Shizzy "TheGawd" VTuber Racism / Doxxing Controversy (2024)

Overview

The Shizzy "TheGawd" VTuber Racism and Doxxing Controversy refers to backlash and discourse surrounding the release of a video by VTuber Shizzy (aka TheGawd and @visecs) in which he criticizes various VTubers and aspects of VTuber culture, most notably for racism and fostering parasocial relationships. The video was criticized for doxxing the identity of VTuber Watson Amelia and using a compilation of VTubers seemingly saying the N-word, which allegedly lacked context. The clips were purportedly removed from the video. Following its release, Shizzy doubled down on the criticism several times. People also began trying to dig up dirt on Shizzy and using it to call him a hypocrite and suggest he is a predator, including claims that he was friends with several professional Super Smash Bros. players who were alleged to be predators that went on a trip to Mexico to prey on children. Purportedly, he deleted posts about taking a trip to Mexico with the players, although aspects of these claims have been contested and are unconfirmed. Shizzy denied all these claims in a response video, saying he cut ties with all accused Smash players at that time.

Background

On May 11th, 2024, VTuber TheGawd, aka Shizzy, posted a video to YouTube^[1] titled "Everything WRONG With Vtubers" in which he criticizes numerous aspects of VTuber culture and specific creators. The video includes criticisms that VTubers aren't funny, they all have the same personality, the VTuber community is full of racism, they foster parasocial relationships with their viewers and that they participate in selective outrage. The video gained over 84,000 views in four days (shown below).

Developments

Initial Criticism (Racism, Doxxing of Watson Amelia)

On May 12th, 2024, the video was shared to the subreddit /r/kurosanji^[2] in a post titled "Bad faith video slandering and doxxing Vtubers," garnering over 600 upvotes in three days. The post claims that the video was edited shortly after it was uploaded, likely due to backlash, to remove an intro segment where Shizzy plays a compilation of VTubers seemingly saying the N-word, with many of the clips supposedly taken out of context (for example, they were saying a Japanese or Chinese word that sounded like the N-word and some VTubers may not know the full context of using the word as they're Japanese), the poster writing:

Many of the clips were non-English speakers either saying things in Japanese and Chinese that sounded like the N-word or said the N-word not knowing what it meant (think the GTAV Lamar clips). The clips also included one from Takanashi Kiara saying the N-word while rushing through a song but edited out the immediate apology she gave for her mistake. The worst clip featured the real life face of Amelia Watson and connected her to her current Hololive persona.

The post goes on to claim that Shizzy is deleting negative comments to support his own arguments. He also purportedly doxxed the identity of VTuber Watson Amelia within the first minute of the video, although this was seemingly removed as well.

Shizzy's First Response

On May 12th, 2024, Shizzy uploaded a video to X^[3] responding to criticism he was receiving for the video. In the video, he pretends to apologize then further criticizes Mori Calliope for using the N-word. At the end of the video, he then apologizes for criticizing the Japanese and Korean speakers for using the word. He then shows a compilation of X posts making racist statements towards him for his criticism of the VTuber community. The video gained over 9,700 likes in three days (shown below).

I'm Sorry. pic.twitter.com/ieMGS1d6yn
— 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕲𝖆𝖜𝖉 (@visecs) May 12, 2024

Relationship With Predators Allegations

Following Shizzy's first response, some began to accuse Shizzy of being friends with alleged predators, including alleged predators from the professional Super Smash Bros. community.

For example, on May 12th, 2024, X^[4] user @SouthWestGames made a post claiming the doxxing info of Watson was taken from a YouTuber^[5] John Usada, who has several videos and memes about Jeffrey Epstein, which the user claims "worships" Epstein, garnering over 2,900 likes in three days (shown below).

On May 13th, X^[6] user @kenshirotism posted a thread alleging that Shizzy was friends with several pro Super Smash Bros. players who were alleged to be predators, sharing links to two posts on /r/smashbros^[7]^[8] that detail the allegations. The second link includes a broken video in which, purportedly, Shizzy calls out alleged Smash predators. However, the X user writes, "at first, Visecs tried to push himself as 'one of the good guys' by 'calling out' the Smash preds and making fun of them. Then the guys he was tight with were outed and he suddenly changed tune on the matter."

Shizzy's Second Response

On the night of May 13th, 2024, Shizzy posted another response video to X^[9] addressing the new set of allegations. He begins by mentioning how people are being racist towards him and again claims he's trying to defend Black VTubers, refusing to apologize.

He discusses the purported Mexico trip and calls it "nasty," saying that he cut friendships with anyone who was outed that day. Shizzy claims he did not go to Mexico with them and that he was never a pro-Smash Bros. player. The video gained over 9,500 likes in two days (seen below).

Woke up to bullsh*t.
Standin on business. I meant everything.
I'm not sorry & I'm not gonna lie & say I am For PR.
The Vtubing Community NEEDS to change.
You Vtuber fans are WAY worse.
This has gone too far & gotten out of hand so this is where I'm ending it. K love you bye.😘 pic.twitter.com/QedJLibcUR
— 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕲𝖆𝖜𝖉 (@visecs) May 14, 2024

Shizzy's Final Response

On May 13th, 2024, Shizzy posted a third and "final" statement to X, garnering over 7,700 likes in two days. In the video, he denies doxxing Watson, claiming the information he shared could already be found online. He further refuses to apologize for standing up for Black VTubers.

My final statement of my first Vtuber canceling.
Raw. Transparent. No Meme's. Lets talk.
Time to get sued lmao. pic.twitter.com/N53BVKiYAw
— 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕲𝖆𝖜𝖉 (@visecs) May 13, 2024

Allegations From Woofy / Woofinz (Shizzy's Ex)

On May 14th, 2024, X^[12] user and streamer @Woofinz, who claims to be Shizzy's ex and was purportedly working on a VTuber model for him, made a thread alleging problematic behavior from Shizzy. The thread alleges that Shizzy made fun of a cancer patient and criticizes Shizzy for making fun of "deep voice" VTubers. She claims that Shizzy has not paid her for the work she did on the VTuber model.

Online Reactions

As the controversy spread in mid-May 2024, Shizzy received both backlash for his claims about the VTuber community and defense from some, with both criticism and defense getting stronger as he responded. Many of his responses resulted in racist memes and posts towards Shizzy, some of which can be seen in his response videos. The controversy also inspired posts calling Shizzy's VTuber design ugly and overdesigned.

Defense for Shizzy

On May 13th, 2024, following Shizzy's second response, X^[10] user and YouTuber @MightyKeef made a post defending Shizzy against the allegations against him, in particular the ones related to the Smash Bros. community ties, directly calling out X user @kenshirotism for claiming Shizzy was a pro player and for making the viral thread alleging his ties to the community (shown below).

On May 14th, @MightyKeef and @Kenshirotism got into an argument on X^[11] about the allegations, with @MightyKeef demanding further proof and @Kenshirotism seemingly unable to provide any (shown below).