YouTube star Logan Paul says he lost $5 million because of the 'suicide forest' video controversy
- Controversial YouTube star Logan Paul said he lost $5 million after he was removed from Google Preferred in January.
- Paul had uploaded a video from Japan's "suicide forest" that showed a dead body, which was met with immediate backlash.
- YouTube then temporarily suspended ads from his videos after he posted a video in which he tasers dead rats.
- "I mean, YouTube had to take a stance," Paul told The Hollywood Reporter.
YouTube personality and vlogger Logan Paul riled up controversy this year with several insensitive videos that came under fire, and it cost him.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter about mounting a potential comeback, Paul said he lost an estimated $5 million when YouTube removed him from Google's preferred partner program ("Google Preferred") in January after Paul posted a video of a dead body hanging from a tree in Japan's Aokigahara Forest. It's known as "suicide forest" because it's a spot where many have chosen to end their lives.
"I mean, YouTube had to take a stance," Paul reflected. "They're not going to let some kid f--- up their ad platform."
READ MORE: Logan Paul says he's not going anywhere: 'Good luck trying to cancel me'
Google Preferred allows brands to sell ads to the top 5% of YouTube creators. Ad revenue is how Paul built most of his video empire, worth an estimated $13 million, according to THR.
The "suicide forest" video was met with immediate backlash, and Paul removed it the day after it was posted. Celebrities like Aaron Paul, who he called his friend before the incident, publicly denounced him.
But Paul wasn't finished provoking criticism. In February, YouTube temporarily suspended all ads from Paul's videos after he uploaded one in which he tasers two dead rats. Prominent YouTubers, such as Casey Neistat and Phillip DeFranco, condemned his actions.
"One of the dumbest things I've ever done in my life," Paul said. "I thought, 'I don't know what to do right now. I'm already hated. I guess I'll give them a reason to dislike me.'"
Paul will turn his attention to podcasting next. He told THR that he built a broadcast studio in his home to record an upcoming podcast called "Impaulsive."
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