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Matthew Mercer thinks it’s time for us to stop calling things cringe. The voice actor, who serves as the dungeon master for the web series Critical Role, believes the word is overused and discourages people from being their authentic selves.

“We live in an odd time of cringe culture where anything that is honest can be called cringe, and I don’t agree with that,” Matthew Mercer says during a Critical Role spotlight panel at New York Comic Con 2023. “I hear where people are coming from, but most things that I see being called cringe are just people being their authentic self. And other people can’t deal with that. And that’s fine if they can’t connect with it, but everything you put out there that someone might call cringe, somebody else might resonate with.”

“Unfortunately, sometimes you’ll hear the frustrating responses more than you will the people that are quietly enjoying it. So, stepping back and trying not to focus on those harsh comments and on really believing that people out there are quietly enjoying the art that you’re putting out there.” 

It’s hard to argue with that logic. Instead of being ashamed at our uniqueness and calling it “cringe,” we need to celebrate who we are and what we enjoy. Let’s do Matthew Mercer a favor and leave the word “cringe” behind in 2026.

With two animated series on Prime Video, Campaign 4 in full swing, and so much more Exandrian lore to come, Critical Role is showing no signs of slowing down. That's why the adventuring party at Popverse are here to bring you everything we can from those nerdy-ass voice actors & Bo., including:

• How to watch Critical Role in order
• Travis Willingham on the differences between The Legend of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein
• Taliesin Jaffe on playing Mollymauk Tealeaf for Campaign 2 vs. playing him for Prime Video
• Matt Mercer's homebrew warrior class (created originally for Vin Diesel)

...and much, much more. Roll initiative, player. Magic awaits.