1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,200 Speaker 1: We want to issue a trigger warning as we will 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: be discussing themes around eating disorders and domestic violence. 3 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 2: Hi everyone, my name's Freely, and today I'm going to 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 2: show you how much fruit are in a day. 5 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: Freely the Banana Girl, was the face of the online 6 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: vegan movement in Australia. The og wellness warrior captured mainstream attention. 7 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 3: When she claims she ate fifty one bananas. 8 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:23,600 Speaker 2: Fifty one bananas today. 9 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 4: This is finished. 10 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 2: I'm gonna I'm really fool oh. 11 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: What started out as a mission to spread awareness about 12 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: veganism quickly became a toxic crusade. 13 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 3: For online power and clout. 14 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: Rather than fighting for the rights of animals, Freely fought 15 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 1: with other vegans and influences, and instead of progressing the 16 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: vegan movement, she instead progressed her own personal agenda. These days, 17 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: Freely is somewhat of an Internet urban legend of the 18 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: twenty tens. Internet whispers say she's still living off the 19 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: grid inner jungle, despite her influence being at full power 20 00:00:57,880 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: over a decade ago. 21 00:00:58,880 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 3: Her rulet of. 22 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: Four is still being blamed for fueling followers eating disorders. 23 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: We are journalists Sophie and Kate Torbert and we are 24 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: fascinated by the world of influencers and the psychology of 25 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: cancel culture. 26 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 3: In this series, we. 27 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,320 Speaker 1: Will delve into Freeley's biggest scandals for full. 28 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 3: From Grace and the danger of influence. 29 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: When you say the name Freely the Banana Girl, it 30 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 1: really elicits a particular response from people our age Sophie. 31 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 1: She has become an Internet urban legend from the twenty tens, 32 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:29,039 Speaker 1: and there are a lot of TikTok circulating at the 33 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: moment where people are reflecting on that time and saying 34 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: that she triggered their eating disorders with the content that 35 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 1: she was putting out there because it was sort of 36 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: around the guise of being healthy because all she was 37 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: consuming was fruit, but in very large and weird quantities. 38 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 1: And she was extremely powerful. So she had over seven 39 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: hundred and ninety thousand YouTube subscribers and four hundred and 40 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: twenty five thousand followers between her two Instagram accounts during 41 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: the early days of influencing. That was a massive amount. Yeah, 42 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: that was massive at the time. She is Australian as well, 43 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: which might surprise some people. An Adelaide girl actually, So 44 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: it was a crazy time for Adelaide because you had 45 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: Freely the Banana Girl, and also Kayla had seen us 46 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: both living in South Australia. Yeah, and Freely isn't her 47 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 1: real name. Her name is Leanne Radcliffe, and I mean 48 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: it doesn't quite have the same ring to it. It's 49 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: not as catchy. Yeah. And she called herself Freely the 50 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,799 Speaker 1: Banana Girl because it's a combination of her first name, 51 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 1: Leanne so Lee and the word freedom and of course 52 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: her fruit of choice, which was bananas. So Freely started 53 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: her YouTube channel back in two thousand and seven as 54 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: a place to spread awareness about veganism and also to 55 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: record her progress. I didn't even know YouTube was a 56 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 1: thing in two thousand and seven. I'm reflecting that is 57 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: the year after we graduated from high school. And it's 58 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: quite ironic because before becoming a YouTuber, Freely worked in 59 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 1: a range of hospitality jobs, including working at McDonald's. Is 60 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: that why she turned vegan? Maybe her experience at McDonald's. 61 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 1: Maybe Now her diet was at the center of everything 62 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: she shared, and this was at a time when veganism 63 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 1: was taking off and causing a lot of debate online. 64 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 1: She followed what she called a fruit givorous diet, which 65 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 1: is a zoological term for species who thrive on a 66 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: diet consisting of fruit. Now a more accurate term to 67 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,799 Speaker 1: describe her diet is fruitarian. Whenever I hear the word fruitarian, 68 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: I always think of the movie Nodding Hill. 69 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 3: Was it Alice? That was from Vicker of Dibley. Her 70 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 3: character was a. 71 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:18,920 Speaker 1: Fruitarian here And what got freely a lot of attention 72 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: in the mainstream media was that she claimed that she 73 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: ate fifty one bananas in a day. That headline was 74 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: absolutely everywhere. It's how I learned of her, And I 75 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 1: was like, what the hell, because I actually hate bananas, 76 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: so the thought of eating fifty one is just not pleasant. 