Critics slam Rick and Morty creator's rape joke

Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon has quit Twitter after a bad-taste sketch he made in 2009 resurfaced, prompting an orchestrated internet storm.

Called Daryl, the spoof of serial-killer TV show Dexter featured Harmon playing a character who breaks into an apartment and simulates sex with a plastic baby doll.

In a statement, Harmon – who also created Community – apologised for the scene.

He said: ‘In 2009, I made a "pilot" which strove to parody the series Dexter and only succeeded in offending. I quickly realised 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 apologise.’

The footage was deleted in 2012 but has been reposted on the 4chan website, and subsequently seized upon by supporters of Donald Trump on Reddi. Users there took it the fiction as fact, with headings such as: ‘Dan Harmon is a pedo scum’. Far-right website Briebart called it a ‘fake baby rape video’

The attack is apparent revenge for Harmon’s outspoken criticism of the President, who he has likened to a Nazi.

A representative for Adult Swim, which airs Rick and Morty, added: ‘At Adult Swim, we seek out and encourage creative freedom and look to push the envelope in many ways, particularly around comedy. 

’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 recognised his mistake at the time and has apologised. He understands there is no place for this type of content here at Adult Swim.’

Harmon's apology follows Disney's decision to remove James Gunn as director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 over old tweets in which he joked about paedophilia and rape were unearthed. He refused to apologise.

And yesterday Trevor Noah was criticised for a 2013 routine in which he joked there were no attractive Aboriginal women.

Published: 24 Jul 2018