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YouTube streamer and online personality Darren Watkins Jr. aka "IShowSpeed" (or simply Speed) has become one of the mainstream celebrities of the online world in the past two-to-three years. From hugging Cristiano Ronaldo to making TikTok videos with Neymar Jr., the Ohio-born superstar has had a sensational rise to stardom.
Despite his 28-odd-million subscriber count and millions of fans around the globe, IShowSpeed has, from time to time, ended up either facing or creating controversies. This article will look to explore five such incidents in 2024 that involve Speed being in a questionable situation.
5 times IShowSpeed found himself in a controversy in 2024
1) Controversy with Amy Flamy
During IShowSpeed's visit to South Korea in May, he met with Amy (@amyflamy1 on TikTok). The two hit it off immediately and even went on a few dates together on stream. Speed later invited her to the UK in June 2024. However, things quickly took a turn for the worse.
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The main controversy arose when Courtney, a hairstylist, appeared on Speed's stream and made provocative comments about Amy. Naturally upset, Amy ended up in tears, expressing her concerns that Speed might have been using her for content. Despite their initial close friendship, the relationship unraveled just as fast as it had formed.
2) Norway stream and getting assaulted
IShowSpeed went on a European tour back in July 2024. This coincided with the main destination - visiting the recently concluded UEFA Euros 2024. On July 3, Speed and his team visited Oslo, Norway, where he hosted an IRL stream. However, that broadcast ended up being a nightmare for him as he was essentially trapped inside a local store.
The main reason was due to a large mob that had gathered outside the establishment. To make matters worse, the police refused to aid him unless he turned off his stream. Eventually, he managed to get out of the building, but not without getting his hair pulled by fans as well as may jumping on top of his car.
3) IShowSpeed receives YouTube strike for stunt
The third mention involves a recent controversy surrounding IShowSpeed. During an IRL stream (August 4, 2024) in Miami with fellow streamer Adin Ross, the 19-year-old showcased his athletic abilities by jumping over a couple of speeding Lamborghinis.
Despite the seemingly impressive skills, the streamer faced significant backlash from some in the online community, who claimed that he was endangering himself. YouTube soon issued Speed a strike (warning), which prevented him from going live for two weeks. The strike was removed after an appeal.
4) IShowSpeed refuses to buy Alisha Lehmann a Rolex
During IShowSpeed's European tour in July, another dramatic moment unfolded during his stream in Switzerland on July 7. The stream featured a special guest, Alisha Lehmann, a Swiss female footballer who currently plays for Juventus. At one point, Lehmann jokingly asked Speed if he would buy her a Rolex.
However, the situation took a dramatic turn when IShowSpeed refused to buy Lehmann the watch after discovering that she had a boyfriend, Douglas Luiz, a fellow Juventus footballer. Following this, Speed found out that Lehmann had unfollowed him on Instagram, which led him to confront her live on stream.
5) Criticism for joining Manchester United's post-match party
On May 29, 2024, just hours after Manchester United's victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final, IShowSpeed was spotted joining the club's celebrations in London. The streamer was reportedly invited by Alejandro Garnacho and his brother, who is also a Twitch streamer and had previously interacted with Speed on stream.
Many players were happy to take pictures with him. However, reports emerged from the UK suggesting that some Manchester United staff were upset about his presence at what was intended to be an exclusive party for the players, their families, and friends.
