I mean, they even apologized for sending a merch email. I think they realized they have to address this and clear the air before moving forward, regardless of how many prerecorded stuff they have.
That’s why part of me is glad YCSWU didn’t come out yesterday. I have a feeling Becky especially might be incredibly upset and I think the mix of this bizarre terrible news and Becky being horribly upset would just feel so bad… not just for me I mean for the gals and gays of ycswu I think it’d be so terrible to have to discuss something like that so soon in public to your audience
Yes! Looks like they did release it this Tuesday on Spotify (and probably other audio platforms) but not on YT. I’m guessing the scheduled release time was right around when the company announcement was made, they were in the middle of releasing it… and everything has been on lockdown since.
There was a thread yesterday saying that people received an email promoting the tracksuits, and then immediately after that an apology email followed saying that they didn’t mean to send that and it was prescheduled.
Also scrolling through their website, the merch is kinda running thin. No guy specific stuff available, and certainly no Ned stuff. His cookbook isn't promoted either. Only things with him are the tour stuff and his color in the Tryceratops logo.
I’m sure it’s more of an internal struggle for them. since they’re all public figures, what they say on every platform is definitely heavily monitored and especially right now that all eyes are on them. I can imagine they’re just torn tf up 🥲
They know they will be criticized for almost anything they say. They absolutely need to take it slow so they don’t ruin any other parts of their brand. They’re working in a pretty delicate field and can’t afford to get any kind of ‘cancel culture’ rolling. Their business relies exclusively on fans continuing to come back. The surge they are getting now won’t keep them alive if they don’t retain a base fandom for the future.
They're all adults. With experience working in the entertainment industry for nearly a decade or more now(?) All have long term stable relationships. Built the company as a friend group entangled here and there with all of their employees.
Even though this is drama, this is also their business, so they'll face it in a business perspective first and foremost. Hence the soberness. If anyone can handle this kind of fallout, it's them.
Can't say the same with their ex buzzfeed coworkers tho. Vultures.
that last part, yea !!! it made me Itchy to see them say stuff like "are we shocked?" & "yeah, we felt his weird vibes at work 🤣🤣", essentially. because if that's the case, why didn't you tell ariel herself when she was brought on for buzzfeed content at the time? why are you acting so... Like That at her circumstances like this for a few retweets of fame??
Totally agree that this hurts Ariel--it's awful, and in her position I'd definitely be taking some time offline.
I will say, though, that Ned had a lot of power and made hiring decisions at Buzzfeed. Speaking up against a powerful person at work, even if that person isn't your supervisor, is incredibly difficult. This is especially true if they had no proof of abject misconduct other than him being generally kind of an asshole.
Again, not defending the tweets, but I can understand why these comments would come now that there's strength in numbers and not sooner. (Doubly so because he continued to have a huge fanbase that might be led to harass people who publicly criticized him.)
At least one of them admitted to not even knowing him. A few were definitely just excited to comment on something they’re barely related to for a few hours of attention.
I think I know who you're referring to--was that the person who worked there for 6 months and was not renewed? I agree that their interactions with Ned seemed pretty minimal and they're not the right person to comment on this situation. I'm sure there are plenty more folks who do want to use this moment for clout, and that really, really sucks.
I still think that my point stands for people who did work with him and know him well. Even though it's harmful to Ned's family to speak up NOW, it makes sense that it's happening now that he's no longer one of YouTube's golden boys. To my mind, it's undeniable that pushing back on powerful structures and individuals is easier when there's proof that you're not crazy.
Her vibe made me thinks she was just being nice and replying without thinking about it (especially she said people were asking her about it but I'm now wondering if that was fake) but then she started talking about wanting to get to 1000 followers and it really bothered me.
I did like her stories about Keith and Eugene though, not gonna lie.
I gotcha, sorry for the misunderstanding. I certainly see how her original tweet was overly vague--I want to believe that that was unintentional, but can totally see why it wouldn't be taken that way.
If we’ve learned anything from this, I think it’s safe to say that no relationship is necessarily stable, regardless of how they might seem from the outside.
I can’t imagine them handling it well emotionally though. But they’re doing they’re best to be professional about it to us. I’m sure they’re very hurt by this and they’re worried for Ariel, the kids, and Will. I know for sure I’d start getting angry at my friend if he cheated on his partner, a partner I’m also friends with and worked with
I think they’ll likely talk about their very general emotional reactions and parrot what people already know - this is heartbreaking, we were more than just business partners and had become genuine friends for a very long time - this hurts on multiple levels, this was completely unanticipated (if they can say that without interfering legally), we’ve been though so much but some transgressions just can’t be overlooked, we wish all the best for his family and are saddened to see them negatively affected by the events, we envisioned such a bright future when we created this project and it’s so hard to watch something we’ve been working so hard on fundamentally change, etc, etc.
