And one of the verboten topics that the company never addressed and which could not be mentioned for fear of invoking Temkin’s wrath was an alleged incident of sexual assault committed by Temkin which came to light in 2014.Īnd internet user known as “Magz” (who has understandably kept her identity secret for fear of harassment) alleged that Temkin was her “rapist” but the allegations never gained traction. There was no HR at the company to complain to, which became a running joke. Temkin is alleged to have been a mercurial and abusive boss, who might harass, berate, or even fire employees if they upset him. But at the center of many of the problems at the company seems to have been one founder in particular: Max Temkin. Cards Against Humanity was run and is still owned by the eight original creators of the game, who are all white dudes. Polygon released a report last week that detailed the sexist, racist, and generally awful workplace culture in the Chicago office of Cards Against Humanity. It’s the “joke” of ironic sexism and racism and more that underlies the humor … but it turns out the racism and sexism and horribleness at the company were not ironic. Many of those offensive cards have been removed as the game has evolved, but not all of them, and it’s still a game that is all about being a horrible person. And that shock has included cards that made light of racism and rape, fetishized bodies, and demeaned women and minorities.
The current movement for racial justice has exposed the toxic culture of the company and re-exposed the abusive behaviors of one of the creators of the most popular millennial party game-and it hints at a much bigger problem with our society and our humor.Ĭards Against Humanity gained a huge foothold and became popular because it’s shocking and often crass.
It really shouldn’t be surprising that the makers of a “Card Game For Horrible People” are … horrible people.