77 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:34,679 Speaker 1: It's also a lot of calories to consume on bananas, 78 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: because most bananas have about one hundred calories. So it 79 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: was definitely to create a lot of shock and attention 80 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: her way. And she derived most of her daily food 81 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: intake from this style of eating that she named mono meals, 82 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: where she would eat a single fruit of vegetable but 83 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 1: in bold so normally she would eat perhaps twenty bananas 84 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: in a day, or she'd stick to pineapple and have 85 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: two pineapples in a day or six mangoes in a day. 86 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: Wouldn't you get sick of the same thing all day long? 87 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: So on this diet she ended up losing forty pounds 88 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: and that became a major promotional tool that she used 89 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: to say, I lost so much weight and you should 90 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: eat like me. Now we can't talk about Freely without 91 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 1: discussing her boyfriend and fellow vegan activist, Harley Johnston. So, 92 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 1: just like Freely, Harley had a vegan alias. So he 93 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: went by the name Durian Ryder, which came from his 94 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: love of the fruit Durian and also his passion for cycling. 95 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 1: The only thing I really know about Durians is that 96 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: they're very popular in Malaysia, and when we would holiday 97 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: there as children, there would be these big gold signs 98 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: up all over the hotel saying don't bring them in 99 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: because when you open them up, apparently they stink. Yeah. 100 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: That always put me off from trying ones. So I 101 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 1: actually don't know what they taste like when assuming they're good. 102 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 3: I think they're very sweet. 103 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: I think that actually tastes really nice apart from the smell. 104 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: So Freely and Harley actually met online in two thousand 105 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: and seven on a raw vegan food forum and they 106 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: instantly hit it off, bonding over veganism and their love 107 00:04:59,400 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: of training. 108 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 3: That's quite rare because I feel. 109 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: Like there was still a bit of internet danger back 110 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 1: in two thousand and seven, Like if you met said 111 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 1: that you met someone online, you would think that they 112 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: were some crazed murderer or predator, Like you wouldn't be 113 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 1: meeting up with them. 114 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, So it was a. 115 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: Pretty novel thing back in two thousand and seven. So 116 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: Harley took Freely under his wing and he got it 117 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: into a strict high carb, zero stimulant diet so she 118 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 1: could take part in a forty plus day bike ride 119 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: across Australia with him in two thousand and eight. And 120 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: they were definitely the Internet power couple of the twenty tens, 121 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 1: nothing like the couple goals we've come to see on 122 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: Instagram though. 123 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 3: Instead, their power. 124 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 1: Came from backing each other's controversial view So, for example, 125 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: they were both very passionate about stopping the human race 126 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: from reproducing. In fact, some of the content they shared 127 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: centered around trying to convince men to get vasectomies. Now, 128 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: in two thousand and nine, Freely launched her own forum 129 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 1: called thirty bananas a day, and she built a very 130 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: engaged community. Forums were just massive back then, and it 131 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: did seem like there was almost a niche forum for everyone. 132 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: In this case, it was about raw food, veganism, gardening, 133 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: and exercise. A lot of celebrities were also creating fan 134 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: forums and then charging their fans to join it. I 135 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: remember there was a Rob Mills forum that we may 136 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: have paid money to join. We pay for that, I 137 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 1: think we did. I think you had to pay a 138 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: membership fee because it would be a gimmick that they 139 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,600 Speaker 1: would then come on to the forum and chat to everyone. 140 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: I don't think we ever paid a Mum would never 141 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: allowed us to do that. 142 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 3: We did pay it. 143 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: I think we put our birthday pocket money or something 144 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: to it. 145 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 3: Oh God, that is so sad. 146 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: Moving on swiftly, I think the anonymous nature of forums 147 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: like this made it the perfect place for people to 148 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: be able to connect without judgment. 149 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 3: And it's funny. 150 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 1: Because I remember you'd have more clout on forums based 151 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: on your avatar or signature, how many posts you'd made. 152 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 1: It was also a very dangerous place as well, because 153 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: the anonymous nature of people meant that. 154 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 3: They would share their deepest, darkest thoughts. 155 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: Which in this case, when you're bonding over something extreme 156 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 1: is eating fifty bananas a day, or really restricting your calories. 