While attending a protest at Netflix against Dave Chappelle’s latest comedy special, YouTuber Vito Gesualdi was embroiled in controversy as angry protesters turned physical.
While the walkout involved mostly “activist protestors,” there were other Netflix employees protesting Netflix CEO’s response to backlash from trans people who were offended by the special.
During the protest, Vito held up a sign saying, “We like Dave.” He was with his co-host, Dick Masterson, who was also holding a sign saying “Dave is Funny” and “We Like Jokes.”
The original video on Twitter with over 1 million views has now been removed due to a “copyright” claim; however, Vito uploaded footage to his own YouTube channel with his account of the situation.
In the footage he is heard chanting, “We like jokes, jokes are funny,” then goes on to yell, “I like Dave, I like him, I like his jokes.” Protesters then began chanting “trans lives matter,” repeatedly.
In the now-deleted footage, a man who Vito claims is a writer at Netflix walked up to him as he was holding the sign and grabbed it off him, destroying it. However, Vito was still holding the stick the sign was on, and this is when the protestor – and Netflix writer – put Vito in potential danger as he began yelling to the crowd, “He’s got a weapon, he’s got a weapon!”
This forced Vito to walk away from the crowd, and he was approached by a person with their hands up saying, “You’ve got a weapon, dude, step back.” He then dropped the stick.
Now-weaponless Vito started yelling, “I’m just here to say that jokes are funny, people.” As he is saying this, a crazed activist approaches him shaking a tambourine yelling, “Repent motherf***er,” repeatedly and progressively louder.
Vito’s video shows how the mainstream media covered the event, making it seem like he was instigating physical altercations. He then goes on to say his co-host Dick was physically assaulted and injured by a man pushing him.
Unreal. This is several people shoving my head into a concrete ball in front of @Netflix HQ at a protest they sanctioned. I'm still holding my sign "DAVE IS FUNNY" with both hands doing nothing as I head into that rock. Pic and desc by @mabramsonphoto. https://t.co/ahTc8wZrKp pic.twitter.com/am9Xdi9kbX
— The Coofunist (@TheCoomunist) October 21, 2021
Violence was perpetrated by the trans activists and protestors against Vito and his co-host on two separate occasions at the walkout.
Gesualdi also said Masterson was taken to hospital after the incident.
Worth noting that my co-host Dick Masterson is currently at the hospital getting a CT scan after having his head bounced against a concrete planter by these "peaceful protestors"https://t.co/AOzMEuIEkM
— YOUTUBE.COM / VITO (@VitoGesualdi) October 21, 2021
Some larger known YouTube personalities weighed in on the situation. Dave Rubin said, “I’m firmly on team Bearded Hat Guy.”
I’m firmly on team Bearded Hat Guy. https://t.co/gu3CGoQH3H
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) October 20, 2021
While The Quartering had this to say,
Make no mistake about it. When that pussy at the Netflix rally yelled "he has a weapon" he was trying to get @VitoGesualdi killed. I know Vito's done some shit we don't like but peaceful protest must be protected and that many was trying to get him hurt.
— TheQuartering (@TheQuartering) October 21, 2021
We should all agree that the right to peaceful protesting should not be infringed, and activists and other protestors were out of line when things became physically violent.
Now, in regards to Vito’s past statements, if you are not aware and this protest is the first you are seeing of him. Prior to this incident, he has called for the removal of YouTube content, such as the Friday Night Tights episode featuring Alex Jones. Friday Night Tights is held on the Nerdotic YouTube channel, featuring Jeremy of Geeks + Gamers, Ryan Kinel, and Quarter Black Garrett, among others.
The screenshot below is a now-deleted tweet where he tagged Team YouTube asking if the video could be removed for violation of terms of service.
So, it’s funny that he would attend a protest and defend free speech while previously calling for the removal of free speech on YouTube.
Rekieta Media, who has also appeared on Friday Night Tights, pointed out the hypocrisy, directly tagging Vito on Twitter.
It's always funny to see a LARPer in action.@VitoGesualdi would fully support the cancellation of Dave Chappelle because Netflix is a Private Company.
Vito is trash whose validity is coming from worse trash attacking him.
— Rekieta Media (@RekietaMedia) October 20, 2021
Vito literally does what the Netflix mob does.
Flags stuff for hate speech. pic.twitter.com/25j2bHzfuH
— Rekieta Media (@RekietaMedia) October 21, 2021
Furthermore, Rekieta had to call him out again when he misleadingly implied Alex Jones said the following on Friday Night Tights: “I will continue to flag videos that say child shooting victims are FBI actors and other bullshit of that nature.”
That isn't what Alex jones said when you called the youtube police on Friday night tights and @Nerdrotics. You literally support the same arguments as the Netflix mob.
You're a fake, and a giant pile of garbage. https://t.co/mDZGgjjlNQ
— Rekieta Media (@RekietaMedia) October 21, 2021
That’s not all when it comes to Vito and controversy. He previously supported and defended MrGirl, who said in his video, “Cuties: An Uncomfortably Honest Review,” “Children are horny, little girls are horny, and they want to express that.” Then, in one scene where the girls are “shaking their booties,” he said, “They’re pretty hot.”
How does this relate to Vito? Well, as Ryan Kinel documented perfectly in his video on Cuties defenders, he posted the screenshots of Vito supporting MrGirl and asking people to subscribe to his channel.
While Vito was backtracking on his support for Mr Girl, saying, “I probably should’ve done so in a way that didn’t make it sound like I endorsed the insane s**t he said,” Vito’s comment on Mr Girls Cuties review says, “Great review. Keep it up, bro.”
That’s not all, as a Reddit user clipped Vito saying this about Cuties and other young girls.
“Don’t f***ing pretend that you’re incapable of getting turned on by a 16-year-old. I mean, obviously, the girls in Cuties were much younger than I want to admit to ever getting turned on by.”
In today’s soundbite society, we must strive for a deeper understanding of the whole story, not just a clip to retweet and move on. Do this, and it might change the way you view the entire narrative.
“In today’s soundbite society, we must strive for a deeper understanding of the whole story, not just a clip to retweet and move on. ”
You literally took a 12 second stream clip out of context, you absolute mongoloid
You guys are such dorks, lol