Scroll through any social media site at the moment, and you’re bound to see the name Dee Kosh.
In 2020, if you keep seeing the same name pop up on your news feed day after day, it can only mean one of two things:
- That this person has successfully developed a Covid-19 vaccine
- That this person is involved in a scandal of some sort
To my knowledge, Dee Kosh is not an infectious disease expert nor a medical virologist, so it has to be number 2.
Over the last few days, the social media world has been rocked by allegations that Dee Kosh, whose real name is Darryl Ian Koshy, had asked several teenage boys for nude pictures and sexual favours in the past.
Dee Kosh initially denied the allegations, but later admitted there was some “truth” to them.
Since then, at least six police reports have been lodged against the popular YouTuber.
And one by one, influencers are taking a break from influencing to weigh in on the matter.
1 of Dee Kosh’s Most Popular ‘Boys’ Responded & Said He’s ‘Disappointed’
If you used to be a Dee Kosh fan, you might be familiar with his fellow YouTuber and influencer Ben Tang, who featured in many of his videos.
On Wednesday (19 Aug), Tang issued a statement on his Instagram account in response to the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against his friend.
Tang said that despite being a good friend of Dee Kosh’s, he is “disappointed” by the claims of harassment.
The influencer said he “does not condone” his actions and hopes that Dee Kosh will learn from this incident.
While he understands that people are angry and frustrated at the moment, Tang said they shouldn’t direct their hatred towards him, as netizens have been insulting him and his family, and leaving inappropriate comments.
Intimate Photos With Dee Kosh Were Staged
Tang also clarified that the photos in circulation of him with “Xiaotina” – a female character played by Dee Kosh – where the two were in intimate positions, were staged, and not forced upon him.
“Those pictures are staged, photoshopped and they were not forced upon me. They were part of a fictional narrative in an ongoing plot involving Xiaotina”, he said.
Tang added that their 5-year working relationship was “strictly professional” and that he has never had a sexual relationship with Dee Kosh, nor did he get paid in return for sexual favours.
Here’s the full post:
YouTuber Hirzi Zulkiflie Apologised For Doing Video With Dee Kosh
Another YouTuber who appeared in Dee Kosh’s videos, Hirzi Zulkiflie, took to social media as well recently to respond to the allegations.
However, instead of reacting to the alleged sexual misconduct, Hirzi apologised to influencer and published writer Nicole Choo for two YouTube videos he made with Dee Kosh back in 2018.
Why?
In the videos, Hirzi and Dee Kosh made fun of a poetry book Choo published that year, titled “Nineteen.
The book’s publisher, Eliza Teoh, claims the pair incited “hatred” against Choo; even after the first video was taken down due to copyright infringment, Dee Kosh and Hirzi uploaded a mock apology video afterwards.
According to Teoh, many netizens had launched malicious verbal attacks against Choo after the videos were posted, some of which included violent threats.
In fact, the diatribe against Choo was so strong that she went overseas for a few months to stay with a friend because she felt “physically afraid” in Singapore.
For his part in the videos, Hirzi apologised to Choo, saying he takes full responsibility for his “hurtful remarks”.
“I am sorry Nicole and for hurting you in the process of what I now understand is a tasteless attempt at comedy and ultimately cyberbullying”, he wrote.
Would you be jailed for being half-naked in public? Well, the answer will shock you. Seriously. Watch this to the end and you'll understand:
