History of Keemstar in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 23, 2024

Daniel M. Keem, or Keemstar, is an American online personality known for his YouTube channel DramaAlert. He primarily focuses on news and commentary related to internet and pop culture drama.

March 8, 1982: Birth of Keemstar

On March 8, 1982, Daniel M. Keem, known online as Keemstar, was born. He would later become an American YouTuber, podcaster, and streamer.

1982: Early Life

Keemstar was born in Buffalo, New York in 1982. He has one brother and one sister. He is of predominantly Italian and Greek descent.

January 2009: First YouTube Appearance

In January 2009, Keemstar made his first appearance on YouTube in a Halo 3 video, engaging in trash talking on voice chat.

July 2010: Most Subscribed on BlogTV

Keemstar achieved the milestone of becoming the most subscribed person on BlogTV in July 2010.

November 2010: Swatting Incident

In November 2010, Keemstar experienced a swatting incident. The caller falsely claimed to be a deaf person held hostage at his address.

2010: BattleCam.com Controversy

In 2010, Keemstar was involved in a controversy on BattleCam.com where he encouraged viewers to type a racial slur in the chat. He later apologized for the incident.

February 2011: FortressCraft Partnership

In February 2011, Keemstar partnered with the developers of FortressCraft, an Xbox Live game, taking part-ownership and promoting it. The game went on to sell 2 million copies.

July 2011: Billionaire's Challenge Controversy

Keemstar and Alki David hosted the 'Billionaire's Challenge' tournament in July 2011. Controversy arose during the planning of the second tournament due to David's joke about an assisted suicide being featured, leading to some YouTubers dropping out. David later clarified it was a joke, and the second show proceeded.

June 2012: Bad Kid Show Launch

Keemstar and Call of Duty YouTuber ONLYUSEmeBLADE launched the Bad Kid Show podcast in June 2012.

September 2012: DramaAlert Hashtag Debut

Keemstar started using the hashtag #DramaAlert on Twitter in September 2012, marking the beginning of his association with the brand.

June 2014: DramaAlert Channel Launch

After multiple account terminations, Keemstar launched his current YouTube channel, DramaAlert, in June 2014.

January 2016: Insensitive Tweet Towards TotalBiscuit

Keemstar faced backlash in January 2016 for an insensitive tweet directed at YouTuber TotalBiscuit, who was battling cancer at the time. Keemstar later apologized for the tweet.

May 2016: iDubbbz Exposé and Response

YouTuber iDubbbz released an exposé video in May 2016 criticizing Keemstar's behavior, accusing him of threatening YouTubers and making rash decisions. Keemstar responded by defending his actions and claiming justification for past offensive language based on a DNA test.

2016: False Accusation Against RSGloryandGold

In 2016, Keemstar wrongly accused RuneScape streamer Tony Winchester (RSGloryandGold) of being a pedophile, mistaking him for someone else. Keemstar later issued an apology, fired an editor, offered Winchester compensation, and deleted the related videos.

May 2018: TotalBiscuit Passes Away

TotalBiscuit, the YouTuber Keemstar had directed an insensitive tweet towards in 2016, passed away in May 2018.

2018: Fortnite Friday Launch

Keemstar founded 'Fortnite Friday' in 2018, an online Fortnite tournament that featured various content creators, streamers, and professional players.

January 2019: Body Shaming Accusation

Jake Paul accused Keemstar of body shaming his then-girlfriend, Erika Costell, in January 2019 after Keemstar made a tweet comparing her body to a YouTuber with an eating disorder.

April 2019: Etika Interview

Keemstar interviewed YouTuber Etika in April 2019 during a period of Etika's visible emotional distress. The interview drew criticism due to Etika's concerning statements and Keemstar's line of questioning.

2019: Minecraft Monday Launch

In 2019, Keemstar created 'Minecraft Monday,' a spinoff of his successful 'Fortnite Friday' tournament.

May 2020: Ethan Klein Exposé and G Fuel Sponsorship Loss

In May 2020, YouTuber Ethan Klein released a video criticizing Keemstar's past behavior, including his interview with Etika. This led to G Fuel ending their sponsorship with Keemstar.

April 2021: Controversial Comments on Sexual Assault Allegations

Keemstar sparked outrage in April 2021 with controversial comments regarding sexual assault allegations against Jake Paul, expressing disbelief and making insensitive remarks.

October 25, 2021: Retirement Announcement

On October 25, 2021, Keemstar announced his plan to retire from YouTube on March 8, 2022, citing dissatisfaction with the platform and its community.

November 12, 2021: New Hosts for DramaAlert

Despite announcing his retirement, Keemstar hired Willy Mac as a new host for DramaAlert and brought back former host TyBlue on November 12, 2021.

February 12, 2022: Retirement Cancellation

On February 12, 2022, Keemstar announced he would not be retiring from DramaAlert after all. He cited a lack of confidence in finding a permanent replacement and a new sponsorship deal with MyBookie.