Carlos Bastarache: logan-paul.jpg

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YouTube star Logan Paul (formerly Vine star Logan Paul) and the self-professed “next white Will Smith” came under fire for a 15-minute long video he filmed from the base of Mount Fuji in the Aokigahara forest, in which he and his friends come across the body of a suicide victim. The crew were there to film the supposed “haunted” forest but came across the body shortly into filming. The spot is unfortunately a draw for those who want to commit suicide, hence the haunted aspect.

Naturally, Paul and his friends handled the grim discovery with all the grace and respect of someone who was caught on live TV dabbing at the Olympics. When one member of the group remarks off camera that “he doesn’t feel good, Paul joked and laughed, “What, you never stand next to a dead guy?”

Not surprisingly, the video drew wide criticism and Paul was forced to remove the video shortly after posting it on Sunday, but not before it drew millions of views. He later issued an apology via his Twitter feed, addressed “Dear Internet.” “I’m surrounded by good people and I believe I make good decisions,” Paul wrote. “But I’m still a human being. I can be wrong.” He then went on to claim that he posted the video to raise suicide awareness.

Dear Internet, pic.twitter.com/42OCDBhiWg

— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) January 2, 2018

The ham-fisted apology is doing little to quell criticism however, and many are sounding off on Twitter as Paul’s name began trending globally on Monday.

Dear @LoganPaul,

How dare you! You disgust me. I can't believe that so many young people look up to you. So sad. Hopefully this latest video woke them up. You are pure trash. Plain and simple. Suicide is not a joke. Go rot in hell.

Ap

— Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) January 2, 2018

Logan Paul knew what he was doing. He’s not “sorry”. He disrespected that suicide victim, people with mental illnesses and Japan. Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. He knew what he was doing and I’m disgusted.

— April (@obviouslyapril) January 2, 2018

Dear @LoganPaul,

When my brother found my sister’s body, he screamed with horror & confusion & grief & tried to save her. That body was a person someone loved.

You do not walk into a suicide forest with a camera and claim mental health awareness.

— Anna Akana (@AnnaAkana) January 2, 2018

The worst part is Logan Paul’s cult fan base is little children. Who just watched their idol laugh and joke as someone ended their life. Garbage person.

— Francis Maxwell (@francismmaxwell) January 2, 2018

Just watched the #LoganPaul video & feel sick.
Feels like one of those critical moments in society where we just gotta stop & ask…how did we get 2 a place where something so horrifyingly disconnected can made, edited, & shared with such a large & young audience?(1)

— Gadi Schwartz (@GadiNBC) January 2, 2018

Imagine being so depressed that you end life quietly in a forest only to have some disrespectful dabbing vlogger in a frog hat with millions of impressionable fans being the one to find what remains of you. #loganpaul #LoganPaulisover #loganpaulisoverparty

— GeekEnglish (@GeekEnglish) January 2, 2018