DrDisrespect Claims He Was Invited to Highguard Preview Event, But It’s Not True
Once a prominent figure in the online gaming scene, Herschel “Dr Disrespect” Beahm, who faced a Twitch ban in 2017 for sending “inappropriate” messages to a minor, recently shared a photo of a media badge on January 26, claiming he was invited to a pre-release event for the free-to-play raid shooter, Highguard. However, several attendees of the event have denied his presence, leading some Reddit users to speculate that his photo might have been manipulated using AI or Photoshop. The creator manager for Highguard has also stated that he was neither invited nor present.
On the Monday before Highguard’s launch, Dr Disrespect posted an image featuring a keyboard, an energy drink, a personalized controller, and a Highguard media badge with his name on it to his X account. He asserted that he had played Highguard at a recent media event in Los Angeles, stating, “Last week we took the Lambo to LA to check out #Highguard. Monday, January 26th at 10am PST, we enter another dimension! Yayayaya.”
As soon as the post went live, it sparked a flurry of reactions online, with many criticizing the decision to invite someone like Dr Disrespect to the event. After being banned from Twitch in June 2020, he lost several sponsorships and business deals after admitting to sending messages that were “inappropriate” but not “illegal” to a minor on the platform. He now streams exclusively on Rumble and YouTube, where his channel was monetized again following a lengthy review of the allegations.
“Choosing to work with a self-admitted pedophile to market your game is certainly… a choice,” remarked a game developer and writer. Another user questioned the marketing strategy, asking if it was wise for Highguard to have its first news associated with inviting a controversial figure to a preview event.
Shortly after the post gained traction, several creators stepped forward to assert that Dr Disrespect was never at the event, claiming he was fabricating his invitation. “Dr. Disrespect was not invited to the early access event,” tweeted creator Macro. “I know this because I WAS THERE, and I promise you, everyone would’ve noticed that pedo a mile away. There are plenty of valid criticisms of Highguard, but this isn’t one of them.” Kate Sánchez, the EIC of ButWhyTho, also stated she didn’t see him there, unless creators had a different schedule. Another content creator, Kinda Funny’s Blessing Adeoye Jr., expressed doubt about Dr Disrespect’s attendance but noted there was a separate day for creators only, which Sánchez and Adeoye Jr. did not attend.
Highguard’s creator manager, Chin Pu, responded to a viral tweet regarding Dr Disrespect, confirming that he “was not invited to any Highguard event past or present, and the badge was not an official badge.” A freelancer sent to the event also reported not seeing Dr Disrespect during the press day.
On the Highguard subreddit, some players are speculating that Dr Disrespect may have faked the image using AI tools or Photoshop, pointing out discrepancies in the media badge’s design compared to confirmed badges from the event. If he did attend, it appears he received a badge with a different layout than other attendees. As of now, Dr Disrespect has not publicly addressed these claims on social media or elsewhere, although he did stream the game on Rumble and YouTube on launch day.