157 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: This sort of place just bread eating disorders. Now, when 158 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,119 Speaker 1: it came to Freely's diet, it wasn't just about getting 159 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: people to eat vegan. She really wanted people to follow 160 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: exactly what she was eating, and in a bid to 161 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: get people to follow her vegan diet, she created diet 162 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: ebooks promising this lure of weight loss with her as 163 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: a bit of a hook because she had lost so 164 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: much weight, and the most well known of her ebooks 165 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 1: was called the Raw till four Diet. And this phrase 166 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: just sends a shit of down my spine. I remember 167 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: at the time a lot of our friends doing it, 168 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 1: and it was seen as doing something that you're being 169 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: quite You'll be obviously restrictive, but it was seen as 170 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: being very vigil and I'm doing this before I have 171 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: a special event on The name is quite ingenious because 172 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: you don't really need to know that much about it 173 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: other than the fact that you can't eat cooked foods 174 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: until four o'clock, so your options are pretty limited. You're 175 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: eating raw fruit or vegetables until four pm, and I 176 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: mean and I mean, that's just not good for you. Well, 177 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: it did specify in the book that after four pm 178 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: you could indulge in Freely's cooked mono meals. Yeah, and 179 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: one extreme example of one of these mono meals was 180 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: eight pounds of cooked potatoes for dinner. Now, this is 181 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: where things got quite confusing, because despite Freely promoting her 182 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: ebooks under the guise of weight loss, a lot of 183 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: people actually started coming out and saying that the diet 184 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: made them gain weight, and it forced Freely to defend 185 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: the diet, saying it wasn't about instant results and could 186 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: take up to two years to get results. She also 187 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 1: explained that she initially gained twenty kilos on the diet 188 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 1: and it took her a while to lose the weight. 189 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: What an interesting diet plan because you never hear people going, oh, 190 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: it actually takes two years, like it used to be 191 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: back in the day, You'll get to this in like 192 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: thirty day. Well you think about Kayla had seen this 193 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: as ebook which was around it a similar time, and 194 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 1: it was called The Bikini Body Guide, and it was 195 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 1: about instant results. It was an eight I think an 196 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: eight week program, and it was basically get fit for 197 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: summer so you can go out in a bikini. But 198 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: this is saying, Okay, it takes you two years, you're 199 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: probably going to put on a bit of weight in 200 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: the interim. To me, it kind of makes sense as 201 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: to why people were putting on weight though, because even 202 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: when you crunch the numbers, if you were eating an 203 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: extreme of anything, particularly like fruit, which has a lot 204 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 1: of natural sugars in it, of course you're going to 205 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: put on a lot of weight. Yeah. And her example 206 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: of eating eight kilograms worth of potatoes, like, you're not 207 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: really going to be dropping kilos. Well, it's all about 208 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: eating in abundance, isn't it, Because it's I ate fifty 209 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: one bananas like yeah, that's still five one hundred calories 210 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,199 Speaker 1: in a day. But that's how she hooked people in 211 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 1: because they thought, okay, well I can lose weight and 212 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: look really good, but actually eat a lot of food. Now, 213 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: the raw till four diet was slammed for being incredibly restrictive, unbalanced, 214 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: and nutritionally deficient, and experts warned it could lead to 215 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: disordered eating. Now, many people have come out and said 216 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 1: that Freeley's content, as you said at the start of 217 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 1: this episode, fueled their eating disorders and had a really 218 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 1: negative impact on their health. And I think the saddest 219 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: thing is that many of Freeley's followers were very well 220 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: meaning and interested in veganism for animal rights and ethical reasons, 221 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: and many of them were really vulnerable and they were 222 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 1: searching for a way to become healthy and lose weight. 223 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: And it's really hard to look back at that time 224 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: because she really did promote such a toxic and disordered 225 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 1: way of eating that harms so many people. I think 226 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: veganism really became coded for going on a diet. There 227 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:20,439 Speaker 1: were so many YouTubers who would say, Oh, I'm testing 228 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: out a vegan diet for a couple of weeks so 229 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: I can try and lose weight. It didn't necessarily have 230 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 1: anything to do with them wanting to, you know, help 231 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: animals or an ethical approach to it. And a lot 232 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 1: of people who actually had eating disorders prior to discovering 233 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,679 Speaker 1: veganism used it as a cover. 