YouTube star Logan Fairbanks treated to a White House tour with Barack Obama's advisor

Publish date: 2024-05-05

Goodbye haters, hello Mr. President!

Logan Fairbanks - the 11-year-old YouTube star who hit back at his online tormenters by sharing a video of himself reading out their hurtful, cruel comments - has taken up President Barack Obama’s Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett on her offer to visit the White House, and is now in the US capitol having gone on a private tour of the West Wing with his whole family.

'I am super excited to be in DC,' he told ABC News.

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Dream come true: After taking on his online bullies, Logan Fairbanks (front) visited Washington DC with his family for a private tour of the White House

Dream come true: After taking on his online bullies, Logan Fairbanks (front) visited Washington DC with his family for a private tour of the White House

Lucky: The 11-year-old got a tour of the West Wing from the President's Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett

Lucky: The 11-year-old got a tour of the West Wing from the President's Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett

Last week, Ms. Jarrett saw the powerful clip in which Logan stands up to his bullies, and took to Twitter to praise him and his dad, Josh.  

'Hi @DadVsLogan - you are stronger than anyone's hurtful words. We could all learn something from you and your dad!' President Barack Obama’s Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett tweeted to Logan and his Josh on Saturday.

After Josh tweeted back that they are in 'awe' and 'can't believe our video has hit this close to the White House, the advisor tweeted back yet again.

'Change happens when ordinary people do extraordinary things - when people have Logan's courage & speak up,' she wrote, adding: 'If you're ever in DC, pls stop by the @WhiteHouse and say hi. Logan may be a future occupant one day [sic].'

Quickly, the Fairbanks family set up a GoFundMe page to make Logan's DC trip come true. They soon raised enough for Logan, his parents, and his baby brother to visit.

So far, in addition to their private White House tour - which they were led on by Ms. Jarrett herself - they have seen the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial - and Josh told ABC News that they'd never walked so much before.

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Share Raising money: The family paid for the trip by setting up a GoFundMe page after earning an invitation

Raising money: The family paid for the trip by setting up a GoFundMe page after earning an invitation

Big trip: Logan, pictured with his dad Josh (left), as 'so excited' to be visiting the US capitol

Big trip: Logan, pictured with his dad Josh (left), as 'so excited' to be visiting the US capitol

Speaking up: Logan used his dad's YouTube account to post a video of himself reading hateful YouTube comments

Speaking up: Logan used his dad's YouTube account to post a video of himself reading hateful YouTube comments

Truly nasty: Hehas had some awful insults hurled at him from anonymous people on the internet, including: 'Squeal, piggy, squeal'

Truly nasty: Hehas had some awful insults hurled at him from anonymous people on the internet, including: 'Squeal, piggy, squeal'

Logan and his family have also set up a foundation called Take the Power Away, which Josh said aims to do just that from the bullies, 'so they can't hurt you'.

In addition, the family will meet with their home-state U.S. Representative Fred Upton in order to try to implement an organization that will support students and teachers who are fighting bullies in schools.

I want to encourage other people that have been bullied to not let words hurt them 

Logan came to the fight after a viral video of him, which saw Josh secretly filming Logan as he danced to Flo Rida's song Goin' Down in the shower, was flooded with cruel jibes from commenters about Logan’s weight.

He then went back on YouTube to shame those commenters by reading their hurtful words on camera.

'I've asked my dad to do this video for two reasons,' Logan begins in the clip. 'For me to encourage other people to not bully people online. And... to encourage other people that have been bullied to not let words hurt them.'

Logan's dad, who uploaded the clip to his YouTube channel, said allowing him to record such an emotional message was difficult. He wrote: 'As his dad I was very hesitant but he insisted that if there was a chance it could help someone then why not face his online bullies and try. I hope one day I have as much courage as he does.'

But since the videos of Logan that have received such vitriolic comments were also posted on Josh's channel, the photographer father complied.

