The Truth About Dr Disrespect's Big Announcement
After teasing an imminent announcement regarding his streaming platform of choice, Guy "Dr Disrespect" Beahm has tied his future to Twitch as part of a multi-year contract extension.
When asked about his future plans during a broadcast on March 11, the Doc hinted that a major bombshell was on the way. "Tomorrow we decide what our streaming platform is, ladies and gentlemen," said the streamer with a knowing smile.
That bombshell came in the form of a two-minute video, accompanied by the caption, "Streaming to billions around the world, only on @Twitch." The video, which plays out like the opening moments of a new cyberpunk, video game centered TV show pilot, highlights Dr Disrespect's particular brand of in your face, '80s flavored humor. From the punchy, synth-dominated soundtrack to the neon-infused CGI visuals, its the perfect scene for Doc's persona, which draws heavy inspiration from Fender Tremolo, the main antagonist of the 1989 film Cyborg.
Streaming to billions around the world, only on @Twitch pic.twitter.com/nwfsjDJCWj
— Dr Disrespect (@drdisrespect) March 12, 2020
"Listen old man — I play video games," Dr Disrespect tells one of the pilots featured in the skit, a statement met with mocking laughter. "What are we gigglin' about, gentlemen? I don't just play games to play games. I dominate."
The announcement embodies the attitude and style the Two-Time has built his gaming empire upon. Billing himself as "the most ruthless competitor in video game history," Dr Disrespect has spent the last four years rising to the top of Twitch's charts. According to TwitchMetrics, the Doc has the 10th-most-watched Variety channel on Twitch, coming in 28th overall for the streaming platform. His streams regularly pull in 20,000 or more viewers, and his follower count has crested four million.
"I think the brand is going to become the Batman of the future generations in 10, 15, 20," Steven Lawson, Doc's manager, told The Verge. "Now I don't know how long it's going to take to get there, but that's where I see the brand going."
Though part of the Doc's success no doubt stems from his carefully cultivated image and management team, he would not have risen nearly as high without the growing popularity of online streaming. Until recently, Twitch, originally known as Justin.TV, has dominated that niche, providing a medium that has launched several lucrative careers. Dr Disrespect, like Ninja and Shroud, numbers among those ranks, a fact he remains acutely aware of.
"Twitch is where I built the Champions Club empire and keep entertaining the hundreds of millions of fans looking for me to dominate competition," Doc said in an official statement. "Twitch is my home and I have made plans to stick around for a while."
Dr Disrespect has been a polarizing figure in the streaming community since he began broadcasting back in 2015. At the close of 2017, he broke character to deliver a tearful admission about cheating on his wife. After taking a break from streaming, he experienced a surge in popularity following his comeback on Feb. 5, 2018.
In 2019, the Two-Time found himself embroiled in another career-boosting scandal after streaming inside a public bathroom at E3, which, it turns out, violates California's "invasion of privacy" law. Whether a lapse in judgement or an intentional publicity stunt, the stream resulted in Doc's ban from E3, along with a two-week suspension on Twitch. Disrespect emerged from his exile with new emotes poking fun at the incident. If anything, it seemed to strengthen the appeal of his "bad guy" image.
"He's such a different type of streamer," Beahm said about his alter ego. "He's unique, he's over the top and can feel like he might be a little threatening or dangerous, in terms of an investment."
Twitch has doubled down on Dr Disrespect despite — or, more likely, because of — the sense of danger the character cultivates. While the details of the contract remain shrouded in mystery, the Doc has renewed his vows to the platform. He, along with the Champions Club, will remain on Twitch for the foreseeable future. This decision will, no doubt, earn him some points with those who labelled Ninja a traitor following his move to Mixer last year, prompting an exodus of other high profile streamers.
It seems the Two-Time, ever the rogue element, will not follow in their footsteps. With Ninja — an international celebrity and one of gaming's biggest stars — firmly ensconced on Microsoft's platform, the dubious honor of becoming the "face of Twitch" is ripe for the taking. Love him or hate him, thanks to his millions of followers and a TV development deal with Skybound, Dr Disrespect is poised to become a star — perhaps even a pop culture icon — in his own right.