Podcast Tension Erupts as Logan Paul Exits Over Sensitive Joke
In a dramatic on-air moment, internet personality Logan Paul walked off the set of his own podcast, Impaulsive, after his co-host Mike Majlak and guest Tana Mongeau brought up his highly controversial 2017 suicide forest video. The exchange, which left Paul visibly uncomfortable, instantly revived a scandal he has been attempting to move past for years.
How The Uncomfortable Moment Unfolded
The episode began with casual and light-hearted banter among the three hosts. The atmosphere, however, shifted abruptly when Mike Majlak made a rope-pulling gesture towards Tana Mongeau. She interpreted this as a cue, leading her to declare it was a good time for her to make her classic suicide forest joke on the show.
Mongeau added, That wasn't even me, that was your friend right there, deflecting the prompt back towards Majlak. Paul, who was sitting between them, did not join in the laughter. His expression became tense. Majlak responded defensively, stating that the gesture was all for the clip. Mongeau continued, explaining she had debated whether to make the joke, calling it low hanging fruit. At this point, Paul stopped engaging, stood up, and exited the set without a word, while Majlak and Mongeau continued laughing for several seconds after his departure.
Why The 2017 Incident Remains a Deep Wound
The subject is deeply sensitive due to an event that occurred in 2017. Paul and his friends visited the Aokigahara forest in Japan, a location infamous for its association with suicides. During their visit, they encountered and filmed a man who appeared to have died by hanging.
Paul uploaded the footage to his YouTube channel in a vlog titled We found a dead body in the Japanese suicide forest, which amassed over six million views within a day. The video, where he and his friends were seen laughing and making comments, sparked immediate and widespread global backlash. It was condemned by viewers, media, and mental health advocates as deeply disrespectful and exploitative.
Facing immense criticism, Paul first issued a written apology on Twitter, followed by a video apology on YouTube. He stated, I've made a severe and continuous lapse of my judgment... I'm ashamed of myself. The scandal had severe professional consequences: YouTube removed him from its Google Preferred program, advertisers distanced themselves, and some of his acting projects were delayed.
As part of his efforts to make amends, Paul later donated $1 million to suicide prevention organisations, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and created content focused on suicide awareness.
Public Reaction and Lasting Impact
The clip of Paul walking off the set quickly went viral online, sparking debate. Some viewers believed his discomfort was genuine, while others speculated the walkout was staged for attention. One user on X noted his avoidance, writing, Every time the WWE goes to Japan, Paul doesn't get to come with. Trust me, he wants this memory to die.
While Paul has never been officially banned from Japan, he did skip a WWE tour there, which many interpreted as an attempt to avoid public memory of the incident. Despite the scandal, Paul has largely rebuilt his career, transitioning into a professional boxer, a WWE performer, and the co-founder of the Prime beverage brand. However, the suicide forest video remains the most referenced controversy of his career, a shadow he has not been able to fully escape.
