The Twitch streamer Imane “Pokimane” Anys is in trouble: She responded to criticism of her new, healthy cookies with a counterattack on her viewers: they are broke if they can’t afford the cookies. This is being hotly debated: A highly regarded voice on Twitch is Charles White, known as Cr1TiKaL or penguinz0. He has 5 million listeners when he dissects Pokimane.
This is what Pokimane did:
- The Twitch streamer Pokimane sells very expensive cookies. For her Midnight Mini Cookies, one pays about 7 US dollars per pack of cookies. One pack contains 114 grams.
- She is accused of making a product that is heavily based on cookies from the “Costco” chain in the USA, which are also quite expensive, although significantly cheaper than Pokimane’s cookies. The original, “Toatzy Midnight Mint cookie” costs 10 $ for 400 grams, she wants 28 $ for 456 grams.
- Especially, the internet was upset that the streamer reacted so aggressively to criticism of the cookies. Anyone who thinks the cookies are too expensive can simply admit that they are broke. Everyone can spend money on what they want.
Clip of Pokimane goes viral
This scene caused particular excitement:
“I’ll say it one last time. It makes my brain go kaboom when people are like: ‘Oh my god, 28 $ for cookies.’ There are 4 packs, so 7 $ per bag. I know math is hard when you’re an idiot, but I mean, if you’re broke, just say it.
Anyway, let’s move on, let’s move on. If you want to spend 8 $ on Twitter Blue or for a few pixels, that’s fine. That’s great. Spend your money however you want. I will spend mine how I want, and everyone spends their money how they want. That’s the great thing about having money.”
For a well-known opponent of Pokimane, like Drama-Alert host Keemstar, of course, a tempting topic:
YouTuber says Pokimane insults the people that made her famous
This is the criticism: The content creator Cr1TiKaL is known for his videos in which he breaks down things. In a YouTube video that has now been viewed by over 5 million people, he analyzes the situation.
He says he initially thought Pokimane was joking, but there are no signs of that. She apparently reacted thin-skinned and wrongly here – and turned a difficult situation into a terrible one.
He evaluates the outburst as “insulting the community that made Pokimane famous.” The cookies are clearly an overpriced influencer product that only fans want to buy who wanted to support Pokimane. Even if they were the best cookies in the world, 7 $ per pack is extremely expensive and would deter any normal buyer.
The accusation against her community, that they are broke, is cynical anyway. Because if that were the case, they only had no money because they had given it to Pokimane beforehand. She needs to realize that she’s “shitting in the throat of the people” who brought her to where she is now. The fans financed Pokimane’s luxurious and carefree life.
According to the YouTuber, Pokimane’s marketing team must have certainly thrown everything down in exasperation the moment she said that and said: “Okay, that’s it. We had a pretty good run.”
The streamer says:
“Three years ago, Pokimane criticized another streamer for exactly that. It seems like she understands that it’s a terrible idea to insult your audience for their financial situation.”
He explains that back then, Pokimane apparently still understood that the viewers might personally be in a difficult financial situation, but that did not justify judging them for it. Three years later, she did exactly that.
Pokimane apologizes for comment: Meant as a joke and directed only at bad chatters
What does Pokimane say? She tweeted that the comment was meant 100% as a joke. However, she understands why the comment came across as so insensitive and apologizes for it. The price of the cookies is too high for some, and she promises to continue thinking about how to create the cookies of the “Myna” brand so that many people can afford them.
Later, she added that her statement was directed at “rude chatters” and not generally at everyone.
Clean image damaged – Found food for critics
What’s behind this: Pokimane has long been the most successful woman on Twitch and actually had a “clean woman” image: No casino streams, no sexualization, no such weird deals as her friend Valkyrae.
It is actually intended that she is the good one, even rather forgoes money and scolds others for doing, in her view, immoral things: For this reason, Pokimane was one of the streamers on Twitch who called for a ban on the online casino Stake.
For xQc, who has often been criticized by Pokimane, this is currently a feast – he uses “Shrimp” as a synonym for the banned word “Simp” on Twitch:
Her special position as the only woman among men and her appearance as a moral authority have ensured that many critics have always looked particularly hard at her and accused her of running a scheme to turn men into “Simps” who hope to meet her one day when they financially exploit Pokimane. On the internet, “Pokimane Tier 3 Subscriber” has become a meme.
Pokimane has always distanced herself from these accusations.
Update, November 28, 18:17: Pokimane has fueled the discussion with a new statement:
