Matt Dinniman has managed to turn what could have been a celebration into a sideshow. The author of the hit audiobook series Dungeon Crawler Carl is now being mocked for disowning one of the people who helped him get noticed in the first place. Years ago, when Dinniman was still an indie name hustling for listens, he brought YouTuber Critical Drinker on board for a brief voice cameo. It was a small role, reportedly unpaid, that helped the author’s series gain early buzz in the crowded audiobook market.
Now that Dungeon Crawler Carl is moving toward a possible TV adaptation at Peacock, Dinniman is trying to distance himself from that old collaboration. On Reddit, he called Critical Drinker an “edgelord douchebag” and said he hoped to remove his cameo from the third book’s audio version. The about-face has left fans scratching their heads, with many accusing Dinniman of selling out to Hollywood before his show is even greenlit. After all, “in development” at Peacock doesn’t mean a series will ever see the light of day.
What’s known is that Seth McFarlane is executive producing through his Fuzzy Door Productions banner. Chris Yost is writing and also executive producing, with author Matt Dinniman serving as an EP alongside Erica Huggins. This setup was confirmed in Variety last week. A quote from Apparently some progressive fans really hate that the Critical Drinker is so intolerant of woke garbage that they had a struggle session with Dinniman which resulted in this post on Reddit (from two years ago apparently).
It was in response to fan discussions or complaints about the cameo, Dinniman said:
“I regret that my books have any association whatsoever with him. I hope one day to have his part in book three removed all together. It’s a distraction, and the only edgelord douchebag I want people to think of when they read my books is the AI itself.”
Critical Drinker, known for his blunt takes on modern entertainment, responded with a jab of his own. “Lol, that’s interesting since he was VERY excited to work with me and claimed to be a big fan when it benefitted him. Now that he’s trying to break into TV, suddenly he’s filled with “regret”. Good luck sucking all that Hollywood dick, buddy. Hope it’s worth it.” Drinker’s sarcastic comment about Dinniman’s new “Hollywood image” summed up how many fans feel: the same man who once needed the exposure now wants to pretend he never did.
What makes the situation more embarrassing for Dinniman is how little backlash there actually was. A Reddit thread that complained about Critical Drinker’s cameo barely racked up two dozen upvotes before being locked, yet Dinniman still raced to issue a performative apology. It came across as an overreaction meant to please a handful of social media activists, and even that small crowd is unlikely to return the favor.
By trying to polish his image for a supposed Hollywood audience, Dinniman may have sabotaged his relationship with his early supporters. Fans who admired Dungeon Crawler Carl for its humor and independence are now abandoning it. The irony is that the controversy has drawn more attention to Dinniman’s hypocrisy than to his project itself. Loyalty is easy when the stakes are low, and Dinniman’s willingness to swap gratitude for approval shows what happens when ambition outweighs integrity. If the Peacock deal falls apart, he might find himself without Hollywood’s attention and without the fans who got him there.
***
English (US) · 