Logan Paul Leaves Podcast After ‘Japanese Forest’ Joke Sparks Backlash

Logan Paul walks off podcast

Logan Paul recently walked off his own Impaulsive podcast after a joke brought up his controversial “Japanese forest” incident from 2017 in Japan’s Aokigahara forest, often called the “suicide forest.” The joke reminded viewers of his widely condemned vlog that showed the body of a deceased person and led to intense criticism of the influencer.

How the joke came up

During the November 21 episode, Paul told a story about one of the strongest men in the world losing a tug-of-war contest to a group of children. After he finished, co-host Mike Majlak silently mouthed the word “rope,” signaling guest Tana Mongeau to make a joke connected to Paul’s past scandal.

Mongeau initially pushed back, saying Majlak was acting silly and implying that he was trying to set her up to use her “classic” suicide forest joke on the show. Majlak responded that “it was all for the clip,” referring to a previous similar joke that had generated many views.

Tana Mongeau’s remark

Although she hesitated at first, Mongeau eventually followed through and made a joke about Logan Paul’s trip to the Japanese forest. She remarked that she had debated whether to use the joke that day or avoid it as “low-hanging fruit,” referencing how easy and obvious the punchline was.

Once the joke landed, Paul reacted strongly: he pushed his microphone away, put his head in his hands, and then stood up and left the podcast set. Majlak and Mongeau stayed on the set and continued laughing, even as the atmosphere became uncomfortable.

Background on the 2017 “Japanese forest” incident

The podcast jokes referred to Logan Paul’s 2017 vlog filmed in Japan’s Aokigahara forest, a location associated with a high number of suicides. In that video, Paul and his friends encountered the body of a person who had died by suicide, and Paul filmed near the body and included it in a vlog uploaded to YouTube.

The footage caused global outrage, with many viewers and media outlets condemning Paul for treating a tragic situation as content. After the backlash, he removed the video and issued apologies, later acknowledging the seriousness of his actions and the impact on his reputation.

Ongoing impact on Logan Paul

Years after the original scandal, references to the “Japanese forest” continue to affect how audiences and fellow creators perceive Logan Paul. Coverage of the recent walk-off highlights how the incident still resurfaces in conversations about his career, humor, and public image.

The renewed attention also underlines the sensitivity around suicide-related content and the responsibility influencers carry when turning real-life tragedies into entertainment. Even as Paul has worked to rebuild his brand, moments like this podcast episode show that the controversy remains a significant part of his public narrative.

Content warning: The story and its context involve mentions of suicide and may be distressing for some readers.

Author’s summary

This episode shows how Logan Paul’s past Aokigahara scandal still shadows his career, turning even casual podcast banter into a tense reminder of earlier serious misjudgment.

Yahoo — 2025-11-24