In the clip, Logan goes on to read a list of comments written about videos that he has appeared in, which he explains he has never seen before. 

High praise: Ms. Jarrett first reached out to tell Logan that he is stronger than whatever nasty comments are aimed at him

High praise: Ms. Jarrett first reached out to tell Logan that he is stronger than whatever nasty comments are aimed at him

Famous: Logan's dad responded that they were in awe that the White House took notice of their video

Famous: Logan's dad responded that they were in awe that the White House took notice of their video

Score! Logan and his father were both invited to the White House, and the duo is now planning a trip

Score! Logan and his father were both invited to the White House, and the duo is now planning a trip

Tough on bullies: Now, Logan has been invited to the White House by President Obama's Chief Advisor Valerie Jarrett

Tough on bullies: Now, Logan has been invited to the White House by President Obama's Chief Advisor Valerie Jarrett

Have respect: Logan hopes his video will help others who have been bullied to feel better - and he wants bullies to cut it out

Have respect: Logan hopes his video will help others who have been bullied to feel better - and he wants bullies to cut it out

'It's funny because he is fat,' he reads. 'He looks like such a stupid fatso.'

He continues to speak the stinging words out loud, seemingly trying hard to remain calm as he reads the awful insults: 'I was expecting that to suck the fat right out of him. His dad scared the gay right out of him. Squeal, piggy, squeal.'

Many nasty commenters left messages about his weight, saying: 'He is so ugly and big,' and 'Big fat swine.' 

Some particularly vicious people wished ill upon him, writing: 'I hope that he dies,' and 'I hope he gets cancer.'

After slowly and steadily making his way through the insults, Logan pauses, looking sad, and struggles to find the words to continue.

'I hope that people don't bully other people online anymore, and that this helps,' he says. 'And people that have been bullied - don't let these words effect you.'  

Smooth moves: Logan earned internet fame in May when his dad posted a video showing him dancing in the shower to a Flo Rida song Smooth moves: Logan earned internet fame in May when his dad posted a video showing him dancing in the shower to a Flo Rida song

Smooth moves: Logan earned internet fame in May when his dad posted a video showing him dancing in the shower to a Flo Rida song

In the past, videos starring Logan mostly featured pranks played on him by his father. This was the first time Logan himself took control of the camera.

Previous clips show Josh dropping a mustard-filled diaper on Logan's face, waking him up by sucking his lips with a vacuum cleaner, and scarring his son while he is shoveling snow.

But his most viewed video, by far, was one he shared in May, in which he sneaks up on Logan while he dances to Flo Rida’s song Goin’ Down while taking a shower. Josh stands nearby filiming through the curtain until Logan finally notices the camera, causing him to scream.

With over 11 million views, the recording has also racked up hundreds of comments, many of which - like the ones Logan read aloud in the new video - are incredibly mean. 

Popular prank: In the viral video, Logan freaks out when he sees that his dad has been recording him Popular prank: In the viral video, Logan freaks out when he sees that his dad has been recording him

Popular prank: In the viral video, Logan freaks out when he sees that his dad has been recording him 

Vocal viewers: After the video was posted, nasty messages aimed at Logan - and critical ones aimed at his dad - showed up in the comments section

Vocal viewers: After the video was posted, nasty messages aimed at Logan - and critical ones aimed at his dad - showed up in the comments section

But the comments weren't aimed only at Logan. Josh received plenty of criticism, with many people chastising him for embarrassing his son so publicly and exposing him to rude people on the internet.

Now many commenters are chiming in on the latest video to praise Logan for standing up for himself - as well as tell Josh yet again that his son shouldn't have been put in the position to begin with.

'That 11 year old is way more mature than all those people who wrote these comments. He'll grow up to be a responsible and impressive adult, no doubt!' wrote one.

'I am both impressed and saddened by his video,' wrote another, before pleading with Josh to stop posting videos that embarrass his son.

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