Nearly a year after drawing ire for his “suicide forest” video, controversial YouTuber Logan Paul says his career is far from over.
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In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Paul opened up about his life and career in the wake of the infamous video featuring a suicide victim in Japan’s Aokigahara forest which Paul posted to his YouTube channel on New Year’s Day. The video almost immediately drew outcry, leading to a myriad of professional repercussions — including getting him on a list of stars “canceled” by the internet. It’s a claim that Paul outright rejects.
“Good luck trying to cancel me,” Paul said. “It’s so easy for anyone to be like, ‘Logan Paul just ended his career, he’s done.’ But the only person who will ever decide whether that’s true is me. Like, if I sleep for the rest of my life, maybe. But, like, dog — I love this sh-t. This creating? It’s my passion.”
And Paul might not be wrong when it comes to his “cancelled” status. Despite his personal life taking a bit of a hit after a breakup with Agents of SHIELD star Chloe Bennet, his professional life appears to slowly be getting back on track. Earlier this month, YouTube Premium (formerly known as YouTube Red) released The Thinning: New World Order, a sequel to the service’s 2016 dystopian thriller, The Thinning, in which Paul starred.
The sequel had been put on hold following the controversial Aokigahara forest video and there had been no update on the film’s fate until the trailer for it appeared on Paul’s channel. Paul also shared it on Twitter, writing “surprise” along with a devil emoji. The film’s release surprised some, but according to YouTube Paul is presently in good standing with the platform’s policies. Ads have been restored to his account, and Paul is also looking at the future of his creative works — a future that could take him away from video and towards the world of podcasting with his soon-to-launch Impaulsive.
“If I’m going to do something, I might as well go for it,” Paul said.
What do you think about Paul’s assertion that he’s not cancelled? Let us know in the comments.
