In a series of significant developments, popular streamer Dr. Disrespect has not only resolved his long-standing legal dispute with Twitch but has also been ousted from his own gaming company, Midnight Society, amid new allegations of engaging in inappropriate conversations with a minor back in 2017 via Twitch’s whisper messaging system.
Dr. Disrespect, whose real name is Guy Beahm, was banned from Twitch on June 26, 2020. At the time, Beahm was in the middle of a lucrative, two-year streaming exclusivity contract with the platform. The ban was abrupt, and neither Twitch nor Dr. Disrespect provided specific reasons, leading to widespread speculation among fans and the gaming community.
On March 10, 2022, Dr. Disrespect tweeted, “I have resolved my legal dispute with Twitch. No party admits to any wrongdoing,” signaling the end of the legal battle without clarifying the ban’s reason. Twitch issued a similar statement, confirming the resolution and the lack of any admitted wrongdoing from either side.
Dr Disrespect’s last moments on stream, discussing him being fatigued by the internet, taking a break from streaming, and driving off into the sunset
Dr Disrespect’s last moments on Twitch stream.
The lack of transparency has fueled numerous theories regarding the ban. Some speculate that the ban was financially motivated, especially after the closure of Mixer, a competing streaming platform. Others suggest possible violations of Twitch’s community guidelines, although no specific incidents have been confirmed.
Following the ban, Dr. Disrespect transitioned to YouTube Gaming, where he continues to stream exclusively. Despite the settlement, Beahm has confirmed that he will not return to Twitch, marking a definitive end to his presence on the platform. The ban had significant impacts, both financially and emotionally, as expressed by Beahm during various streams and social media interactions.
Adding to the controversies, Dr. Disrespect faced another setback when his gaming studio, Midnight Society, decided to terminate its relationship with him. On Friday evening Jun 24, 2024, the company issued a statement acknowledging allegations against Beahm.
“We assumed his innocence and began speaking with parties involved. And in order to maintain our principles and standards as a studio and individuals, we needed to act. For this reason, we are terminating our relationship with Guy Beahm immediately,” the statement read.
Midnight Society statement on Guy Beahm (Dr. Disrespect) Termination.
The company emphasized the need to act with dignity on behalf of all individuals involved, including the fifty-five developers and their families, as well as the community of players.
The gaming community has been active on social media, reacting to the latest developments. Fellow streamers Nickmercs and Tim the Tatman both took to Twitter (X) to express their thoughts on the allegations against Dr. Disrespect.
Nickmercs tweeted, “It’s tough to see, but I trust that the right decision was made. We have to keep our community safe.”
Tim the Tatman added, “Sad to hear about the situation. Hope everything gets sorted out for everyone involved.”
In addition, Ninja spoke out about Dr. Disrespect’s situation during a live stream, stating…
“They found enough evidence to let him go… they found something is what I’m trying to say”.
In a detailed and candid statement on Twitter, Dr. Disrespect addressed the allegations and provided some context regarding the situation. He acknowledged engaging in inappropriate conversations with an individual back in 2017 via Twitch’s whisper messaging system. However, he emphasized that these were mutual, casual conversations that leaned inappropriately but did not involve any illegal activities, shared pictures, or physical meetings.
“Were there Twitch whisper messages with an individual back in 2017? The answer is yes. Were there real intentions behind these messages, the answer is absolutely not. These were casual, mutual conversations that sometimes leaned too much in the direction of being inappropriate, but nothing more. Nothing illegal happened, no pictures were shared, no crimes were committed, I never even met the individual,” Beahm stated.
Guy Beahm – Dr. Disrespect texting minor statment.
He also clarified that there were no criminal charges against him and that a civil dispute with Twitch had been resolved through arbitration.
From a moral standpoint, Dr. Disrespect took responsibility, admitting that he should never have entertained such conversations. He expressed regret and acknowledged that it was a mistake, adding,
“I’m not perfect and I’ll own my shit. This was stupid.”
Dr. Disrespect has also faced criticism from Cody Conners within the community. Conners, who leaked the reason for Dr. Disrespect’s ban, is currently under fire for past tweets where he claimed that if his shows sold out, he would reveal the reason behind the ban.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Dr. Disrespect remained defiant against the backlash and labels being thrown around on social media. He vehemently denied being a predator or pedophile, stating…
“I’m no fucking predator or pedophile. Are you kidding me? Anyone that truly knows me fucking knows where I stand on those things with those types of people. Fuck that.”
The YouTuber clarified that while the messages were inappropriate, they were not illegal and did not involve any criminal activities. The arbitration with Twitch resolved these disputes, but the allegations have significantly impacted his reputation and professional relationships.
After four long years, Beahm’s disclosure finally brings closure surrounding Twitch’s abrupt termination of his multiyear contract in 2020. This contract symbolized a significant era where streaming platforms were making headlines by signing content creators to multimillion-dollar exclusive deals, akin to professional athletes. However, Beahm’s contract was short-lived, lasting only a few months before Twitch unexpectedly severed ties, leaving fans and the industry in suspense.
