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

  • Aux@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    16
    arrow-down
    8
    ·
    1 year ago

    Everyone is doing that. That’s the whole point of being famous.

    • cantstopthesignal@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      11
      arrow-down
      15
      ·
      1 year ago

      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.

      • bitsplease@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        15
        arrow-down
        5
        ·
        1 year ago

        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

        • DarthBueller@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          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.

        • Aux@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          15
          arrow-down
          15
          ·
          1 year ago

          Oh muricans… Have to be 18 to fuck and have to be 21 to drink. The hell is wrong with you, prudes?

        • cantstopthesignal@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          arrow-down
          9
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          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.