It's a safe assumption that most teenagers and college-aged people know, or have at least heard of, Shane Dawson. His most recent YouTube video with Eugenia Cooney was uploaded this past weekend after a five-month hiatus. Though Shane is notoriously known for his silly, lighthearted videos and skits, as of late he has taken a different direction creatively. Alongside his conspiracy theory videos, he has created content surrounding his past issues with his family, past relationships, and his childhood and insecurities. Shane has been completing documentary-like videos following Internet stars such as Tana Mongeau, Trisha Paytas, Jeffree Star, and Jake Paul. He took the same approach in his video with Eugenia.
This video with Eugenia is different than the other documentaries Shane has done. In the past, Shane provided his viewers with a day in the life of famous people and answered frequently asked questions regarding these celebrities. Although Eugenia is a YouTuber, this video is centered around a very real and relatable issue: her eating disorder. Said topic is also relevant for Shane himself, as he has dealt with an eating disorder of his own.
Eugenia Cooney addressed her eating disorder yet did not label it, simply stating that she had a disorder and sought help which brought her to rehab. Thankfully, rehab seemed to prove successful for her as she gained back healthy weight and began to become comfortable with her body. However, it was not an easy process. She did not notice how frail and thin she looked and how big of an issue it actually was. When confronted by fans, friends, and family about her health and weight, Eugenia insisted that she was fine and that nothing was wrong. However, she tiptoed around questions regarding food and her body. This is very common for most people, not just those with eating disorders: We tend to ignore the things ailing us in the hopes that they will go away or fix themselves.
News flash! They won't.
The video also showed Eugenia's "fans" reaching out to her and sending love and prayers that she received the help she needed. However, there were others who called her mean names and made comments like, "Just eat a burger already," or called her a "skeleton." Eugenia admitted that these hurt her a lot. It's one thing to kindly show concern, but to tell someone they're going to die if they don't start eating is completely uncalled for. It is because of this negativity that Eugenia and others who suffer like her choose to keep these struggles private.
Shane's conversation with Eugenia is a great example of how discussions regarding eating disorders should go. Shane did not excessively pry and continued to ask her if she was comfortable with what he was questioning. Eugenia remained calm and replied that nothing was off-limits: she wanted to help others who are struggling by sharing her narrative.
At the conclusion of the video, Eugenia is shown making a video for her own YouTube channel explaining her time in rehab. This video included Shane. The duo smiled and laughed as Shane explained to Eugenia what she had missed on the Internet while she was getting help. The segment was endearing and put a smile on my face. It was sweet to see Shane explain the meme, "And I oop-" to Eugenia. After this, Shane listed crisis phone and text lines for eating disorders as well as the National Eating Disorder Association's website.
NEDA resources.National Eating Disorders Association.
