Controversial Things "Great" People Did..

[00:00:00]There are people in history that are considered great such as Gandandy, Mother Theresa, John Lennon, and many more. But these people are actually incredibly controversial. Some of these great people said and did things that are absolutely insane. And we're going to be going over every single one of them. As you can see behind me, these are some of the great people that have done some very controversial things, and we're going to start things off with Winston Churchill. Winston Churchill is often celebrated for his leadership of Britain during World War II, for rallying the nation against national socialist Germany.

[00:00:29]>> We will fight them on the beaches. We will fight them in the skies.

[00:00:34]>> Yet his record includes a series of highly harmful actions. During the 1943 Bengal famine, Churchill prioritized European war needs over Indian relief, resulting in millions of deaths and blaming the famine on Indians breeding like rabbits.

[00:00:51]>> I did not know he said that. Oh my god.

[00:00:54]That was during the height of World War II as well. But imagine being in that situation where there's a famine going on in India and you're in a world war and it's just like everything's going on at once. What do you even do there? Like what? As home secretary, he supported the forced sterilization of the feeble-minded, how he called them, and sent troops to suppress peaceful strikers during the Tony Pandy riots in 1910. In Ireland in 1920, he deployed the Black and Tans, a force notorious for excessive violence against Irish civilians and the Irish Republican Army.

[00:01:26]Then he was responsible for the horrific 1945 firebombing of D. See, this is where controversy strikes because I don't know enough about this place. But if you're in a war and you're getting bombed, is it justifiable to bomb other people? I would say so. Let me find out more about this though because I could be saying something insane here.

[00:01:45]>> Which killed tens of thousands of civilians without clear military purpose. He also expressed hierarchical and racist views, seeing white Protestant Christians at the top of a racial hierarchy and disparaging Indians and the Indian National Congress. How did I not know that? How did I not know that?

[00:02:03]>> While actively opposing native self-ruule in Africa, America, Australia, and India. He defended British imperialism as altruistic, claiming colonial rule elevated subject peoples. Churchill also advocated the use of chemical weapons against what he called univilized tribes.

[00:02:21]>> Does that mean wanting to use chemical warfare against other countries in war?

[00:02:25]I'm not entirely sure.

[00:02:27]>> Targeting Kurds and Afghans. Oh, then no. I did not know all of that. That's crazy to me. Winston Churchill's life is actually insane. Imagine living that life, having all of them different views, and then being chucked in World War II. What the hell? Thomas Jefferson is remembered as a founding father and the main author of the Declaration of Independence, a huge advocate of freedom and equality. In stark contradiction to those principles, Jefferson enslaved more than 600 people over his lifetime.

[00:02:55]Among them was Sally Hemings, an enslaved girl of about 14 with whom Jefferson farted at least six children.

[00:03:02]>> WHAT THE [ __ ] THOMAS Jefferson child.

[00:03:07]We need Jillion to go like sort him out.

[00:03:11]Six children with a 14year-old. What the hell? Hemmings herself was the mixed race half sister of Jefferson's late wife. Jefferson never publicly acknowledged his children with Hemings, though some later lived as white to escape slavery. Jefferson did arrange freedom for her surviving children, mostly after his death, but never freed Hemings herself or the enslaved families at Montichello.

[00:03:36]>> So, he had a slave wife essentially.

[00:03:39]What the [ __ ] >> Jefferson also advocated for deporting freed black people to Africa, claiming they couldn't coexist with whites.

[00:03:46]>> What the hell? Mahatma Gandhi is remembered as India's national hero. The figure who led the freedom movement through nonviolent resistance.

[00:03:55]>> I find it funny how in the UK if you say some sort of quote that's not that cool.

[00:03:58]They said oh who said that Gandhi.

[00:04:01]Although I don't think that's funny.

[00:04:02]>> And whose followers called him Mahatma meaning great soul. But behind his global image lies heavy controversy.

[00:04:09]During his two decades in South Africa starting in 1893, Gandhi rose to prominence by campaigning for better treatment of Indians.

[00:04:17]>> That's not bad so far. Nothing controversial, >> but at the cost of openly demeaning black Africans. He argued that white people should remain the predominating race and believed Indians were superior.

[00:04:29]He called for segregation, including separate entrances for Indians and Africans. He emphasized a shared Indo-Aryan heritage between Indians and the English, distancing Indians from black South Africans.

[00:04:41]>> Gandhi did all of this. What the hell?

[00:04:44]>> He even used the racial slur kafir when referring to Africans. Gandhi also defended the cast system in India, seeing it as a divine social order.

[00:04:54]While he opposed extreme exclusion, he believed the unity of Hindu society was more important than full equality for untouchables. What? Gandhi's moving crazy.

[00:05:05]>> The lowest cast forced into degrading jobs such as cleaning human waste.

[00:05:10]Gandhi also saw menation as a sign of impurity. Argued intercourse should exist only for procreation and place the burden on women to control men's desires.

[00:05:20]>> Gandhi, WHAT ARE WE DOING, BRO? WHAT THE [ __ ] SO, only sex to have babies. And if men want to have sex with women, it's the woman's fault. What the [ __ ] >> He imposed strict codes on his female followers, including cutting off a girl's hair to stop harassment from men.

[00:05:38]Gandhi also carried out weird experiments to test his chastity, including sleeping naked with his teenage grand niece and several other women to prove his self-control. What the [ __ ] To prove his self-ontrol with his nieces in the bed with him.

[00:05:56]That might be one of the weirdest things I've ever heard in my life.

[00:06:00]>> Albert Einstein is celebrated as a great scientist for his theories of relativity which transformed our understanding of spaceime and gravity. His personal life, however, was marked by problematic behavior. He was unfaithful to his first wife, Viva Maric, with whom he had two sons and an illegitimate daughter whose existence was hidden. Her fate remains unclear.

[00:06:23]>> So far, not the end of the world. He's just cheated on his wife. Obviously, not great, but not the end of the world.

[00:06:27]>> Later, he married his cousin.

[00:06:29]>> EVERY TIME I SPEAK, SOMETHING CRAZY HAPPENS. Marrying your cousin and former mistress Ela Luvental. Einstein continued extrammarital affairs after this marriage and treated Mava harshly, reducing her role to that of a servant.

[00:06:45]Letters and diaries also reveal his sexist views, seeing women as passive and dominated. Einstein's private diaries reveal xenophobic attitudes, describing Chinese and Japanese people as filthy and obtuse.

[00:06:59]>> What the [ __ ] is wrong with these people?

[00:07:02]>> Politically, he supported socialism, which led the US government to monitor him as a potential subversive. He also supported the Manhattan Project's development, but later regretted its use.

[00:07:13]>> What do you guys think about the Manhattan Project? Cuz that was the two atomic bombs, weren't there? I think it was. I think Yeah, it was. Do you think it was necessary or not? Let me know in the comments. And whilst you're there, make sure to like and subscribe.

[00:07:22]>> Thomas Edison is celebrated for innovations like the light bulb, photograph, and early motion pictures.

[00:07:28]In reality, many of his creations were improvements on existing designs, and his true talent lay in marketing and securing patents.

[00:07:37]>> Shut up. Shut up. Thomas Edison has made the light bulb. Rather than inventing from scratch, Edison often took credit for the work of others, including Joseph Swan, who was independently developing the light bulb. He also treated employees harshly. Nicola Tesla, for example, was promised $50,000 for fixing Edison's machines, but was later told it was a joke.

[00:08:00]>> I'd be fuming I'd be fuming Thomas Edison would not be alive if I was promised $50,000 and I never got it.

[00:08:05]Especially back in those days, 50K was bread. It still is now even more back then.

[00:08:10]>> Edison's business practices were ruthless. During the war of the currents, he actively campaigned against alternating current AC, spreading misinformation and publicly electrocuting animals to portray AC as dangerous.

[00:08:26]>> What the [ __ ] Why wasn't he put in prison? Animal cruelty or something?

[00:08:31]What the hell? To maintain his market advantage, Edison also exploited the patent system to dominate industries, filing over 1,000 patents and suing competitors like early filmmakers. This cutthroat tactic secured his market power but stifled innovation. So, he was literally just like a tycoon and just took over everyone. That's insane.

[00:08:52]Thomas Edison, you're a liar.

[00:08:54]>> Theater Seuss Geisel aka Dr. See is celebrated as one of the most influential children's authors, including classics like The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, selling more than 600 million copies worldwide. However, several of his early books contained racist imagery and stereotypes of black, Asian, and Arab people, leading Dr. Seuss Enterprises to seize their publication in 2021.

[00:09:20]Characters of color were often dehumanized or depicted in subservient roles. a Chinese boy who eats with sticks and it's a Chinese person who is yellow. That definitely wouldn't go down well today. Before his children's books, Geisel created political cartoons from the 1920s through the 40s that were blatantly racist, depicting black people as savages, Arabs as exoticized nomads, and Japanese Americans in demeaning ways that were blatantly racist.

[00:09:51]>> This is crazy. That's insane. take home a highgrade. Oh my god, that's Oh my god, that's crazy. Oh my god, that's crazy.

[00:10:00]>> Exoticized nomads and Japanese Americans in demeaning ways, even supporting their internment during World War II. His personal life was also controversial.

[00:10:10]While his first wife, Helen, suffered from severe illness, he had an affair, later marrying his mistress less than a year after Helen's death. Mother Teresa, born Agnes Goncha Boyaju, is celebrated worldwide for her work with poor people.

[00:10:25]She received many civilian awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and later the Order of Merit from Queen Elizabeth II. She was even canonized as a saint by Pope Francis in 2016.

[00:10:38]>> That's like the highest award you could possibly get. That's insane.

[00:10:41]>> Her reputation, however, is highly controversial. Reports from her missionaries of charity homes often describe poor hygiene, reuse of dirty needles, neglect in pain management, and minimal medical oversight.

[00:10:54]>> Reusing needles is crazy.

[00:10:56]>> Critics argue she prioritized spiritual care over the physical well-being of patients since she often glorified suffering, calling it beautiful and a way to connect with Jesus.

[00:11:07]>> Yeah. If I was ever trying to get any sort of help for my health and the doctor or the person helping me said, "Don't worry. You don't need medical help. Just you need Jesus." I would definitely start worrying. Please inject me with something that's going to help me.

[00:11:21]>> Questions have also been raised about the organization's finances. While it collected tens of millions in donations, there was little transparency and funds often went toward religious activities rather than directly improving care. Her fundraising and friendships also drew criticism including associations with corrupt figures like Hades Jean Claude Duvalier accused of torture and murder and American financeier Charles Keating.

[00:11:46]>> So Mother Theresa what like embezzled all the money or what's going on >> who stole from taxpayers. Some say she was naive or opportunistic and didn't know their crimes. Further unverified allegations include nuns secretly baptizing dying patients without consent and claims that infants were sold in facilities run by her order in India though these reports remain disputed.

[00:12:10]>> Surely she didn't sell babies. Surely Mother Theresa weren't selling babies on the black market. Like there's no way.

[00:12:16]>> John Lennon is known as a founder and leader of the Beatles, one of the most influential bands of all time. However, his personal life was marked by violence and hypocrisy. Lennon admitted to being physically and verbally abusive toward his first wife, Cynthia Pell, and neglected his son, Julian, after their divorce.

[00:12:34]>> I already don't like him. I like the Beatles, but I already don't like John Lemon. I mean, what? Beating your wife and then leaving your son? Despite openly preaching peace in the late 60s and early 70s, he engaged in drunken brawls and violent outbursts, including throwing a glass that hit a waitress in a Los Angeles club and having an affair with Yokoono's assistant during his period of excessive drinking and substance use. Lennon also famously claimed that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus in a 1966 interview.

[00:13:05]The comment was seen as blasphemous and disrespectful to many religious groups at the time. And obviously they weren't more popular than Jesus. Like I think that was actually impossible. I think Jesus is the most famous person like ever.

[00:13:16]>> Provoked protests, boycotss, and threats against the band. He also endorsed radical causes like the Black Panthers while living a lavish lifestyle.

[00:13:26]>> Joseph Kennedy Senior, best known as the father of John F. Kennedy and for serving as ambassador to the United Kingdom carried a legacy marked by influence and controversy.

[00:13:37]>> Uh-oh, this one could be bad.

[00:13:39]>> Charlie Chaplain was an English actor celebrated as one of the greatest pioneers of cinema, creating timeless films that shaped film making and comedy. But his relationships with much younger women drew controversy.

[00:13:53]>> Stop it. Stop it. Why is everyone a pedophile? WHY? WHY CAN'T THEY JUST DATE someone who's old? What? What's going on?

[00:14:01]>> At 29, he married his first wife, Mildred Harris, who was just 16.

[00:14:06]>> Oh my god. What? I just don't get it. I just don't get it. That's so weird to me.

[00:14:12]>> At 35, he wed Lita Gray, then 16 after she became pregnant. A marriage critics's note could have led to sexual assault charges under California law.

[00:14:22]>> Oh my god. So, she was 16 when she was pregnant, which means he probably shagged her when she was 15. What the [ __ ] Their relationship ended bitterly with accusations of abuse and infidelity. Chaplain later married more actresses with wide age gaps, including Pullet Goddard, 22, to his 43, and most famously Una O'Neal, who was only 18 when she married 54year-old Chapel. His perceived communist sympathies also fueled his negative reputation, culminating in exile from the US.

[00:14:52]>> Yeah, boo. Communism. Boo. Alfred Nobel, the Swedish chemist, is celebrated for leaving most of his fortune to create a Nobel Prizes, which since 1901 have honored breakthroughs in science, literature, and peace. But Nobel built his fortune as a merchant of death.

[00:15:10]>> So the Nobel Peace Prize guy, I assume this is who it is, the guy who made the Nobel Peace Prize, is also a merchant of death. Born into a poor family that supplied explosives to the Russian SAR, Nobel turned to nitroglycerin experiments after his father's business collapsed. In 1867, he invented dynamite, a stable explosive meant for mining and construction.

[00:15:33]>> No, shut up. The guy who made the Nobel Peace Prizes made dynamite.

[00:15:38]>> Yet, it quickly became a tool of destruction used in the FrancoRussian War. Nobel's wealth grew further through his ownership of Bow Force, a company that profited massively from selling cannons and munitions to militaries across Europe. In 1888, a newspaper wrongly published a death notice for Alfred Nobel after his brother Ludvig died, calling him the man who got rich by inventing ways to kill people faster.

[00:16:05]>> That's insane. That the guy who has a prize about peace was the reason for like thousands of deaths. probably more.

[00:16:13]>> Florence Nightingale, the lady with the lamp, is hailed as the founder of modern nursing. Her sanitation reforms during the Crimean War saved countless lives.

[00:16:24]Yet, her legacies also tied to exclusion and racial bias. All of the nurses she recruited for Crimea were white women, and her writings often aligned with the ideology of British colonialism, reinforcing the idea that nursing was a role reserved for white women.

[00:16:41]>> Which is ironic because now the best nurses to get at a hospital are black women. It I whenever they come, they're always so nice. They always call me honey. I'm like, "Oh, great. This is fantastic."

[00:16:53]This bias was most evident in her treatment of Mary Seco, a Jamaicanborn nurse of mixed race who offered her services but was rejected from Nightingale's group due to her duskier skin.

[00:17:05]>> What like it's crazy how people thought back in the day like their thought processes were just so weird >> but also her informal training. Dubbed the black nightingale sele was sidelined in her time. Nightingale's later work in India further showed her colonial lens, dismissing indigenous medical practices as inferior. Pablo Picasso was a Spanish painter regarded as one of the most influential artists in the 20th centuries.

[00:17:32]>> I think he's one of the most influential of all time, by the way.

[00:17:34]>> Celebrated for pioneering cubism. But behind his artistic genius, Picasso was notorious for his misogyny. His relationships with women, often much younger, were marked by emotional manipulation and cruelty.

[00:17:47]>> Why does every famous person go for really young women?

[00:17:51]>> He openly declared that there are only two kinds of women, goddesses and doormats, reflected in how he treated many of his partners. In his art, women were often reduced to objects or distorted forms. Two of his partners suffered mental breakdowns linked to his treatment. Picasso also exploited African and Iberian art for his own gain. What's wrong with these guys?

[00:18:15]Gently, what's wrong? What's wrong with famous people? But that's about it.

[00:18:19]These are the most controversial things great people did. Make sure to like and subscribe. And one more thing. Um, hi