234 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 3: So there are a lot of people. 235 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 1: That ended up having authorex here from adopting the vegan 236 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 1: diet well, because it automatically cuts out butter meal well, 237 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: so many groups, so many food groups, and instead of 238 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 1: saying I'm doing this because I want to get skinny, 239 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:52,679 Speaker 1: you're saying, no, I want to do this for all 240 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: the ethical reasons. 241 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, don't question me about it. 242 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. 243 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: Well, it's pretty interesting because Freely hit her peak fame 244 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 1: between two thousand and fourteen and twenty sixteen, and that's 245 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: when she began calling out non vegan YouTubers, so the 246 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:10,680 Speaker 1: concept wasn't new at the time. The vegan YouTube community 247 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: was absolutely riddled with drama, and other big vegan YouTubers 248 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: were finding a lot of notoriety by attacking non vegan 249 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: creators for their diet. So for instance, in twenty fourteen, 250 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: a vegan YouTube bodybuilder known as Vegan Gains viciously attacked 251 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 1: another YouTube body builder called Furious Pete over his non 252 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 1: vegan diet. So Vegan Gains when as far to say 253 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 1: that Furious Pete's testicular cancer diagnosis was caused by eating 254 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 1: non vegan There was also another big fight between Jury 255 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 1: and Ryder and another vegan influencer called the d Man 256 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 1: about the number of avocados he was eating each day. God, 257 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: you have to have a stupid YouTube handle, a nickname 258 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: in order to be a vegan influencer like these just 259 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: sound ridiculous. Yeah. On another local front, popular vegan YouTuber 260 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:00,599 Speaker 1: Asena O'Neil. She infamously quit social media in twenty fifteen 261 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: after she became a target for takedown videos from smaller 262 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: vegan content creators. Now, a video Freely created in twenty 263 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: fourteen slamming Jenna Marbles drastically changed the game for Freely. 264 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 1: So for those not familiar with Jenna Marbles, she is 265 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: an American YouTuber who, at the peak of her fame 266 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:22,119 Speaker 1: had over twenty million subscribers. Now she announced her indefinite 267 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: hiatus from YouTube in twenty twenty after followers dug up 268 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: old racist content from her channel. Anyway before all that, 269 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: in a bid to gain attention, Freely uploaded a video 270 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: to YouTube called why has Jenna Marbles Gained Weight? And, 271 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: in the video that has now been viewed over three 272 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: point four million times, Freely claimed that Jenna had gained 273 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 1: weight since stopping eating a vegan diet. 274 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 3: Let's throw to a snippet of what she said. 275 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 2: But move on a couple of years or a year 276 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,719 Speaker 2: or so, and Jenna is really starting to put on weight. 277 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: It's this one. 278 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 3: Okay, she's not fat. 279 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 4: Lady means, but she is definitely gaining weight. So the 280 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 4: people out there saying, oh. 281 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 2: You're fat shaming, freely, you're fat shaming, blah bl blah, 282 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,119 Speaker 2: but no, get over it. Clearly just making an observation. 283 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 4: She is gaining weight. 284 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 3: So why is she Because she has. 285 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 2: Gone off her vegan her predominantly vegan plant and she's 286 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 2: smashing in the junk food. She makes videos a bit 287 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 2: the way she basically makes fun of herself smashing in 288 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 2: junk food food, and you know, in an attempt to 289 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 2: kind of relate to most of the population who smashes 290 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:23,079 Speaker 2: in the junk food. 291 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: During the almost eight minute video freely through to clips 292 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 1: of Jenna eating junk food, as well as showing clips 293 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: of how Jenna's body had changed. She then had this 294 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: advice for her. 295 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 2: Okay, so that's the beauty of her plant food's lifestyle. 296 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 2: You can smash in the calories every single meal. You 297 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,200 Speaker 2: can eat abundantly. You can eat your heart, your brain, 298 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:48,319 Speaker 2: your bellies content every single time and only get beneficial results. 299 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 2: You get slimmer and slimmer and slimmer. 300 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 4: The mold calories you eat over time of plant foods, 301 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 4: which is I mean high powered plant foods, let's get 302 00:13:56,679 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 4: that right, not high fat vegan foods. 303 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 2: So you have to make sure eat high car beingan foods. So, Jenna, 304 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 2: this is a message to you girl, come back over 305 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 2: to the good side. You know this works, you know 306 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 2: the vegan lifestyle works. You set yourself. 