Who is Shane Dawson?
Shane Dawson is an American internet personality, actor and influencer who is active on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and other social platforms. His real name is Shane Lee Yaw, and he was born on 19th July 1988, in Long Beach, California, United States. He is known as one of the first ever people famous on YouTube.
Early life of Shane Dawson
Shane grew up in a low-income household, held together by his single mother. He grew up in a house with his mom and his two older brothers named Jacob and Jerid. Shane had a challenging childhood marked by financial struggles and family issues. His father, who battled alcohol addiction, was absent for much of his life, leaving his mother, Teresa Yaw, to raise the children on her own. As a child, Shane found comfort in entertainment, often watching television shows and movies to escape reality. He was particularly drawn to the world of filmmaking and storytelling, developing a passion for the creative arts from an early age.
Education of Shane Dawson
For his education, Shane attended Lakewood High School, where he graduated in 2006. Growing up, Shane faced bullying and struggled with his weight, which took a toll on his self-esteem. These experiences left a lasting impact on him, shaping his empathy towards others who faced similar challenges. His older brothers helped him a few times, but they couldn't take away all of Shane's pain. After a few-year struggle, Shane decided to change his life a little by trying to lose weight, which caused him to be bullied. After a few years of hard battle, Shane managed to lose 68 kilograms which he never gained back.
Shane's childhood experiences, both the hardships and his love for entertainment, have undoubtedly influenced his creative style. Throughout his childhood and adolescence, Shane worked on his skills in video production and editing, often creating short films and skits with his friends. It was during this time that he discovered his talent for storytelling and comedy, which laid the foundation for his future achievements in the digital landscape. Creating short films was one of Shane's most cherished memories from his childhood, as he didn't have to worry about anything other than his creativity. It may have caused his future love for YouTube, where he showed that he has kept his childishness to some level.
Shane Dawson before fame
Once he graduated from high school, Shane began working at the same firm his mother and brother worked in, Jenny Craig. It was a weight management company which helped people to lose weight. Around the same time, in 2008, Shane created his YouTube channel called ShaneDawsonTV. Since he wanted to post relatable and true content, Shane often filmed videos talking about the company. Because of those videos, Shane not only got himself fired but his family members too.
His first transgression was filming a video of himself pole-dancing on the company's premises. He got warned after this but wasn't fired because his management saw it as a stupid joke. But after that, Shane didn't hold back. He began researching the company he was working for and sharing his findings on YouTube. In his next video, Shane showed photos of Jenny Craig's clients before losing weight and after it. In the same video, he mocked the company and stated that all the people got the weight back up. In his last video on the topic, he left his family members read inappropriate passages from the company's closed books.
Shane Dawson – Early content
At the beginning of Shane's YouTube career, he became famous for creating and playing made-up stereotypical characters. Some of them were: Ned the Nerd, Barb the Lesbian, a football bully, a bulimic high school girl and a goth girl. While in today's society, these characters would be called problematic, at least, prior to 2010, these characters made Shane very famous. His early success was fuelled by his comedic sketches, music videos, and collaborations with other popular YouTubers. Shane quickly amassed a devoted following, which continued to grow as he explored new formats and pushed creative boundaries.
If you were to look for these hidden treasures, you would be in no luck. Unfortunately, Shane was basically forced to get rid of them because of their obvious problems. Despite his popularity, Shane Dawson's career has been plagued by controversies. In recent years, several old videos and podcast episodes resurfaced, sparking public outrage due to their offensive content and insensitive jokes. These controversies included racial slurs, blackface, and inappropriate comments about minors, which rightfully led to widespread condemnation and calls for accountability. Because of that, the oldest video on Shane's YouTube channel is his sincere apology for his insensitive and offensive characters and videos.
Shane Dawson – Music career
In 2008, Shane released his first original song titled "Superluv!" on YouTube. He was getting more confident in front of a camera and wanted to express himself by singing and making music. The pop-infused track garnered attention and quickly gained popularity among his fanbase. The music video, featuring Shane in various colourful outfits and quirky dance moves, showcased his comedic and musical talents. Following the success of "Superluv!," he continued to release other original songs and music videos. Some of his notable tracks include The Vacation Song (2011) and Maybe This Christmas (2011). These songs often incorporated elements of humour and satire, reflecting Shane's comedic style.
In addition to his original music, Dawson also created parody songs, putting his own spin on popular tracks. These parodies included humorous and sometimes risqué lyrics, which resonated with his audience. Some of his most well-known parodies include Fred Is Dead (2010) and The Baddest Boy (2011). Unfortunately, due to later events, these videos are also unavailable on his channel.
