A recent lawsuit has put Amazon and MrBeast’s production company in the spotlight, accusing them of serious labor and safety violations on the set of the reality competition show "Beast Games." Filed on Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the class action suit claims that the show’s contestants endured unsafe working conditions and were subjected to abusive treatment.
The lawsuit names Amazon, which acquired the rights to stream "Beast Games," and the production company affiliated with Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, as defendants. Donaldson, a prominent YouTube creator, is also a host and executive producer on the show, which boasts a $5 million prize and has been marketed as a major reality competition.
According to the complaint, at least five unnamed contestants, who are seeking class action status, faced “unreasonable, unsafe” working conditions. The suit alleges that these contestants were underfed, lacked adequate medical care, and were deprived of necessary sleep while being subjected to physically and mentally exhausting challenges. The plaintiffs claim that the production crew failed to provide sufficient food and water and neglected to ensure a safe working environment, leading to numerous injuries.
In addition to these concerns, the legal complaint accuses the production of fostering a hostile work environment, marked by misogyny and sexism. The complaint states: “The female contestants, both individually and as a group, were adversely affected by the defendants’ actions. The environment on the Beast Game set systematically nurtured a culture of misogyny and sexism.”
According to the allegations, the production crew operated based on a "MrBeast Handbook" that actively encouraged inappropriate behavior. The complaint includes a quote from this handbook: “If talent wants to draw a d--- on a whiteboard during filming or engage in other foolish behavior, let them. Do everything possible to empower the boys while filming and assist them in creating content, even if it means encouraging reckless behavior.”
The atmosphere of disregard for proper conduct is alleged to have extended beyond on-set behavior. The lawsuit also contends that the production coerced contestants into signing contracts with unfair terms. These agreements are described as “unconscionable contracts with illegal terms and illusory obligations,” which allegedly misrepresented the contestants' employment status and deprived them of protections related to minimum wage, overtime pay, meal breaks, and workers' compensation.
The lawsuit seeks damages for unpaid wages, sexual harassment, unfair business practices, and false advertising.