307 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,320 Speaker 1: At the end of the video, Freeley claimed that she 308 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 1: had created the video because she cared about Jenna so 309 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 1: much that she asked her followers to contact Jenna and 310 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: share the video with her and sorry, if you cared 311 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: about Jenna, you would have a quiet word to her 312 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: about it in a sensitive and tactful way. This was 313 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 1: far from sensitive and tactful. I just can't even imagine 314 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: someone creating a video like this in twenty twenty five 315 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: and thinking it's appropriate one to point out that someone 316 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: has gained weight and to think that you have control 317 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: over their diet and what they have to eat. It 318 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: just shows how far we've actually come. Because when I 319 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 1: was listening to this, I was like, I cannot believe 320 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: that this was put out and not slammed. Disturbingly, Freeley's 321 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: plan seemed to work because Jenna ended up commenting on 322 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: Freeley's Facebook page, saying, I just watched your video and 323 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 1: I wanted to thank you for always supporting me through 324 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: my vegan journey. It's been years on and off for me, 325 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: and I really appreciate you holding me personally accountable. It 326 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 1: actually helps me, and I never find what you do 327 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: offensive a lot of other people do. I think you're 328 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:16,239 Speaker 1: wonderful and it's so admirable how passionate you are about veganism. 329 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: You have a wonderful message in heart, and I hope 330 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: people can see that. I know a lot of people 331 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: whose lives. You've changed so many people's lives. I have 332 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: made it to a point to really make myself ethically 333 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 1: driven because of you and other vegan YouTubers, and I 334 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: feel much more confident that this is something I can 335 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: have my whole life. Thank you for your relentless effort 336 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: to make veganism visible and approachable and not an extreme 337 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: way of living, but a loving and caring, maintainable life. 338 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:43,880 Speaker 1: So I mean, I would call eating fifty one bananas 339 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: not very maintainable and quite extreme. She finished by saying 340 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 1: You're wonderful and I'm sending all positive fruit vibes your way. 341 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: Fucking hell Wow, it is crazy to think that Jenna 342 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: Marble's actually thanks Freely for calling her out and fact 343 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 1: shaming her. And it's interesting the use of the term 344 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: ethically driven, the fact that Freeley would say, oh, I'm 345 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,200 Speaker 1: only fat shaming people because you know, ethically they shouldn't 346 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 1: be eating meat like it's actually insane. Off the back 347 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: of the Jenna Marbles call out video, Freely started to 348 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: change up her YouTube channel and move more in that direction. 349 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: She ramped up the call out videos of non vegan 350 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 1: YouTubers and no one was safe and at the time, 351 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 1: she did wield a lot of power and an interesting 352 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 1: part of Freely's strategy was actually weaponizing her followers. So 353 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: after taking aim at an influencer, she would then issue 354 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: a call out to her followers to essentially attack the person. However, 355 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: she packaged it up a lot nicer. So Freely called 356 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 1: her followers her fruit bats, and she asked them to 357 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: go spread their fruit seeds, aka troll her latest target. 358 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 3: And they did this in the. 359 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 1: Form of leaving banana emojis in the comment section of 360 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: the latest target's YouTube videos. 361 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 3: That is just wild to me. 362 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 1: I know that the Internet isn't a perfect place in 363 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four But my god, it was a disgusting. 364 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 3: Place to be in the two Ends. 365 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: Well, it actually reminds me when Kim Kardashian sent her 366 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: fans to go troll Taylor Swift and leave snake emojis. 367 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 1: Maybe that's where she got the idea from the bananas 368 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:11,959 Speaker 1: Yeah Now. Freely next set her sights on YouTuber Casey 369 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 1: Hoe of bloggilates now. In late twenty fourteen, she was 370 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 1: accused of bullying the popular influencer and Freely claimed in 371 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,440 Speaker 1: a YouTube video the Casey wasn't eating enough and alleged 372 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:27,400 Speaker 1: that she promoted eating disorders, which is a bit rich now. 373 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 1: The video ended up getting removed from YouTube after Casey 374 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: reported the video for copyright, and this started and all out. 375 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: Boar So Freely claimed that Casey was using corporate lawyers 376 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 1: to take her down, and she went on to allege 377 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:45,400 Speaker 1: that she had received legal documents from Casey. However, when 378 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 1: she was asked to provide receipts, all she could show 379 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 1: was the copyright emails that she received from YouTube Now. 380 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 1: Casey denied the claims that she was trying to sue 381 00:17:54,440 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: Freely and ended up detracting the copyright claim against the videos. 