- Beauty YouTubers James Charles and Tati Westbrook have become involved in an explosive feud after Charles posted an advertisement for a competitor to Westbrook’s vitamin brand.
- The drama resulted in a 43-minute video from Westbrook in which she ended their friendship and also accused him of manipulating others and using friends for fame.
- Notable figures such as Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson have weighed-in on the controversy.
- Visit INSIDER’s homepage for more stories.
The YouTube beauty community experienced a massive shakeup when Tati Westbrook ended her friendship with James Charles in a 43-minute video titled “BYE SISTER … ” on Friday. And many of them are weighing in.
In the video, Westbrook says “fame, power, and a fat bank account” has changed Charles and she also accuses him of “manipulating someone’s sexuality” by going after straight men. The video led to Charles posting an apology video, though the feud seems to be far from resolved.
The drama has led to several notable figures speaking out on both sides of the situation. From Jeffree Star calling Charles a “danger to society” to Nikita Dragun coming to his defense, here are all the people who have spoken out since the explosive feud.
Fellow beauty YouTuber Jeffree Star was one of the first notable figures to comment on the drama.
Star sent a scathing tweet two days after Westrbook’s video, in which he claims that his boyfriend, Nathan, had banned Charles from their home. Revelist posted a screenshot of the now-deleted tweet, in which he calls Charles a “danger to society.”
"There is a reason that Nathan banned James Charles from ever coming over to our home again," Star wrote in the tweet sent out on Sunday that has since been deleted."There's a reason why I haven't seen him since @GlamLifeGuru's birthday in February. He is a danger to society. Everything Tati said is 100% true."
It's unclear exactly why Charles was banned from their home.
Star also sent a tweet to Charles' brother, Ian Jeffrey, that labeled James as a "predator."
When Jeffrey tweeted, "Why does everyone act so tough over the internet?," Star responded with "Why is your brother a predator?? Why'd you really move back to NYC? Exactly. Shut the f--- up."
This tweet has also since been deleted, though can be seen on Revelist.
Star did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.
Singer Zara Larsson claims James has tried to "hit up" her boyfriend in the past.
The "Never Forget You" singer initially tweeted a clip of Westbrook's video with the caption, "I'm cackling cause he hit up my boyfriend in the dms several times knowing damn well he's straight."
She later quoted that tweet and added the caption: "I feel like deleting this cause I checked and it wasn't several times, only one dm and some comments under pictures."
Larsson eventually deleted both tweets, but screenshots have been shared on Metro.
Larsson did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.
Massively popular YouTuber Felix Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie, made a video with his thoughts on the drama.
In the video titled "James Charles is Cancelled," he questioned Westbrook's decision to address the situation so publicly and also brought up the age difference between Westbrook and James.
"It's worth noting here that Tati is 37 years old," he said. "James Charles is still a teenager. Yes, he's 19. Yes, that doesn't excuse his behavior. But for a mother figure to completely drag this kid ... no one has a problem with this?"
Kjellberg went on to say that he's not defending James, but thinks Westbrook's video seems "manipulative."
"It feels very manipulative," he said in the video. "She's putting herself on a pedestal, while she clearly was completely fine not outing this behavior about James Charles essentially abusing people's sexuality, and as long as James Charles would have instead promoted her vitamins, she would have been fine with it, she would not have made this video."
Kjellberg did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.
Another fellow YouTuber, Shane Dawson, sent a tweet that seemed to reference the drama.
On Sunday, he tweeted his feelings about the situation and how everything seemed "so dark."
"Feeling sad. Everything feels so dark right now," Dawson's tweet reads. "Even though I believe some people need to be humbled, I also could never enjoy watching someone go through something like this."
Dawson also gave a glowing review of Westbrook's Halo Beauty vitamins.
Westbrook's Halo Beauty brand of vitamins became a major source of conflict in the explosive feud after Charles posted an ad for a competing brand called Sugar Bear Hair.
Two days after Westbrook's video, Dawson tweeted photos of his results from using her vitamins alongside a glowing review and the caption, "drama aside, I have something to say."
Dawson did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.
