YouTube cancels PewDiePie show after anti-Semitic jokes
Google's YouTube has decided to cancel the second season of PewDiePie's reality show.
The move takes place hours after Disney, and its digital entertainment firm Maker Studios, cut ties with the Swedish vlogger after learning a handful of his videos contain anti-Semitic jokes and Nazi imagery.
Last month, PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, posted a video which included an image of two shirtless men laughing as they held a banner that read “Death to all Jews.”
In a statement, a YouTube spokesperson said: “We’ve decided to cancel the release of ‘Scare PewDiePie’ season 2 and we’re removing the PewDiePie channel from Google Preferred.”
With more than 53 million followers, PewDiePie is YouTube's most-subscribed channel.
YouTube announced the renewal of "ScarePewDiePie", produced by Maker and Skybound Entertainment, last June but did not mention a premiere date.
The 10 episodes of the first season are still available on YouTube Red.
Google Preferred is YouTube's advertising program which aggregates YouTube's top content "into easy-to-buy packages for brand advertisers".
PewDiePie has come under fire many times in the last few years — but has suffered little consequences for his actions.
The Swedish gamer topped Forbes' highest paid YouTube stars list for a second year in a row. He made an estimated $15 million for the 12 months ending in June 2016, according to Forbes' recent ranking.
