- David Dobrik is an American-Slovakian YouTuber
- He founded the Vlog Squad YouTube group
- He returned to YouTube after a 2-year hiatus
Old YouTube fans brace yourself because a piece of nostalgia is back. For the first time in two years, YouTuber David Dobrik uploaded a video, marking his return to the platform. The 28-year-old has been on a YouTube hiatus since March 2022. His return to YouTube is epic, though, as fans were used to seeing him daily with his group the Vlog Squad. Now he’s returned with an insane transformation, in a video partly because of a bet with fellow huge YouTube star Mr Beast and his business partner.
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The vlogger has amassed 17 million subscribers on his channel and had been vlogging for years before he stopped. He became famous on the social media app Vine, known for its six-second videos. Then he transitioned to YouTube and formed the Vlog Squad, a group of content creators and vloggers who would feature in his vlogs to do their videos, pranks, and content.
But why did Dobrik leave YouTube, and how did the internet react to his return?
Who is David Dobrik?
He is an American vlogger and social media star. He was born on July 23, 1996 in Košice, Slovakia. The social media star’s father is Slovak and his mother is Hungarian. Dobrik began pursuing his social media career in 2013 when Vine was all the rage. On Vine, he would collaborate with other creators like ex-girlfriend Liza Koshy, Gabbie Hanna, and Jason Nash, who joined his Vlog Squad later down the line.
When Vine shut down he moved to YouTube and joined a group, Second Class, and in 2015 he created his own YouTube channel, David Dobrik, followed by David Dobrik Too. On YouTube, his internet fame reached new heights because of his extreme pranks, collaborations with friends notable social media stars, and even celebrity influences.
Why did Dobrik leave YouTube?
SA allegations
The vlogger’s story of leaving YouTube isn’t a typical one like Jenna Marbles. It wasn’t a heartfelt goodbye story or a complete disappearing act, but his leave was due to controversy.
The controversy started in February 2021 when his former friend and Vlog Squad member Seth Francois accused Dobrik of sexual assault. The accusation wasn’t a direct one, but one as a result of Francois unkowingly kissing Nash in a video for a prank.
On the H3 YouTube podcast, Francois said the prank in question would involve him kissing Corinna Kopf (another Vlog Squad member) while she wore an old man mask, and then Kopf would be switched out for Nash, who is significantly older than the rest of the group.
On the experience, he said: “During the video we kind of start to make out, so it’s going and it’s going on for a decent period of time. Then after, Jason pulls off his mask and I realize that I just was touched by someone that I, you know, did not consent to having their tongue…”
Wow.
Bullying allegations
Following Francois’ bombshell allegations, more controversies about Dobrik and the Vlog Squad were revealed. Nik Keswani (Big Nik) accused Dobrik of bullying, alleging that was why he left the group in 2018. Also speaking on the H3 Frenemies podcast, Keswani called the Vlog Squad “toxic” and talked about his experience with Dobrik and the group.
Dom Zeglaitis controversy
Following this, more serious allegations came out about a girl featured in one of the video skits. In March 2021 Business Insider reported on a alleged story that in a 2018 vlog, a woman was raped by Vlog Squad member Dom Zeglaitis while she was drunk. On the day the story was released, Dobrik put out a video titled “Let’s Talk”, which sought to address allegations and stories that came out against him and The Vlog Squad.
The Doughbrik Pizza founder said in the video he believed the woman who came out against Zeglaitis, even though he got consent to post the video in question. However, he apologized to the woman and women who were featured in the vlog. Continiously he apologized to women who had spoken out about their alleged experiences with Zeglaitis in 2018 and other times.
The YouTuber also acknowledged his bad behavior, “bad jokes” and past. He said he was taking a short break although continued to upload until 2022.
Jeff Wittek injury lawsuit
Jeff Wittek, Dobrik’s former best friend and Vlog Squad member, released a documentary in April 2021 titled Don’t Try This At Home. The documentary was about his accident in June 2020 that happened when he broke his skull and face. Wittek needed surgery and the incident occurred when he was shooting for a Vlog Squad video.
