Arts & Entertainment
YouTuber James Charles loses three million subscribers after feud with Tati Westbrook
The beauty guru has been accused of sexually harassing straight men
Beauty YouTuber James Charles has lost three million subscribers in the midst of a feud with beauty guru and former friend Tati Westbrook.
Charles, 19, credits Westbrook, 37, for getting him interested in makeup. Westbrook also served as a mentor to Charles in the industry.
The breakdown of their friendship began on April 22 when Charles, who formerly boasted 16 million subscribers on YouTube, posted an Instagram video for Sugar Bear Hair during Coachella. Westbrook owns beauty supplement company Halo Beauty, which is a competitor of Sugar Bear Hair. Westbrook posted on her Instagram that she felt “betrayed” by someone but did not specify who.
Charles released a statement apologizing to Westbrook for promoting Sugar Bear Hair.
āI want to publicly apologize to my close friend, Tati. She has been like a mother to me since my first days in this industry and has given me more love, support, resources and advice than I could ever ask for,ā Charles wrote. āThis weekend I did an Instagram story for sleep vitamins that Iāve been taking because the brand helped me with security when the crowd around me at Coachella became unsafe. I did not accept any money from this post.ā
Westbrook then responded with a 43-minute video titled “Bye Sister,” a reference to Charles’ nickname for his fans, where she detailed her issues with Charles.
“How entitled do you have to be to think that you have it rough? You are a 19-year-old millionaire,” she says in the video which has more than 35 million views. “You do not get to wake up and stress out about how unfair your job is. That is so ridiculous to me. Get off your high horse and have some respect. You don’t have any for the people who are in this industry and that’s the sad fact.”
Westbrook explains that she and her husband James felt betrayed by Charles because they both assisted with his career. She also accuses Charles of making snide comments about other YouTubers and for being sexually inappropriate with a straight waiter. Charles, who is gay, has been accused of making sexual advances towards straight men in the past.
Charles responded with an eight-minute video titled simply “Tati” where he apologized for his behavior
“To Tati and James Westbrook I’m sorry for everything that is going on, everything that I’ve put you through over the past few weeks,” Charles says.
“Most of my career over the past few years has been about me making mistakes and trying to learn and grow from them. I haven’t always done the best job of that, I can admit that. But I have always tried.”
Since Westbrook’s video, Charles subscriber count has rapidly dropped. He has also been unfollowed by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian-West, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes and fellow YouTubers Shane Dawson and Tana Mongeau.
Westbrook spoke out for the first time since posting her video tweeting, “My heart is still too heavy. I feel like I need to remind you that we can hold truth & inspire change without grabbing onto hate. Honor your blessings, don’t abuse them. Celebrating pain will only bring it to your door. Love you guys, see you soon.”
There won't be a video tomorrow. My heart is still too heavy. I feel like I need to remind you that we can hold truth & inspire change without grabbing onto hate. Honor your blessings, don't abuse them. Celebrating pain will only bring it to your door. love you guys, see you soon
— Tati Westbrook (@GlamLifeGuru) May 13, 2019
The beauty guru drama inspired memes from people who weren’t familiar with the beauty guru community and people who just wanted to indulge in some gossip.
me getting ready to watch a 43 minute video by tati westbrook, whom I have never heard of, exposing james charles, whomst I only know about from memes of him not being able to sing and wearing assless leather pants pic.twitter.com/jXMmd9sMXG
— marshall lo (@firmlyclimactic) May 11, 2019
As YouTube makeup influencers feuded with each other, I couldnāt help but wonder: Had their relationship been built using a bad foundation? pic.twitter.com/HBQcKbwL32
— grant ?? (@urdadssidepiece) May 10, 2019
Me after spending 45 mins of my day, avoiding my own responsibilities to watch the James Charles and Tati drama. pic.twitter.com/IXaTIocOja
— Josh Kane (@Joshkaneee) May 10, 2019
The Wizards are celebrating āPride Nightā on Friday, March 29.
Each purchase includes discounted tickets to the Wizards vs. Pistons game and an exclusive Pride Night belt bag. The night will be full of Pride celebrations and a National Anthem performance from Seasons of Love, an ensemble of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C.
Tickets are available on the Wizardsā website.Ā
Friday, March 29
Center Aging Friday Tea Time will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, email [email protected].Ā
Go Gay DC will host āLGBTQ+ Social in the Cityā at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, March 30
Fashion FREEWay will be at 2 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is an opportunity to get free clothes and also donate what you no longer need in your closet. If youāre interested in volunteering at this event, visit the DC Centerās website.Ā
Go Gay DC will host āLGBTQ+ Brunchā at 11 a.m. at Freddieās Beach Bar & Restaurant. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Sunday, March 31
AfroCode DC will be at 4 p.m. at Decades DC. This event will be an experience of non-stop music, dancing, and good vibes and a crossover of genres and a fusion of cultures. Tickets cost $40 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
Monday, April 1
Center Aging: Monday Coffee & Conversation will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of their choice. For more details, email [email protected].Ā
Tuesday, April 2
Pride on the Patio Events will host āLGBTQ Social Mixerā at 5:30 p.m. at Showroom. Dress is casual, fancy, or comfortable. Guests are encouraged to bring their most authentic self to chat, laugh, and get a little crazy. Admission is free and more details are on Eventbrite.
