It seems like major YouTube personalities are currently having their hour of reckoning, and David Dobrik is no exception. The viral prankster and members of his clique, known as the Vlog Squad, have recently faced a whole host of ugly accusations ranging from sexual assault to pranks filmed without consent.
If the allegations are true, Dobrik and company should be held accountable. But we have to admit it makes us long for the days when the content creator’s pranks were hilarious rather than cancel-worthy. Take the time he married Lorraine Nash, the 75-year-old mother of his buddy Jason Nash. Let’s revisit the silly stunt that drew millions of views—and then find out why Dobrik is at risk of losing his massive following.
David Dobrik Is Known For His Viral YouTube Content
Dobrik, 24, is a YouTube personality who currently boasts 18.4 million subscribers on his channel. He debuted on the platform in 2015 after attracting a following on the now-shuttered app Vine. By 2019, he was one of the most-viewed creators, joining a list that included PewDiePie and MrBeast.
Dobrik, who is often accompanied by an entourage dubbed the Vlog Squad, is known for a mix of Jackass-style stunts, outrageous dares, and feel-good giveaways. Apparently, the concept has undeniable appeal among millennials and Gen Z. In 2020, Forbes named him number 9 on its list of highest-paid YouTube stars and estimated his earnings that year to be $15.5 million.
So just how far is he willing to go for views? One particular prank actually involved changing his marital status.
David Dobrik Once Married Jason Nash’s Mom, Lorraine Nash, As A Joke
On May 18, 2019, Dobrik married Lorraine Nash, the 75-year-old mother of his best friend and fellow Vlog Squad member, Jason Nash.
“I was sitting in the car with [Nash] and he told me that I would never find love,” Dobrik told Jimmy Fallon in January 2020. “She was very confused, but then when I told her I wanted to become my buddy’s stepdad, she was 100 percent in and she thought it was the greatest thing.”
The two took off and got hitched at the famous Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.
The newlyweds enjoyed a quick Hawaiian honeymoon before they got the real punchline of the prank— telling 45-year-old Nash that Dobrik had become his stepfather.
“Everyone had a good laugh so it was definitely worth it,” Dobrik concluded. To watch the big day, check out the video:
Was The Marriage To Lorraine Nash Real?
Dobrik’s marriage to Nash’s mom was indeed real. However, he revealed to Entertainment Tonight that they were divorcing less than a month after tying the knot. E! News even found his divorce petition, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
“I am heartbroken to announce that Lorraine and I have split,” he tweeted on June 12, 2019. “I wish her nothing but the best. We may have rushed into things but that’s what happens when two young people fall in love. Please respect our privacy at this time.”
Dobrik told Fallon that splitting up wasn’t an easy process.
“It took me like, six months to get it annulled,” he said. “It took a really long time to go through all that paperwork.”
When all was said and done, Nash had a sense of humor about the stunt. Unfortunately, other Vlog Squad compatriots are now revealing that associating with Dobrik was anything but funny.
David Dobrik Is Surrounded By Controversy In 2021
Is 2021 the end of Dobrik’s reign over YouTube? The creator somehow managed to wiggle his way out of a number of past controversies. Accusations of inappropriate behavior go back as far as 2017 when he tricked a blindfolded Vlog Squad member into kissing Jason Nash. And in 2020, he faced accusations of racially insensitive content.
But newer charges are even more explosive. In February, ex-Vlog Squad member Trisha Paytas said that Dobrik filmed her having sex with her boyfriend (Nash) without her consent.
“I have more PTSD from David and Jason than I do hooking on Santa Monica Boulevard,” she told Vulture. She added that Nash dumped her when she was no longer useful for content. “Jason was like, ‘I gotta break up with you because of David.’ That’s when I spiraled.”
The next month, another woman alleged that a member of the Vlog Squad raped her.
Dobrik finally began damage control. He posted an apology video on March 16, but it may have been too little, too late. Within days, he lost 100,000 subscribers. Brand partners Dollar Shave Club and EA Sports then announced that they had cut ties with him. Dobrik even stepped down from Dispo, his own photo-sharing app, to avoid further controversy, but the list of brands and investors distancing themselves from him is only getting longer.
So are the accusations. The latest comes from YouTuber Jeff Wittek, who says that he came close to dying after filming a dangerous physical stunt for Dobrik’s channel.
In a recent two-part blog, he recalled the time they put an excavator in a shallow lake. Wittek swung from a rope attached to the vehicle while Dobrik was at the wheel. But things went horribly wrong and he wound up fracturing his skull.
“I tried to make a goddamn funny video for people, but this is where I made a mistake,” said Wittek. “I forgot that the biggest [expletive] idiot I know was driving it.”
Ouch. It sounds like the virtual ship that Dobrik is steering is about to meet the same disastrous fate.