This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
This Disney Star Has Made His L.A. Neighborhood 'A Living Hell'
Jake Paul, a 20-year-old social media influencer who rose to prominence via Vine before snagging a role on the Disney Channel show Bizaardvark, isn't exactly what you'd call a model tenant. Mic reports that Paul and his "squad" use his Beverly Grove rental to throw wild parties, do stunts and set furniture alight in an empty pool, all of which is somewhat irksome to his neighbors (who, presumably, didn't sign on to live next door to a Jackass remake set in Dante's seventh circle of hell.)
In an extremely wild KTLA interview on Tuesday, Paul—who boasts an impressive 8.5 million followers on Instagram and YouTube—blithely shoots hoops with his bros and cheers as a mattress goes up in flames in his backyard. Paul appears unconcerned at his neighbors' threat to file a class action public nuisance lawsuit against him, crowing, "The neighbors hate me," as he revs his motorcycle up a quiet side street.
Later in the clip, Paul scales a KTLA news van as a reporter calls out, "Jake, I wouldn't do that...I wouldn't crawl up there." Undaunted in the face of adversity, Paul continues his climb. Once he's back on the ground he offers a word of regret—"Yeah it sucks and I feel bad for them," Paul says of his neighbors. He then ends this statement with a sincere and thoughtful, "Dab." In response to accusations that his stunts have turned the neighborhood into "a war zone" and "a circus," Paul waits a beat, then replies, "I mean...people like going to circuses, right?"
The KTLA interview notes that Paul's lack of discretion about his address draws a lot of young girls to his place, two of whom explain through giggles, "He's funny...and savage." In summation, parents, please keep your teenage daughters out of the Beverly Grove area, as the risk of backyard pool fires and unrepentant YouTube dummies is higher than usual this month.
If you need to witness Paul's obnoxiousness first hand, here's a video of him pranking his brother. So savage.
This article originally misidentified Jake Paul's neighborhood as being in West Hollywood. His residence is actually in the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles.
-
Donald Trump was a fading TV presence when the WGA strike put a dent in network schedules.
-
Pickets are being held outside at movie and TV studios across the city
-
For some critics, this feels less like a momentous departure and more like a footnote.
-
Disneyland's famous "Fantasmic!" show came to a sudden end when its 45-foot animatronic dragon — Maleficent — burst into flames.
-
Leads Ali Wong and Steven Yeun issue a joint statement along with show creator Lee Sung Jin.
-
Every two years, Desert X presents site-specific outdoor installations throughout the Coachella Valley. Two Los Angeles artists have new work on display.