In the years following the 2013 debut of Adult Swim’s cartoon phenomenon “Rick and Morty,” its star and co-creator Justin Roiland became a titan of the animation and video game industry and a rock star of youth counterculture. His artistic style and caricatures became ubiquitous in cannabis culture, and his career expanded into producing other animated series, creating NFTs and leading a virtual reality gaming studio. In 2017, a “Rick and Morty” collaboration with McDonald’s led to such a viral frenzy that police had to be called to at least two locations.
But as he partied with Los Angeles’ superstars and traveled the country for conventions, he also found he could use his fame to strike up conversations and develop relationships with young fans, including some who were underage. This is according to interviews with 11 women and nonbinary people who shared thousands of messages with Roiland from 2013 to 2022 — with nine of the people saying he turned the exchanges sexual. Of those nine people, three said they were 16 when they started talking to Roiland. To corroborate their stories, the 11 women and nonbinary people also shared pictures, videos, social media posts, emails, and plane ticket and Uber receipts with NBC News.
Warning: Lengthy and graphic details
“Young” could be misinterpreted as 18. “Underage” is the right word.
Yeah, this story needs way more precision than it has.
“Were 16 when they started texting him”. Ok, well how old were they written the allegations occurred, and what is he alleged to have done?
The imprecision is by design. Modern journalism is trash.
Not to defend it, but in situations like this I think they have to be vague for legal reasons. There’s a fine line between reporting the news and defamation (regardless of how true it is).
It’s bullshit, and people will use defamation and lawyers to attack people accusing them. But I can see why you’d want to be extra careful how you worded the title.
Eeeeeexactly
Seems like he waited until they were 18 before meeting them, although he would send sexually-charged texts to women as young as 16.
Roiland usually asked people how old they were, if they were single, and if they were “into girls.” In three cases, when the person said they were under 18, Roiland would message them again months or years later. Those three conversations started with people who said they were 16 at the time, and continued for years, until they were 18 and older.
So did he actually groom them? Because the way this is written it sounds like he asked them their age, and then waited for them to be legal, which is creepy, but I wouldn’t call it grooming.
Lmao age of consent laws don’t mean it isn’t statutory rape.
They totally do. By definition. What do you think the “statute” in “statutory” is referring to?
Tshh it’s when you rape a statue silly.
I think it’s Betrayal at House on the Hill where you lay out all the tiles to build the house, and one of them has permanently become the Statutory Corridor according to our house rules (because we’ve misread it so many times).
I think you’re missing the double negative I used. Lol I’m saying that even if someone is above the age of consent, statutory rape is still an applicable charge.
By definition, it isn’t
That’s the whole point of the law
Take it up with Virginia; age of consent there is 15. Intercourse with a minor above 15 as an adult can still give you statutory rape charges, as referenced here: “The age of consent for intercourse is 15 years old in Virginia; however, there are other sex acts that set the age at 18. These acts include cunnilingus, fellatio, and anal intercourse, which means that minors cannot legally consent to certain sexual activity. Additionally, if you are an adult and have sex with a person under 18 years of age, you may be prosecuted for statutory rape. Statutory rape is generally charged as a Class 4 Felony, but the exact charge and penalties will depend on all the factors and ages involved.”
Pulled from https://www.roanokecriminalattorney.com/how-does-virginia-define-consent/
It isn’t always the case, generally age of consent precludes it, but not always. Age of consent isn’t a get out of jail free card. Additionally, it doesn’t specify about relations between people in positions of power.
It’s all moot anyway, Roiland lives in CA, and he was inviting a 17 year old to his house in Los Angeles. Age of consent there is 18. Did he assault her? No, but what 36 year old man is inviting a 17 year old to his house? Multiple other reports of girls at 18, still in high school, also receiving advances from him.
There is further conversation with another user below this, but that isn’t the case in some places, namely Virginia.
Additionally, statutory rape isn’t just bound to age of consent. There are myriad other statutes it can apply through, namely family, age difference, and positions of power over minors above the age of consent.
Legal expert spotted
Literally in the second paragraph of the article and the summary at the top of this post.
But as he partied with Los Angeles’ superstars and traveled the country for conventions, he also found he could use his fame to strike up conversations and develop relationships with young fans, including some who were underage.
The article then goes on to discuss his conversations with underage fans. The article uses “young” because his conversations with of-age but teenaged fans were also bad.
The fact that these women and enby folks were underage is like the most important part of the story. Calling underage girls “young” and not correctly calling them underage in the title of the story is called burying the lede.
Justin Roiland used his ‘Rick and Morty’ fame to pursue young and underage fans, text messages show would have been a better title.
For most people, except apparently many in this thread, “young” heavily implies underage. When character limits matter, it’s okay to start by saying “young,” which is accurate, then clarify further in the article.
Lemmy has an unusually high concentration of people who have an inability to understand context.
For example, every joke, the top comment is “I don’t understand, can someone please explain?”
I tend to give jokes a pass. Humor is often contextual and cultural so some jokes really do require an explanation.
Per the article, he explicitly did not pursue underage fans, though.
