“You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” A morbid bit of foreshadowing delivered by Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent in the 2008 DC classic The Dark Knight, the quote could also have served as a warning for the then up-and-coming YouTuber Steven Jay Williams, better known as Boogie2988. Twelve years ago, Boogie was humoring the internet with his witty takes on gamer culture and semi-self-deprecating jokes relating to his overabundant adipose, but, as time went on, his wholesome, good-natured persona evaporated, and the self-loathing, bitter, and occasionally hostile man beneath the venire stepped into the Internet limelight.
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The Downfall
What exactly happened to Boogie2988, and why has he become what some now refer to as the most hated video game YouTuber on the platform? It’s a complicated situation that would likely take a Ph.D. in philosophy or psychology to truly understand, but, despite all of the good he has done in the past and the millions upon millions of views he has generated, we can at least understand why a portion of his longtime viewer base has come to dislike him so intently.
via: dexerto.comThe catalyst for much of the recent Boogie hate came during a World of Warcraft Classic livestream in August of 2019. When responding to Twitch chat, he went on a several-minute tirade about his disgust for his detractors and his belief that sex offenders and white supremacists are more redeemable than his Internet trolls. Obviously, his comments were extremely inflammatory and nonsensical, but worse was his assertion that he would continue streaming in order to become a “martyr” to occupy these trolls so they don’t go on to bully other streamers in future. It was about as bad of a take as anyone in his position could possibly have had, and it majorly damaged his already-tarnished reputation.
This came only a short time after another livestream controversy in which Boogie found himself embroiled. In June of 2019, Boogie tried to thank a fan for donating three dollars, claiming that it was “a lot of money, I guess, for a person of color.” That’s something that shouldn’t ever be said by anyone, let alone a hugely influential content creator. Though he’s denied accusations of racism and appears to have made the comment sarcastically, it’s still yet another blunder in a long line of failings for Boogie.
via: cyberspaceandtime.comBeyond that, the Internet personality caught quite a bit of flack following his high-profile divorce from wife, Desiree Williams, in 2018. Allegations of mistreatment were rampant at the time, and, though she eventually took to Twitter to deny them, Boogie has seemingly had a hard time setting things straight in that regard. It isn’t the place of random Internet users to poke around in the relationship history of others, but it’s a narrative that still follows him around and potentially contributes to the rampant vitriol surrounding him.
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Repeat Offender
At the core of the issue, however, is Boogie’s various personality defects. We recognize that he is only human and prone to certain faults, but he has repeatedly made the same mistakes and often chooses to double-down on certain issues rather than seeking to amend them. He’s frequently accused of playing the victim and citing his mental health issues and traumatic upbringing whenever something goes wrong for him. While we don’t wish to downplay the undoubtedly difficult issues he faces, it’s a recurring theme of which longtime fans have become grossly tired. He’s also infamous for waffling on certain political opinions, and he’s drawn the ire of all sides of the political spectrum on multiple occasions, ensuring that most of his viewers have a reason to dislike him.
Finally—and perhaps most crucially—Boogie’s lack of commitment when it comes to self-improvement has been long and storied. Morbidly obese for most of his life, the YouTuber has dedicated a huge portion of his uploading schedule to his physical health woes. While initially endearing, his inability to commit to any major life changes upset a not-insignificant portion of his fanbase. After receiving bariatric surgery in 2017, he has failed to maintain his weight loss schedule and has stated on multiple occasions that he no longer cares about his health. Obviously, that’s upsetting for many reasons, and it’s deeply discouraging to see him come so close to major personal success milestones only to fall short due to a lack of effort.
We still wish the best for Boogie and genuinely hope that he recovers from the decline which has marred much of his recent YouTube and Twitch activity, but we also understand why so many of his former fans are frustrated with him. For a man once thought of as the “Mr. Rogers of the Internet,” Boogie has incited in more than his fair share of controversies over the years. With more than four million YouTube subscribers and well over four-hundred thousand followers on Twitch, his career isn’t likely to collapse anytime soon. Still, if he continues on this path, it’s hard to say what will come of the quarrelsome content creator.
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About The AuthorTanner Fox(345 Articles Published)Hello! My name is Tanner, and I'm a Contributor/Organic List Editor for TheGamer! A graduate of York College of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Professional Writing, most of my personal and professional life revolves around arguing about Star Wars and waiting for new episodes of The Mandalorian to come out.
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