RiceGum is a YouTube provocateur who participates in clickbait culture, creates series like Strip Fortnite, starts feuds with other creators and is known for saying outlandish things. But a new video pushed enough buttons to earn the attention of international media and other creators, who accuse him of disrespecting Chinese people and culture.
“Why I left the Clout House (i’m sorry)” finds RiceGum and his friend on a quick trip to Hong Kong. After a quick hotel room tour, the pair go on to call Chinese meat “disgusting,” inquire where they can go to each dog and cat, ask local people “where all the hoes and bitches at,” inappropriately touch strangers’ hands and aggressively ask random people on the street if they “fuck with RiceGum,” a common phrase used in North America.
Multiple stories from Chinese outlets and a number of vloggers have called out RiceGum for his disrespectful behavior, drawing parallels to Logan Paul’s infamous vlog series in Japan. Fulinfang, one of the more popular foreign vloggers based in China, addressed the video’s issues in his own vlog. Whenever YouTubers publish disrespectful content, like RiceGum’s vlog, it reflects poorly on other foreigners living in the country, Fulinfang said.
“I looked at the comments under the vlog and most of them very much did not like it,” Fulinfang said. “I have actually seen a lot of foreigners like this, and a lot of haters think this is how I act like. Although I think I’m pretty respectful to Chinese culture, and I love living in China, a video like this is giving foreigners living here a bad name. I don’t think it matters if you’re a local or foreigner, or if you’re just traveling — everyone should respect the locals. And they should also respect the local culture.”
HeyHarty, another British YouTuber living in China, also commented on RicecGum’s video, stating that he “can’t understand why anyone would do this.”
“RiceGum, it’s so rude and embarrassing to watch someone do this,” HeyHarty said. “His video is so stupid. It reminds me of Logan Paul’s video in Japan being an idiot. I’m a foreigner, and so is he, but he obviously has Asian heritage, so why would you come to Asia to mug everyone off?”
Publications like the Oriental Sunday have also written about RiceGum’s vlog, arguing that many of his jokes are culturally insensitive and rude.
RiceGum addressed the situation in a video yesterday, reiterating that he was joking the entire time and pointing to American comedy culture as an defense.
“Chinese people are hating on me right now, and it’s like, I’m Chinese also,” RiceGum said. “In the American culture, I watch like black comedians make jokes about black stereotypes. White people make white jokes and hispanic people make hispanic jokes, and I thought because I’m Asian, I was allowed to make these Asian stereotype jokes.”
RiceGum also touched upon asking strangers, “Where are the hoes at” and, “Where are the bitches at,” once again defending it as a joke.
“It’s such a random question to ask an elderly stranger,” RiceGum said. “And two, in America, it’s like slang. Thots and hoes and bitches, it’s like girls, not actual prostitutes.”
He also offered an apology, adding that he wants to visit Hong Kong again soon but is admittedly scared because of the reaction to the vlog.
“Sorry to all the Chinese people, I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful,” RiceGum said in a somewhat glib manner. “And I want to come back soon, but I’m kind of scared now because the people may hit me and beat me up.”
A tour guide for visitors heading to Hong Kong suggests that people inform themselves with cultural practices beforehand. In wake of numerous vloggers being accused of disrespectful behavior in Asian countries, including RiceGum and Logan Paul, it feels especially important to reiterate just how crucial understanding what is culturally acceptable and what isn’t really is.
