Support NeoGAF

[adamsapple]

Rick and Morty Co-Creator's Lawsuit Is Dismissed, He Lashes Back At 'Canceling'

High on Life creator Justin Roiland claims that the allegations from his ex-girlfriend are false

kotaku.com

A spokesperson for the Orange County District Attorney's office told Kotaku that the case was dismissed "for lack of sufficient evidence to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt as a result of additional information that came to light in the investigation." Kotaku also reached out to Roiland's lawyers, but could not obtain a comment by the time of publication.


Not long after the original news broke out, Adult Swim announced that it would be cutting ties with Roiland for its most popular TV show, Rick and Morty. All the voices that he contributed for the show would be re-cast, and his co-creator Dan Harmon would be the sole lead through season 10. Roiland also left the game studio he founded, Squanch Games, a month after the first person shooter High on Life had become the most popular game on Xbox's Game Pass.

"I have always known that these claims were false and I never had any doubt that this day would come," wrote Roiland.

 

[Punished Miku]

High on Life 2 is back on the menu.

 

[Azurro]

Will he be rehired? There were rumors that he wasn't too pleasant to work with, no?

 

[ANDS]

Yeah no. Good that he's not a fella that likes putting hands on other folks, but this wasn't the only bit of stink surrounding him.

 

[killatopak]

Last I heard he had a bad reputation among coworkers. Surprised that he's kinda proven innocent. I dunno what to make of this but I guess good for the fans of his work.

 

[Hugare]

Yeah well, this is not a Johnny Depp situation, imo

The lawsuit has been dismissed, but those texts to underage girls?

He isnt getting his job back so easily

 

[Power Pro]

Good for him, but sadly the damage has been done. He may not be the best guy in the world, but who among us is? Fuck cancel culture.

 

[kizito]

Will he be rehired? There were rumors that he wasn't too pleasant to work with, no?

Pretty sure if I interview enough of your co-workers, I would be able to write an article stating you are not too pleasant to work with neither, it means nothing, especially when the guy was in a position of power.

 

[ANDS]

Good for him, but sadly the damage has been done. He may not be the best guy in the world, but who among us is? Fuck cancel culture.

. . .are we all, also, DM'ing minors and telling them we can't wait for them to become "cam whores" when they turn 18?

Yeah well, this is not a Johnny Depp situation, imo

The lawsuit has been dismissed, but those texts to underage girls?

He isnt getting his job back so easily

Exactly. Pretending that it was only a single domestic violence charge from three years ago that absolutely WB was aware of is the reason Roiland was bounced is wild. After Cosby, no one is going to risk being the one holding the shit filled bag, that everyone whispers is full of shit, but doesn't say out loud until the shit starts hitting the fan.

And here WB is. . .holding that bag.

 

[FunkMiller]

Good for him, but sadly the damage has been done. He may not be the best guy in the world, but who among us is? Fuck cancel culture.

You do know he was sending inappropriate texts to underage girls, don't you?

 

[Spyxos]

So it was all nonsense and the guy is canceled for life?

 

[gothmog]

Hey Justin, you weren't cancelled because of a lawsuit. But hey, congrats on getting the lawsuit dismissed.

 

[Bragr]

Will he be rehired? There were rumors that he wasn't too pleasant to work with, no?

He didn't show up. During the production of Rick and Morty season 3, several of the team members didn't even see him once during the entire production. He just gets people to do everything for him.

 

[Deerock71]

They should make a Rick and Morty about cancel culture: Planet REEEE!!!!!

 

[SpiceRacz]

Pretty sure if I interview enough of your co-workers, I would be able to write an article stating you are not too pleasant to work with neither, it means nothing, especially when the guy was in a position of power.

He's beyond difficult. He also deals with mental illness.

So it was all nonsense and the guy is canceled for life?

The DV charge may have been, but the rest is 100% true.

 

[Nautilus]

Hope he lands on hos feet. But given the reaction I'm seeing on this thread, it's going to be an uphill battle.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Too bad Rick and Morty had to die. Was a great show.

 

[Gambit2483]

I mean screenshots don't lie but...he's been acquitted so...yeah.

 

[Spyxos]

100% is a bit too drastic. In times where every second person can handle Photoshop, many things are said.

 

[Revolutionary]

I wasn't even aware of domestic violence charges. I thought it was all about him being a pedo, and this announcement doesn't do anything to address that

 

[ANDS]

Hope he lands on hos feet. But given the reaction I'm seeing on this thread, it's going to be an uphill battle.

