Mike Ybarra of Microsoft isn’t normally one to get into trouble for public relations gaffs, but unfortunately he seems to have stepped in it this time around. Ybarra recently made an appearance on the Dealer Gaming Youtube channel’s podcast, known for being highly toxic and homophobic during his broadcasts.
According to Ybarra in a statement after his appearance, his guest starring on Dealer’s podcast wasn’t intended as an endorsement of Dealer but as a gesture of support to the other two guests on the podcast, Timdog and Rand Al Thor.
Dealer has been the recipient of a huge amount of criticism in the past for his highly toxic ways and homophobic viewpoints, which he has more than once flaunted on Twitter in rants directed at people that criticize him.
Mike Ybarra claimed that he was not aware of Dealer’s toxic reputation, though he had previously appeared on Dealer’s podcast several years before in another guest appearance. While it’s unlikely that he supports someone like Dealer personally, two appearances in just a few years is somewhat suspicious.
Beyond just Ybarra appearing on his show, various Microsoft publications, such as Windows Central, have also previously endorsed him in various articles, such as Jez Corden back in June, who included Dealer in a list of four different Xbox YouTubers people should be following. Corden even apparently called Dealer a personal friend.
All in all Dealer seems like your average troll, someone who’s all talk online but when someone bigger threatens him backs down and tries to come off as normal, as during some of his Twitter rants he’s deleted all of his objectionable posts when someone’s threatened to report him.
While professionally supporting someone and agreeing with what they’re saying are two entirely different things, one would think that Microsoft would be more careful about vetting the people that they allow their employees to associate with.
Hopefully Mike Ybarra and other people like him can be more aware in the future, and keep from associating with Dealer and people like him.
