“Hazbin Hotel,” the audacious R-rated animated comedy from Vivienne Medrano, has made a striking debut on Amazon Prime Video. As Prime Video’s first major title of 2024, it plunges viewers into a bold, musical journey through Hell, aiming to rehabilitate its quirky inhabitants. The series, which first gained attention with its animated pilot in 2019, has consistently pushed the boundaries of edgy humor and gratuitous violence, sparking critical debates and fan discussions alike.
The Verbalase Incident: A Storm Over Hazbin Hotel
The recent controversy surrounding “Hazbin Hotel” involves YouTuber Verbalase (Adym Steven Evans), known for his beatboxing videos. Early in 2024, Verbalase uploaded a contentious YouTube video featuring characters from “Hazbin Hotel,” notably Charlie Morningstar. The video, which depicted a chase and alleged assault by the character, became a flashpoint for controversy, reportedly costing the creator a hefty sum and leading to financial distress.
The Hazbin Hotel crew gets their commercial interrupted pic.twitter.com/RuQYEYgRdB
— 🐁Alex the Mouse🐁 (@RealAlexMouse) January 21, 2024
Verbalase’s Comments Stir Up the Hazbin Community
The drama intensified with Verbalase’s alleged queerphobic comments online. Leaked screenshots of Discord conversations showed Evans discussing topics like gender, identity politics, and his views on the queer community. These comments have been particularly jarring for the “Hazbin Hotel” fanbase, as creator Vivienne “VivziePop” Medrano has fostered an inclusive community, especially for queer fans. Evans’s remarks have been perceived as direct attacks by parts of this fanbase.
Ongoing Journey Amidst Backlash
Despite the backlash and the swirling controversy, “Hazbin Hotel” continues its journey on Amazon Prime Video. The show, with its unconventional narrative and bold character portrayals, stands at the intersection of creative freedom and societal norms. As debates rage on, both the show and its creator, Vivienne Medrano, navigate through the complexities of modern content creation and the diverse reactions it evokes.
