Logan Paul pledges to 'earn a second chance' after controversial suicide video
A month after he uploaded a video showing a suicide victim hanging from a tree, embattled YouTube creator Logan Paul doesn't think he deserves a second chance but will nonetheless work to win his fans back.
In an exclusive interview with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan, Paul conceded that the criticism against him was warranted.
"I don't think everyone should get a second chance. Some people do horrible things," he said. "This was a horrible lapse of judgment. And I can, will and am going to learn from it and be a better person."
Paul said he and his friends went into the forest with the intention to "go camp for a night and make an entertaining piece of content" before encountering the body.
Critics have questioned Paul's motivations for entering the forest by pointing out that it is a known hotspot for suicides.
"The idea was to shock and show the harsh realities of suicide and get people talking about something that I don't think people are talking about much," he said of his decision to post the video of his encounter with the hanging body.
Paul was harshly criticized not only for the shocking and insensitive nature of the content but also for the fact that teens and children comprise a large part of his audience. While the 22-year-old still believes young adults are his target demographic, he said he is more aware of the diversity of his audience but still believes parents should monitor their kids' internet use.
"I think parents should be monitoring what their children are watching more," Paul said. "Every parent I meet whose kids are under the age of 12, I go, 'Hey, you let your kids watch my stuff?'"
After a nearly monthlong absence from YouTube, Paul posted a video titled "Suicide: Be Here Tomorrow" on Jan. 24.
He said his experience after the controversy has led to "the most incredible conversations" with "the most incredible people."
"One of the things I'm learning which actually pertains to me as well is crisis passes. For anyone suffering, I think it's important to know that you are not alone," Paul added. "And for me why I say it's important for me is because this has been, to be honest with you, the hardest time in my life."
