Comedian and actor Kevin Fredericks, better known as YouTube personality Kev On Stage, became a viral sensation online due to his relatable humor and social commentary. However, not everyone has been laughing.
Earlier this week, a Black plus-size cosplayer under the moniker MidnightPursona reminded her followers of a moment Fredericks made a video making fun of her cosplaying Chun-Li from the “Street Fighter” video game franchise.
“Today I was reminded how years ago a Black man made fun of me on his very popular [YouTube] channel for cosplaying Chun-Li,” she tweeted.
She recalled Fredericks calling her “Chunk-Li” as he featured her in his “funny video reel,” and discredited her ability to pull off certain moves the Chun-Li character is known for. She said the incident “caused [her] to never wanna cosplay [Chun-Li] again.”
In a subsequent tweet, MidnightPursona added, “Back then, that video, though it probably meant nothing to him and his fans, really made me feel terrible. For other people, it’s a quick laugh, but for me, it really made me feel like I was too dark and fat to cosplay anyone I truly loved. However, I’m a spiteful cosplayer.” She further noted that she shared the memory to demonstrate how a person can get past a “dark moment,” and to inspire other Black and plus-size cosplayers experiencing similar hate and bullying.
Unexpectedly, MidnightPursona ended up getting a direct apology from Fredericks that was potentially as loud as his original offense.
“I would like to personally apologize for making that video,” Fredericks began in a reply. “It’s embarrassing to see what I thought passed for being ‘funny’ back then. So I can only imagine how those hurtful words landed on you then.”
Fredericks explained that as he launched his online persona, he was making three to four videos a day, trying to build his following. He…
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