Jake Doolittle, a YouTuber associated with the BreadTube community, has come under fire following a recent controversy surrounding his nonprofit organization, Never Stop, which focuses on supporting individuals with chronic illnesses like Lyme disease. Doolittle’s frustration with the lack of donations from fellow influencers sparked backlash, particularly after a video and livestream where he implied that other content creators weren’t contributing to the cause, despite having the financial means to do so.
In the now-deleted video, Doolittle vented about reaching out to successful influencers, hoping for donations to support his nonprofit. He expressed disappointment that his requests went unanswered, claiming that some influencers had even spread rumors about him. Doolittle mentioned having evidence of these rumors but stated he wouldn’t publicly share it, which many viewed as an implied threat of potential public shaming.
This stirred up discomfort among some YouTubers, such as Adam McIntyre, who suspected they might have been among those Doolittle was referring to, and from their followers who questioned the appropriateness of Doolittle’s approach. The situation worsened when Doolittle livestreamed from the hospital, seemingly seeking sympathy for the backlash, which led to further criticism of his behavior.
Doolittle’s explanation of the situation, in a follow-up post, did little to quell the negative reaction. Many commenters expressed that his sense of entitlement over others’ money, and his willingness to use his charity as leverage, made them uncomfortable. Some critics even accused him of attempting to pressure YouTubers into donating by threatening to name names if he was ignored for too long, leading to accusations of extortion or blackmail.
This is not the first time Doolittle has found himself embroiled in controversy. A year ago, he had a public dispute with YouTuber Ethan Klein over Klein’s mysterious autoimmune illness, which Doolittle initially doubted. The situation escalated, and Doolittle later apologized.
As for whether this scandal will blow over, it remains to be seen. The ongoing tension within the YouTube community and the negative reception of Doolittle’s actions could make it difficult for him to recover from the backlash, but with time, some controversies do fade from the public eye.