Before he found immense YouTube fame for his online documentaries, Shane Dawson had a podcast where he once joked about being a pedophile and about racism. Now, another old joke he made about having a sexual relationship with his cat has gone viral—and it’s made people awfully squeamish.
It also forced Dawson again to apologize and to explain himself on Twitter, writing “I didn’t fuck my cat. I didn’t cum on my cat. I didn’t put my dick anywhere near my cat. I’ve never done anything weird with my cats.”
As noted by We the Unicorns, the furor began Sunday night when Twitter user @clikkiewstr posted a 2015 clip from the Shane and Friends podcast in which Dawson described a scene where he had sexual relations with his cat and then ejaculated on it.
“One time I laid my cat down on her back and I moved her little chicken legs spread or whatever,” Dawson said on the podcast. “And I was like if I just hump on her tummy that’s not weird. And then I humped and I humped and I humped and I kept going and I kept going and I came all over the cat. I was like my first sexual experience, and I was 19.”
“Wait a second,” one of his co-hosts responded, “did you just say you came on a cat?”
https://twitter.com/clikkiewstr/status/1107450163176587265
After that tweet went viral late Sunday night, Dawson took to Twitter for damage control. Here’s what he wrote.
I’ve apologized many times for all the dumb shit I’ve said in videos and podcasts over the years. I’ve learned my lesson over and over again and I’m more confident now in my ability to be entertaining by just being myself and not being so shocking for laughs. That story was fake and was based on a dumb awful sketch idea I had years ago that I never made (THANK GOD) and when the opportunity came up for a funny moment in the podcast, I told it as if it was a real story which was DISGUSTING and VERY VERY DUMB.
My goal with the podcast and with my videos years ago was to tell shocking stories that would make people laugh and scream “OMG NO U DIDNT!!” and think I was “soooo crazy.” It’s embarrassing and I fucking hate myself for it.”
The Daily Dot’s 2018 YouTuber of the Year went on to explain that he feels much better about himself now that he’s creating content that he feels good about, including YouTube documentaries on Jake Paul, Tana Mongeau, Jeffree Star, and online conspiracy theories.
theres so many things im so proud of. but all of my offensive jokes, over the top stories, and insensitive jokes are something that still haunt me and something I have to be faced with everyday on the internet. and it never gets easier. (6/?)
— Shane Dawson (@shanedawson) March 18, 2019
so im sorry for what i said about my cat, im sorry for what i said about anything or anyone that was offensive, and im sorry for being someone who thought being super offensive and shocking all the time was funny. im sorry for my past. but im really to make it right and (7/?)
— Shane Dawson (@shanedawson) March 18, 2019
i feel like without my past i wouldnt be who I am today and i wouldnt be able to grow & spend my energy on things that actually mean something. this has been the best 2 years of my life & its because ive been able to drop the act & be myself. and im sorry for not doing it sooner
— Shane Dawson (@shanedawson) March 18, 2019
Yet, there were plenty of memes created at Dawson’s expense.
https://twitter.com/troII591/status/1107474035640885248
https://twitter.com/jennifermndo/status/1107473515521953792
https://twitter.com/SunchipSkylark/status/1107449471498108929
https://twitter.com/ShieldWell/status/1107445348333699073
Previously, Dawson had to apologize for jokes on his podcast that were deemed offensive, including a defense of pedophilia and for continuously wearing blackface for comedy sketches.
