Dr Disrespect Discusses Twitch Ban In His Debut YouTube Stream
Over a month has passed since Twitch issued a permanent ban to Dr Disrespect, a.k.a. Guy Beahm. Given the Doc had announced a multi-year contract extension with the streaming platform only months prior, the move left the the gaming industry reeling. Though weeks of cryptic comments and speculation followed, the motivations behind the shocking Twitch ruling remain a mystery — a mystery even the Two Time himself claims he can't solve.
Dr Disrespect went live on YouTube today following a streaming hiatus that spanned a month and a half. Over 250,000 viewers tuned in for a taste of the Doc's special brand of '80s-inspired humor and neon-drenched visuals. The chat exploded with comments and donations as Disrespect warmed up, taking a few minutes to adjust to his return to the platform. Then, the mood turned serious as he broached the topic on the minds of fans and detractors alike: his ban from Twitch.
The Two Time began by acknowledging the outpouring of love and support he and his wife, Mrs Assassin, had received during his time off-screen. He even claimed to have compiled a multi-page Excel worksheet filled with the names of his supporters, which he planned to shout-out during the stream. However, he reportedly lost the file when "Alex" decided to do his taxes on his computer. Fans of the streamer may recognize Alex as his fabled "director," an off-screen entity who the Doc routinely yells at and fires as part of what appears to be an ongoing comedic bit.
After forcing Alex to leave the room, then shouting for him to come back and help with the stream, Disrespect returned to discussing the ban — specifically, the reasoning behind it. After letting the tension build, he stared into the camera and delivered the words many had been waiting for: "We still have no idea."
According to the Doc, Twitch's decision to remove him from the platform came as a complete surprise. "As far as I'm concerned, we didn't do anything to warrant a ban, let alone how they went about banning us," he asserted. "No communication before. No reaching out. Nothin'. Boom. Done."
Dr Disrespect concluded that portion of the stream with some harsh words for any community members "anxious for an answer." He called this a "cockroach approach" that leads to urgency and speculation, before briefly touching on the money on the line. Ultimately, he determined to leave it to the "legal professionals," and made it clear he would not stay on the sidelines. In his view, only a "small percentage" wanted to know what happened immediately, because they wanted a negative outcome.
These declarations echo Disrespect's previous statements regarding the ban. In a July 16 interview with The Washington Post, he said the news came as a complete shock. He compared the situation to showing up to work, only to discover you've been fired and can't enter the building. As the Doc tells it, he only learned of the decision after emailing Twitch regarding his loss of access to creator-specific features on the platform. The company confirmed the ban in its response, but declined to provide a reason — both he and Mrs Assassin remain in the dark.
Today's stream was also not the first time the Doc mentioned potential legal repercussions. During another July 16 interview with PC Gamer, Disrespect revealed that he and his counsel were investigating the possibility of pursuing legal action against Twitch. Based on his allusion to "legal professionals," it seems that option remains on the table. Either way, it looks like the Two Time is back and feeling confident.
"The larger percentage, the true supporters, the followers of the Doc — they know what I'm about," he stated. "And so, I appreciate you guys. Appreciate myself when I look in the mirror, trust me. But enough!"
After addressing the elephant in the room, Disrespect launched into the rest of the stream, which he called "a warm-up session." For now, the Doc looks to have found a new home on YouTube, though, according to gaming journalist Rod "Slasher" Breslau, he has not signed any kind of contract with the platform. "As far as I understand if there is a stream on YouTube or other platforms, it is all on his own, nothing has changed from before and it will not be a stream in partnership with YouTube," Breslau explained in a tweet.
Contract or not, it's obvious Dr Disrespect does not intend to go quietly into the night.