Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon has deleted his Twitter account after a pilot skit he created and starred in from 2009 surfaced, about a character named Daryl who’s “a baby rapist with a heart of gold.” The skit was created for Channel 101, an alternative edgy channel co-founded by Harmon that pushes the boundaries of good taste.
“Originally made with Showtime, Dan Harmon presents a groundbreaking new show about the darker side of therapy,” reads the video description on Channel 101. The now-removed clips feature Harmon inappropriately rubbing himself up against a baby doll. It’s been widely slammed for its depictions of child rape.
This all comes after Disney fired Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn for inappropriate tweets he made nearly a decade ago, around a similar theme.
Harmon has since excised his Twitter account, but also released a statement.
“In 2009, I made a ‘pilot’ which strove to parody the series Dexter and only succeeded in offending. I quickly realized the content was way too distasteful and took the video down immediately. Nobody should ever have to see what you saw and for that, I sincerely apologize.”
Adult Swim, who hosts Rick And Morty, has also released a statement that’s not quite as reactionary as Disney’s.
“At Adult Swim, we seek out and encourage creative freedom and look to push the envelope in many ways, particularly around comedy,” an Adult Swim spokesperson told Variety. “The offensive content of Dan’s 2009 video that recently surfaced demonstrates poor judgement and does not reflect the type of content we seek out. Dan recognized his mistake at the time and has apologized. He understands there is no place for this type of content here at Adult Swim.”
It’s not the first time that Harmon has been vilified. Megan Ganz, one of the writers on his hit show Community called him out on Twitter for his behaviour in the past. After a lengthy exchange on the platform, Harmon apologised, saying “I’m disgusted and sorry that I stained our show and your talent with my selfish, childish shit.”
The whole situation is an odd one. I don’t believe it’s ever okay to joke about rape, particularly when it involves kids, but it also feels like there’s a targeted attack on liberal celebrities, using weaponised accusations of paedophilia.
Either way, Dan Harmon did some shitty things and is probably a shitty person – but the internet’s precious Rick and Morty is safe.
Last Updated: July 24, 2018
Original Heretic
July 24, 2018 at 08:37
Bloooody hell….
Some people REALLY don’t know where the line is until they’ve crossed it.
RinceThis
July 24, 2018 at 08:55
Maybe I’m missing something that only the arty people see? Why are these fucktards even apologising for this stuff when they should never have created it?
Original Heretic
July 24, 2018 at 09:02
Not trying to explain this behaviour away, but here’s my POV…
We live in a world of excess. Western culture in particular is all about wanting more, wanting something different, doing something in a way that hasn’t been done before. With all the stories and content that is available to us, creators are always looking for that hook, that something different that’s going to get people interested in the first place.
I consider myself, and how often I abandon a series after watching one or two episodes. It might get great later on, but it didn’t hook me at the start.
It’s BECAUSE of this mindset that creators will push the envelope, will more often than not opt for the shock value hook.
But like I said, doesn’t excuse it at all.
GooseZA
July 24, 2018 at 10:48
Yeah but wouldn’t it be great if that hook was something wholesome for once, instead of something violent or disturbing? Something that inspires people to be better?
Original Heretic
July 24, 2018 at 10:49
Fully agree.
The disturbing/shocking/violent hook is the easy way out.
RinceThis
July 24, 2018 at 10:49
Yeha, I think you might be onto something there. The lens they look at the world through is quite different to us ‘normal’ folk.
Original Heretic
July 24, 2018 at 10:56
Dunno about that “different lens”.
It’s in them TRYING to see through a “different lens” that content like this is created. As is usually the case, when things are forced, that’s when they kinda go to shit.
RinceThis
July 24, 2018 at 11:00
That’s what I mean. Their lens is ‘trying’ to be different/edgy.
GooseZA
July 24, 2018 at 10:35
Yup. Art is not an excuse. People should know better.
RinceThis
July 24, 2018 at 10:50
Agreed. To be honest, they can do as they want. I will only care when it directly starts impacting others. Reading a tweet is up to me. If I don’t like anime, I won’t watch it (christ knows there’s enough pedo stuff that goes on in that) but if it breaches in the realm of the real, then I take issue.
