Inside Trisha Paytas And Shane Dawson's Rocky Relationship
The following article contains discussion of topics some may find sensitive.
The lines between friend and foe within the YouTube community are most certainly blurred — especially if you've been on the platform for as long as Shane Dawson and Trisha Paytas have been.
Back before YouTube was filled with aesthetics, the platform was filled with comedic videos that launched many what had yet to be called influencers. Those who arose from this pack — and managed to stay extremely relevant — include Dawson and Paytas. Now, that relevancy was not always for a good reason. In fact, Dawson came under immense fire when videos from his past revealed the YouTube star doing blackface, using racial slurs, and making pedophilia jokes, per Newsweek. So, in classic YouTuber influencer style, Dawson took to the app to apologize, posting a 20-minute video called "Taking Accountability." In the video, Dawson speaks to camera, discussing his past videos and apologizing for the hurt he caused.
But apparently YouTubers stick with YouTubers, because during that time Paytas stood by Dawson amid the controversy — even doubling down on their friendship in a now-deleted video (via MTV). Though the YouTuber did agree that Dawson needed to be held accountable, Paytas didn't want Dawson to be "canceled" and called him "the f*****g greatest human in the world." Now, as mentioned, the lines of frenemies within the YouTube community are blurred, and confusing. Because months after sticking up for Dawson, Paytas quickly became one of his biggest enemies.
How did Shane Dawson and Trisha Paytas go from friends to enemies?
After sticking up for Shane Dawson amid his controversy, many were shocked to see months later, that Trisha Paytas had given Dawson the boot. Now, to be clear, Paytas, who uses they/them pronouns, isn't known for being the most morally ethical YouTuber either — but for those invested in the YouTube drama — seeing these friends go to foes, left some wondering what happened.
But what reportedly led to the fallout of Paytas and Dawson's friendship actually doesn't directly involve Dawson. Instead, it involves a mutual friend of both, Jeffree Star. In February 2020, Star, Paytas and Dawson all took a trip to Las Vegas. During the trip, it became known that Star publicly embarrassed Paytas on the vacation by making fun of their weight and former drug use, per Insider. Revealing what went down on the trip was Tab David, a friend who hung out with the group during their trip. Posting a now-deleted YouTube video, David reportedly revealed what Star and his entourage said about Paytas as well as other racist, anti-Semitic, and xenophobic references Star made on the trip, per Insider.
Hurt by the comments, Paytas seems to have ended their friendship with Star following the comments and the trip. And expecting Dawson to do the same, it seems Paytas was shocked to see Dawson remained friends with Star, despite what Star had said, especially about them, per MTV.
Where do Shane Dawson and Trisha Paytas stand today?
Friendships in the YouTube community are ever-changing. But it seems the ending of Trisha Paytas and Shane Dawson's friendship is set in stone.
In fact, following their falling out in 2020, the two still are not on speaking terms (as of this writing, at least). For example, in 2021, fans noticed that Dawson no longer followed Paytas on social media. But before fans got ahead of themselves, Paytas set the record straight saying they blocked Dawson from their social media. "Shane and Ryland didn't unfollow me. Just to set the record straight — I blocked them," Paytas tweeted. "It's not drama. It's very personal and I want to move on."
As for Dawson, he and Jeffree Star's friendship is still going strong. Discussing their friendship in an interview, Star said that he and Dawson are "really great friends" and that Dawson has done "a lot of self-reflection" since his controversy. "He's doing really great, we're really great friends and we always will be," Star told ET. And while the two remain friends, Paytas maintains she ended the friendship and unfollowed the two "for [their] own peace." But knowing YouTube friendships, it could take just one more controversy to add another chapter to this story and their ever-changing alliances.