(Image via @WilburSoot / X)

Staff Writer: Rena Danho

Email: rdanho@umassd.edu

Throughout your time on the internet, you may have heard of Will Gold, more commonly known on the internet as WilburSoot.

Back around 2019, SootHouse was a popular YouTube channel where Gold and some friends made short videos for the Internet, mostly with content from different forums and Reddit. However, this wasn’t the only YouTube presence Gold had. 

Over COVID-19, many may remember the peak of Minecraft on YouTube and, to be more specific, Dream. Dream was a YouTuber who played Minecraft and eventually made the DREAMS, which Gold was a part of. 

But Gold did not stop at YouTube and Twitch streaming. He is also part of a band named Lovejoy, which originated from England and has three other members: Joe Goldsmith, Ash Kabosu, and Mark Boardman.

However, in more recent news, Will Gold or WilburSoot has been under fire for sexual assault allegations from his ex-girlfriend Shubble.

Shelby Grace, or Shubble as she is known online, made allegations on Twitch that in her past, she was abused by her ex-boyfriend. Now, she never said who this previous partner was in the stream, but fans were quick to point fingers at Gold. 

On Grace’s stream, she went on to say that it started off with biting and that her partner would ignore the safe word and instead use that as a way to gauge how much pain he could inflict before it started to hurt.

After this stream was over, people on X gave Grace their full support, and the stream gained more and more views. As more people slowly put the pieces together, they started going to X and other social media platforms, discussing how Gold is a horrible person who no longer deserves support.

On February 27th, Wilbur posted an apology on social media. 

Despite Gold coming forward after this Twitch stream for his actions towards Grace, many fans were unhappy with his response.

Many people said that instead of taking accountability, he defended himself first and claimed that he had changed. 

“Disappointing response. Focus on the victim’s thoughts and feelings, not your own”

@burpled

“I think the focus of what this statement should have been on is totally off. This appears that the main docs are yourself and your growth and less for the person who was abused. A sincere apology should have been at the very forefront of what you posted.”

@seapeekay 

“Narcissism at its finest!”

@liltaybepoppin 

Dream even issued his own statements about the matter a day later. Despite receiving backlash for things he has been accused of, some people online commended Dream for even saying anything. 

Grace, since then, has also responded to Gold and his “apology.”

Of course, with Gold’s immense following, some people don’t believe Gold did anything wrong without proof. Gold has gained such a huge following through YouTube and his music that many fans just don’t believe it, nor do they want to, despite Gold coming forward and saying yes, he did these things.

Despite the “apology” Gold gave, he hasn’t said anything since and has been quiet on social media. Gold’s band Lovejoy is set to play festivals this year, one of which is Boston Calling during Memorial Day weekend. Whether this will stay this way or if any festivals will drop them is all up to time.

All that can be done right now is to support Grace’s side on the matter. She is a victim in this situation, and all the support she can get goes a long way.

Whether you decide to support Gold after this is all a personal matter, but at the end of the day, too many Gold was a person behind a screen, and he built his internet personality and presence behind that. 

But as Gold has stated in his song, Your Sister Was Right, “I’m nothing but a problem.”