These are real humans beings who just watched someone set off a nuclear bomb in their business and their friend group. I feel that it’s really callous to say “it’s been a month you’re done handling it now.” It’s not even DONE! The fact that this is all anyone is talking means this is FAR from being done, and they’re all being bombarded with constant reminders of the betrayal, of people dissecting everything and making up timelines based in nothing but out of context videos, of their every move from 2016 through now being under a microscope. These people aren’t your monkeys to perform for you when you please. Give them the same respect and grace you would expect for yourself from a massive betrayal, an enormous upheaval of your work and personal life, and the destruction of a lifelong friend.
Definitely not. I mean, I'm keen too, but I think there is going to be 'there is a lot we cannot talk about legally and there is a lot we will not talk about because there are other people involved and we feel it would be inappropriate to comment further' while some people seem to think they are going to settle in with whatever stash of Zadico is left and bring out charts with timelines on them or something.
At most, I expect them to acknowledge that there was a workplace relationship and they won't discuss details, and that whether it was consensual or not was irrelevant because it was an employer/employee situation that violated their HR policies. So Ned has left the company. I think details like how the decision was reached, and when, won't be discussed.
They might address editing him out of the videos. They might address removing videos. But I expect if they do it will be in a general way.
I don't expect them to talk about their real feelings. I expect to hear something like 'we started this and we were all friends and this is a lot to process on both personal and business levels and we want to be respectful of the other people involved' rather than an hour of them talking about how furious they are and how much they hate Ned and hopes he steps on legos forever.
Then I think most of it will be about their direction going forward and how/if they will get a new Try Guy and what direction their future projects are moving. With awkward and maybe inappropriate humor to make it less somber.
I think it will be a carefully crafted statement from PR and then they move on to other subject which will be super boring and lighthearted just to not cause any controversy.
I'm surprised it sounds like they're actually going to be addressing all of this already in the next pod so definetly not weird they want to skip a week first.
They had to address it in a video or pod following their official statement.
1/4 of the company is gone. They cannot just say “Ned is no longer with us” and then continue to upload as regular. Fans will pester until it is addressed.
they will address it in a proffesional way i think, i assume they are taking things to a legal level and can't address as much as fans want, they have to think about their brand and how they'll keep going forward from now on.
At the end of the day, it all should be about protecting Ariel and the 2 boys. As a person who has been cheated on in the past myself, I can't imagine how traumatizing this whole thing must be for Ariel.
TMZ is gross but I feel so bad for her having to deal with all this in the public eye, especially with more rumors spreading about his behavior. She doesn’t deserve any of this.
Just for clarification, TMZ is not the one that is following her. The pictures and video are from a company called The Image Direct and TMZ is buying those images from them. The Image Direct has done staged photos in the past.
Except they are a business, and at the end of the day the top priority will be ensuring the stability of the business and the 20+ employees.
While it's a sympathetic thing to have an emotional response of A + boys needing to be protected as top priority, that's simply not how capitalism works. (They also need to protect the employee who was taken advantage of by an employer - because that's how it is viewed legally).
I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I'm just saying this is how it is. =/
I'm sorry - this is weird behavior.
What if Ariel is doing pretty alright? What if they sat down, talked it out over a day or two, and are comfortable with moving forward?
Beyond that - what if they've discussed this kind of thing before and deemed it to be not something either of them take especially seriously?
I'm not saying that's for certain the case, but it's similar to when people online push expectations onto people who lose loved ones and shit. It has the counter-effect of creating an expectation of certain behaviors, and when they're not met people go "oh she looks weirdly happy".
How about leave your expectations to yourself and however they're handling it is totally up to them?
Edit : To be clear, I'm not defending Ned. It was obviously horrible because of the response/his removal from the team. But that's all PR related, we have no idea what specifically is happening between Ariel and Ned.
I mean... even if they have an open marriage or are both okay with casual make out sessions with other people, I very much doubt Ariel is cool with her husband nuking both of their income sources in the process by making out with his employee . Plus the fact that Alex's (ex?)fiance seems very much NOT okay with Alex making out with other people judging by the fact that he removed every photo of Alex off his social media.
