American YouTuber Tyler Oliveira has come under fire after sharing a video of himself participating in a traditional cow dung-throwing festival in a Karnataka village, a ritual celebrated to mark the end of Diwali.
The clip, which quickly went viral, has been widely criticised by Indian social media users, who accused him of being racist and disrespectful toward Indian culture.
Viral Video Sparks Outrage
Oliveira filmed himself taking part in the “Gorehabba” festival, a local event in Karnataka where villagers playfully hurl cow dung at each other as part of a post-Diwali celebration symbolising purification and community bonding.
However, his tone and commentary in the video were perceived as mocking and derogatory, with many accusing him of portraying the centuries-old ritual as “bizarre” and “backwards.” Outraged netizens took to X (formerly Twitter) to express anger, with one user writing, “This is so stupid. Don’t be racist,” while another posted, “Stop milking India, man.”
Several users noted that while foreigners often highlight unique aspects of Indian culture, Oliveira’s video appeared to mock religious and rural traditions rather than document them respectfully.
I Survived India’s Poop-Throwing Festival… pic.twitter.com/1zW4QocArh
— Tyler Oliveira (@tyleraloevera) October 25, 2025
YouTuber’s Mock Apology And Defiance
Responding to the backlash, Oliveira posted a series of sarcastic and provocative tweets on X. In one, he wrote, “I’m sorry, India…” alongside a visual that read, “STUDY FOUND THAT INDIANS ACTUALLY SHOWER WAY MORE THAN PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES.”
In another post, he lashed out at media coverage of the controversy, tweeting, “It isn’t racist to film a poop-throwing festival. Was this article written by an Indian?”
Doubling down, he further mocked India with another post saying, “Indian family tries to use cow poop to revive their son… The cow poop rabbit hole goes deeper.”
His responses only intensified public anger, with many accusing him of arrogance and cultural insensitivity, demanding an apology and the removal of the video.
Who Is Tyler Oliveira?
According to his X bio, Oliveira describes himself as a “man with a camera asking people questions with a small microphone.” He boasts more than 8.28 million subscribers on YouTube and over 170,000 followers on X.
