Bald And Bankrupt's Azerbaijan Ban: Why?

YouTuber Benjamin Rich, better known as Bald and Bankrupt, has been banned from Azerbaijan. In one of his videos, Rich sees a truck decorated with Azerbaijani national martyrs on the back and calls them war criminals, before correcting himself to say soldiers. This has angered many Azerbaijanis, who believe that his comment was intentional and that he is biased against their country. As a result, it is unlikely that Rich will be able to return to Azerbaijan, although he has previously expressed a desire to do so.

Bald and Bankrupt's negative perception of Azerbaijan

Bald and Bankrupt, or Benjamin Rich, has garnered a negative perception from Azerbaijanis due to several factors. Firstly, Rich's comments about Azerbaijan's national martyrs have caused significant backlash. In one of his videos, he referred to them as "war criminals" before correcting himself and saying, "sorry, I mean soldiers." This incident led to a strong negative reaction from viewers, with some interpreting it as an intentional insult and an expression of bias toward Armenia.

Additionally, Rich's video content and behaviour in Azerbaijan have been perceived as disrespectful by some. He has been accused of portraying modern architecture in a negative light and displaying an excessive admiration for all things Soviet. This perspective is considered outdated and tired by some viewers.

Furthermore, Bald and Bankrupt's personal conduct has also been called into question. There are allegations of him manipulating and taking advantage of impoverished women in developing countries. These accusations include claims of sexual misconduct and rape, which have led to a loss of fans and a negative perception of his character.

While some viewers acknowledge that Bald and Bankrupt has brought positive recognition to Azerbaijan through his videos, his recent comments and behaviour have led to a significant decline in his popularity among Azerbaijanis. His statements about Azerbaijani soldiers and his perceived bias toward Armenia have particularly angered and alienated a portion of his audience.

It is worth noting that Bald and Bankrupt's content and behaviour have also attracted praise from other viewers, who appreciate his authentic portrayal of the countries he visits and his willingness to engage with local residents. However, the negative perception among some Azerbaijanis remains prominent due to the aforementioned reasons.

The YouTuber's ban from Russia

The YouTuber "Bald and Bankrupt", or Benjamin Rich, has been banned from Russia. Rich's YouTube channel has garnered millions of subscribers and views for his travel vlogs, particularly in post-Soviet states. However, his coverage of Russia has led to his arrest and subsequent ban from the country.

On 7 May 2022, Rich was detained at the Baikonur Cosmodrome for allegedly entering a guarded site without permission. While he denied the reports, he admitted to being fined and questioned by Russian police. This incident marked the beginning of his troubles in Russia.

On 1 September 2022, Rich posted a vlog announcing his arrest and ban from Russia, stating that it would be his final video covering travels through the country. Rich's ban was later lifted, but his coverage of Russia and its allies has continued to cause controversy.

In a video, Rich referred to a Chechen woman as a "chick", which the Chechen authorities deemed disparaging and forced him to apologise on camera. Additionally, in another video, he called Azerbaijani national martyrs "war criminals", sparking outrage among viewers and leading some to speculate that he might be banned from Azerbaijan as well.

While Bald and Bankrupt's travels have brought attention to various countries and cultures, his comments and actions have also attracted criticism and led to legal consequences, as evidenced by his ban from Russia and controversies in other countries.

His controversial comments about Chechen women

Benjamin Rich, better known as Bald and Bankrupt, is a British travel vlogger with a particular interest in the former Soviet Union. In 2019, he visited Chechnya, an autonomous republic in southern Russia with a conservative Muslim population and a troubled history.

In a video called "The Train to Chechnya", he referred to a Chechen woman in his train compartment as a "chick" and offered her a drink. This enraged some Chechen vigilantes, who hunted him down in Grozny and forced him to record an official apology. The full-length video was censored and re-uploaded, but the clip that caused the controversy can still be viewed online.