382 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: Now in early twenty fifteen, Freely met her match with 383 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 1: fellow Adelaidian and fitness guru Kayla had seen us so 384 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 1: at the time, Kayla was big competition for Freely. So 385 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: her bikini Bodyguide was all the rage, as you spoke 386 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,919 Speaker 1: about earlier. So literally everyone I know was doing it. 387 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: I think it was more popular in my friendship group 388 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:22,120 Speaker 1: than Freeley's diet. 389 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 3: Oh definitely. 390 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: I think that Freely's diet was very extreme and she 391 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 1: really tapped into a niche group of people. 392 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 3: Yeah. 393 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,440 Speaker 1: So, just as Freely had done with other big influences, 394 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 1: she took aim at Kayla's fitness program in a YouTube 395 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 1: video so Freely claimed that Kayla's guide stave people and 396 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 1: that her then boyfriend and business partner Toby Pierce used steroids. 397 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: Freeley's then boyfriend Durian Ryder also. 398 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 3: Got in on the action, making similar claims. 399 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: And Kayla was very quick to hit back, labeling the 400 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: pair's actions as wrong and illegal in a Facebook post, 401 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 1: and she went on to file an injunction with the 402 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:00,399 Speaker 1: Supreme Court to have the videos removed from YouTube the 403 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: comments as defamatory. Now unperturbed, Freely and Jurian Writer responded with, 404 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: of course, a follow up video stating that they were 405 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: just sharing their nutritional opinion and should not be sued 406 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: for speaking up. I remember at the time that this 407 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 1: story was massive, particularly in Adelaide. I was working at 408 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:20,439 Speaker 1: Channel seven at the time. It was leading news, it 409 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 1: was front page news as well. Now, this case was 410 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 1: heard in the Supreme Court of South Australia in March 411 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 1: twenty fifteen, and Freely and Jurian Rider turned the event 412 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: into a complete circus. So more than one hundred of 413 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,639 Speaker 1: their fans lined up outside the Supreme Court chanting the 414 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: duet's catchphrase carb the fuck up. Now. Only fifteen of 415 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,359 Speaker 1: those fans were actually allowed inside the court, while the 416 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 1: rest were told to wait outside, and several fans shouted 417 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 1: good luck, Harley and Freely as they entered into the building. 418 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: Kayla did not attend court, however, her partner at the time, 419 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: Toby Pierce, was in attendance while Kayla wasn't there, though 420 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 1: she let her sentiments be known so in court documents 421 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 1: obtained by the media, she and Hope labeled Freely and 422 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 1: Jurian Rider as foul mouth parasites who are claiming victim 423 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 1: status and trying to encourage cyber vigilante action against them. 424 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 1: She is an absolute class act, and Kayla and her 425 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 1: team would have been aware that if she had turned 426 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: up to the court and they had got vision and 427 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 1: photographs of her, it would have been pumped up even 428 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 1: more to be portrayed as this catfight between these two 429 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 1: popular fitness influences. 430 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 3: Also just being dragged down onto their level. 431 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 1: Well, I wouldn't really feel comfortable physically appearing at this 432 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: court case when there's hundreds of Freely's fans there who 433 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 1: were chanting and being aggressive. 434 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly. 435 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:35,640 Speaker 2: Now. 436 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 1: Kayla and Toby were represented by QC Andrew Harris, while 437 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: Freely was being defended by lawyer Greg Griffin. Jurian Rider, 438 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:47,120 Speaker 1: on the other hand, represented himself, and with so much 439 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 1: mayhem going on outside the court, Kayla and Toby's lawyer 440 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 1: urged the judge to explain the rules of the court 441 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,439 Speaker 1: to the public gallery because he was concerned that Freely 442 00:20:56,560 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: supporters would film the proceedings and upload them to YouTube. Now, 443 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 1: the main issue addressed during the hearing was the status 444 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: of the offending YouTube videos. So Kayla's injunction had ordered 445 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 1: Freely and Durian Rider to remove the videos, but that 446 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 1: had only partially occurred. While Freely had removed the video 447 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:17,439 Speaker 1: from her YouTube channel, Durian Ryder had set his video 448 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: to private now. He claimed that he had done so 449 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: in case he needed the video or the comments posted 450 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: on them as evidence, and he went on to say 451 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 1: in court I was just sharing my honest opinion in 452 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 1: the name of public interest on YouTube. Yeah, and Kayla 453 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: and Toby's lawyer hit back, saying, we can agree to 454 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 1: disagree whether this is a matter of free speech or 455 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: rather a cynical attempt at ambush marketing. Our principal goal 456 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: is to have the material taken off the Internet. After 457 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,160 Speaker 1: hearing the evidence, the judge said that the matter should 458 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 1: proceed immediately to trial. However, Kayla and Toby's lawyer asked 459 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 1: for a seven day adjournment to pursue negotiations. NA Kayla 460 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 1: and Toby's lawyer said that there was a prospect of 461 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: amicable resolution between Kayla, Toby and Freely, meaning I don't 462 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:02,680 Speaker 1: think he thought Durian Ryder was going to settle. It's 463 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:05,159 Speaker 1: very clear that Kayla and her team wanted to avoid 464 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:07,160 Speaker 1: a trial because this would have turned into an even 465 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: bigger media circus. I mean, Freely and Duran were already 466 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,400 Speaker 1: showing them by having hundreds of their fans appear in court. 