Controversy Surrounding Ethan Klein’s St. Patrick’s Day Podcast Event
On March 17, Ethan Klein, the founder of H3H3 Productions, along with his wife Hila, hosted a special St. Patrick’s Day edition of the H3 Podcast. The live stream embraced the holiday spirit with cheerful decorations and festive green attire. Notably, Ethan donned a leprechaun costume and showcased his comedic side by introducing the event in an Irish accent.
Spanning nearly nine hours, the live stream generated significant engagement, resulting in an increase of over 12,000 new YouTube channel members. However, the episode took a controversial turn during the six-hour mark when Klein imitated a gesture reminiscent of Elon Musk’s earlier actions during Donald Trump’s inauguration, which included placing his hand over his heart and extending his arm outward while stating, “My heart goes out to you.”This gesture had previously attracted criticism for its perceived similarity to a Nazi salute.
“(‘Also, we’re about to hit 10K’) Thank you guys so much for your support, I’ve had so much fun here… and also, my heart goes out to you.”
It is essential to note that Ethan Klein identifies as 99% of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, as revealed through a DNA test. His personal journey began when he met Hila during a Birthright Israel trip at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, where she served in the Israel Defense Forces. This background has prompted Klein to express his support for Israel amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, further fueling his long-standing feud with Twitch streamer HasanAbi.
Diving Deeper into the St. Patrick’s Day Event Controversy
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To enhance viewer engagement, the live stream incorporated “member”goals, which led to humorous challenges. When hitting the 8,000 member milestone, Klein was taped to a wall, having already consumed drinks in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. After being released from the wall, he returned to his desk with a noticeable wobble.
Before echoing Musk’s controversial quote, Klein made a statement directed at his critics, enacting a gesture that resembled a Nazi salute while declaring:
“Let the haters know that we dab on ’em.”
Despite the controversies, the live stream was deemed a success, with membership soaring past 10,000. As a final celebration at the 11,000 mark, Ethan humorously agreed to shave his eyebrows.
In related news, both Ethan and Hila have suggested that Rhett and Link reconsider Matt Lieb’s employment due to his participation in a Reddit community associated with a Child Protective Services (CPS) report involving the Kleins.