Roiland usually asked people how old they were, if they were single, and if they were “into girls.” In three cases, when the person said they were under 18, Roiland would message them again months or years later. Those three conversations started with people who said they were 16 at the time, and continued for years, until they were 18 and older.
Talking about the title
I think you must have missed their last sentence. The title uses young because it wasn’t just underaged girls he was texting, and texting the 18 and 19 year olds at his age is also a pretty bad look.
Still creepy if not illegal at just above 18. Turns out he was more than just creepy though.
“Underage” in which locale, and for what? If you’re referring to age of consent, 16 isn’t underage in most places, as it shouldn’t be.
Fuck off pedo
What makes you right and a lot of the rest of the world wrong? Why is 18 the right number instead of 16?
I’m not arguing with a pedo
From the article, really buried: “Roiland usually asked people how old they were, if they were single, and if they were “into girls.” In three cases, when the person said they were under 18, Roiland would message them again months or years later. Those three conversations started with people who said they were 16 at the time, and continued for years, until they were 18 and older.”
After reading the whole article it doesn’t seem like he did anything sexual with anyone under 18. My takeaway is that he’s a creep, abuses his fame and power (part of a big club there), he’s manipulative, and he plies underage people with alcohol to get them to sleep with him, but it appears he’s not a pedo. Or at least smart enough not to get caught.
Not a pedo, just a regular rapist. Talk about low bars.
Don’t mistake my comment as a defense of him as a person. He’s been accused of domestic violence, forced oral sex, and taking advantage of intoxicated women under the drinking age. Despite him getting off on the DV charge, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. He’s obviously a pretty terrible human being.
I just don’t like people throwing around ‘pedo’ unjustly, because it waters it down and takes away the impact when used against even worse monsters.
Even the “forced” oral sex seems really suspect.
But he should have been able to read the situation as well as anyone. If she seems to be setting a trap, maybe don’t fall for it?
Either way, the dude seems to be tiptoeing around the borders laws that nobody should be near. Dude’s sitting and watching the clock for when his prey turns 18. Even if he might comply with the letter of the law, he’s clearly violating the spirit.
16 is not prepubescent which is what pedo is there is another term for teens but i forgot.
Ephebophilia I believe. He’s also a groomer, how fun…
Libertarian?
The only people who care about this distinction are pedophiles / whatever that term is.
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Lmao a 16 year old being hit on by a 30 year old is not age appropriate sexual acts, it’s about mental maturity
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The term is “ephebophilia”
Now you’ve read my comment
Now you know what that term is
Now you’re a pedophile
It’s that easy! See you in Thailand!
I said people who care about the distinction, not people who know the term
lol whatever pedo
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This is textbook grooming
“Hey how old are you?”
- “16”
(ends conversation)
That’s not grooming.
Those three conversations started with people who said they were 16 at the time, and continued for years, until they were 18 and older.
This is a quote from the comment you’re responding to… It IS textbook grooming. He didn’t stop talking to them when he found out they were underage.
Except he didn’t end the conversation. Read the article, fuckwit
You kiss your daddy with that mouth?
Only below the waist
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According to the screenshots shared by Twitter user @/MartyAmericaUSA, Roiland asked the minor to run away from school and go into “sx slavery.” He also allegedly addressed her as a “ft btch,” called her “jailbait,” and said she would go into “cam w*ing” once she turns 18.
A Facebook user called Janna Waters also claimed that Roiland texted on Twitter when she was 16 and called her “insanely hot.” The user also alleged that the Rick and Morty co-creator allegedly had a “predatory scout” named Christy who used to find “young girls who looked a certain way” for the creator.
No, dude’s a pedo. “Starting the conversation” with someone who’s underage then waiting til 5 minutes after their 18th birthday to make a move doesn’t make you not a pedo, it makes you a pedo who doesn’t want to go to prison. Even then, there are at least two documented cases where he didn’t wait. Because he’s a pedo.
No he’s a pedo that just barely skirts the law so he doesn’t get gang raped in prison.
You say he abuses his fame and power. I don’t really see and power accept money and fame. If people are attracted to fame and power, then why should he not be allowed to use his? Why is that different than a woman who shows off her breasts to get a date?
You don’t see why unbalanced power dynamics lead to abusive situations?
So you are saying that all golddiggers are automatically victims now because there is an ‘unbalanced power dynamic’?
Yes, that’s what OP is saying.
So now I have to feel sorry for girls who choose to only date old millionaires? Crazy…
Welcome to 2023. Accountability went out in the 90s.
I don’t really get the people that bitching about using their fame to get laid either. Are we only allowed to date within our own social class? If they’re being coercive, yea, that’s a problem but it’s possible to have a relationship without coercion.
I’m not defending this dude but the problem with him was that he was pursuing minors not that he was famous and successful.
Man, why’d he have to be such a fuckin’ gross creep? Why couldn’t he just have been creative and weird and depressed?
If you add funny to that list you get Dan Harmon.
Dan Harmon was super problematic in his own way. His difference was he apologized to the people he wronged in a way that they accepted, and seems to have changed his behavior. His change in behavior seems to be part of what left Justin out to dry as Dan no longer came to work intoxicated, but Roiland just kept doing it.
