Video game developer Midnight Society announced that it severed its relationship with Guy Beahm aka Dr. Disrespect after he was accused of sending inappropriate messages to an underage girl by former Twitch employee Cody Conners.
Dr Disrespect via DrDisRespect YouTube
Beahm was initially banned by Twitch in June 2020 with no cause given. He informed PC Gamer about how he found out, “The way I discovered it, too, I was on a buddy’s stream, and some of the features started turning off while I was just in the chat and everything, and then all of a sudden social media was blowing up.
He continued, “I got on the call with my team, and after one quick email, it was all over. At that particular moment, it was more of just kind of shocked, like, what just happened, you know? And both my wife and I are just like, what’s going on?”
“So that’s kind of how, initially, how things kind of went down. And then from there, you’re sort of just digesting it. You’re still not getting any answers. So that’s kind of why I had… I wouldn’t have known what to say, you know? We put out the one tweet, our statement, and that’s kind of where things are at,” he said.
Dr Disrespect via DrDisRespect on X
In August 2020, Dr. Disrespect addressed the ban indicating he had no idea why he was banned, “A lot of people want to know what happened. Guess what? I want you to look into my f***ing eyes when I say this. … We still have no idea. We have no idea.”
Next, he added, “As far as I’m concerned, we didn’t do anything to warrant a ban. Let alone how they went about banning us. No communication before, no reaching out, nothing. Boom. Done.”
He would then indicate his lawyers were getting involved, “The last thing I’m gonna say about it, and I have to be intelligent about all this because you are talking about a heavy contract… Lots of money. There’s big money involved, so let the legal professionals do what they need to do. That’s it.”
A year later Disrespect detailed he knew why he was banned and that he was suing Twitch. He said, “Yeah, I do know the reason why [I was banned] now. I’ve known for months now, the reason why.”
Dr. Disrespect added, “And I’ll just say this right now champs. There’s a reason why we’re suing the f*** out of ’em, OK? I don’t know how else to put it. The amount of damages, and you just don’t… No… Nah…”
Doc just said he knows why he got banned and he’s suing the fuck outta Twitch … GOOD
Firm Handshakes Boss🤝 pic.twitter.com/bLYoMQv2vk
— Lord Vega (@LordVega) August 23, 2021
On Friday, June 21, Conners, who according to his LinkedIn worked for Twitch between April 2015 and June 2023 as first an Esports Development Partnerships Manager and then a Strategic Partnerships Account Director, accused Dr. Disrespect of being banned by Twitch for inappropriate messages with “a minor.”
Conners added, “No one made the wrong decision, f**k him and his boys.”
Cody Conners on X
READ: Dr. Disrespect Rejects Heinous Accusation Against Him: “I Didn’t Do Anything Wrong”
Disrespect would initially respond to Conner’s accusation that was shared by Jake Lucky. He wrote, “Jake seriously… I get it, its a hot topic but this has been settled, no wrongdoing was acknowledged and they paid out the whole contract.”
Dr Disrespect on X
He issued another statement writing, “Listen, I’m obviously tied to legal obligations from the settlement with Twitch but I just need to say what I can say since this is the f***ing internet.”
He then declared, “I didn’t do anything wrong, all this has been probed and settled, nothing illegal, no wrongdoing was found, and I was paid.”
Dr Disrespect on X
Now, the studio that Dr Disrespect founded with Robert Bowling and Quinn DelHoyo, Midnight’s Society, which is working on a “community-focused online PVP multiplayer experience” called Deadrop announced it was severing business ties with Beahm.
The company wrote on X, “On Friday evening we became aware of an allegation against one of our co-founder’s Guy Beahm aka Dr Disrespect. 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.”
It then added, “While these facts are difficult to hear and even more difficult to accept, it is our duty to act with dignity on behalf of all individuals involved, especially the fifty-five developers and families we have employed along with our community of players.”
Midnight Society on X
This announcement came in the wake of Bowling detailing he had just become aware of the allegation against Beahm on Friday and was “dealing with it.”
Robert Bowling on X
In a response to a number of other individuals he elaborated, “I very deliberately mean ‘now aware’. I landed from Stockholm, reconnected, saw the tweet and immediately began an investigation to learn everything I need to know so I can ensure a full follow through.”
Robert Bowling on X
Further down in the thread, Bowling detailed he originally accepted the terms of the lawsuit writing on X, “‘I don’t know’ is also not an acceptable answer to me which is why I decided to accept the result of the lawsuit. When the lawsuit was settled and sealed, all I had to go on was the public information that “No wrongdoing acknowledged” on either side. Where did I fail?”
Robert Bowling on X
Bowling would go on to issue more responses. He wrote, “There is nothing wrong acknowledging that I am aware and not ignoring it. It’s a serious topic with real world consequences. My opinion doesn’t matter, only the facts matter. I have an obligation to the truth when it comes to matters like this.”
To another user he wrote, “The lawsuit isn’t secret. It was a public lawsuit, the results were public. Which there was no wrongdoing. I’m not sure what your point is. I can only make decisions on information not speculation. If you think good leaders should act on speculation, then I disagree with you.”
Robert Bowling on X
Still later, Bowling shared he was in communication with Beahm regarding the allegations. He wrote, “I’m literally not catering to either side, that’s what’s upsetting you. Pro-Doc people want me to blindly side with him. Anti-Doc people want me to blindly outcast him.”
He concluded, “I’m doing neither, I’m talking to him personally and collecting all available information to make act on.”
Robert Bowling on X
During the close of Dr Disrespect’s most recent livestream of Elden Ring, he indicated he might be the one done with Midnight Society and that he felt burned out on streaming and that he would be taking a planned vacation and might be extending it.
He said, “I think, more importantly, we need to step away. When I say step away, I’m going to have to either relay this to Midnight Society, but maybe I step away from there too. Just completely remove myself from the scene. It’s what I need to do.”
What do you make of Midnight Society severing their business relationship with one of its founding partners after this allegation?
