Johnny Somali slams Kick for unbanning Vitaly & Jack Doherty while he’s still banned

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Johnny Somali, a streamer banned from Kick, is criticizing the platform for reinstating Vitaly and Jack Doherty while his own suspension remains in place.

In April 2024, Johnny Somali was permanently banned from Kick after an earlier arrest in Japan.

So, I heard about Vitaly Zdorovetskiy getting banned from Kick, and it wasn’t a short one! Apparently, back in 2025, he got into some serious trouble in the Philippines. He was arrested for stuff like bothering people, allegedly stealing, making unwanted advances towards a security guard, and even trying to take a weapon. That led to a permanent ban from streaming on the platform, which is pretty wild.

Jack Doherty faced another ban after being involved in a widely shared street fight. This came only weeks after a previous 3-month suspension for damaging his McLaren while distracted by his phone.

However, unlike Somali, Vitaly had his ban lifted on January 20th after being suspended for 290 days and deported to Russia. Kick also reinstated Doherty, allowing him to return to the platform at the same time.

Now, Somali is raging at Kick, accusing the Stake-owned company of favoritism.

Johnny Somali accuses Kick of “picking favorites” after unbanning Vitaly and Jack Doherty

The streamer, currently on trial in South Korea facing multiple charges, used a post on X (formerly Twitter) to ask for their ban to be removed.

“Jack Doherty and Vitaly both unbanned from Kick… Unban Johnny Somali. It’s been 2 years.”

The American creator pleaded his case, claiming that he’s been reformed.

He pleaded for another opportunity, stating he’s learned from past errors and has never engaged in violence, theft, or vandalism. He explained that he’s been indefinitely banned since April 2024 because a joke was considered hate speech, and he believes people deserve a chance to demonstrate they’ve changed.

I’ve made errors in the past, but I’m hoping for another opportunity to show I’ve learned from them. I have a clean record – I’ve never been violent, committed theft, or caused damage to property. I received an indefinite ban starting in April 2024 because a joke I made was considered hate speech. I believe everyone deserves a chance to demonstrate they’ve changed and grown.

— Johnny Somali (@JohnnySomaliTV) January 21, 2026

He also claimed the website was reinstating users based on their connections with content creators.

He also stated that it’s unfair to favor people based on who they know, whether it’s current or former staff members.

A recent trip to Israel, like previous ones, proved controversial for Somali. He was briefly arrested for bothering a police officer, but that wasn’t the reason he was ultimately banned from the country.

The streamer was banned for making hateful comments, as revealed in shared emails. Videos show him making negative remarks about people of Japanese descent and other groups.

The streamer said he didn’t mean what he said, explaining that he was intoxicated at the time. “I was drunk and wasn’t thinking clearly,” he stated, “I would never say something like that when I’m sober.”

Johnny Somali and Jack Doherty facing years in jail

A Somali man is currently being tried in South Korea after admitting to several crimes, including interfering with businesses. He could face a lengthy prison sentence for making deepfakes of other online streamers.

As Somali’s trial continues, another streamer, Jack Doherty, is also in legal trouble. He was arrested in Florida and charged with possessing both illegal drugs and marijuana, as well as resisting the police.

If found guilty on all charges, he could be sentenced to as much as 7 years in prison.

Vitaly recently finished a 290-day jail sentence, and claims the conditions were extremely harsh, with temperatures almost reaching 100 degrees and rat infestations in the cells.

It’s unclear why Kick reinstated Vitaly and Doherty but kept Somali banned, and the platform hasn’t explained its reasoning publicly.

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2026-01-21 19:19