September 2014

YouTuber Sam Pepper Claims His “Fake Hand Ass Pinch Prank” Video Was A “Social Experiment” Sam Pepper posted a new video in which he ‘pranked’ unsuspecting women by pinching their behinds. The video, which has since been removed from YouTube after being flagged multiple times, depicts Pepper walking up to multiple women with his hands appearing to be in his pockets. In reality, his right hand had been pulled into his sweatshirt, from which he would reach under to grab women’s bottoms as he was talking to them.

The reaction from the YouTube community was visceral. Laci Green wrote an open letter to Pepper in which she said:

Hi Sam!
Thanks for taking the time to read this letter. As fellow YouTubers, we have much respect for others who put so much hard work into building their channel. It’s not easy, and you should be proud! That said, we’ve noticed that in your success, there has been a lack of respect in return…namely, for women and girls.
You may have noticed that your latest video “Fake Hand Ass Pinch Prank” has garnered considerable negative attention. In this video, you sexually violate a number of unsuspecting women on the street, many of whom are visibly confused and upset at being touched by you without permission. One woman even says “I don’t like that!” while you proceed to laugh and touch her more. In “How to Make Out with Strangers”, made a year ago, you pressure women on camera to make out with you - again, many of whom are visibly uncool with it. Confused and caught off guard, they painfully follow through with your requests, clearly uncomfortable. In “How to Pick Up Girls with a Lasso”, you physically restrain women on the street with lassos - many of whom look alarmed to be restrained by a stranger.
You’d probably be alarmed too, wouldn’t you? Imagine someone on the street comes up and rubs their hand on your bottom, or a girl walks up to you with a camera and forces her mouth onto yours while you’re trying to figure out what’s going on. Imagine walking down the alley alone, when a guy much larger than you physically restrains you with rope and pulls you toward him. You probably wouldn’t like it, right?
People don’t like to be violated and they don’t like to see their friends and girlfriends be violated either (hence the group of men that tried to beat you up in the lasso video). And yet, history suggests that perhaps you find this humorous. It is very disturbing that we live in a world where the violation of women and girls’ bodies is not only funny, but profitable, and can garner considerable notoriety and views on YouTube.
We are deeply disturbed by this trend and would like to ask you, from one creator to another, to please stop. Please stop violating women and making them uncomfortable on the street for views. Please stop physically restraining them and pressuring them to be sexual when they are uncomfortable. Please show some respect for women’s right to their own bodies. While it may seem like harmless fun, a simple prank, or a “social experiment”, these videos encourage millions of young men and women to see this violation as a normal way to interact with women. 1 in 6 young women (real life ones, just like the ones in your video) are sexually assaulted, and sadly, videos like these will only further increase those numbers.
We realize that people make mistakes, and that sometimes it’s hard to see the ripple effect of one’s actions. We really hope that you will take a step back and consider the power you have to be someone who makes the world a better place. It’s not too late to make a change! We invite you to join us in ending widespread bodily violation that takes place in so many forms all around in the world.

As a result of this latest video, Pepper has been banned from major YouTube gatherings such as Playlist, and Vidcon.

For people asking, it's safe to assume that people who sexually assault women in "prank" videos will not be welcome at future VidCons.
— Hank Green (@hankgreen) September 21, 2014

He’s also been banned from appearing the popular Fine Bros. series ‘YouTubers react’:

@hankgreen Appreciate seeing this. You won't be seeing creators who partake in that behavior appear in YouTubers React either.
— thefinebros (@thefinebros) September 21, 2014

Fellow YouTubers have also called out Pepper for his behavior:

Saddened by @sampepper's new video. Sexually harassing women is vile to begin with, but normalizing it by calling it a prank? So harmful.
— Tyler Oakley (@tyleroakley) September 21, 2014

USE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY RESPONSIBLY
— Troye Sivan (@troyesivan) September 21, 2014

With a Pepper comes assault. #ReportSamPepper
— mamrie hart (@mametown) September 21, 2014

Sexual assault isn't funny. @SamPepper is funny. He can do better. Let's take a step in the right direction: http://t.co/8BbqEzmgnk
— Hannah Hart (@harto) September 21, 2014

No one has the right to touch someone if they don't want to be touched. No one. @sampepper proudly says that it's okay to grab women's asses
— Matt Lieberman (@mattlieberman) September 21, 2014

I will say @sampepper's lack of response or apology is DEAFENING.
— Meghan Tonjes (@meghantonjes) September 22, 2014

Sam Pepper finally responded to the allegations of sexual harassment after uploading a video of himself pranking women by pinching their buttocks. What he has to say is very interesting.

Pepper first uploading a second video featuring a woman sexually harassing men in the same manner. It was removed from YouTube, very much in the same manner as the first video. He then followed it up with this third video, explaining how he was proud that the YouTube community and other called him out for the behavior.

Furthermore he mentions the women and men in the both videos had consented beforehand, and the set ups were fake, thus dispelling the illusion that Pepper had violated multiple women and men in an attempt to get the correct reaction.

In the video above he explains that sexual harassment works both ways, just as abuse and domestic violence. He didn’t create the campaign to belittle women’s issues, but to bring attention to men’s issues as well.

The general reaction from the community have alleged that Pepper created the second and third after the first was released:

DID YOU KNOW? If you're a horrible person, just claim it was a social experiment, then it's everyone else's problem if they're offended!
— Tyler Oakley (@tyleroakley) September 23, 2014

If those were paid actors and/or thy explicitly knew beforehand what was gonna happen I wanna see releases and pay stubs. #sampepper
— Meghan Tonjes (@meghantonjes) September 23, 2014

*Sitting over here waiting to see the timestamp of the footage from @sampepper's latest video*
— Meghan Tonjes (@meghantonjes) September 23, 2014

YouTuber Laci Green stated on Twitter that she personally received emails from women who were harassed by Pepper at conventions and gatherings.

(PPS: Since writing my open letter, I've received multiple scared emails from women @SamPepper has harassed & assaulted at conferences.)
— Laci Green (@gogreen18) September 23, 2014

And lastly, YouTuber thisbedottie came forward with her story of sexual harassment by Pepper.

What do you guys think? Is Pepper trying to save face or is he just trying to be a voice for equality?

Mr. Blake Murphy

Pages

Thursday, September 25, 2014

April Tries Pop Rocks For The First Time

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

September #LootCrate 2014: Galactic

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Sam Pepper Claims His “Fake Hand Ass Pinch Prank” Video Was A “Social Experiment”

Sunday, September 21, 2014

iPhone 6 Slow Motion Video Test (240FPS)

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Is The iPhone 6 Worth It?

Monday, September 8, 2014

Time Lapse Through Utah

Thursday, September 4, 2014

GALACTIC LOOT CRATE!