Influencer Jesse Ridgway is trying to explain a resurfaced clip where he seemingly impersonated a person with Down syndrome.
“I play a character named Isaac Kalder who has hijacked Jesse Ridgway’s life,” Ridgway, 33, shared with TMZ on Wednesday, June 10. “My family is pissed, so they hold me at gunpoint and force me to switch chairs rapidly. The identity switches happen too fast and it fries my brain.”
Ridgway added that the video was part of an online series that was a form of art and not mockery.
Us Weekly has reached out to Ridgway’s team for comment.
Back in 2017, the internet personality made a video in which he played a character with Down syndrome. In the footage, he slurs “I have Down syndrome” before adding “I want to go to Chuck E. Cheese.”
The resurfaced clip comes as Jesse and his wife, Ashley Ridgway, continue to make headlines after they chose to terminate her pregnancy.
Jesse first revealed that decision on June 3 after the couple discovered that the baby’s fetus had Down syndrome. (According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition occurs when a person has an extra copy of chromosome 21. People with Down syndrome often have developmental challenges.)
Jesse Ridgway and Ashley Ridgway Courtesy of Jesse Ridgway/Facebook
After sharing his family’s story, Jesse said he and his wife started sleeping next to a gun because of alleged death threats.
“My wife is the sweetest and strongest woman I know, the last thing she deserves is to be treated this way,” Jesse shared via Facebook on Monday, June 8. “My heart goes out to all of the women who have had to keep their abortions private for fear of judgment from friends/family, it’s the last thing you should be dealing with when you’re already confronting the hardest/worst of times.”
Jesse Ridgway and his wife, Ashley Ridgway, have been at the center of controversy after making the “difficult decision to terminate” her pregnancy after receiving a fetal Down syndrome diagnosis. “We were so excited to celebrate the gender reveal in a Psycho video with you guys, but in true ‘art imitates life’ — fashion…there had […]
Jesse, who fans may know as @McJuggerNuggets online, is best known for creating long-running, immersive web series like “The Psycho Series” and “The Devil Inside.” Over his career, the influencer has amassed more than 2 billion views and 4 million subscribers on YouTube.
Despite facing criticism from some followers, Jesse vowed to continue sharing his family’s journey. He also expressed gratitude for those offering encouragement and support.
“The choice was not made lightly,” he shared via his Instagram Story in May. “We really appreciate all of the personal stories that you guys shared with us, especially the unconditional support we received from fans with no matter what we decided.”
