Back in September, YouTube comedian Nicole Arbour landed in hot water over a clip called "Dear Fat People." The fat-shaming video went viral and got her channel removed from YouTube, though it was later reinstated. Now, Arbour is claiming that the video was all part of a larger plan, one that made her thousands.
In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Arbour claims that the most controversial video of the year, which has been viewed nearly nine million times, was all a marketing scheme.
"I made a marketing plan behind it, the same way that anyone makes marketing plans for anything," she said. "So, I kind of loaded the bases, like baseball."
Starting in August, Arbour posted three different videos that poked fun at Instagram models, divorce, and crazy girls before uploading "Dear Fat People," which earned so much negative feedback that Arbour disabled comments entirely.
Before these videos, Arbour mostly posted milder fare like "The History of Cosplay" and "Blonde's Guide to the Superbowl," but these controversial clips were all part of her plan to show the world her comedic chops. While many didn't get the joke, Arbour says she's been laughing all the way to the bank.
"There's been tens of thousands of dollars just from that one specifically," Arbour told Cosmo. "It's changed my life financially."
Arbour says she's working on a "feature film" in Puerto Rico in addition to fielding TV offers and requests from sponsors to make viral branded content.
But Cosmopolitan doesn't seem so sure, pointing out that Arbour's IMDb page does not have any upcoming projects listed. Her manager also would not provide the magazine with details about a movie, but did say she "closed a deal with a TV show" and is working with FitTea, a tea that helps with weight loss.
Cosmo also spoke to YouTube talent manager Nicole Lennon, who has not worked with Arbour, but says it is likely she's made thousands in revenue from users viewing "Dear Fat People." Though Lennon thinks it may be from those who are hate-watching — not necessarily a great long-term marketing plan.
"If [YoutTube stars are] controversial, it becomes a lot more about their reach," Lennon said of Arbour. "It's certainly not brand-friendly."