Well the subtype of funny that Rolland had (and Harmon still has to a degree) had was from being creative and weird and sad. Smart, dark, absurdist, existentialist humor. I think that’s a pretty reasonable way to roll it up.
Edit: crossed the names up, derp
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Lmao
Aww geez, Rick.
This really has me wondering how many people are doing the same thing but haven’t been caught.
A person who otherwise wouldn’t be noticed suddenly getting attention they never received thrown at them can easily abuse it if they don’t control their behavior with a moral compass, which is becoming less and less a priority. When something feels good, many indulge. When you overindulge, you justify. When you get good at justifying, you can make anything okay in your head. If you don’t have a line drawn, it’s wild how far people will go… he went way too far and he should endure the consequences.
I think getting to be super famous is much easier if you have no moral compass to begin with.
Or a successful politician
I contend it’s not that it’s less of a priority but rather we’re (as a society) getting better at collecting evidence, identifying un aceptable behaviour, and taking people seriously when they present an accusation. I firmly believe humans have done and do worse all the time.
I agree, actually. It’s actually unreasonable to think people were any better or worse before, there’s always good and bad… The difference is what’s accepted by the rest of us. Great response, I appreciate it!
Everyone is doing that. That’s the whole point of being famous.
Women DM famous people all the time and randomly fuck them. I personally some that have done it. They are just like meet me at this hotel.
Which there’s absolutely nothing wrong with, provided both parties are over 18
No one is upset that he fucked fans, there upset that he at least tried to fuck underaged fans.
Frankly if you don’t see a difference, I’m scared for you
Plenty of folks arguing now that literally any imbalance of power is unacceptable – I’ve heard people argue that it is also not time-limited. So rich people can’t fuck poor people, a professor can’t ever fuck a former student even if they meet years later at a conference, and don’t even think about workplace romance ever again if you are talking about college educated folks. The insane rules mean that you’re only allowed to date someone precisely the same as you in every way. These are the same cis het allies that helped alienate and target the trans community through absolute absurdity.
Oh muricans… Have to be 18 to fuck and have to be 21 to drink. The hell is wrong with you, prudes?
Found Polanski’s account.
The comment chain didn’t imply any of what you said about my comment. You’re putting words in my mouth, I’ll leave it at that.
You’re only just now wondering this?!
Glad to see more reporting on this. The way they swapped out Roiland’s voice in Solar Opposites was absolutely perfect, it really hasn’t lost anything imo.
I still fucking laugh thinking about it.
It was so unexpected for me that they would make a change to a hoity British accent and just run with it like nothing happened.
Brilliantly handled. I’m actually looking forward to how they are going to make the change for Rick and Morty now.
Maybe a cockney British accent. Oi Mor-y iss time for nother venture get in da car cunt.
It’s an adventyah, innit?
What the the hell was that supposed to be? It sure as hell isn’t cockney. There’s not one bit of rhyming slang in there.
Not just any hoity British accent, that’s Dan Stevens. Main character in Legion if you’ve seen that show.
They’ve said that they’re using soundalikes for R&M, so no British Rick.
“This is what my voice sounds like now. I don’t care if it’s jarring, get over it. And that Voice Changer Ray had chronotons in it, so this is what I’m gonna sound like in flashbacks too. You got a problem with that? Then tough shit, it’s called science!”
Wait, he was voiced by Roland? I thought they were just taking a shot at Roland and Rick and Morty, that’s 10x funnier
Grooming is more than just convincing a minor to not tell their parents.
The actual definition is grooming a minor for a later sexual relationship (not fully restricted to them still being a minor)
As with any scummy/horrible behavior, there are levels of scum/horribleness.
Fucking disgusting, I will never understand people like this.
That’s a man in a position of power
There are plenty of men in positions of power that don’t abuse minors.
AMIPOPAB
?
All Men In Positions Of Power Are Bastards
Lol
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So the only thing stopping you from doing stuff like this is power?
What a cringe lord.
I just assume anyone remotely famous is some kind of foul person behind the scenes.
😭
Oof.
I’ve seen your secret plans for a space station capable of destroying entire planets, Margot Robbie! It’s bad engineering and is going to get a ton of your workers and soldiers killed!
That’s Academy Award nominated character actress/part time Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Margot to you!
Yes, the use of the Mass Shadow Generator on Malachor V was necessary to end the Mandalorian War once and for all, and no, I refuse to elaborate further.
Bodied lmao
No, Paul Rudd, nooo! You’re too pure!
High positions of power/money/fame tend to attract those types unfortunately.
And gradually create them too.
Imagine being so lucky that you become a household name off of animation of all things but then deciding to do exactly what John K did. At least Rick and Morty won’t go the way of Ren and Stimpy. Not yet, anyway.
He knew he could take advantage of the fans. What an ass.
I just watched a great documentary on YouTube about Ren and Stimpy and it’s fucking sad how similar the story with John K is as well. I should think there’s some obvious lessons about not giving immature manbabies unlimited power in here, but it’d be nice if somebody actually learned them!
Didn’t this story already come out like a year ago? Adult swim fired him
that story was to do with him being charged with assault and unlawful imprisonment
