A new billboard has appeared in Los Angeles, resurfacing the grooming and sexual misconduct allegations that have trailed beauty influencer James Charles since 2021.
The sign, which reads, “SAY, JAMES, I HEAR YOU TEXT EM YOUNG*,” alongside a photo of the makeup influencer, appeared Saturday morning near the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Colby Avenue.
The billboard was paid for by Ted Entertainment, which is co-owned by Ethan Klein, a comedian and podcaster who has been vocal about his opposition to Charles attempting to rebuild his career following the controversy and apology.
The billboard, which Klein said in an Instagram video cost $10,000, also features a search bar titled “James Charles Allegations,” and references a BBC article titled, “James Charles: YouTube star admits messaging 16-year-old boys,” from April 2021, referring to his since-deleted YouTube apology.
“This is the only good idea I’ve had to try to do something,” Klein said in a video posted to Instagram on Saturday. “With somebody with resources and reach, I feel like it’s the least I can do to try to remind the people of Los Angeles and the world that this is what James Charles gets up to.”
“It’s time we start calling him out, so I hope you’ll enjoy it — except you, James,” he added.
In 2021, Charles faced intense public scrutiny after 16-year-old social media users Isaiyah and Robert accused the then-21-year-old makeup artist of grooming and engaging in inappropriate sexual communications.
The allegations, which first surfaced on TikTok, included claims of explicit Snapchat conversations and the exchange of sexually suggestive photos.
Charles initially denied the claims, saying he believed the individuals were 18. He later released a 14-minute apology video titled “Holding Myself Accountable,” in which he described his behavior as “reckless” and acknowledged engaging in explicit conversations with two minors.
Klein has remained a vocal critic.
After putting up the billboard, he said that with renewed public attention on figures like Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein, many people often ask, “How did we let this guy get away with it?”
He said the billboard was his response.
The professional fallout from the scandal was swift. Charles lost his long-standing partnership with Morphe Cosmetics and was removed as host of the YouTube Originals series “Instant Influencer.”
YouTube also temporarily demonetized his channel under its “Creator Responsibility” policy, citing concerns about the potential harm of his off-platform behavior.
The monetization has since been reinstated as of February.
James Charles has not commented on the billboard, and his talent management company, The Mangan Group, has not responded to The California Post’s requests for comment.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
