Twitch streamer Imane “Pokimane” Ansys has received criticism for the pricing of her new line of cookies. She faced further backlash when she made a “joke” suggesting that those who couldn’t afford them were financially struggling. Although she has apologized, fellow streamer Félix “xQc” Lengyel couldn’t resist adding his own perspective.
In a recent Kick stream on November 22, xQc stated that he garnered more attention for “flexing on a millionaire in private” than Pokimane did for “flexing on somebody broke as a millionaire.” This refers to leaked DMs from Ethan Klein of H3H3 back in August, where xQc showcased his expensive watch. While it may be true that insulting viewers’ financial status on stream appears worse, xQc himself has engaged in similar displays of wealth on public platforms like Twitter.
The original Kick stream featured xQc reacting to a video by Ludwig about the cookie controversy. The discussion begins around two hours and 34 minutes into the stream. Ludwig analyzes Pokimane’s apology, in which she clarifies that her comment was directed at one person and not her entire community. However, she acknowledges that her words were inappropriate and could be perceived negatively. Ludwig then proceeds to criticize the number of videos being made about the incident. At this point, xQc interrupts and claims that he faced more backlash for the H3H3 drama than Pokimane did for this particular situation.
It is difficult to definitively determine the extent of the backlash without thoroughly examining every YouTube video. A search for both “Pokimane cookie drama” and “xQc H3H3 drama” reveals that there are more videos with higher views regarding the cookie controversy. While this is not conclusive evidence, it aligns with the experiences of many female streamers who often face prolonged and intensified criticism for their mistakes compared to their male counterparts. Ludwig acknowledges that sexism likely plays a role but attributes the discrepancy to Pokimane’s level of fame. However, evidence in his own video seems to contradict this claim. In a Wired interview where both Ludwig and Pokimane answer internet questions about themselves, her video received significantly fewer views and more dislikes. Additionally, she has over two million fewer followers than xQc.
Criticizing viewers for their financial status due to their critique of cookie prices is certainly problematic. However, one could argue that promoting gambling streams and posting pictures flaunting large sums of money while responding to criticisms of one’s reactions to the Israel-Gaza conflict is even worse. Yet, it appears that xQc receives less, rather than more, backlash for such actions.
Source: DOTESPORTS
