The controversy involving James Charles, the popular YouTube beauty vlogger, has escalated. After Charles' close friend Tati Westbrook exposed his alleged misconduct in a 45-minute video, Swedish pop singer Zara Larsson has also chimed in and dissed Charles.
In a post on Twitter, Larsson called out Charles for apparently sending DMs to her boyfriend, Brian H. Whittaker, when the beauty vlogger was aware that Larsson's guy is straight. Larsson's tweet supported the accusation from Westbrook that Charles has this habit of hitting up straight men into thinking that they are gay so he can have sexual liaisons with them.
Westbrook called her former friend a sexual predator and manipulator who went after straight men and then later claiming to be a victim. Larsson said that Charles sent photos to her boyfriend even if she knew he was with her.
On May 10, Charles released a video on YouTube, titled "Tati," to express his apology. This, however, didn't prevent Charles from losing followers. The beauty vlogger, who is only 19 years old, lost over a million subscribers after Westbrook released her tell-all and the drop in followers doesn't seem to be losing steam.
According to CNN, the feud between Charles and Westbrook started in April, when Charles posted an Instagram Story for Sugar Beat Hair supplements. This brand, however, is a direct competitor of Westbrook's Halo Beauty; thus Charles' friend felt he betrayed her for money.
Apart from this, Westbrook also said that Charles had been spreading lies about her when she thought they were friends. Westbrook also said that Charles has been saying hurtful things about those who belong to the beauty vlogging community.
Charles and Westbrook have been friends for years, and the beauty vlogger even did Westbrook's makeup for her wedding in 2017. In his apology video, Charles even said that he sees Westbrook like a mother to him.
But Charles is also in hot water among other YouTubers for his post about his recent Met Gala appearance. Many took issue when he used "influencer representation" to talk about being in the most popular and exclusive annual party in New York.
"Being invited to such an important event like the ball is such an honor, and a step forward in the right direction for influencer representation in the media and I am so excited to be a catalyst," Charles wrote in Instagram. His critics, however, said that the use of the words "representation in the media" fall in the context of the minors and the oppressed, which doesn't apply to social influencers.
