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
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?
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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
And continued for years is the key.
He made sexually explicit comments to minors for years. And solicited pictures? That’s solicitation of child pornography
The guys a pedo. Rather or not he gets charged with something related to under age girls, we’ll see.
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.
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Lmao
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.
You’re only just now wondering this?!
Aww geez, Rick.
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.
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.
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
I never liked him much, but I had no idea he was a pedo.
According to the article he would text underage women but would refuse to meet them until they were 18. Seems like he was operating within the law.
That’s called grooming, it’s arguably worse.
I’m pretty sure that having sex with underage girls is worse but that’s just me.
The worst thing is the hypocrisy!
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Wow. You think that’s actually defensible?
You called him a pedo, but he doesn’t appear to be one. Correcting your mistake doesn’t mean anyone is defending him.
How is he not a pedo when he was sexting teenagers? Just because he waited until it was legal to fuck them?
He is a pedo he’s just smart enough to wait until they’re 18 to assault them.
Unfortunately making a pass at a minor isn’t in itself illegal anyplace I’m aware of.
Touching one definitely and if he tried to meet up with them in person it would show intent.
Soliciting child porn though? Rape, I mean, he fotced oral sex. That’s rape.
The guy should be in prison and I suspect with NBC handing thr cops all of this evidence, someone will charge him with something soon.
Sexting minors (under 18) is illegal in most places, including California, even if they’re above the age of consent.
…yes? He’s waiting till they’re 18. Besides the fact that, as someone referenced above, in many states the age of consent is 16, so, if he was really scummy, he wouldn’t have even waited at all.
Don’t bother, they have a weird way about sexuality and age of consent, puritan nutjob heritage.
Again, I find it very hard to believe that adults can sext teenagers legally. I’d like some evidence for that claim.
Again, I find it very hard to believe that adults can sext teenagers legally. I’d like some evidence for that claim.
They make lists of illegal acts in the law books, they don’t generally list the legal ones. I’m curious if this is a crime as well, so please share with the rest of us if you find the answer to this question.
You’re curious if this was a crime, but above you’re saying it isn’t a big deal because he waited until they were 18 to act. Which is it?
you’re saying it isn’t a big deal
Literally nobody said that. Nobody is trying to defend this guy. Suggesting that Roiland was “operating within the law” is a claim of the facts of the case, not a defense of the morality of his actions.
you’re saying it isn’t a big deal because he waited until they were 18 to act.
Where did I say that? Please cite the text.
You appear to be projecting a lot of positions onto my comments that I do not hold. All I’ve said is that he does not seem to have broken the law based on the article and my own legal knowledge, I never said anything about what was or was not, “a big deal.” Having sex with 18-year-olds is not an example of pedophilia, legally speaking.
Morally or legally?
Does it being legal make it okay? And I’m not sure sending sexual messages to 16-year-olds is legal.
I don’t think they are defending him, but if they’re right he’s adhering to the letter of the law, not necessarily the spirit of it.
Is adults texting sexually explicit things to 16-year-olds legal? I find that hard to believe.
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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!
The summary did that thing like when FBI agents find a 800 TB harddrive containing a possibly CSAM photo and the media says they found 800 TB of CSAM.
Did he take a conversation with a sub-18 year old to a sexual place? (or not excuse himself from an email gone sexual with someone under age?) I literally mean yes he did take it sexual or no he did not take it sexual or It was not clear from the messages.
There is a difference from acknowledging sex is a thing and propositioning a teenager for sex, but at this point, I don’t care. If you are a man or a woman, etc., just devalue the experience of younger people and don’t talk to them. They’ll be fine with it eventually.