Shane Dawson – Documentary series
The period between 2017 and 2020 marked a significant chapter in Shane Dawson's career, characterised by notable collaborations, controversial moments, and a shift towards long-form documentary-style content. In the middle of 2018, Shane posted a three-part documentary about the controversies of TanaCon. It blew up and left his fans asking for more, which gave Shane the confidence and means to begin his documentary era.
A couple of months after the first success, Shane filmed a 5-part series about the makeup icon Jeffree Star. This documentary series provided an intimate look into Jeffree Star's life, business, and the beauty industry as a whole. Shane asked just the right questions without making Jeffree feel bad and got his whole testimony about his life and career. A controversial and famous influencer, Jeffree Star, was sure to bring some attention to Shane's channel, but no one really knew how much. The Secret Life Of Jeffree Star, as the video is called, remains to be the most popular video on Shane's channel, counting over 51 million views.
In September 2018, Shane covered YouTuber Jake Paul in an eight-part series titled The Mind of Jake Paul. The series follows Dawson's investigation on the lifestyle of Paul, including research with licensed therapist Katie Morton on antisocial personality disorder. Later in the series, Dawson is invited into the Team 10 house and interviews Jake about his controversial career. While both The Secret Life of Jeffree Star and The Mind of Jake Paul collected millions of views and got enormous media attention, they also brought anger to Shane. In this case, Shane was criticised for showing too much sympathy to the people who repeatedly showed racist tendencies on their platforms. But despite the hate, Shane Dawson lived his most popular era because of his documentaries.
Shane Dawson – Conspiracy theories
In 2019, Dawson collaborated with Ryan Bergara, known for his work on BuzzFeed's "Unsolved" series, to create a video series titled Conspiracy Theories with Shane Dawson. In this series, Shane and Bergara discussed and explored various conspiracy theories, offering their perspectives and engaging with the mystery surrounding these topics. The videos covered a range of subjects, from paranormal events to government secrets, captivating viewers with their detailed discussions. In addition to government-related theories, Shane also explored conspiracy theories involving celebrities. He delved into subjects such as alleged Illuminati connections, secret societies, and hidden symbolism in pop culture.
These videos garnered significant attention and generated widespread speculation and discussion within the online community. Shane Dawson's engagement with conspiracy theories has not been without controversy and criticism. Some viewers have raised concerns about the potential harm caused by spreading unfounded theories or perpetuating misinformation. It is essential to approach conspiracy theories with scepticism, critical thinking, and an understanding of the potential consequences they may have on individuals and society. Unfortunately, Shane wasn't always able to show the much-needed scepticism.
Is Shane Dawson cancelled?
Shane Dawson's career has been marred by several controversies throughout the years. These controversies have led to public backlash, criticism, and calls for accountability. Unfortunately, he was a part of so many controversial situations that he is now hardly ever taken seriously. One of the most significant controversies involving Shane Dawson relates to racially insensitive content in his older videos. As we mentioned earlier, Shane already had to post at least one apology video, as he used to frequently make fun of offensive stereotypes and say racist slurs and jokes.
Later, older podcast episodes featuring Shane Dawson resurfaced, revealing inappropriate and sexualised comments made about minors. In addition to the inappropriate comments about minors, Dawson faced backlash for making jokes and engaging in discussions about paedophilia. Shane faced allegations of animal cruelty after a podcast episode revealed discussions about engaging in disturbing acts towards his pet cat. While Dawson clarified that it was intended as a joke, the comments sparked significant controversy and drew criticism from animal rights advocates. While he may be telling the truth, Shane should know better than to make inappropriate jokes, as he was already criticised for a lot of other things.
How much does Shane Dawson earn? Net worth
As of 2023, his net worth is estimated to be over 12 million US dollars. Shane Dawson has multiple streams of income that contribute to his earnings. As a prominent YouTuber, Shane earns a significant portion of his income through advertisements that are displayed on his YouTube videos. Dawson has collaborated with various brands and companies to create sponsored content. Like many content creators, Shane has launched his own merchandise line.
Interesting facts about Shane Dawson
- As of 2023, he is 34 years old.
- His zodiac sign is Cancer.
- His height is 5'10" or 178 cm.
- He grew up with a single mother and two older brothers. Their father was an alcoholic who abandoned them.
- He attended Lakewood High School, where he graduated in 2006.
- He created his YouTube channel called ShaneDawsonTV in 2008.
- He used to work at Jenny Craig before getting fired for posting videos about the company.
- His early videos are unavailable on YouTube since they involved a lot of offensive stereotypes and racist slurs.
- In 2008, Shane released his first original song titled "Superluv!" on YouTube.
- His most popular video is The Secret World of Jeffree Star, with over 51 million views.
- He has over 19,2 million subscribers on his main YouTube channel.
- He got into a lot of controversies because of racism, offensive stereotypes, his videos and bad jokes said on a podcast.
- As of 2023, his net worth is estimated to be over 12 million US dollars.
