Popular YouTuber Liza Koshy has issued an apology to fans on Instagram for her use of offensive racial jokes in past videos.
Over the weekend, a TikTok user shared recordings of several old videos created by Liza and her then-boyfriend David Dobrik.
@callmesukiwiWhy is no one talking about this? It’s a clear example of the normalized racism against Asians @daviddobrik @lizzza ##fyp ##asian♬ original sound – callmesukiwi
In one, the couple tried Japanese candy while pretending to speak the language as a joke. The comedians seemingly acknowledged the offensive joke in the moment, with David saying, “It’s not racist, that’s like the sounds I hear when they talk.”
“No, no, it’s not racist as long as I keep saying ‘no’,” Koshy replied.
The following video showed the couple repeating the same offensive trope while trying Hawaiian candy. “Why is no one talking about this? It’s a clear example of the normalized racism against Asians,” the TikTok user captioned the video.
Now, Liza is using her platform to address the video and other times she may have made jokes that were “tainted with implicit bias.”
“While we focus on systemic anti-Black racism in our country, I’ve been hesitant to center my voice. My work has been within but I now recognize and take responsibility for the times I was not the ally I am becoming today,” the 24-year-old wrote in a lengthy statement on Instagram. “Being antiracist requires a personal reckoning, and I can’t in good faith continue to use my platform for progress without taking accountability myself.”
“I am taking inventory, taking initiative and taking note that my impact and influence will weigh greater than my intention. What I once thought of as ‘innocent jokes’ were actually tainted with implicit bias, and what might have been intended as ‘playful’ was actually to some, incredibly painful. And for that, I am so sorry.”
The actress went on to explain that while she has experienced prejudice firsthand due to being a woman of color, it doesn’t exempt her from taking responsibility for her own actions.
“This reality does not exempt me from the responsibility of acknowledging the times I’ve unknowingly perpetuated racist ideas. I see now that some of my previous influences and my own past thinking, speaking and storytelling reinforced stereotypes. I created characters of different cultures with the intent of celebrating them, but with the impact of appropriating them. IMPACT outweighs INTENT,” she continued.
David Dobrik has yet to speak out on the resurfaced video.
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