For the Emperor!
July 24, 2018 at 09:15
“targeted attack on liberal celebrities, using weaponised accusations of paedophilia” – well, the “far left” started the new era of Witch Hunting, and it is a fact that quite a few “virtue signaling far left” people have been caught and convicted of these crimes. Add to that the fact Hollywood gave a standing ovation to a director in his absence for winning an award where his absence was due to fleeing the country after being convicted or raping a minor…
Social Justice Jim Bot v 1.5
July 24, 2018 at 10:26
“It’s only wrong if they do it… “
For the Emperor!
July 24, 2018 at 09:19
PS – I do not approve of the Witch Hunting and Outrage Culture that is going on, regardless of who is wielding it. It is just funny when the ones who started it (“far left”) complain about others using it against them
Original Heretic
July 24, 2018 at 09:24
I just read an article this morning about a feminist FB page that was suspended due to being “anti-trans”.
Needless to say, the feminists are a tad pissed.
HvR
July 24, 2018 at 12:05
Jip last month Boogie podcast drama was the same thing.
He expressed an opinion on how to approach social issues, no hate or condemnation behind it.
Bunch of LBQT and Sarkeesian activists, some them apparently well known, went full out actively harassing him to the point where he a mini mental breakdown and then pushing for him to commit suicide.
Original Heretic
July 24, 2018 at 14:24
What the hell is with people?!
“I don’t like what you say or what you believe, so I want you to die.”
DAFUQ?!
HvR
July 24, 2018 at 15:28
It is scary and disgusting at the same time.
And that “mainstream” media, games media and large gaming and entertainment companies after all this still support the individuals fueling the fires of hate.
As if they are too scared too call out the same crap tactics from the side whose ideas they support.
Original Heretic
July 24, 2018 at 15:39
Yeah, because if they attack them, suddenly they become the targets.
It’s fucking horrible how this certain sector of people seems to think that they are always right, that even when they spew hateful shit about someone, they are justified in doing so, whether it be true or not.
Guz
July 24, 2018 at 09:59
Welcome to 2018…. were dafaq did it all go so wrong, maybe it was just like this the whole time
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
July 24, 2018 at 10:32
It’s so obvious. It all went wrong when social media platforms started springing up everywhere.
The root cause is attention seeking. “OMG I”M SO OFFENDED AT WHAT I SAW ON THE INTERNET IT HURTS ME I CAN’T EVEN!!”
HvR
July 24, 2018 at 11:51
Think the starting point was that whole “Spring Revolution” when people on Twitter realised was outrage has power behind it.
Clearly a power of only destruction but power nonetheless
#Twitter_caused_ISIS
HvR
July 24, 2018 at 11:51
Think the starting point was that whole “Spring Revolution” when people on Twitter realised was outrage has power behind it.
Clearly a power of only destruction but power nonetheless
#Twitter_caused_ISIS
cloudzn
July 24, 2018 at 13:18
It all started with Gunn being overly anti Trump and the conservative group looking for something to discredit him, but this day and age no one is completely innocent
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
July 24, 2018 at 10:34
If we look at the bigger picture here, you’ll notice that there are similar types of controversies in any given period of time, about 3 to 6 months.
Pay attention. It’s not what it seems at face value.
cloudzn
July 24, 2018 at 13:18
It all started with Gunn being overly anti Trump and the conservative group looking for something to discredit him, but this day and age no one is completely innocent
Dresden
July 25, 2018 at 06:31
Look, I’m not defending Dan Harmon, but I would’ve really appreciated if you added some context to the story as to “how” he did a parody on Dexter. After finding that out, I at least have an idea as to why he made that piss-poor attempt at a skit.
Social Justice Jim Bot v 1.5
July 25, 2018 at 11:56
Personally, I like Rick and Morty, but I think Harmon needs to be launched off into space – any person that casually throws the “nazi” slur around to describe conservatives, moderates or any one that doesn’t share his or her ideology is an ignoramus.