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Beast Games lawsuit

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Contestant 1, et al. v. MrB2024, LLC, et at.
CourtLos Angeles Superior Court
Full case name Contestant 1, Contestant 2, Contestant 3, Contestant 4, and Contestant 5 v. MrB2024, LLC, Off One’s Base, LLC, Amazon Alternative LLC, and Does 1-100, inclusive
StartedSeptember 16, 2024; 2 months ago (2024-09-16)
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On September 16, 2024, a class action lawsuit—on behalf of five contestants of the upcoming $100-million-dollar Beast Games series on Prime Video—was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against MrBeast (under his production company MrB2024, LLC), Off One's Base, LLC, Amazon Alternative, LLC, and 100 anonymous individuals.

The complaint alleged that the Beast Games contestants experienced widespread mistreatment, sexual harassment, and unpaid expenses and wages - including not being paid at all and not being paid for overtime. Other allegations include contestants having medication taken away from them and being denied access to it throughout the duration of the show,[1] the production companies having significant control over the eating, clothing, and sleeping arrangements of the contestants[2]: 10–11 a lack of background checks of contestants,[2]: 12–13  and misrepresenting how many contestants were to appear on the show, and therefore the actual odds of winning the prize money.[3][2]: 44 

Background

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Plaintiffs

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The plaintiffs appear on the lawsuit as Contestant 1, Contestant 2, Contestant 3, Contestant 4, and Contestant 5. Contestants 1 and 2 are residents of Los Angeles County, California. Contestant 3 and 4 are residents of the state of California.[4] Contestant 5 is a resident of the United States. All five are individuals that were employed by the production companies as contestants of Beast Games.[2]: 5 

Defendants

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James Stephen Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is American YouTuber, internet personality, and businessman. With over 332 million subscribers, he has the most-subscribed YouTube channel.[5] MrB2024, LLC is a production company owned by Donaldson.[3] Off One's Base, LLC is an independent production company, and is one of the producers of Beast Games.[1][2]: 2  Amazon Alternative, LLC creates unscripted television, and is a division of Amazon MGM Studios.[3][2]: 2  The 100 anonymous individual, referred to in the lawsuit as Does 1–100, are employees, whose names are as yet unknown to the contestants that filed the lawsuit.[2]: 6 

Show

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Main article: Beast Games

Beast Games is an upcoming reality competition series, set to release on Amazon Prime Video on December 19, 2024.[6][7] The show was announced in March 2024 and the first round was filmed at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, U.S., where contestant ate, slept, and lived. 2000 contestants[8] arrived on July 18, 2024, to begin filming.[9] The remainder of the show was filmed at Downsview Park Studios in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in August 2024.[10][11][12] The budget of the show was reported to be $100 million,[13] and the first place prize was $5 million.[9]

Suit

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The complaint alleges fourteen causes of action:[2]: i, iv 

  1. Failure to Pay Minimum Wage[2]: 34–35 
  2. Liquidated Damages for Failure to Pay Minimum Wages[2]: 36 
  3. Failure to Pay Overtime Wages[2]: 36–37 
  4. Sexual Harassment[2]: 37–38 
  5. Failure to Prevent Harassment[2]: 38–39 
  6. Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress[2]: 39–40 
  7. Failure to Provide Uninterrupted Meal Breaks[2]: 40–41 
  8. Failure to Provide Uninterrupted Rest Breaks[2]: 41 
  9. Failure to Provide Wages Promptly Upon Termination[2]: 41–42 
  10. Failure to Provide Accurate and Itemized Wage Statements[2]: 42–43 
  11. Failure to Indemnify for Employee Expenses and Losses in Discharging Duties[2]: 43 
  12. Unfair Business Practices[2]: 43–44 
  13. False Advertising Unfair Business Practices[2]: 44–45 
  14. Declaratory Relief[2]: 46 

