recording devices, while also allowing producers to edit footage how they see fit.
Contestants had to agree that their portrayal in Beast Games could be "disparaging, defamatory, embarrassing, or of an otherwise unfavorable nature." There’s also a mention of how the series could expose them to "public ridicule, humiliation, or condemnation.”
Entertainment lawyer Daniel J. Ain told Business Insider that these terms are pretty standard, although the threat of a $500,000 charge for individual breaches could be viewed as 'expansive: "The producers use every available tool to give them ultimate flexibility to make the show and protect themselves from liability."
He added that the documents are a "contestant agreement on steroids."
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Before Beast Games aired, there was drama from a New York Times report that claimed 'over a dozen' contestants said they weren't given enough food or medical care when filming a preliminary round in Las Vegas. Business Insider says its documents relate to the Las Vegas filming, with over 2,000 people taking part before learning who'd move forward to the official production round in Toronto.
If this wasn't enough, five plaintiffs have filed a suit against Amazon and Donaldson's production company, saying they failed to pay minimum wages and overtime, didn't prevent sexual harassment, subjected contestants to "infliction of emotional distress," provided inadequate meal breaks, rest breaks, and access to basic hygiene. This all culminates in an environment where they claim they were exposed to "dangerous circumstances and conditions as a condition of their employment."
Following the New York Times report, Donaldson took to X on November 25 and said: "We have tons of behind-the-scenes [clips] dropping when the show does, to show how blown out of proportion these claims were. Just can’t release it now because it would spoil the games."
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UNILAD Tech has reached out to Prime Video for comment.