'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
YouTube streamer Darren "IShowSpeed" (37 million subscribers) is currently hosting his first-ever China IRL (in real life) tour on YouTube. The streamer has already hosted two streams, one in Shanghai and one in Beijing, both of which have garnered praise and positive responses from the audience.
Despite Speed having a huge fan base, the streamer has managed to garner some controversies and questionable moments. This article will list five such controversies in Speed's China IRL tour so far.
5 controversies in IShowSpeed's ongoing China tour
1) Misunderstanding the viral Chinese song
Trending
IShowSpeed appeared to mishear a Chinese song titled Sunshine, Rainbow, White Pony by Wowkie Zhang. For context, the song has a hook line which, transliterated from Chinese, would read something like - "Nà gè." However, if repeated, the word controversially sounds similar to the N-word.
However, the word simply means "that one." Some stream snipers have used this to get a few viral clips out of Speed's stream. The streamer himself gave an animated reaction to the song when a couple of people started to sing that live on stream.
2) Fans claim Speed's stream helped fight anti-China propaganda
Despite evident political tensions between China and the West, numerous posts have emerged criticizing or pushing back against YouTubers who have traveled to explore the country. Speed, undeniably one of YouTube’s biggest creators, visiting China has become a significant promotional moment for the Chinese Embassy.
In fact, the official X profile of the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. shared Speed’s tour in China, highlighting his promotion of the country’s culture. Many have claimed that his stream helped counter the alleged American anti-China propaganda. Here's what the page wrote:
"The 20-year-old popular American YouTuber #IShowSpeed @ishowspeedsuii has kicked off a journey in #China that has already garnered massive global attention, which indicates a broader trend of digital influencers bridging cultural gaps and creating alternative channels for foreign audiences to understand a vibrant China."
3) YouTube ban in China stirs controversy
Even before IShowSpeed began his China IRL stream, there was some discussion within the online community about the logistics of his trip, given that China has controversially banned YouTube since 2009. Some users even joked about the possibility of him being arrested for streaming on a restricted platform.
Despite these concerns, Speed has continued streaming in China without any issues. In fact, he even commented that China has the best internet, allowing his streams to run smoothly with little-to-no interruptions.
4) Getting called the N-word
Despite the largely positive reception to IShowSpeed's China tour, some stream snipers have taken their jokes too far by using the N-word live on stream. Speed’s community is often criticized for being overly edgy, frequently using racial and cultural jokes to mock the streamer.
In one instance, a stream sniper appeared during his broadcast and blatantly used the N-word, sparking controversy. However, Speed did not react negatively to the situation, understanding that it was meant as a joke.
5) Crowd chaos and safety concerns
It’s well known by now that whenever IShowSpeed hosts an IRL stream, large crowds almost always gather. This has led to serious issues in the past, including instances where he was mobbed and even assaulted by fans in Norway. Given China’s dense population, it was no surprise that he attracted a massive crowd there as well.
During his first stream in Shanghai, Speed reacted to reaching the 37 million subscriber milestone live. A visibly large crowd gathered around him, with some attempting to interact. However, one fan took things too far by mockingly bringing him a watermelon, playing into racial stereotypes.
