I have to write something just to get this stuff out of my head.
When I got back into wrestling in 2016, one of the channels I found compelling was WhatCulture and particularly Adam Blampied’s content. When he was exposed for soliciting nudes from fans in 2017 I was rather shocked. However, in the subsequent years he also behaved in a way I would have hoped for someone with such allegations. He admitted to it very publicly, he conceded how wrong it was, and he went away. I also talked about this in this forum here.
When he returned as part of WrestleTalk I was hesitant at first but due to the way he handled things with his misdeed I was willing to give him a second chance. The content he provided was entertaining and when they launched a sister channel called No Rolls Barred about one of my other big interests in board games I was rather delighted. They also introduced me to Blood on the Clocktower which has become one of my favorites.
When Adam rather abruptly left WT/NRB a year ago I was rather distraught. While I recognized that the statements that lead to it were rather vague, the fact is that it played into similar patterns as before as Adam admits in the video.
I try to reevaluate these things on my own and question my own assumptions. Was I, and the wider community in general, willing to forgive Adam for his past digressions because he is charismatic and entertaining, and with that allowing him to repeat such harmful behavior. Or is that a two-way street because his accuser is also an internet personality that is charismatic and attractive, and therefore we are allowing someone who made amends be ostracized again despite the accusations being very vague and unsubstantiated.
This was in September of last year and there was basically nothing in between except a couple of drama YouTubers making videos recounting the event. Well, until now.
In the last couple of days Adam Blampied released a video with a statement where he admits that he did a similar problematic behavior as in his first around (telling a romantic interest that he was in an open relationship when he wasn’t) but says that this was not followed up on until he had ended his ongoing relationship as well as the romantic relationship he was trying to solicit, and the actual cause of his departure was a professional dispute between two people who appeared as guests on NRB and had some sort of beef, with Adam having previously romantically involved with one of them who then made the accusations when he didn’t fully take her side. This was followed by a video from Angela of HobbyNight, the other side of the dispute who corroborated Adam’s statement.
I believe we have a clearer view of the situation now, but also one that marks out a clear villain. I am just still not sure if that such an easy narrative is the truth, for the same reasons as above.