In the video, the YouTubers went wakeboarding and Wittek showed how dangerous the situation was. He showed Dobrik being pulled along in the water by an excavator, also showing Kopf nearly falling when she wanted to stop wakeboarding, but Dobrik appeared to not help her stop immediately when she asked.
When it was Wittek’s turn he was swung and spun high by Dobrik. Dobrik abruptly stopped swinging and as Wittek continued to swing around he ended up crashing into the excavator resulting in him falling into a shallow lake. He filed a $10 million lawsuit against Dobrik for the incident.
From the incident, he sustained multiple injuries: A fractured skull, fractured left eye socket, broken hip and foot, and torn ligaments in his leg. The video has since been removed.
Although nobody can definitively say if these were the explanations as to why the Vlog Squad founder left YouTube, they certainly didn’t help his reputation. In those two years since his absence, he has stayed on social media on Snapchat, and in November 2022, he randomly opened a pizza restaurant, Doughbrik’s Pizza.
How did he return?
The former vlogger returned in a video titled Surprising Friends With Body Transformation. In the 14-minute video, he documents his fitness journey and changing his body.
He says he will change his body if his best friend and business partner Ilya Fedorovich takes some time off work to join him on a trip. Fedorovich agrees to the condition. He shows his current body to his friends, and they joke about it.
He says they are going on a trip to see the Seven Wonders of The World with a montage of them traveling. Cue the montage of traveling across the world.
The trip ends with the Taj Mahal, and Dobrik documents the beginning of his fitness journey. The Youtuber says he’d be lying if he said“The last couple of years were my healthiest, or happiest”. He speaks about bringing back his podcast with Nash called Views. Fedorovich helps Dobrik do various exercises like weightlifting and running and then finally all is revealed.
Dobrik takes off his shirt, revealing a shredded body to his friends. The reactions involve a lot of screaming and shock from everyone. Reactions include Vlog Squad members and Charli D’Amelio.
He also reveals at the end that he made a bet with Mr. Beast that if he didn’t get “jacked”, he’d have to buy 20,000 of Mr. Beast’s Feastables bars. Thankfully he proves Mr Beast wrong, showing him his impressive physique.
The video ends with the boys in a brand-new car for Fedorovich with a thank you to him at the end of the video.
How did the internet react to Dobrik’s return?
The reactions to Dobrik’s transformation and YouTube return were mixed. Many users on X were confused and unimpressed by Dobrik’s YouTube return. Some expressed support for Wittek, who has gone on to create his podcast and continued his social media journey.
In response to Dobrik’s promotional post about his “new year, new me” vlog, one user bluntly wrote: “New year, new me, new vlog” and what about a new eye for Jeff?” Yikes.
Another user proclaimed they were “team Jeff”, but still got excited over the nostalgia of Dobrik vlogging again.
Honestly, nothing can beat 2017 YouTube.
In response to a post showing his body change, one user simply declared: “I’ma watch Jeff Wittek instead”.
Other users on X were skeptical that Dobrik had changed his ways since his hiatus.
One person pointed out his transformation was impressive, but wasn’t a marker of change. They said: “David Dobrik returns to YouTube by showing off his body transformation. Good on him, BUT, the mentality of a man is what matters the most. He can change his body, but has he changed his mind? That’s ultimately how he will be judged”.
Generally, users on X referred to Dobrik’s past controversies and expressed their distaste for his return.
Former Vlog Squad member and ex-girlfriend of Nash Trisha Paytas chimed in.
She warned that Dobrik was “doing the same thing he was doing in 2019”, referring to his former antics. Paytas fell out with Dobrik after feeling like she and her relationship were at the expense of many of his jokes. Also, many of the pranks reportedly contributed to their friendship’s end, as well as Dobrik allegedly telling Nash to break up with her.
However, some were happy to see Dobrik return. One person declared the video was “the best vlog in years”. Another said “Everything in the world is right again,” in response to the video’s release.
Others seemed shocked and pleased by Dobrik’s transformation. Kopf joked on X in response to the picture of Dobirk’s before and after: “Everyone quiet, my favorite show is on”.
Finally, one user summarised their shock by calling Dobrik’s change “scary” and wanting it “off [their] screen”.
However you feel about him, you have to admit Dobrik’s body transformation is insane. His YouTube return? Also insane, but a brave move, if you ask us.
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