Yeah, if only us prudes were comfortable with people being (at best) adjacent to pedophilia.

. . .damn our Western standards! /screamsattheheavens

100% is a bit too drastic. In times where every second person can handle Photoshop, many things are said.

"The DM's that allegedly involve me engaging in inappropriate conversation with minors are completely false and I reject pedophilia in all it's sickening forms." - From a press release Justin Roiland hasn't sent out.

 

[Spyxos]

He's beyond difficult. He also deals with mental illness.



The DV charge may have been, but the rest is 100% true.

100% is a bit too drastic. In times where every second person can handle Photoshop, many things are said.

 

[SpiceRacz]

100% is a bit too drastic. In times where every second person can handle Photoshop, many things are said.

My friend worked for him. Heard about this shit years ago. Can prove this through a moderator on Gaf if needed.

 

[Spyxos]

My friend worked for him. Heard about this shit years ago. Can prove this through a moderator on Gaf if needed.

Maybe I need to read up more but I've seen the screenshots that could be from anyone. But since you seem to know more than I do, I'll leave it at that.

 

[tmlDan]

I always believe in innocent until proven guilty, but many have come out to say he's just a shitty person. not a criminal, but an asshole POS.

That's enough for me to want to keep him unemployed until he acts properly.

 

[Ezekiel_]

Hey Justin, you weren't cancelled because of a lawsuit. But hey, congrats on getting the lawsuit dismissed.

This

His texts to minors are leaked and all over the web.

 

[FoxMcChief]

lol

People are so quick to cast stones. I hope he comes back and pisses off the era peasants.

 

[Nautilus]

Yeah, if only us prudes were comfortable with people being (at best) adjacent to pedophilia.

. . .damn our Western standards! /screamsattheheavens



"The DM's that allegedly involve me engaging in inappropriate conversation with minors are completely false and I reject pedophilia in all it's sickening forms." - From a press release Justin Roiland hasn't sent out.

Honestly, considering how twisted people make everything be in the internet nowadays, I don't even know if he was seriously courting underage girls. I know there was DMs, but do we even know if they were friends, and that was just some fucked up joke between them? Just an awkward moment when he feels a bit too confortable with her and says stupid things in the spur of the moment? Did he even know they were underaged? And more importantly, was there any indication that he would act on it(and you know, was just a stupid joke or some such?) So many things we don't know that people could be using to smear his name, that could or couldn't be true, just like the case that has just been dismissed.

Plus, I have an acquaintance that has a thing for lolitas. Not underaged girls, just girls that look young. He's not a pedo, he is just weird as hell(Which is why I never made a point to be friends with him). His tastes are questionable and all, but he shouldn't have his life ruined for having a weird(as hell) kink, that's harmless at the end of the day, especially because a random guy on the internet, which knows 0,01% of the whole situation and could be fed false information, said so.

 

[Yoboman]

Wwsnt the firing over him messaging underrage girls? Was the lawsuit the same thing?

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

The lawsuit was dismissed, so he did nothing wrong! Just like OJ when he was found not guilty.

I hope he learns from this but I doubt it, and unfortunately it will just make other victims less likely to come forward if their abusers are famous.

 

[A.Romero]

Yeah, I seriously doubt more than one underage girl would decide to just drown this guy by faking evidence for no reason. They are not looking to get paid or anything, just denounced once the DV allegations came to light I think. Remember that if he would sue them for difamation or something and it was fake they would be liable (the are not minors anymore). If they were fake and he knows it I don't see why wouldn't he sue. They costed him a lot of money for sure... The only reason I can imagine is because he knows he would get in trouble if that evidence needed to be put forward in court.

Also the messages are so cringe that I can't imagine they would go for those particular dialogs if they were faking it.

Glad the justice system did it's job but I don't think this guy was unfairly canceled.

 

[00Magnum Gaming]

Last I heard he had a bad reputation among coworkers. Surprised that he's kinda proven innocent. I dunno what to make of this but I guess good for the fans of his

 

[ANDS]

Honestly, considering how twisted people make everything be in the internet nowadays, I don't even know if he was seriously courting underage girls. I know there was DMs, but do we even know if they were friends -

And I'm out. I have no idea what you think you are defending here but it doesn't need to be defended, least of all here.