Payments

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The contestants allege that they did not get paid adequately for their work, oftentimes not getting paid at all.[14] The complaint states that the production companies "required Plaintiffs [the Contestants] and the Proposed Class to work 24-hour shifts for days, without any wages",[2]: 35  and that "Plaintiffs and the Proposed Class worked more than 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, but were not paid overtime wages for that work.".[2]: 36 

Contestants have also said they have not yet received promised prices and compensation money.[9][2]: 27–30 

Sexual Harassment

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A number of sexual harassment claims have been made against the production companies.[14][15] It is alleged that "harassing conduct was severe or pervasive, was unwelcome by the Proposed Subclass members, and a reasonable person in their circumstances would have considered the work environment to be hostile or abusive".[2]: 37  It is also said "Defendants [failed] to take [any] reasonable steps necessary to prevent harassment from occurring".[2]: 38 

Nevada tax credits

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The complaint also alleged that these violations occurred for the purpose of gaining $2,252,523[2]: 2  worth of Nevada tax credits.[16] The complaint stated that "Plaintiffs and the Proposed Class [were forced] to enter into illegal contracts and provid[e] false information to the State of Nevada to obtain unearned tax credits",[2]: 43  and that the production companies "coerce[d] the Contestants to sign unconscionable contracts with illegal terms and illusory obligations and also knowingly mischaracterized the Contestants [...] to avoid Defendants’ employment obligations under California law".[2]: 2 

Misclassification of contestants

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The suit also alleges that contestants are misclassified as volunteers instead of employees, in order for the show to avoid paying certain taxes.[17] The contestants also stated that this led to them not being paid correctly.[2]: 7–8, 34–35 

False advertising

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It is alleged that the show misrepresented to contestants that it would have 1000 participants. 1000 was the number that was advertised by Amazon,[18][9] and allegedly the number that was told to contestants before they arrived.[2]: 45  As revealed to the contestants via a video message from Donaldson, the show would actually be starting with 2000 people participating, and this was eventually narrowed down to 1000 for the televised show. This doubling of the advertised contestant amount meant that the chance of contestants winning was significantly decreased from what they had been originally told.[2]: 45 [9]

Working condition

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Contestants allege that they did not receive adequate amounts of food or medical care throughout the course of the show, despite many participants facing injuries. Multiple contestants described one of the meals as including "a tiny portion of cold oatmeal, one hard-boiled egg and a few pieces of raw vegetables".[9][19] Contestants also stated that they had their phones and other personal belongings taken away from them prior to arriving to the stadium to film.[9]

Emotional distress

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Contestants also alleged that the conduct of the production companies and staff caused them "serious emotional distress, including suffering, anguish, fright, horror, nervousness, anxiety, worry, fright, horror, nervousness, anxiety, worry, shock, humiliation, and/or shame".[20][21][2]: 39–40 

Response

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A spokesperson for Donaldson said that:[8][9]

The MrBeast promotional video shoot, which included over 2,000 participants, was unfortunately complicated by the CrowdStrike incident, extreme weather, and other unexpected logistical and communications issues, which we are currently reviewing, but we are grateful that virtually all of those invited to Toronto for our next production have enthusiastically accepted our invitation.

We have communicated directly with 97 percent of the 2,000 people who attended to ask for feedback, have launched a formal review of the process, and have taken steps to ensure that we learn from this experience and we are excited to welcome hundreds of men and women to the world’s largest game show in history.

The three named production companies have been contacted multiple times, including by Variety, the BBC, CNN, and CBS News. In all cases, Amazon declined to comment.[14][20][22] In one case, MrBeast's representatives declined to comment,[20] whilst on other occasions they did not reply to the request for comment.[14][22] The BBC said they were unable to contact Off One's Base for comment.[14]

On 25th November 2024, Donaldson replied to a user on X, stating that there is "tons of behind the scenes dropping when the show does to show how blown out of proportion these claims were", but that he "can't release it now because it would spoil the games".[23][24][25] Donaldson and the production companies have still not made any formal statements.[26]

