Arts·Commotion

Why some people can't stop watching MrBeast's new game show

Culture journalist Rebecca Jennings explains why she can't look away from Beast Games.

Culture journalist Rebecca Jennings explains why she can't look away from Beast Games

MrBeast standing by a sign to promote his new competition show, Beast Games
MrBeast celebrates the premiere of Beast Games. (Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Prime Video)

Jimmy Donaldson, a.k.a. Mr.Beast, rose to YouTube fame by uploading videos of ordinary people participating in gimmicks that could win them cash. Based on that same premise, he created a competition TV show, Beast Games. It quickly became the number one show in Canada on Amazon Prime.

Culture writer Rebecca Jennings joins Elamin Abdelmahmoud to explain why Beast Games is both compulsively watchable yet incredibly toxic.

WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube:

You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts.


Interview with Rebecca Jennings produced by Jane van Koeverden.