Shane Dawson is taking the good with the bad.
The vlogger posted his first YouTube video in more than a year on Thursday, Oct. 7. His latest series is titled "The Haunting of Shane Dawson," which will follow him and his partner, Ryland Adams, as they ghost hunt in their new home state of Colorado.
Additionally, in the first video of the series, the YouTuber addressed his decision to take a step back from the spotlight after controversial clips featuring his use of blackface, the N-word and other offensive comments resurfaced last year.
He spoke candidly to the camera, stating that he "wanted to leave the internet and I didn't want to be part" of the vlogging community. Dawson said, "I felt like it ruined my life."
He explained that prior to the controversy, he'd already felt he had "learned a lot" and grown past the person in the controversial clips. "I think part of me was upset because I was like, I made so much growth and now I'm being canceled over things from the past," Dawson reflected, "and that's not me anymore."
However, the controversy helped him realize he "can't focus on what other people think of me." So, while it was a "really hard" time in his life, Dawson admitted, "I learned a lot, and I feel like I'm so happy it happened."
"I'm so grateful that I got cancelled, because it really changed my life. It showed me what I care about and showed me what matters; it showed me I don't need to be on YouTube all the time," he explained. "I don't need to be stressed about what's next, I don't need to be trying to think of the next idea, the next whatever to be happy."
Dawson also acknowledged that some of his jokes were not appropriate, saying, "Yeah, there was bad stuff in those videos, but like the good stuff connected with people and I can't just throw that away, that's weird."
The vlogger added that he understands why people may be upset, but he wants to move forward. "I'm not going to run from my past, but I'm also not going to stay in it," he shared. "I feel like it would be unhealthy for me to just constantly think about it."
"I don't want to be looked at as somebody who gave up and left and ran away from the internet because they were afraid of whatever," Dawson continued. "No, I left because I felt like I should, and I left because I needed time, and I left because I wanted to figure out what the hell I was doing with my life and what I wanted to do and why I got to a place where I didn't want to be alive anymore."
Now, he is "so excited" about the future and wants to give his followers a look at his life in Colorado.
Though the YouTuber said he's turned a new leaf, some social media users made it clear they will not be supporting Dawson. One person tweeted, "Imma just wait for these drama channels to analyze Shane Dawson video cause he not getting a view from me."
The YouTube star's reputation took a serious hit in June 2020, when a clip of Dawson seemingly touching himself inappropriately to a poster of 11-year-old Willow Smith resurfaced. He apologized about the general "sexualization" of minors in a video, but Jada Pinkett Smith and Jaden Smith stated his apologies were useless.
"To Shane Dawson ... I'm done with the excuses," Jada tweeted, while Jaden wrote, "SHANE DAWSON I AM DISGUSTED BY YOU. YOU SEXUALIZING AN 11 YEAR OLD GIRL WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY SISTER!!!!!! IS THE FURTHEST THING FROM FUNNY AND NOT OKAY IN THE SLIGHTEST BIT."
Jaden continued in a separate tweet, "This Man Was Also Doing Black Face On The Regular. As The Youth We Need To Support Creators Who Support Us And Our Morals. This Is Not Okay."