Herschel “Guy” Beahm, famously known as the streamer Dr Disrespect, has finally disclosed the reason behind his sudden lifetime ban from Twitch in June 2020. Beahm confirmed in a detailed statement on Twitter that the ban resulted from private messages exchanged with a minor on Twitch’s now-defunct Whispers messaging system.
Dr Disrespect Leaked Email
Beahm’s statement reads:
“Were there Twitch Whisper messages with an individual minor 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.”
This revelation comes just one day after Beahm was asked to step down from Midnight Society, the game development studio he co-founded in 2021. Beahm stated that the decision was made collectively to avoid jeopardizing the studio’s culture.
The controversy was reignited after former Twitch employee Cody Conners claimed on social media that Beahm’s ban was due to “sexting a minor.” Beahm initially responded by denying any criminal wrongdoing and emphasized that Twitch had resolved the matter through a settlement.
“I went through a lengthy arbitration regarding a civil dispute with Twitch and that case was resolved by a settlement. Let me be clear, it was not a criminal case against me and no criminal charges have ever been brought against me.”
While Beahm did not specify the age of the minor or whether he knew the age at the time, he accepted moral responsibility for the incident, stating:
“From a moral standpoint, I’ll absolutely take responsibility. I should have never entertained these conversations to begin with. That’s on me. That’s on me as an adult, a husband, and a father. It should have never happened.”
Beahm vehemently denied being a predator or having any malicious intent, expressing his disdain for such labels:
“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.”
The fallout has had significant repercussions for Beahm. Midnight Society co-founder Robert Bowling made it clear that inappropriate messaging with a minor is unacceptable:
“If you inappropriately message a minor, I cannot work with you. Period.”
Additionally, Turtle Beach, an accessories company, ended its partnership with Beahm following the revelations.
Despite the controversy, Beahm indicated that he does not plan to disappear from the public eye. He announced plans for an extended vacation with his family and assured his followers of his return:
“I’m not the same guy that made this mistake all those years ago. I’m taking an extended vacation with my family as mentioned on stream and I’m coming back with a heavy weight off my shoulders. They want me to disappear… yeah fucking right.”
THE TWITCH BAN
Hello, I’d like to make a quick statement..
Lets cut the fucking bullshit, as you know there’s no filter with me. I’ve always been up front and real with you guys on anything that I can be up front about, and I’m always willing to accept responsibility… which…
— Dr Disrespect (@DrDisrespect) June 25, 2024
As the gaming community processes these developments, it remains to be seen how Beahm’s career will unfold post-scandal. For now, he faces the challenge of rebuilding his reputation while dealing with the consequences of his actions.