MrBeast’s YouTube Video Was Definitely Not ‘Mayan Approved’

Tourism officials brought YouTube superstar Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, to Yucatán. And yes, he delivered a ton of media attention following his recent expedition to Mexico’s ancient Maya ruins. 

With that attention has come substantial backlash, from ordinary citizens all the way to the presidential palace.

The May 10 video, “I Explored 2,000 Year Old Ancient Temples,” has already amassed nearly 61 million views on his channel, which boasts 395 million subscribers. 

So why are some high-ranking officials in Mexico’s government bothered? Let’s start with the image of a helicopter supposedly dropping Jimmy and his posse atop an ancient temple. That just doesn’t happen in real life. 

He’s also seen flying a drone inside an ancient chamber, handling a supposedly priceless jade artifact, and camping overnight in a restricted area. Whether or not it’s authentic or a reproduction was questioned by viewers. 

While exploring sites such as Calakmul and Chichén Itzá, he’s seen entering restricted areas of pyramids, at one point remarking, “I can’t believe the government’s letting us do this.” Such areas are typically off-limits to the general public, including locals.

But what really upset officials was that the video promoted more than Yucatán tourism. Donaldson used the expedition to promote his peanut butter-cup snack brand, off-handedly referring to it as “Mayan-approved” in the video. The commercial was apparently shot at an archaeological site.

That caught INAH off guard. “YouTubers and all the world’s young people appreciate the value of our Indigenous civilizations,” said INAH, but it added that it “strongly condemns those who take advantage” of these cultural treasures for commercial gain.

According to the institute, the permit issued to Full Circle Media, Donaldson’s production company, did not authorize “the use of the image of the archaeological sites for the advertising of commercial brands for private profit.” 

That is why Mexico is now “demanding compensation for damages and a public retraction, due to noncompliance with the terms.” The situation has reached the top levels of government, with President Claudia Sheinbaum requesting clarification regarding the conditions under which MrBeast was granted special access to these protected historical sites. 

The controversy has resonated strongly with locals in Mérida. Tour guide Jose Elias Aguayo, 53, expressed the sentiment of many residents. “Restrictions and regulations should apply to everyone: domestic tourists, foreign visitors, as well as us locals,” he told the Guardian, a British news organization — one of many around the world now following the dustup. 

But the video was well-received by his fans, 2 million of whom gave the video a thumb’s up. Some commenters praised the video for bringing Yucatán’s lore to a wider audience. “I thank you for coming and visiting our culture. In reality, we should be thankful for helping promote our beautiful Mexico,” said one viewer.

“I have a conflict about allowing access, but at the same time, I thank you for doing so, because if you didn’t show us what’s inside these places, we would never see them,” said another, in Spanish.

His use of colorful CGI to bring Maya artwork and structures to life was also praised.

MrBeast Inc. 

Despite the growing controversy, Donaldson’s business empire continues to expand. Known for his philanthropic stunts and elaborate challenges, MrBeast has transformed his YouTube fame into a multi-million dollar business portfolio that includes his snack brand Feastables, the MrBeast Burger enterprise, and various merchandise lines. Recent reports suggest he’s planning an investment round that could value his company at approximately $5 billion.

The controversy comes at a time when Donaldson has been strategically growing his global presence. His content is now translated into multiple languages to reach international audiences. 

If Mexico does indeed extract an apology and financial compensation from MrBeast, that could impact how influencers and content creators approach collaborations with cultural heritage sites in the future, potentially setting a precedent for the responsible use of historical landmarks in commercial content.