The abrupt disappearance of Dr. Disrespect, one of Twitch’s most popular streamers, on Friday night sent a shock wave through his large fan base, raised all sorts of questions, and gave no solid answers.
Some reports say the Doc was permanently banned. Others speculate that he is suspended for a limited time, as he was last year. Some wonder if it is a deception that seeks attention.
So far, Twitch has not directly confirmed a ban. However, it issued a statement saying it takes “appropriate action when we have evidence that a transmitter has acted in violation of our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service.” Herschel “Guy” Beahm, who broadcasts under the alias of Dr. Disrespect, released a statement Saturday saying “Twitch has not notified me of the specific reason behind his decision” (although he did not go into what that decision was ).
There is a lot of confusion. This is what we know about the situation right now (and this story will be updated as more information becomes available).
Was Dr. Disrespect banned from Twitch?
It seems so, but so far neither Dr. Disrespect nor Twitch have come out and said it directly. However, Doc’s page is no longer accessible on Twitch. And past transmissions are not visible.
Why was Doc kicked out of Twitch?
That’s the multi-million dollar question, but so far, no one says it. Rod Breslau, who has had many titles in the world of electronic sports, from player to pitcher to ESPN esports contributor, was one of the first to report on the removal of Doc from Twitch. In a Tweet, he said he was informed of the reason, “however, due to the importance and sensitivity around the issue, I have refrained from continuing.”
Look: For several hours I have been told by credible sources why DrDisrespect has been banned. However, due to the importance and sensitivity around the subject, I have refrained from continuing. I’m not comfortable with that currently
– Rod “4475 SR and Immortal Peak” Breslau (@Slasher) June 27, 2020
Does this have anything to do with Twitch’s sexual abuse bans?
There have been absolutely no such public complaints against Beahm. However, that has not stopped some from speculating, as her disappearance came two days after Twitch announced that it “will begin issuing permanent suspensions” after “recent allegations of sexual abuse and harassment involving Twitch transmitters.”
Has Dr. Disrespect been banned from Twitch before?
He has. In 2019, he was kicked out of E3 and banned from Twitch after broadcasting live from the bathroom, violating Twitch’s privacy rules and California privacy laws. He apologized in a tweet several days later and was allowed to return to Twitch after a two-week wait time.
What about Dr. Disrespect’s subscribers?
Fans who subscribed to Doc’s Twitch channel have reportedly received refund notifications from Twitch. All gestures linked to Beahm’s character have also been removed.
What about the Doc’s sponsors?
Beahm recently signed several high-profile endorsements, including one with Mtn Dew Game Fuel which was described as “the largest endorsement deal ever signed by an individual game personality”. The company appears to be by his side for now, keeping his face on the drink’s Twitter page.
When asked about his controversial past in announcing the deal, Erin Chin, senior director of beverage marketing, told Digital Trends: “We fully investigated it. We all make mistakes, and we still believe that he is a good person who can represent the brand in a responsible way and aligned with our core values. “
PepsiCo, the owner of Game Fuel, did not respond to a request for comment after leaving the site.
Roccat, which replaced Razor as its exclusive provider of mice, keyboards and mats in February this year, has also made no changes to its visibility on the site.
As for the two-year “rewarding and life-changing” deal he signed with Twitch just 3.5 months ago, it is likely to be a matter for lawyers if it has been banned.
Is Dr. Disrespect still represented by the Creative Artists Agency?
Last January, Breahm signed an agreement to be represented by CAA, whose other clients include Seth MacFarlane, Simon Cowell and Will Wright. CAA did not respond to Digital Trends’ questions about the status of that relationship now that it is off Twitch.
How will this affect Dr Disrespect TV’s development agreement?
Beahm and Skybound Entertainment, the company behind AMC The Walking Dead, announced a partnership in December, with plans to develop an animated television series based on the character of Dr. Disrespect. Members of the Champions Club, Doc’s term for his followers, would watch the show independently. (Some are fanatically loyal to him.) But while the controversy could appeal to more people on game streaming channels, it doesn’t appeal to a mainstream audience, which would be important to any network considering streaming the show. Skybound did not respond to Digital Trends’ questions.
Is Dr. Disrespect’s career as a game influencer over?
If the Twitch ban is real and permanent, that would be a heavy blow to Breahm, who once called himself “the face of Twitch,” but not necessarily fatal. There are many competitors, including YouTube and, more recently, Facebook, who would be eager to migrate their millions of followers to their service.
However, the controversy draws viewers into the streaming world. Before confessing to her marital problems in 2017, she boasted 1.4 million followers. Before the E3 incident, it had 3.2 million. When it aired on Twitch, it had roughly 4.4 million followers.
But if his absence from the streaming world is due to an especially serious reason, that could make him toxic to other providers, who would likely see the downsides of linking Doc to their platform that outweighs any benefits.
Who is Dr. disrespectful?
Dr Disrespect is Herschel “Guy” Beahm’s online character. The character is meant to parody toxic gamers by holding a figurative mirror, emulating many of the negative stereotypes in the form of a tall guy in a bad wig. He’s talked to other streamers (including Ninja, whose sponsorship deals include Red Bull, Adidas, and Microsoft’s now-defunct Mixer streaming service). He has made numerous racially callous jokes to non-English speaking groups. He even confessed his infidelity in a misplaced stream two years ago (ultimately, he took two months off to focus on his family).
Beahm himself has noted the difficulty he has in balancing the character with actions that go too far.
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