YouTuber Wendigoon has been accused of harboring far-right beliefs on X / Twitter by outspoken users earlier this week, with a horde of his fans rising to defend the generally apolitical content creator.
Wendigoon, whose real name is Isaiah Markin, began making YouTube videos in 2019 with a focus on horror and true-crime-themed content in which he delves into the lore behind various long-running internet stories in a typically soothing fashion.
On Monday, X user @Kukiweed made a post claiming that the YouTuber was following and engaging with some internet accounts that could be considered alt-right or controversial, including the 2020 Wisconsin Shooter Kyle Rittenhouse.
Over the following days as the controversy broadened, other users then noted some additional questionable accounts Wendigoon supposedly interacted with, including the largely right-wing social media account of Parler.
Wendigoon has previously spoken about his Appalachian background and about how his interest in spooky stories was largely influenced by his parents telling him creepy stories about mountain monsters to get him to stay indoors. He has also previously spoken about gun rights and his experience as a Sunday School teacher, things that may have led some such critics to believe that his political views lean conservative despite the YouTuber himself saying very little about his beliefs.
However, Wendigoon's fans have since taken offense to this characterization, arguing that being religious and politically reclusive should be taken as an automatic indication of far-right beliefs.
Wendigoon finally weighed in on the debate himself yesterday, saying. "Some rude & slanderous things have been said about my character and I just want to clarify that I am not right-wing or bigoted or anything besides thankful for my opportunity to make goofy YouTube. The only thing I believe in is loving God and my wife."
Wendigoon has previously been in the news for calling UrbanSpook's style of horror videos disturbing, but little has come up as far as controversies since he began making content over the last several years.
