Logan Paul insists he's no longer a 'controversial YouTube star' during Fox Business interview
Logan Paul left fans confused after a viral interview on Fox Business.
The 24-year-old YouTube star sat down for the now-infamous interview on Monday, where he was slated to speak about the rivalry between Facebook and YouTube and the business side of being a digital star. While he briefly touched on some of those points during the interview, Paul also rebuked his controversial status, revealed he had pink eye and opened up about his current financial situation.
"Liz, I have to stop you right there," Paul immediately told interviewer Liz Claman after she introduced him. "You used the word 'controversial.' Just so you know, I am an ex-controversial YouTuber. That's no longer me. We kind of graduated."
When Claman tried to steer the conversation to the business of YouTube and Facebook, Paul insisted that those were subjects he doesn't "really know much about."
"Every big platform wants to be the video platform. Video is huge now. Like statistically, you might know, one of the biggest things that kids are consuming," he said. "So I mean I don't know. You're talking about a lot of stuff I don't really know much about. I'm kinda just, like, out here."
While Paul declared that he's "everywhere, baby. I'm everywhere, and I'm nowhere. I'm like a ghost," Claman questioned why he let his Facebook account become inactive when it has more than 16 million followers.
"Why you have to call me out live like that? What are you doing?" Paul said with a laugh.
"Something like 16 million people are still following an inactive Facebook?" Claman questioned.
"Yeah odd, right? I don't know. I need to optimize that account," he admitted, before whispering, "Can I say this? YouTube does a better job of monetizing for the creators."
"Like, that is the home for me as a creator where, not only can my content be seen, consumed, digested, but also they pay," he explained. "And I think Facebook just got into monetizing content. I'm so sorry Facebook and Instagram. But yeah, I don't know how much of an audience is there, right?"
Despite saying he's set at YouTube "for now" -- and being named the 10th highest paid YouTube star by Forbes in December -- Paul revealed that his money situation is a bit precarious.
"I will say my expenses just surpassed my income for first time ever. I just sat with my financial manager. He told me that. Like, I'm definitely going downhill from here," Paul said, adding that it "absolutely" makes him nervous. "I'm terrified. I think it's the beginning of the end."
"I also have pink eye," he continued unprompted.
"OK. Don't touch the set," Claman quipped with a laugh.
"I'm so sorry. It's not contagious," Paul responded. "No, it is, there's a two-week incubation period. I'm so sorry."
The interview eventually got back on track, with Paul further explaining why he's unlikely to ditch YouTube any time soon.
"What's the incentive? You know what I'm saying? I think it's where do people watch content the most? That's where I want to post to be honest with you," he said. "I'm slightly not so concerned with money -- maybe that's why my expenses have surpassed my income and that's probably not the best thing ever -- but I want to be posting where my content's gonna be seen and consumed."
Paul also discussed his tips and tricks for building a following -- something he's maintained despite controversy surrounding some of his videos, mainly one filmed in Japan's "Suicide Forest" -- naming authenticity as the deciding factor.
"I think it's authenticity. I really believe it's authenticity. If you can be yourself and people like you, you're golden," he said. "The issue is sometimes when people are themselves, like, what if you suck, you know? There's a good chance you're not gonna resonate and not be relatable to people. You gotta be a goodhearted, positive person. And a lot of YouTubers I've met anyways are."
The interview continued with Paul discussing his upcoming ventures, including the Challenger Games, where he and other YouTube stars will compete in track-and-field events for charity.
"If I'm being quite honest with you, I'm the fastest YouTuber; I'm the fastest entertainer on the planet," he said of the Challenger Games, which will be live streamed on July 27. "I could be the quickest man on the planet… I'm betting $100,000 that I'm the fastest man on the planet. I'm the fastest man on the planet so..."
After Claman asked about Paul's ability to do the splits, he admitted that doing the move makes him uncomfortable. "Like, why can I do the splits?" he questioned. "That's weird. I'm uncomfortable with myself, you know?"
Paul ended his interview by discussing his fight with YouTube star KSI and his plans for a rematch later this year.
"I should've made more. The stream was pirated illegally two million times. So there's $20 million dollars that [I didn't get]," he said of the money he made on their first fight last August. "... I am [doing a second fight] this year... I want the Staples Center or the Forum."
"KSI, I'm gonna beat you badly," he added.
Paul's interview on Fox Business quickly went viral with some fans describing the on-air appearance as bizarre, while others speculated as to whether the Internet sensation was putting on an act.
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