References

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  1. ^ a b Lau, Mingson (August 2, 2024). "Film production inexperience stumbles MrBeast 'Beast Games' production in Las Vegas". Fox23. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah "MrBeast-Amazon-Beast-Games-Complaint.pdf" (PDF). September 16, 2024. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c de Guzman, Chad (September 18, 2024). "Contestants Sue MrBeast, Amazon Over 'Beast Games'". TIME. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  4. ^ "Lawsuit targets maker of 'MrBeast's' Amazon Prime game show, claiming contestants were 'shamelessly exploited'". NBC News. September 18, 2024. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  5. ^ Davis, Wes (June 2, 2024). "PewDiePie 'avenged' as MrBeast becomes YouTube's most-subscribed channel". The Verge. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  6. ^ "Launch date confirmed for MrBeast's controversial game show". The Independent. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  7. ^ "Prime Video Unveils Premiere Date for MrBeast's Epic Beast Games Competition Series". press.amazonmgmstudios.com. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Thomas, Carly (August 3, 2024). "MrBeast's Amazon Show Accused of Unsafe Filming Conditions, Lack of Food by Participants". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h Kircher, Madison Malone (August 2, 2024). "Contestants on MrBeast's 'Beast Games' Say They Were Hungry and Injured on Set - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  10. ^ Haring, Bruce (August 3, 2024). "MrBeast's 'Beast Games' Reality Series Under Fire For Abusing Participants". Deadline. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  11. ^ Jones, Alexandra Mae (August 26, 2024). "A miniature village has appeared in Toronto. It's the set of beleaguered MrBeast's reality TV series". CBC News. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  12. ^ Shankar, Bradly (August 27, 2024). "MrBeast is now filming his new Amazon reality series in Toronto". MobileSyrup. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  13. ^ Dodgson, Lindsay. "MrBeast's $100M Amazon reality show may succeed despite controversy. But it could come back to haunt him". Business Insider. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d e Collins, Riyah (September 18, 2024). "Beast Games: MrBeast and Amazon named in lawsuit over show". BBC News. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  15. ^ Prada, Luis (September 19, 2024). "MrBeast Sued by 'Beast Games' Contestants for Sexual Harassment, Unsafe Working Conditions". VICE. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  16. ^ Patten, Dominic (September 18, 2024). "MrBeast & Amazon Hit With Sexual Harassment, Wages & Nevada Tax Credits-Scamming Class Action Suit By Game Show Contestants". Deadline. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  17. ^ Hauptman, Max. "YouTuber MrBeast, Amazon sued by reality show contestants alleging abuse, harassment". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  18. ^ Toby, Mekeisha Madden (March 19, 2024). "MrBeast and Amazon MGM Studios announce the new reality competition series 'Beast Games'". www.aboutamazon.com. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  19. ^ Perry, Kevin E G (August 2, 2024). "MrBeast contestants say they haven't received adequate food or medical care". The Independent. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c Spangler, Todd (September 18, 2024). "MrBeast, Amazon Sued by Contestants on 'Beast Games' Competition Show, With Allegations Including Sexual Harassment and 'Chronic Mistreatment'". Variety. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  21. ^ Carras, Christi (September 18, 2024). "YouTuber MrBeast, Amazon sued over 'hostile work environment' on 'Beast Games'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Valinsky, Jordan (September 18, 2024). "MrBeast's production company and Amazon are being sued for alleged harassment of contestants on his reality show | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  23. ^ Spangler, Todd (November 25, 2024). "MrBeast's Controversial 'Beast Games' Sets Prime Video Premiere Date, Releases Teaser Trailer for 'Squid Games'-Inspired Competition Show". Variety.com. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  24. ^ Kanter, Jake (November 26, 2024). "MrBeast Swats Away Claims His Amazon 'Beast Games' Series Exposed Contestants To Unsafe Conditions & Sexual Harassment". Deadline.com. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  25. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (November 26, 2024). "MrBeast Insists He Has Footage to Show Amazon Reality TV Series Allegations Were 'Blown Out of Proportion,' Releases Teaser Trailer". IGN. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  26. ^ "Beast Games allegations 'blown out of proportion' says YouTuber". BBC News. November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
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