This Esports Pro's Dr Disrespect Cosplay Is Sticking It To Twitch
ZLaner, Dr Disrespect's regular "Warzone" partner, recently brought his friend back to Twitch in a hilarious way: by dressing up in his signature wig and mustache during a Twitch-sponsored "Call of Duty: Warzone" tournament. However, ZLaner's Dr Disrespect cosplay backfired in a big way. Twitch did not allow ZLaner to participate in the July 20 Twitch Rivals Warzone tournament, even though he didn't technically break any rules. The prevailing theory is that Twitch didn't find ZLaner's cosplay to be all that funny and punished him as a result. After seeing his fellow streamer ejected from the tournament, TSM Viss knew he had to take action.
TSM Viss, a member of the TSM esports group, streamed as the Doc during an "Apex Legends" session. Viss deepened his voice, took on Dr Disrespect's growling bravado, and declared, "The name is Dr Viss-respect." Viss didn't just dress up like this randomly, though, and while his costume showed respect for both the Doc and ZLaner, the root cause for the cosplay had a heartwarming origin.
"We had a charity stream recently," TSM Viss said. "We raised over $30,000 in that charity stream, over 30K in 6 hours. And that 30K charity incentive? Well, you're looking at it." Viss showed off his complete suit, which included tactical gear, a wig, and the Doc's iconic red sunglasses.
Hints of a bigger, more Direspect-ful movement
Viss stayed in costume for the entirety of his nearly five-hour stream, dedicating himself fully to both his game and his Dr Vissrespect persona. When he was ready to stop streaming for the day, Viss told viewers that he had to sign off the right way, giving a Doc-like whoop and thanking the audience for tuning in.
While TSM Viss didn't comment explicitly about Dr Disrespect or ZLaner's ban from the Twitch Rivals tournament, his timing seems like a show of support. After all, TSM Viss and Dr Disrespect have been friendly for years. They've even teamed up as a duo in "Call of Duty: Black Ops" from time to time. Some fans have even referred to Viss' cosplay stream as an act of "protest."
Jake Lucky of Esports Talk commented that ZLaner might have "sparked an entire Dr Disrespect movement on Twitch," inspiring others to show their support of the Doc on the platform that famously banned him. Even though the Doc eventually broke his silence on the ban, fans still don't know the precise reason behind his departure from Twitch.
So far, TSM Viss seems to be avoiding any repercussions for his cosplay outing, but the streaming platform could always change its stance in the future.