David Dobrik once ruled the YouTube community. He joined the platform after amassing a massive fanbase on Vine.
He has changed the vlogging community throughout the years and peaked. This has made many people question, "Why is David Dobrik famous?"
After many years of being on top, Dobrik's empire toppled over all at once in 2021. The controversies that had piled up over the years suddenly became the reason for the YouTuber's downfall.
It has reached up to the extent where he wants to quit vlogging. So, what happened to Dobrik?
Here is everything you need to know about the YouTuber's rise and fall.
The rise of Dobrik started after he joined Vine in 2013. He moved to LA in the same year with a couple of friends.
That was where he discovered Vine. There, Dobrik produced six-second looping films he could share with his friends.
Initially, he had many sports accounts on which he posted video snippets and highlights of various sporting events. He was making between $1,500 and $2,000 a month at that stage.
David Dobrik in Paris. (Source: Instagram)
But shortly after, Dobrik began making Vine videos with a lighthearted tone. He formed a group of Vine friends, which has now been rebranded as the "Vlog Squad."
The group members included Scotty Sire, Toddy Smith, Gabbie Hanna, Josh Peck, and Zane Hijazi.
But eventually, he could not afford to put on lavish productions or hire out big sets like other influencers.
That was when he met Liza Koshy, who introduced him to the world of vlogging. In 2015, Dobrik joined the world of YouTube.
It is said that he helped redefine YouTube because of the format of his vlogs. It was fresh, short, funny, and adored by many.
His style and aesthetic inspired many YouTubers. Many have also been accused of copying Dobrik because of his uniqueness.
In 2017, he and his best friend, Jason Nash, created a podcast named Views. They talk about behind the scenes of their vlogs, and outrageous shenanigans between the two are showcased.
Dobrik's YouTube breakthrough has led to big-screen appearances. He hosted the Teen Choice Awards with Lucy Hale in August 2019 and appeared in the animated film Angry Birds Movie 2.
Along with Ciara and Debbie Gibson, he was selected a judge on Nickelodeon's America's Most Musical Family in 2019. The same year, he was also named as the sixth most-watched YouTuber.
David Dobrik posing with his Kids' Choice Awards. (Source: Instagram)
Dobrik's aesthetic and projects have gained him a massive fanbase. Besides that, his generosity is also one reason he is famous.
He has done more giveaways than most YouTubers, and his prize usually includes Teslas. Similarly, he has also gifted his friends cars and money when they need it.
In 2020, he gave many gifts to his fans affected by COVID-19. Some of the gifts were PS4s, Xboxes, iPads, frisbees with money taped to them, cars, and cheques for $10,000.
He has collaborated with many companies and brands to gift his fans what they need.
2021 was probably the worst year of Dobrik since he was engulfed in various controversies. He was primarily exposed by Ethan Klein and Trisha Paytas for aiding in the sexual assault of a fan.
They also brought two previous members of the Vlog Squad, Joseth Francois (Seth) and Big Nik, who spoke about their time with the squad.
They told how badly Dobrik and his friends behaved with them on Klein's podcast, After Dark.
A victim of Dobrik's friend, Durte Dom, came out and spoke with Insider about the molestation at the hands of Dom. While Dobrik did not participate in the assault, she said he was there in the apartment.
David Dobrik posing with his perfume. (Source: Instagram)
He was accused of facilitating the assault and got massive backlash for it. After that, he made an apology video.
The video was not well received since many believed it was not sincere. As a result, he made another video to apologize to his fans and followers.
He lost many sponsors, like HelloFresh and SeatGeek, because of the allegations against him and Dom.
Similarly, Dobrik received backlash after being responsible for Jeff Wittek's accident. While shooting one of the vlogs, the YouTuber swung Wittek from an escalator.
Unfortunately, since Dobrik was not trained to use the heavy machinery, Wittek had a brutal accident. The accident was so severe that Wittek almost lost an eye.
While Wittek does not blame Dobrik, the audience does. The latter took a hiatus before coming back to social media.
However, everything is not the same. He is still walking on thin ice for many people and is still called out for his actions.
Now, only time will tell about what will happen to Dobrik and if he will still be as famous as he was until 2020.
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