The feud between YouTube stars Jake Paul and Keemstar reignited on Tuesday when the latter tweeted a photo of Paul’s ex-girlfriend Erika Costell that Paul deemed offensive.
Keemstar—who, in the past, has called Costell a snake and who bashes Paul whenever possible on his Drama Alert YouTube channel (4.7 million subscribers)—posted a photo of Costell in a bikini and wrote, “Eugenia Cooney 2019.” It’s a reference to the beauty vlogger who caused a debate last year over whether she was promoting anorexia on her YouTube channel.
Eugenia Cooney 2019 pic.twitter.com/KLt8xzNVR5
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) January 15, 2019
That led Paul to post this, saying Keemstar was body-shaming Costell and that he is “a piece of trash.”
still body shaming in 2019?
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) January 15, 2019
keem you’re a piece of trash.
this girl is drop dead gorgeous regardless if we’re together or not..
you deserve to be dragged for this..
dear internet, why tf do you allow this, but then turn into ruthless animals when I put a blindfold on? https://t.co/2dEmO5zdLP
“Dear internet,” Paul wrote, “why tf do you allow this, but then turn into ruthless animals when I put a blindfold on?”
Paul, who has 17.7 million YouTube subscribers, was referring to his own controversy from earlier this month when he posted a vlog of himself taking the Bird Box Challenge in which he was shown driving and walking into traffic while wearing a blindfold (the video was eventually de-monetized and then deleted).
Keemstar, though, said he wasn’t the one body-shaming Costell. Instead, he claimed Paul was body-shaming Cooney.
Body Shamming ? Are you saying there’s is something wrong with Eugena Cooney?
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) January 15, 2019
Wow. Sad. https://t.co/uEtuOVekQf
After another Twitter user accused him of body-shaming as well, Keemstar wrote, “I didn’t body shame anyone. But it seems like Jake did by simply assuming I was. So if body shaming is not allowed in 2019. Then you are also guilty of it by assuming I was. Shame on you!” (No one seemed to make the connection that Keemstar was specifically alluding to Costell having an eating disorder or promoting eating disorders, with his comparison to Cooney.)
I didn’t body shame anyone. But it seems like Jake did by simply assuming I was. So if body shaming is not allowed in 2019. Then you are also guilty of it by assuming I was. Shame on you! (She deleted) SAD pic.twitter.com/sdbMqdpOdp
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) January 15, 2019
He also appeared to body-shame another critic.
Wow someone’s jealous they didn’t get called Eugena Cooney! pic.twitter.com/GJdboHHNak
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) January 15, 2019
Keemstar said Paul “is using” Costell, even though they broke up more than two months ago. Paul has used her in the subject of at least four YouTube vlogs since then, including the time he called their relationship “super, super toxic.” Responding to previous allegations that he was exploiting their breakup for video views, Paul said that his relationship with Costell began in front of cameras for the YouTube audience so why shouldn’t the end of their relationship also be shown.
As for the relationship between Keemstar and Costell, he claimed they were fine with each other and that his original tweet was a joke anyway.
Me & @erikacostell are 😎…. jokes only jokes. https://t.co/QOi32M5BxC
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) January 15, 2019
