MrBeast is under fire thanks to a recent report from the New York Times. A preliminary round for the upcoming “Beast Games” reality show for Amazon is being accused of not providing adequate food or medical care, according to anonymous reports from over a dozen people who participated in the series. Not only that, but one contestant reported seeing others leaving the arena on stretchers.
A contract for the show, which was reviewed by the Times, included the line, “I understand that such activities may cause me death, illness or serious bodily injury, including, but not limited to exhaustion, dehydration, overexertion, burns and heat stroke.” That’s fairly standard language for reality TV contracts, but the allegations outlined by this expose are anything but routine.
As previously mentioned, some contestants were seen on stretchers, though it is unknown whether they faced any serious medical conditions. There have also been accusations of contestants vomiting, passing out and being taken to the hospital.
Though there will be 1,000 participants in the upcoming “Beast Games” series, 2,000 contestants as well as 100 extras were part of filming for the competition in July, which took place in Nevada at Allegiant Stadium. This preliminary round was being filmed for MrBeast’s YouTube channel.
Those who spoke to the New York Times also complained about the food, claiming that they were only fed twice a day and that these meals were sporadic, small and did not account for dietary allergies. A representative for MrBeast disputed the two meals claim to the Times, stating that contestants were fed three meals a day.
Contestants have also claimed that their medications, which they were not allowed to have on their person, were not distributed in a timely manner nor was their clean underwear. Participants in this first round were offered $1,000 for their troubles, whether or not they moved onto the next round, TheWrap learned.
“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,” a representative for MrBeast told TheWrap. “We have communicated directly with 97% 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.”
Representatives for Amazon didn’t immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
The accusations being lodged against “Beast Games” feel similar to those made against another recent reality competition show, “Squid Game: The Challenge.” Contestants of the show, which pitted 456 players against each other for a grand prize of $4.56 million, accused the production of starving and freezing players. Prior to the announcement of “Beast Games,” “Squid Game: The Challenge” promised the biggest jackpot of all time and had hundreds of more players than the average game show. With 2,000 contestants in its first stage and 1,000 contestants planned for the show’s filming for Amazon, MrBeast’s take on the genre promises more than four times the size of that chaotic Netflix production.
