Highlights:
- American YouTuber Conner McBee mocked India in a controversial video.
- He tried to bargain auto fares from ₹300 down to ₹20.
- Fellow American Stephen Hauser publicly condemned McBee’s behavior.
- Netizens criticized McBee for disrespecting and exploiting underprivileged drivers.
- The video highlights the misuse of locals for online content and views.
An American YouTuber has sparked widespread outrage for a video showing him mocking India and treating auto-rickshaw drivers unfairly. Conner McBee, also known online as 'Small Brained American,' originally shared the video last year under the title "I went back to India... it still sucks." The video resurfaced recently after American Stephen Hauser criticized McBee in Instagram videos.
In the clip, McBee makes negative comments about India, calling it dirty, noisy and dishonest. He claims he wants to avoid India but was forced to visit because of a layover. During his travel from the airport to his hotel, he repeatedly bargains with auto drivers, trying to pay much less than their quoted fares. One driver asked for ₹300, but McBee attempted to bring the price down to ₹20. He even said, “It’s so fun bargaining in India,” while trying to exploit drivers struggling to make a living.
Stephen Hauser reacted strongly to the video, saying, “You’re not bargaining. You’re being an a**hole.” He pointed out that McBee treats drivers as if they are not real humans, refusing to pay fair prices even though they work hard to support their families. The video shows several drivers refusing McBee, and one elderly driver eventually accepts the fare he requested.
McBee also walked around carefully to avoid stepping on filth in the streets and complained about finding honest people in India. Once in his hotel, he expressed surprise at its cleanliness but found fault with a light not working. Hauser accused McBee of deliberately humiliating Indians to make online content and earn money. “You didn’t have to come back here for a layover… You’re coming back here to make content. Just be honest,” Hauser said.
After Hauser’s criticism went viral, many Indians and foreigners joined the outrage. Social media users condemned McBee’s behavior and said even Indians rarely bargain so aggressively. “Bargaining 300 to 20? It's diabolical. Even we Indians don’t go that low,” one comment read. Others noted that some content creators defame India for views and travel cheaply to slum areas only to complain online. Viewers also expressed that disrespecting hosts and mocking their country for entertainment is unacceptable.
The video and the public reaction have sparked a larger discussion about ethical travel content and the responsibility of creators to respect the people and countries they visit. Many viewers praised Hauser for speaking up and encouraged travelers to be fair and humane when interacting with locals.