467 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:16,199 Speaker 1: It's also very costly exercise for something like this to 468 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 1: go to trial. Also their road comments, because if they're 469 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:20,479 Speaker 1: trying to defend what they said, the fact that they 470 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: said that Toby PSU steroids, which is completely defamatory, like 471 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:28,200 Speaker 1: you probably don't want them spurning out more lies about it. 472 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 3: It appell it form. 473 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: And that's the thing, like things get very nasty when 474 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: they go to trial, and sometimes there's no winners out 475 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 1: of it. 476 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:35,280 Speaker 3: Yeah. 477 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:38,199 Speaker 1: Well, outside the court, Freely told reporters that she couldn't 478 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 1: discuss the case based on legal advice, while Durian Ryder 479 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 1: said he wanted the matter to proceed to trial because 480 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: you can see that their attention seekers out of this. 481 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,119 Speaker 1: Their whole goal has been to call out bigger creators 482 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: just so that they can gain more and more followers. 483 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:54,920 Speaker 1: So Jurian ryders said, we were just talking about eating 484 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 1: disorders on YouTube. We were just sharing our views openly 485 00:22:57,640 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: based on public interest. I would like to go to 486 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 1: try and get as much exposure as possible on eating 487 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 1: disorders and Instagram diets, the keyword being exposure I think 488 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: for himself. 489 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. 490 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,760 Speaker 1: Well, that weekend, Freely told her followers in a YouTube video, 491 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: I'm not stressed. 492 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 3: I know good will prevail now. 493 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 1: A week later, Kayla and Toby's lawyers told the South 494 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 1: Australian Supreme Court that the parties had successfully reached a deal. 495 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 1: Under the terms of the agreement, Freely and Durian Rider 496 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,959 Speaker 1: were barred from making disparaging statements about Kayla and Toby 497 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,679 Speaker 1: in social print or electronic media. It was decided that 498 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:32,880 Speaker 1: the matter would conclude without financial penalty or the payment 499 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: of court costs, which is quite interesting, A pretty good 500 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: deal I think for Freely and Jurian Now. While Freely's 501 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:41,919 Speaker 1: lawyer was in agreement with Kayla and Toby's lawyer, it 502 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 1: was clear Durian Writer wasn't happy about the decision. When 503 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 1: he was asked by the judge if he consented to 504 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: the settlement. 505 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:49,719 Speaker 3: He replied mm hm. 506 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: The judge also made formal orders that the settlement be 507 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: carried out. He also listed the matter for a final 508 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: hearing in May to ensure the settlement had been complied 509 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: by all the parties. Obviously, he wasn't really that trusting 510 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:02,440 Speaker 1: of Durian writer. I mean, it kind of makes sense 511 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 1: for Kaylor and Toby not to necessarily ask for any 512 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: money from them, because I think that that could have 513 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 1: been negatively portrayed in the media that they were out 514 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:13,400 Speaker 1: to destroy fellow fitness influencer when they just wanted them 515 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,360 Speaker 1: to shut the fuck up and stop talking about them. 516 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 1: So Durian Ryder told reporters outside of court that he 517 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: was not too clear on what the settlement entailed other 518 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: than basically keep your opinion to yourself. While Kayler chose 519 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:27,199 Speaker 1: not to attend court again, Toby Pierce was there and 520 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 1: he told reporters I'm glad some smart decisions were made 521 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 1: and we've been able to come to an amicable agreement 522 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 1: between the parties. Freely also fronted the media outside court 523 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:40,440 Speaker 1: and said, recalling every detail of it, the settlement is 524 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: a little difficult, but I understand it and I will 525 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 1: follow it. This really demonstrated that Kayla and Toby were 526 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:49,439 Speaker 1: forced not to be reckoned with. They're extremely professional in 527 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,320 Speaker 1: shutting this down. It does show what money and power 528 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,920 Speaker 1: can do, and also having the right brains behind it. Definitely, now, 529 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:59,159 Speaker 1: despite the court hearing, Freely didn't stop her pursuit of 530 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: other YouTubers. This one really surprises me because in October 531 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: twenty fifteen, she called out UK YouTube royalty Zoela So 532 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:10,639 Speaker 1: in a video entitled is Zoela a Hypocrite? Nala Pug 533 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:14,200 Speaker 1: Verse Pig, Freely questioned how Zoela can love her pug 534 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,479 Speaker 1: Nala so much but then eat other animals which are 535 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:21,399 Speaker 1: equally as smart and beautiful. Now, Freely decided to demonstrate 536 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 1: this by juxtapositioning vision of Zoella playing with her black 537 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 1: pug to vision of her eating bacon, eggs and. 538 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 3: Sausages for breakfast. This a stretch, really. 