YouTuber Gabriel Zamora questioned Westbrook's side of the story in a scathing Snapchat video.
Zamora became a key factor in the feud when Westbrook said his "Makeup and Opinions" video inspired her to address the situation publicly. In the video, Zamora questioned why she was being vague about the situation and why she didn't address Charles by name.
YouTube user THE VIEWERS VOICE shared a clip of Zamora's subsequent Snapchat response video, where he says that the manipulative behavior Westbrook accused Charles of was instigated by the straight man in question. He also calls her a "fraud" for perpetuating the "predatory" angle of the story.
Zamora did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.
A young man who says he is the waiter from Seattle that Westbrook spoke about in her video uploaded his own video to tell his side of the story.
In Westbrook's video, she says that James was "talking in detail about things [he] wanted to do to the waiter," during her birthday party. When Westbrook said, "James, he's straight," she said Charles replied with, "doesn't matter, I'm a celebrity."
A video from a young man who claims to be the waiter was soon uploaded to YouTube. It has not been confirmed that he's the waiter in question, though the video does feature a FaceTime call between him and Charles, as well as several messages.
In the man's video, he says that he reached out to Charles via Instagram and the two formed a relationship. Though he says he was bi-curious at the time, he says he eventually decided to end things with Charles after deciding he was straight.
Though the video has since been deleted, it has been shared by YouTube user Shan x.
INSIDER was unable to reach the man who uploaded the now-deleted video for comment.
Beauty YouTuber Nikita Dragun tweeted text messages Charles sent her when he asked for help with security.
Charles' initial Instagram story ad for Sugar Bear Hair claims the brand helped him with security during Coachella. Dragun posted screenshots of her text messages with James when he asked her to put him in contact with representatives for Sugar Bear Hair.
In the texts, Charles asks Dragun if her contacts from Sugar Bear Hair can provide him with an Artist pass and extra security, as he claims he was being "attacked" in the less secure areas of Coachella. He also writes that he will post an Instagram story in exchange for the pass.
"Heard a situation needed some clarification," Dragun tweeted alongside the screenshots of Charles' texts. "My friend was in an emergency and texted me in the moment ... unfortunately since @dragunbeauty used all of our marketing budget on the fantasy i connected him with sugar bear. nothing shady."
Dragun did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.
Westbrook herself followed up with a message on Twitter.
"There won't be a video tomorrow," Westbrook wrote to her fans in her first Twitter post since uploading the video. "My heart is still too heavy. I feel like I need to remind you that we can hold truth & inspire change without grabbing onto hate. Honor your blessings, don't abuse them. Celebrating pain will only bring it to your door. love you guys, see you soon."
She also made a follow-up video called "Why I Did It ..." in which she asks viewers to stop the hate for Charles.
"I do really want the hate to stop. I want the picking sides and the abusive memes and the language and all of that, I really hope on both sides it can stop," Westbrook said in her video.
Westbrook added that she had private conversations with Charles before the video and that she still has love for him.
"I don't hate James Charles. I don't want you guys hating on him," she told her viewers. "I can't even go online right now. It's painful to watch someone that you have cared about be dragged and to know that this all started because of me, and I don't think anyone deserves that."
She also addressed the new batch of subscribers she's gained in the wake of the scandal.
"There is no celebration in what's happening," Westbrook said. "And if I could give all of the new success back and the new subscribers back, I would. That's not why I did this."
Westbrook did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.
YouTuber Carmie Sellitto, otherwise known as touchdalight, made a video about his experience with Charles on May 14.
In the video titled, "My Experience Dating James Charles," Sellitto claims he and Charles began talking and the situation became "uncomfortable" when Charles tried to convince him that "all straight men can be gay."
Watch his full video here.
Sellitto did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.
Model Jay Alvarrez says he received flirtatious messages from Charles.
Alvarrez posted a screenshot of what he says are Instagram direct messages from Charles. In the screenshot, Charles appears to call Alvarrez "hot," to which he responded, "appreciate that my guy, I'm straight as can be."
The Daily Mail shared a screenshot of Alvarrez's Instagram story which includes the full conversation.
Alvarrez did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.