Skip to main content

The enduring art of apologizing from the floor

YouTube apology videos may have evolved to be less teary, but sitting on the floor is a constant.
The enduring art of apologizing from the floor

Stay updated with the latest in Tech, Science, Culture, Entertainment, and more by following our Telegram channel here.


YouTube apology videos may have evolved to be less teary, but sitting on the floor is a constant. David Dobrik employed the tactic in a recent video addressing allegations of sexual misconduct.

David Dobrik posted a second apology video on Tuesday, following allegations that Dobrik and his YouTuber cohort, dubbed the Vlog Squad, harbored a toxic environment that was racist, misogynistic, and rife with sexual misconduct. He didn't acknowledge the controversy until Insider published a damning investigation last week alleging that Dobrik was complicit in the sexual assault of a college student who appeared in his vlogs. The first video he posted, which was just two and a half minutes long, was widely criticized as insincere. Dobrik didn't directly address the assault allegations until second video, which he posted after numerous brands cut ties with him in light of Insider's investigation.

Former collaborator Seth Francois first accused the group of misconduct in February, telling H3 Podcast that he didn't understand that a "prank" — in which he was coerced into kissing Vlog Squad member Jason Nash rather the female member he agreed to kiss — was assault until a friend pointed out that his consent was clearly violated. Another survivor accused Vlog Squad member Dominykas Zeglaitis, known as Durte Dom, of rape. She told Insider that the group supplied her and her friends — who were all underaged at the time — with alcohol, and allowed Zeglaitis to engage in sexual activity with her when she was too drunk to consent. Dobrik filmed her entering Zeglaitis' bedroom and then framed the alleged assault as a "threesome" in now-deleted vlog titled "SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE PLAYED WITH FIRE!!"

Whether it's a genuine effort to right their wrongs or a blithe attempt at winning back public favor, creators tend to stick to a tried-and-true format for their apology videos.

The apology video is a genre in itself; as long as online communities hold creators accountable for problematic behavior, creators will continue to apologize via Notes App screenshots, short-form videos posted to stories or TikTok, and — if the backlash is intense enough — on YouTube.

Whether it's a genuine effort to right one's wrongs or a blithe attempt at winning back public favor, creators tend to stick to a tried-and-true format for their apology videos. Makeup is minimal — some further humble themselves by recording with a bare face — and the apologist promises to change their ways before declaring a "break from social media." In times of true desperation, creators will film the video while seated on the floor. Dobrik is no exception.

"Consent is something that's super, super important to me," Dobrik said in the first apology video, which was posted on a secondary channel typically used for VIEWS, the podcast he co-hosts with Nash, rather than his main channel.

Seated on a white couch and speaking into a handheld microphone, Dobrik said he had distanced himself from Zeglaitis because he didn't "align with some of the actions."

"Whether I'm shooting with a friend or shooting with a stranger, I always make sure that whatever the video I'm putting out, I have approval from that person," Dobrik said in the first apology. "I also acknowledge those times where a person can change their minds, and they decide...they no longer want to be in the video I'm putting out."

Audiences criticized the video as dismissive, and questioned why it took so long for him to respond to misconduct allegations when Francois had spoken out about his weeks prior. Following the first video, brands began dropping Dobrik. EA Sports, HelloFresh, Doordash, HBO Max, and Chipotle announced that they would no longer work with the creator, and Spark Capital, a lead investor in Dobrik's photo app Dispo, tweeted that it would "sever all ties with the company." Dobrik stepped down from Dispo's board hours later.

Dobrik's second apology video was a stark echo of his first one, though longer and seemingly less scripted. Rather than filming on the VIEWS podcast set, he shot the second video like a vlog, opening it by noting he was recording at 1:45 a.m. and filming it while seated on the floor. His words, as podcaster Ethan Klein acknowledged in Tuesday's episode of Frenemies, seem to check all the boxes of a genuine apology. Dobrik acknowledged his own complicity in the assault, affirmed that he shouldn't have posted the vlog in the first place, and promised to change. But the apology comes off as hollow when held up against weeks of silence.

Klein's co-host and former Vlog Squad member Trisha Paytas pointed out that Dobrik only posted the video after losing money.

"This was an act of desperation," Klein agreed.

In a way, filming from the floor is the ultimate act of desperation. A floor video offers a sense of intimacy, as if the creator is speaking directly to the viewer rather than to a camera on set. Beauty guru Laura Lee was ridiculed for her apology video in 2018, in which she sobbed — seated next to her couch instead of on it — after losing brand deals when Twitter users dug up her racist tweets.

Since the backlash to Lee's theatrical tears, creators have avoided blubbering through their apologies, but asking for forgiveness while seated on the floor endures. YouTuber Niki DeMartino posted one from the floor of her massive closet last year when she faced backlash for making a racially insensitive TikTok about the coronavirus. Paytas notoriously filmed the bulk of her vlogs, from rants to apologies to life musings — from her kitchen floor.

This isn't Dobrik's first floor video — the one he shot with his ex-girlfriend Liza Koshy announcing their break up was hailed an act of brave vulnerability.

On the flip side, apologies shot from above are often interpreted as insincere and calculated. Makeup mogul Jeffree Star posted one addressing his feud with James Charles and dancing around his own racist behavior that was so staged, Vulture awarded it "Least Fucks Given" in its 2020 roundup of influencer apologies.

Dobrik, unlike Star, did say the words "I'm sorry" in his apology videos. But the humbling act of sitting on the floor has been so overused in this genre of YouTube video, it inevitably comes off as performative. The formulaic nature of apology videos matters less than the hurt the person in question caused, and the actions they're taking to change. At the end of the day, debating the authenticity of Dobrik's apologies won't erase the Vlog Squad's years of toxic behavior.

There is no "right" way to apologize, but no matter the controversy, we're sure to continue seeing them delivered from the floor.

Follow Mashable SEA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

?

Recommended For You

Trending on Mashable

universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
soxtry.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
maw-pr.com
zaaksen.com
ypxsptbfd7.com
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
onlinenewsofindia.com
worldgraphic-team.com
bnsrz.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
webmanicura.com
osostore.com
softsmob.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
odskc.com
inzziln.info
leaiiln.info
cq-oa.com
dqtianshun.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
bartoysdirect.com
taquerialoscompadresdc.com
aaoodln.info
amcckln.info
drvrnln.info
dwabmln.info
fcsjoln.info
hlonxln.info
kcmeiln.info
kplrrln.info
fatcatoons.com
91guoys.com
signupforfreehosting.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
topsedu.xyz
xmxm7.com
x332.xyz
sportstrainingblog.com
autopartspares.com
readguy.net
soniasegreto.com
bobbygdavis.com
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
qazwsxedcokmijn.com
parabis.net
terriesandelin.com
luxuryhomme.com
studyexpanse.com
ronoom.com
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
snn01.com
hope-kelley.com
bancodeprofissionais.com
zjccp99.com
liturgycreator.com
weedsmj.com
majorelenco.com
colcollect.com
androidnews-jp.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
nova-click.com
abeautifulcrazylife.com
diggmobile.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
sizam-design.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
bamthemes.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com
avgo.top