Some commentators have speculated that the woman in the video did not exist at all and that Bald was "fantasizing out loud". However, others have defended his use of the word "chick", arguing that there was nothing offensive about it.

Bald has faced further criticism for his friendship with Harald Baldr, another YouTuber who has written "sexpat guides" for places like Thailand and the Philippines. There are also allegations that Bald has scripted and staged his videos, carefully scouting people and places and doing multiple takes to create a particular image.

In addition to the Chechnya controversy, Bald has also been accused of being a "creepy sex tourist" and a "serial sexual predator". These allegations stem from archived posts he made on a pickup artist forum, in which he allegedly bragged about going to poor countries, ingratiating himself with locals, and paying young women to sleep with him.

As a result of these controversies, Bald has faced backlash from some viewers who have unsubscribed from his channel or stopped watching his videos. However, he still has a significant following, with 4.08 million subscribers and 637 million views as of April 2024.

His arrest at the Baikonur Cosmodrome

On 7 May 2022, Benjamin Rich, the vlogger behind the YouTube channel Bald and Bankrupt, was arrested at the Baikonur Cosmodrome for "unsanctioned entry to a guarded site". This is an administrative offence in Russia, and Rich was fined 5,000 roubles.

Rich denied the reports, stating that he was fined by Russian police after being questioned for a few hours for going to see the Buran spaceplane without permission. He claimed that he did not enter any guarded site, and that he was only interested in seeing the spaceplane up close.

The incident caused some controversy, with some viewers of his channel expressing disappointment in his actions. This was not the first time Rich had caused offence in the countries he visited. Prior to this incident, he had been forced to apologise to Chechen authorities for referring to a Chechen woman as a "chick", which was deemed disparaging. There have also been accusations of Rich manipulating and taking advantage of impoverished women in developing countries.

Despite the controversy, Rich's channel has gained significant attention for its unique perspective on post-Soviet states. His content has been praised for its authenticity and for showcasing the vibrancy and hospitality of the places he visits.

His video about a trip to Bolivia

Bald and Bankrupt is an English travel vlog YouTube channel operated by Benjamin Rich, who is better known as Mr. Bald. Rich's video about a trip to Patamanta in Bolivia was reported by Gizmodo Español as "more scary than entering Chernobyl". In the video, he informed a local woman that he was a tourist, prompting her to warn him that "they burn people" in the area. Two men later approached Rich, inspected his passport, and gave him 30 minutes to explore and leave.

In the video, Rich can be seen walking through the streets of Patamanta, a small town in Bolivia. He starts by interviewing a local woman, asking her about the town and what there is to see. The woman seems friendly and welcomes him to Patamanta. However, when Rich mentions that he is a tourist, the woman's demeanor changes, and she warns him that "they burn people" in the area. Rich seems taken aback by this statement and asks the woman to repeat herself to make sure he heard correctly. She confirms that "they burn people" and advises him to be careful.

Undeterred by the woman's warning, Rich continues his exploration of Patamanta. He films the local market, where he interacts with some of the vendors and tries some of the local food. He also visits a nearby church and speaks with a priest, who tells him about the history of the church and the importance of religion in the community.

However, as Rich is filming in the church, two men approach him and ask to see his passport. They appear to be local authorities or community leaders. They inspect his passport closely and then inform him that he has 30 minutes to finish filming and leave the area. Rich tries to negotiate for more time, but the men are firm and tell him that he must leave as soon as possible.

Rich complies with their request and wraps up his filming. In his video, he expresses his disappointment at having to cut his visit short but also his understanding of the community's wariness of outsiders. He thanks the people of Patamanta for their hospitality and bids them farewell.

Rich's video about his trip to Bolivia offers a glimpse into the challenges of travelling to remote and less-touristic destinations. While he encountered some suspicion and wariness from the locals, he also experienced their hospitality and willingness to share their culture and history with him. This video showcases the complexities of travel and the importance of respecting local customs and authorities.

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