WATCH: James Charles Trends on Twitter as Explicit Video Allegedly Leaks, Sparking Meme Frenzy
4 min readAxelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
On August 11, 2024, an explicit video allegedly featuring a man resembling YouTuber and makeup artist James Charles surfaced on Telegram. The leaked clip quickly spread across social media platforms, especially on X (formerly known as Twitter), leading to an outburst of shocked reactions and the trending hashtag “#JamesCharles.”
The video, which reportedly lasts around five minutes and lacks sound, shows a man engaging in an NSFW video call with another man through the Monkey app. The app, similar to the now-defunct Omegle, allows users to anonymously connect with people worldwide through text or video chats. Though not everyone has seen the footage, the viral nature of the incident caused widespread discussion, with many sharing their reactions through memes and commentary on X.
JAMES CHARLES ALLEGED LEAKS —- DO NOT SEARCH FOR THEM. 🛑🤮‼️ pic.twitter.com/GVHSAXdYC3
— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) August 14, 2024
One user on X mentioned stumbling upon a second part of the leaked video and urged others, through a meme, to stop sharing the clips. Memes flooded the platform as users expressed their shock and disbelief, with many joking about their unfortunate encounters with the video.
Some of the tweets humorously captured the mood of those who had seen the leak:
“Waking up and seeing James Charles’s leaks 😒”
“STOP WHY I JUST SEEN JAMES CHARLES’ LEAKS”
“Just saw the James Charles leak… I’m about to throw up”
“Why is James Charles hole on my TL”
“I wish I could go back to the person I was before seeing it 😭”
Beyond the memes, the situation spilled over to other social media platforms as netizens flooded the comments on James Charles’ latest Instagram post, posted five days before the leaks. The post was filled with remarks referencing the controversy.
JAMES CHARLES GOT LEAKED (allegedly)
— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) August 14, 2024
What do you do in this situation? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/xa9KhjX5n4
James Charles’ History of Controversy and Public Backlash
This isn’t James Charles’ first time in the spotlight for controversial reasons. The beauty influencer has faced significant backlash in the past. One of the most notable incidents occurred in 2021 when he was accused of grooming minors. Charles denied the accusations, explaining that the individual involved had falsely presented themselves as 18 years old.
The fallout from the 2021 controversy was substantial. Charles, once one of YouTube’s biggest makeup influencers with numerous brand partnerships and celebrity collaborations, temporarily lost his ability to monetize his YouTube channel. He also faced the cancellation of various brand deals due to the allegations.
This wasn’t his first brush with public disapproval. In 2019, James Charles found himself at the center of a major feud with fellow beauty YouTuber Tati Westbrook. The drama culminated in Westbrook releasing a video accusing Charles of manipulating a supposedly straight waiter at a restaurant into believing he was gay. In the video, she said:
“You know it’s really disgusting to manipulate someone’s sxuality… you are using your fame, your power, your money to play with people’s emotions.”*
The fallout from this incident resulted in Charles losing over one million subscribers on YouTube.
Though he faced significant backlash, James Charles eventually worked to repair his public image. In a 2023 interview with Cosmopolitan, he reflected on the controversies, saying:
“I had to do a lot of thinking. Like, Okay, babe, this is your fault. No, you’re not a p
waking up and seeing James Charles’s leaks 😒
— actuallyjosh (@Concrete_Josh) August 14, 2024
pic.twitter.com/qoiCZURgKd
Seeing James Charles on my feed today pic.twitter.com/a0CaHsU3mm
— ✨Gabrius✨ (Wet Oso Weekend @ South Padre 9/6-9/8) (@Gabrius07) August 14, 2024
just saw part 2 of James Charles leak with a toy… SOMEBODY STOP THIS MADNESS. pic.twitter.com/WxltJqVHPt
— welp. (@YSLONIKA) August 15, 2024
What’s Next for James Charles?
While James Charles managed to bounce back from past scandals, this latest leak could bring about another wave of challenges for the 25-year-old. As the video continues to spread online, it remains unclear how the makeup influencer will address the situation and whether it will affect his career moving forward.
With his past controversies still fresh in the minds of many, and the internet once again ablaze with reactions, the coming days will reveal how Charles navigates yet another storm of public scrutiny. For now, he remains a trending topic, with memes and discussions about the leak dominating social media.
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