Dr Disrespect has come out swinging as he attempts a comeback after admitting to messaging a minor through Twitch whispers, dubbing rival streamers who play video games as “snoozefests” as his self-titled “vacation” wraps up.
The 42-year-old streaming entertainer, who calls himself the Two-Time, was driven out of the community in late June after he admitted to having “casual, mutual conversations” with a minor through Twitch’s now-defunct Whispers messaging program in 2017. He first apologized (then deleted the apology post) before declaring he’d be “back soon”—and now the Doc’s fired his first salvo as he attempts to return relatively unscathed.
Dr Disrespect’s first steps give us a clear sign he’s going on the offensive from day dot, with the broadcaster questioning why so many people are still playing and streaming video games. It’s an interesting gambit considering his audience is built around gaming; one he then doubled down on by calling the whole scene a “snoozefest.”
At the same time, the disgraced star confirmed his comeback attempt has taken flight, writing: “Relaxing in the Lambo with the windows down… back from La Vacacion.”
Dr Disrespect’s team—which has actually lost several members in recent days—did not immediately respond to Dot Esports’ requests for any further details regarding stream times and what platform he may appear on.
The streamer’s Sep. 3 post was quickly met with vitriol across X (formerly Twitter), with many calling him a “pedophile” [sic] and repeatedly suggesting he’d “groomed kids.” That outrage was equally balanced by his fans celebrating his imminent return, however, with most questioning his next moves.
On that front, things get a little murky. It’s very clear Dr Disrespect wants to rebuild from the controversy as quickly as possible—he was only really “on vacation” for a little over nine weeks—but his options seem limited now that he’s back. YouTube immediately demonetized his main profile after his now-deleted apology and he’s still permanently banned on Twitch. Newcomer Kick did originally hold fire on pre-emptively suspending him but word from within the green-shaded platform suggests they’re unlikely to sign him.
That doesn’t mean he can’t still stream on YouTube; he’s not banned there, just unable to make money from streams and uploads. Equally, he doesn’t have to sign an exclusivity deal with Kick to appear on the renegade streaming page.
Apparently what we do know is video games may play less of a role. That’s perhaps the biggest surprise considering how vital franchise games like Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and PUBG have been to 42-year-old’s success. He was midway through an Elden Ring marathon when he infamously heard the news everything was about to break in June.
The Doc taking swipes at modern gaming is nothing new either though; over the last few years he’s had many a meltdown over the state of the industry (even as he worked on his own extraction shooter; a project he’s since been booted from). Early last year, he declared: “In my seven years streaming, I don’t think the industry’s been worse than it is right now. It’s just so uninspiring. Where are the good online games?”
It’ll be very interesting to see what Dr Disrespect could actually bring to the table if he’s not playing games—or all of this could just be a way to generate buzz.
Published: Sep 3, 2024 07:37 pm