In September, popular creator IShowSpeed livestreamed a meeting with popular humanoid influencer Rizzbot.
Rizzbot boasts more than 1 million followers (and 800 million views) across social media and is known for not only giving people the middle finger, but also comedically teasing the subject. Speed, on the other hand, boasts over 50 million followers (and 6 billion views) across various platforms and is known for his dramatic antics during livestreams.
What happened when the two met is the subject of a lawsuit detailed by Social Robotics, the developer of Rizbot, in a petition filed in November against Speed (formerly known as Darren Jason Watkins Jr.), his management company Mixed Management, and another producer who was on Speed’s team that day. The petition, obtained by TechCrunch, alleges that Speed has caused “irreparable harm” to Rizzbot.
The lawsuit alleges that Speed repeatedly punched Lizbot in the face, strangled her and at one point pinned her to a couch and threw her to the ground, which is also shown on livestream video.
“Speed fully understood that this was not an appropriate way to interact with advanced robots and knew that such conduct would cause irreparable harm to Lisbot,” the petition states. “As a result of these actions, Rizbot has been completely lost.”
The petition said Speed’s handling of the robot resulted in a “total loss of function” and “significant damage” to Lisbot’s mouth and neck.
“Additionally, the head camera no longer works, and the ports on the back of the neck that connect to the sensors that allow the robot to see and hear have malfunctioned, making the robot unstable and unable to walk in a straight line,” the petition claims. The petition seeks damages, including actual profits and lost profits, but Lisbot’s legal team declined to comment on how much the owners are seeking.
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According to the petition and police report obtained by TechCrunch, Austin police had to be called after the incident. Responding officers noted that the damage was done to Lisbot without the owner’s “tacit consent” and that the owner wanted to press charges. The petition states that an investigation is ongoing.
Speed’s management did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
Joel Levine, a lawyer for Social Robotics, said the lawsuit came after negotiations with Speedo’s team stalled over how to compensate Rizbot’s owners for damage caused to the robots.
“This is a livestreamed event, so there are no major discrepancies with the facts,” Levine told TechCrunch. “What we’re looking for is some accountability.”
The petition said Mr Speed ”failed to act as a careful, reasonable and prudent man” and had “unreasonable control” over Mr Lisbot. It also said that as a result of the destruction, Lisbot will be indefinitely barred from future high-profile appearances and contracts, including CBS’s “NFL Today” and “Mr. Beast,” and the team behind Lisbot has lost financial opportunity.
“There is no doubt that this is a monumental setback for Lisbot in terms of the momentum of the virus and the financial gain from exposure,” the petition reads. “Being in a Mr. Beast production is like being in a Super Bowl commercial.”
The petition states that in the month prior to the livestream, Rizzbot generated more than 600 million views on TikTok and more than 200 million views on Instagram. However, in the 28 days since the incident, Lisbot has been unable to create new content, resulting in a more than 70% drop in viewership, the petition alleges. “The intentional destruction of Rizzbot caused significant and likely permanent economic harm given the viral nature of social media,” the petition reads.
Levine said there has not yet been a formal response to the plaintiffs’ lawsuit, noting that the case is still in its very early stages. When asked for comment, Risbot told TechCrunch via email that Speed would need to get a “completely new body” after “destroying” its last body.
“Everything is new except for the Nike kicks and cowboy hat,” Lisbot told TechCrunch in a statement. “Now that I’m back online, I feel like I’ve mastered the Liz game. Next up I’ll be working on more complex leg movements, like twerking. Hopefully, you’ll see me swivel my hips in a new TV appearance soon. Stay tuned.”
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