Global YouTube star IShowSpeed under investigation for breaching his visa after performing viral haka in New Zealand
Global YouTube superstar IShowSpeed is under investigation for breaching his New Zealand visa after he was harassed by fans in Rotorua on Sunday while performing a haka.
IShowSpeed, real name Darren Jason Watkins Jr, has 33 million subscribers on YouTube, with his livestreams of wild stunts and celebrity collaborations racking up around three billion views.
The 19-year-old American was in New Zealand as part of his Australasian tour and attracted the attention of immigration over a possible breach of his tourist visa conditions.
Watkins reportedly earns more than $1 million a year in revenue from his YouTube channel, raising questions about whether he should have had an employee visa to film content.
The Youtuber, who landed back in Sydney on Tuesday, said he wanted to play rugby, eat cake and learn the haka during his first live stream in New Zealand.
It comes after controversial OnlyFans stars Bonnie Blue and Annie Knight were deported from Fiji last week for breaching their tourist visas while visiting the country to film content featuring ‘barely legal 18-year-olds’.
Global YouTube superstar IShowSpeed is under investigation for breaching his New Zealand visa after being heckled by fans in Rotorua on Sunday while performing a haka
A huge crowd found the streamer in Rotorua on Sunday and several men began performing the streamer Ka Mate haka, popularized by the All Blacks and more recently 22-year-old MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, before him.
‘What the hell is that? Oh yes! That’s what I want to do!’ he exclaimed.
The streamer asked the group to teach him the haka, and one man instructed the crowd to follow him with “two slaps on the thighs” and then pull his arms “in for two.”
More than 53,000 people watched the moment on Watkins’ livestream.
While some commentators were quick to question whether an American performing the haka was “disrespectful”, the NZ Herald reported that Māori YouTuber Jimmi Jackson also took part in the livestream and actually helped Watkins learn the haka before leading a performance in front of the public. spectators. entrance to Whakarewarewa – the living Māori village.
However, if you visit New Zealand on a visitor visa, you are not legally allowed to work and could face a deportation order if you are found to have breached the visa conditions.
Immigration New Zealand confirmed to 1News that Watkins was in the country on a visitor visa and traveling on a visa waiver.
A huge crowd found the streamer in Rotorua on Sunday and several men began performing the Ka Mate haka for him, popularized by the All Blacks and more recently 22-year-old MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke.
Watkins reportedly makes more than $1 million a year in revenue from his YouTube channel
“Generally, individuals require a work visa (or require a visa with conditions that permit work) to engage in activities that result in profit or reward (such as payment) during their stay in New Zealand,” an INZ told spokesperson to the news. network.
“We will follow our standard compliance procedures as we review this matter.”
The internet sensation’s visit Down Under saw him mobbed by fans as he visited Queenstown, Auckland and Rotorua in recent days, with schoolchildren leaving classes to meet him.