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email [email protected].Ā
Wednesday, April 3
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking ā allowing participants to move away from being merely āapplicantsā toward being ācandidates.ā For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging: Womenās Social & Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m, on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for you to share what you want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Centerās website.Ā
Thursday, April 4
The DC Centerās Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.Ā
Virtual Yoga with Charles M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Communityās website.
Theater
Talented pair of local queer actors tackles āLittle Shop of Horrorsā
Fordās production features terrific score
āLittle Shop of HorrorsāĀ
Through May 18
Fordās Theatre
511 10th St., N.W.
$33-$95
Fords.orgĀ
Ever since premiering off-Broadway in 1982, āLittle Shop of Horrorsā has drawn a devoted following of avid audiences as well as performers eager to act in the show. Now playing at Fordās Theatre, the doo-wop, dark comedy features a terrific cast including a wildly talented pair of local queer actors whoāve longed to appear in the show since they were kids.
Set in the urban 1960s, Alan Menken and Howard Ashmanās hit show with a terrific score follows the wacky rise of Seymour, a nebbishy florist in a Skid Row shop who changes his fortunes by unintentionally marketing an exotic, human eating plant.
Chani Wereley, 28, who plays Seymourās love interest Audrey, a hyper femme downtowner with an edge, has had her on eye the role for years. Wereley says, āAudreyās been around the block more than once, but I approach her as a person who moves through the world with love and hope.ā
The queer D.C. native adds, āOn long trips to visit family in Canada or Florida, the first thing weād do is pop a āLittle Shop of Horrorsā video [film version] into the carās VHS player. Iāve watched is so many times, I could quote the whole movie to you.ā
After auditioning to play Audrey in director Kevin S. McAllisterās production at Fordās, Wereley never thought sheād book the part, and when they said she got it, she cried.
Similarly, Tobias A. Young, 34, the pansexual actor who voices the part of the bloodthirsty plant affectionately dubbed Audrey II, explains his intense interest in the work: āI started watching the film in ā86. Growing up as a little gay boy in Calvert County, Md., I wanted to be blonde Audrey [played by Ellen Green in the movie]. I didnāt know much about musicals at the time, but I was absorbed.ā
When asked by Fordās to play the voracious plant Audrey II without auditioning, his reply was an unhesitant āyes.ā
Voicing a role requires Young to sing from backstage in a black box rigged with monitors and a mixing board. He says, āpeople ask if Iām singing from inside of the ever-growing, scary plant. No, Iām not, and thatās fine. But letās face it, actors love to be seen on stage, but I donāt feel entirely unseen as Audrey II.ā
Heās worked hard and successfully with formidable puppeteers Ryan Sellers and Jay Frisby to bring parts of himself to the carnivorous plant ā his sassiness, own movements, and even a tilt of his head; their efforts have drawn the actual Young into the show.
Both Wereley and Young possess gorgeous, emotive voices as evidenced by Wereleyās striking rendition of Audreyās āSuddenly Seymour,ā and Youngās soulful āFeed Me (Git It).ā Additionally, both actors are also big on queer representation in theater.
When her young pals were listening to Britney Spears, Wereley was dancing to retro tunes like āMashed Potato Time,ā and her favorite song to this day, the Shirelleās girl group anthem āWill You Still Love Me Tomorrow.ā As Audrey, Wereley eschews the characterās usual platinum hair for a bouncy brunette, cherry-streaked wig, tight pencil skirts, swing coats, and her very own half-sleeve tattoo.
āItās important for people to see themselves on stage,ā she says. āSeeing me or someone like me is inherently interesting. Being that person on Instagram or with the institution, cast, or audiences is meaningful. Itās important.ā
In 2011, a couple years after finishing high school, Young landed a part in āDream Girlsā at Tobyās Dinner Theatre, and heās been working professionally ever since. Growing up, he didnāt see a lot of himself ā Black and queer ā on social media. He now wants to be open and honest for those out there who might not feel seen, he says
An introvert who lets everything loose on the stage, Young says, ātheater is a safe space for queer people. Thatās the first place we feel safe, particularly in school. And this is why we need theaters in schools, now more than ever.ā
He adds, āWhatās great about Fordās is its surprises, especially when they switch up casting. Itās meaningful to see the shows you love, but why not see them with a twist? Using unexpected actors and incorporating queer people just makes it that much better.ā
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