. . .I was going to say "There's always one" - but there's multiple of you in this thread and all from relatively fresh accounts. Something fishy is going on here.

 

[Azurro]

Pretty sure if I interview enough of your co-workers, I would be able to write an article stating you are not too pleasant to work with neither, it means nothing, especially when the guy was in a position of power.

But I'm so nice to everyone at work.

 

[JimboJones]

He was already tried and convicted by the Twitter mob.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

Despite him appearing to have been doing what some would describe as grooming of children, some people here are ok to give that a pass.

What a time to be alive.

 

[M1chl]

Not sure what has been dismissed the domestic violence, or that he is talking to minors. We've seen those tweets/dms. I don't know, this guy is creepy. I don't have much opinion, but I think that he and his fanbase are obnoxious cunts. That's was clear before with the Szechuan sauce situation. Bunch of 30 old reddit virgins

 

[Torrent of Pork]

I'm not the biggest fan of his humor, but that's neither here nor there. I'll let the court pass judgement before expressing any feelings about this ordeal.

The one thing that's a done deal, though, is that his career is over even if cleared of all charges. The cartoon and videogame people REE at a much louder volume than other mediums, and he's already convicted in their eyes.

And there it is.

 

[Nautilus]

And I'm out. I have no idea what you think you are defending here but it doesn't need to be defended, least of all here.

. . .I was going to say "There's always one" - but there's multiple of you in this thread and all from relatively fresh accounts. Something fishy is going on here.

Oh yeah sure, because you only quote that exact part of the quote and leave all my examples on why out.

That's the fucking twisted part I was talking about. For you guys, it's guilty until the end of times, regardless if its proven innocent.

It's so easy to defend freedom and letting people be what they want to be when everyone's happy, rich and well fed. But once water hits your ass, it's everyone for themselves, my right above everyone else, and if I have to thrown someone else to the lions to save face and/or get something out of it, you'll do it in a heartbeat.

You are all a bunch of hypocrotes.That's it, won't be posting anything more before this becomes a poop throwing contest.

 

[bentanchorbolt]

I saw the DMs be sent underage girls. The outcome of this case wasn't relevant to me. He's trash.

 

[justiceiro]

Well, I simply hated the "it's funny because it's annoying" projects this guy was involved, so I'm glad we got rid of that without throwing anyone in jail. Win-win for me.

 

[Torrent of Pork]

I'm hearing a faint 'REE' in the air, and it seems to be coming from inside the house.

 

[ANDS]

It's so easy to defend freedom and letting people be what they want to be when everyone's happy, rich and well fed. But once water hits your ass, it's everyone for themselves, my right above everyone else, and if I have to thrown someone else to the lions to save face and/or get something out of it, you'll do it in a heartbeat.

Dude, and you are a dude, what are you even defending here? A guys right to express his kink on minors? Yeah. No. There's nothing to discuss there. Roiland isn't going to get harangued for a a bum rap, but that doesn't mean the dude is squeaky clean and he clearly isn't.

And no I'm not interested in your examples because I'm not interested in hypotheticals or stories about friends who are into underage chicks but that's okay because it isn't acted on. . .until it is, like, yanno, what the Roiland DM's suggest.

. . .bizarre some of the hills some of you are okay dying on to prove how "anti-Woke and cancel culture" you are. Ick.

 

[Gambit2483]

Despite him appearing to have been doing what some would describe as grooming of children, some people here are ok to give that a pass.

What a time to be alive.

Mr. Reasonable, despite what we may think we still have a law/justice system (that doesn't always get it right).

 

[Nautilus]

Dude, and you are a dude, what are you even defending here?

 

[Denton]

Chris Avellone did literally nothing whatsoever and is still canceled, so good luck Justin.

 

[gothmog]

Mr. Reasonable, despite what we may think we still have a law/justice system (that doesn't always get it right).

And our issues with Justin have nothing to do with that system.

 

[daveonezero]

Who's linking to all the people trashing this guy when the news came out?

Also I hope he makes a new company. Squab he will be out of business soon

 

[Kacho]

Congrats on not being a pedro

 

[rhodesianshepard]

I love how the same people call out Hollywood for being full of pedophiles, but somehow use Justin Roiland as an example of "cancel culture", where evidence shows he's a pedophile(technically Hebephile). It's very funny

Also Roiland wasn't fired for his charges. It was weeks later when underage girls shit came out