539 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: Now. Zoela didn't respond, but it did come out that 540 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,399 Speaker 1: she had blocked Freely, which was a good decision. I 541 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 1: actually really liked that from her because she didn't weigh 542 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 1: into the drama. 543 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 3: She didn't give Freely what she wanted. She simply just 544 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 3: blocked her. 545 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 1: Because that is what Freely and Adrian Ryder have wanted 546 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:48,119 Speaker 1: out of this whole thing is attention. They want the 547 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:50,880 Speaker 1: larger creator to come back at them so that then 548 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:52,680 Speaker 1: their fans become aware of who they are. 549 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, it didn't stop there. 550 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:57,439 Speaker 1: In May twenty sixteen, Freely also took aim at US 551 00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:01,400 Speaker 1: YouTuber Tanna Mojo, and she critics a video Tanner made 552 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,120 Speaker 1: entitled how I Stay Skinny, which is just. 553 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 3: Wild to me. 554 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 1: I cannot see a creator getting away with creating a 555 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: video about how they say skinny. No, I mean ma 556 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 1: giving tips and tricks. It's just under the guise of 557 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: other things. Now, it's like what I to day, It's 558 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 1: true now, Freely basically said that Tanner Mojo was full 559 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:22,880 Speaker 1: of crap, and Tana ended up doing a big call 560 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:25,439 Speaker 1: out video in response to Freely, so Freely got what 561 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:29,640 Speaker 1: she wanted. Freely, of course, then hit back, seemingly debunking 562 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:33,440 Speaker 1: what Tanner had said, and the hashtag Tanna lies started 563 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:35,800 Speaker 1: trending on the internet. Now, this came at a time 564 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 1: where Tana really cared about her image, and it just 565 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 1: was a back and forth of insults. 566 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 3: Between the pair. 567 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:43,440 Speaker 1: I find it so ironic that Freely made a name 568 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,680 Speaker 1: for herself by calling out other YouTubers when her own 569 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 1: behavior was so questionable and problematic. Yeah, she was constantly 570 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: causing controversy and also making very outlandish and dangerous claims. 571 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: One of those had to do with her a manner. 572 00:26:56,920 --> 00:27:00,040 Speaker 1: Rhea so she continued to bush medical misinformation when she 573 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:02,479 Speaker 1: stated that a menna rhea, which is the absence of 574 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:06,040 Speaker 1: your period, was a sign of health. So she shared 575 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 1: that she had a menoreea for nine months, and she 576 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:10,880 Speaker 1: explained that it meant her body was healthy and had 577 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 1: fewer toxins to. 578 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:13,639 Speaker 3: Flush out via menstruation. 579 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,400 Speaker 1: In reality, it is actually a result of low body weight, 580 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:22,440 Speaker 1: poor nutrition, disordered eating, and other illnesses. Additionally, it can 581 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 1: lead to infertility and osteoporosis. Is that why they were 582 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 1: trying to push it so much because they were trying 583 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 1: to stamp out. 584 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:29,720 Speaker 3: People from wanting children. 585 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:31,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, they were trying to stop reproduction with their love 586 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,199 Speaker 1: of vasectomes. Now, to make matters worse, Freely was also 587 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,880 Speaker 1: fat phobic, so she regularly criticized the appearance of other 588 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:42,399 Speaker 1: YouTubers and overweight people in general, and she also claimed 589 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:44,800 Speaker 1: that there were more deaths caused in the nine eleven 590 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:48,879 Speaker 1: terrorist attack because of obese people blocking the doors and 591 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 1: not allowing fit people to pass through. 592 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:52,920 Speaker 3: God, what the hell? 593 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:56,159 Speaker 1: That is just disgusting. It gets worse because after the 594 00:27:56,200 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 1: tragic death of teenage makeup guru Talia Castinello, no owners 595 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:04,479 Speaker 1: Tarlia Joy eighteen on YouTube, Freely uploaded a video claiming 596 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: that Talia's death could have been prevented had she forgote 597 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 1: chemotherapy in favor of a raw vegan diet. Oh my gosh. 598 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 1: She also claimed that chemotherapy was dangerous, poisonous, and an 599 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: ineffective treatment for cancer. That makes me so bad now. 600 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: One of the biggest controversies to rock Freeley's image centered 601 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 1: around her boyfriend and partner in crime, Durian Rider. Next week, 602 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,880 Speaker 1: we will dive into the drama that unfolded at Freely's 603 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:35,000 Speaker 1: tie Fruit Festival and explore her breakup with Durian Ryder 604 00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 1: and her move to the jungle. This episode was recorded 605 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 1: on the traditional land of the Ghana people of the 606 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 1: Adelaide Planes. We pay respect to Elder's past and present