Best Buy reinstates iPhone 4 vs. EVO 4G video creator; he quits, though

A few days ago we reported that the creator of the hilarious iPhone 4 vs. EVO 4G video (as well as its rebuttal) was about to lose his job at Best Buy. Well, they've relented, but he hasn't: he's outta there.

The original video showed a zombified iPhone 4 buyer refusing to listen to a Phone Mart employee when he tells him of the benefits of the EVO 4G. It was hilarious, as was the rebuttal video.

The Best Buy employee was 25-year-old Brian Maupin. He had been suspended while Best Buy HR reviewed the case. While the two videos below are the ones that have gone viral, they didn't mention Best Buy at all. Instead, Best Buy says it was some other videos that mentioned the company that they cared about, and those have been taken down. So, all is forgiven, right?

However, Maupin said that originally Best Buy did take offense at his NSFW humor, as they felt it disparaged their customers. Of course, neither video mentioned Best Buy, and perhaps, with the glare of public opinion on them, they have decided it was best to back away.

Best Buy said Maupin can return as of this coming Friday, but he's not so keen on the idea. He said:

“I’m not planning on returning to work — immediately, anyway. Honestly, I don’t know how I could return considering some of the things that were said to me and not have a lot of awkwardness on the job. I’m looking at possible jobs in graphic art — nothing definite yet, but I’m searching,” he tells us.

Here both parties' official statements, with Best Buy's first:

Best Buy:

We have completed our investigation into the videos created and posted by Brian Maupin, the aspiring film-maker and Best Buy employee. This is an important situation for us because it involved balancing our social media guidelines with a commitment to creating a supportive environment for our employees. It’s important to note that our investigation involved three videos that were posted in late June because they were openly disparaging of our employees, our customers and our vendor partners. Our investigation is over, and these videos are no longer on the web. Contrary to rumors, Brian has not been fired, and is scheduled to return to his job at Best Buy this Friday.

Maupin:

Right now I’m planning on taking a leave of absence so I may survey my current career plans and the future. I’m not sure if it would be comfortable returning to Best Buy considering the circumstances, but I will definitely consider all options.

Originally, Maupin said a firing might be a good career move, as he could focus on graphic design and animation. He's certainly talented enough, based on his work.

Here's the original and the rebuttal. Remember, NSFW.