Shane Dawson is one of the first and one of the highest-earning American YouTubers to rise to fame. He is also a comedian, author, film director, and musician. He first gained popularity on the video-sharing platform in the late 2000s with his comedic sketches, parodies, and vlogs. Dawson has since expanded his content to include documentary-style series and web shows and has collaborated with other YouTubers and celebrities. Dawson has made an estimated salary of $6 million each year since 2019. He has an estimated net worth of $12 million as of 2023.
Dawson has been active on YouTube since 2008 and has amassed a large following, with over 20 million subscribers as of 2021. He has also hosted and appeared on various television shows and web series and has released several books.
In recent years, Dawson has faced controversy over past videos and comments, which were deemed racist and offensive by many viewers. He has since apologized for his past actions and statements and has taken a break from creating content on YouTube.
Early Life
Shane Dawson was born in Long Beach, California on July 19, 1988. He grew up in a working-class family and had a difficult childhood due to his parent’s financial struggles and his father’s alcoholism. Dawson has spoken openly about his childhood experiences and has shared that he used comedy as a coping mechanism to deal with his difficult family situation.
Shane Dawson attended Lakewood High School, where he reportedly experienced bullying and struggled with low self-esteem. He has shared that he was often the target of bullying due to his weight and his interest in acting and entertainment. Despite these challenges, Dawson was determined to pursue his passion for entertainment, and he began creating videos and content for YouTube while still in high school.
After graduating from high school, Dawson briefly attended college but dropped out to focus on his YouTube career full-time. He continued to create and upload videos, gradually building a following and gaining recognition for his unique brand of comedy and satire.
Personal Life
Dawson has been in a long-term relationship with fellow YouTuber Ryland Adams since 2016. The couple met through mutual friends and have been dating ever since. In March 2019, Dawson announced on his YouTube channel that he and Adams had gotten engaged.
Career
Shane started creating videos for academic assignments in high school. In 2008, he created his own YouTube channel, ShaneDawsonTV. He has started two more channels, one of which shows his daily vlog, which he films on his phone. In 2009, Dawson released his first full-length feature film, “Not Cool,” which he wrote and directed. The film was funded by the Starz reality show “The Chair,” which pitted two filmmakers against each other to see who could create the best film with the same script. Although “Not Cool” was not well-received critically, it helped to establish Dawson as a filmmaker and further cemented his place in the YouTube community.
He has worked on projects with several other YouTube stars and was awarded the 25th “Most Famous Web-based Celebrity” by Forbes Magazine in 2010. Shane amassed over 500 million YouTube views between 2008 and 2010. He has since produced many pilots and released some hit songs. In 2011, he announced a collaboration with Sony Pictures to make films and television series.
Over the years, Dawson continued to create and upload content to YouTube, expanding his range to include music videos, documentaries, and even feature-length films. He also collaborated with other popular YouTubers, such as Joey Graceffa and Trisha Paytas, and appeared on various television shows and web series.
He launched “Shane and Friends,” a podcast that lasted till 2017 and produced 140 episodes. At its peak, the average episode of his podcast was downloaded 250,000 times. It was one of the highest-paying podcasts in the world in 2014, earning $15,000 for each episode. The podcast was successful and helped to further expand Dawson’s fan base. In 2015, he began creating “Conspiracy Series with Shane Dawson.” They’ve become some of his most-watched and talked about videos. He is the author of the New York Times best-selling novels “I Hate Myself” and “It Gets Worse.” He was named “The Social Star of 2018” by the People’s Choice Awards in 2018.
In addition to his YouTube and podcasting endeavors, Dawson has also pursued a music career. He has released several albums and singles, many of which have been well-received by his fans. He has also worked as a writer and director for various projects, including the television series “The Chair” and the film “The Mind of Jake Paul.”
Net Worth and Earnings
Shane Dawson has a net worth of $12 million as of 2023. Dawson’s wealth has mostly come from his YouTube channel, as you may have guessed. His YouTube revenues are made up of both commissions from paid views and sponsored commercials on the channel.
Shane Dawson’s YouTube channel receives a minimum of 500,000 views every day. With YouTube’s ad rate ranging between $2 and $5 per 1000 monetized views, Dawson earns around $1,500 per day from ad revenue alone. Based on this, his annual YouTube earnings can be estimated to be around $540,000, placing him among the top-earning YouTubers worldwide.
Although a significant portion of Shane Dawson’s net worth can be attributed to his success on YouTube, he also earns money through various other sources such as acting, film production, singing, writing, and other business ventures.
One of Dawson’s most notable ventures outside of YouTube was his partnership with makeup artist Jeffree Star to create a line of cosmetics in 2019. The collection features six liquid lipstick shades and an eye shadow. In a YouTube video posted in October 2019, it was revealed that if the eye shadow sold out, the duo would earn $35 million, with Dawson’s share being $10 million. This partnership was a successful entrepreneurial venture that contributed to Dawson’s overall net worth.
Dawson’s Controversies
Shane Dawson has openly acknowledged that some of his earlier videos and podcasts contained controversial and racist language, and he has since apologized for these remarks. However, in 2018, he faced criticism for not calling out Jeffree Star for his past racist behavior during their collaboration.
Similarly, his treatment of Jake Paul also drew criticism from some quarters. Furthermore, Dawson’s Conspiracy series has been accused of spreading misinformation, including promoting lies and hoaxes related to events such as 9/11, the moon landing, and the flat earth. These videos have been heavily criticized for being light on facts and promoting conspiracy theories, which only contribute to the already existing misinformation that can be found on YouTube.
Summary
Shane Dawson’s net worth is estimated to be around $12 million, largely thanks to his successful career as a YouTuber. His channel has been active for over a decade, and he has amassed a large following of fans who tune in to watch his videos and buy his merchandise. However, Dawson has faced controversy over the years due to his past remarks and behavior, but he has taken steps to address these issues and improve his behavior. Additionally, Dawson has earned money through other ventures such as acting, singing, and writing, as well as successful entrepreneurial ventures such as his partnership with Jeffree Star to create a line of cosmetics. Despite criticism and controversies, Dawson remains a prominent figure in the world of online entertainment, and his net worth reflects his success in the industry.
