ZLaner, a longtime Warzone partner and close friend of Dr Disrespect, has recently spoken out about the consequences of Doc’s scandal and deemed his actions as “unacceptable.”
For several years, Dr Disrespect and ZLaner have been close friends in the online gaming community. They were practically inseparable during the peak years of Warzone’s popularity, dominating the Battle Royale genre. Whenever one of them was live streaming, the other was likely to be streaming as well.
Despite the revelation from ex-Twitch staff about the reasons behind his sudden ban in 2020, Dr Disrespect’s world is falling apart. ‘Z’ has now decided to speak up on the matter. Following Dr Disrespect’s admission of engaging in conversations with a minor, his long-time friends, business partners, and sponsors have all started to distance themselves.
ZLaner has recently addressed the scandal by posting a brief video on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). In the video, he expresses his disapproval of Dr Disrespect’s actions and states that he cannot support them.
THE TWITCH BANHello, I’d like to make a quick statement..Lets cut the fucking bullshit, as you know there’s no filter with me. I’ve always been up front and real with you guys on anything that I can be up front about, and I’m always willing to accept responsibility… which…
— Dr Disrespect (@DrDisrespect) June 25, 2024
The allegations first surfaced on June 22 when former Twitch employees disclosed Doc’s interactions with a minor using the Whisper messaging feature on the platform. Despite the content creator’s initial denial and assertion of innocence, a more detailed statement was released on June 26.
Upon reflection, Dr Disrespect acknowledged that he had engaged in conversations with a minor in 2017. In his statement, he clarified that these conversations were casual and mutual, but at times may have crossed boundaries and become inappropriate. He emphasized that no illegal activity took place, no images were exchanged, and he never even met the individual in person.
Despite the backlash, several of Doc’s closest online friends publicly spoke out against him. However, one of his closest gaming companions, ZLaner, remained noticeably quiet until June 26. In a video addressing the situation, Z finally shared his thoughts.
ZLaner expressed that the silence has been as difficult for him as it has been for many others in the past few days. The news has been devastating and it has been challenging to accept.
Speaking directly to his former Warzone partner, the speaker expresses hope that this incident will be a learning experience for Dr Disrespect and that he will not repeat it in the future.
It is unacceptable for a grown man to message a minor and I cannot support such behavior.
— OpTic ZLaner (@ZLaner) June 27, 2024
Despite the scandal, Z continues to receive overwhelming support from hundreds of fans who have flooded the replies. One fan said, “We love you bro,”while another added, “Your relationship with Doc was one of the most wholesome things in gaming and streaming. Take care of yourself.”
“A supporter responded by acknowledging the difficulty of receiving shocking news when you have a close friendship with someone.”
Despite CouRageJD’s emphasis during the fallout, it is clear that even Doc’s closest friends, such as Z, were not aware of the situation until the allegations surfaced publicly in June 2024.
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