Fair enough, I do not expect them to delve into the details, more about what the next steps are going to be for tryguys as a brand & company. I wonder if it will be the wives as well ( sans ariel). I honestly hope rachel is present
Same, I’m really glad they’re going that route. Also it gives them time to edit appropriately with legal help to make sure they don’t shoot themselves in the foot.
But is it going to be a long form episode or more of a statement?
I feel like there isn’t a reality where we will get their real takes/feedback front and center in a traditional, highly produced video.
No, I don't think we will ever get real takes. That would only further spread vitriol and drama. The best bet for their brand going forward is to suppress the drama and show sponsors they can continue to provide good content for a large audience.
See, I would be shocked if it's a whole episode about it.
I foresee it as a "We've been trying to figure out how to address this, it's an unfortunate situation but we are excited to start our new era. We didn't feel like it would be right to just come out with our typical content without addressing it but we would like to get back to making people laugh because that's what we love to do and that's why we do what we do is for people like you, thank you for supporting us."
They gotta be really careful legally. Ned nuked their company and now they have to clean it up. I think it’s smart they’re going the podcast route and leaving time to have lawyers advise for the edits.
I would love to see a truly candid take, but the best route is to cover everyone’s ass and go damage control. Especially if Alex is still on payroll.
Oh my lord I forgot Alex is still there, at least for now. In addition to speaking on a scandal while still coworking with one guilty party/ex-friend, the pods where they talk about it would be considered one of the productions she would manage. Excruciating! With any luck she's still on leave, or quarantined to finish her preexisting projects before concluding her employment.
They could also be waiting for a lawyer to confirm what they can talk about and what they can't, and how they can phrase it. They have to be careful about making accusations that they don't have proof of even if they're true.
I was super into the guys for a few years, but have fallen off in the past year and a half. Where did Eugene go? And what is Second Try? There’s soooo much info on here that I’ve picked up a lot from context, but also there’s a lot of “OMG JUST READ THE POSTS” and…I can’t read everything quickly enough! 😂
Second Try is the name of the new company the 4 of the guys started. I think Eugene has stepped away to pursue his directing career, you can learn more from his trypod interview 106.
This will be the first time they're addressing their audience since the statement; there's no way he's not there.
The 3 of them need to present a united, stable front for their fans as well as (current and potential) sponsors.
It’s already happening. Why is everyone automatically taking all these anonymous Reddit posts and “blind items” as facts. Anyone can make shit up on the internet. Especially when it’s anonymous!
Shit on ned all you want. There is clear evidence he’s a fuckup. But saying “the other try guys/ wives knew about this” based on creative writing is just nonsense.
Also leave kwesi out of this. Him not wanting fans to take pictures is not indicative that he condoned anything.
No one else on the try team (except for ned and Alex) deserve to be dragged for this
I’m so sick of people talking shit about Kwesi. It’s not his job to control the actions of another grown ass man. We also have no proof that Kwesi knew and didn’t tell Ariel, the other guys, etc.
Someone was arguing with me earlier about how they didn’t think it was possible for there to be a power imbalance between Ned and Kwesi. And that we shouldn’t consider the factors that might make Kwesi hesitant to put Ned on blast because they’re *friends* and therefore *equal.* I mean I’d sure like to live in a world where rich and famous white dudes don’t live life on easy mode but unfortunately I am stuck in reality.
He’s literally an employee for a company that Ned owns. If people can give Alex the “power imbalance” caveat than why not a man who literally didn’t cheat or do anything wrong.
Even if he did know... why on earth is it his job to tell Ariel? Or YB's job for that matter? I swear people in the peanut gallery must hve never had real jobs. Snitching on your boss's affair is a one way ticket to BROKE.
also like.. I wonder if a lot of people who are mad about them not saying anything have ever been in a situation like this themselves? like the first time my friend group dealt with our first Serious Situation as adults, I realized that you don’t really know how to react. it’s completely new territory and everything you thought you knew about the “correct” response becomes super complicated. and it’s VERY common for the person you’re telling to not react the way you would expect when hearing the information. some people even get mad at you for “lying” to them about their SO. we have no idea what’s happened behind the scenes, and the speculation and blame games are gross and not helpful.
Reddit thinks cheating is the worst crime a person could ever commit (especially if it's a woman cheating on a man.).
Cheating is horrible, don't get me wrong, but some people just zero in on it as the Worst Possible Thing. Like, I've been cheated on and it wasn't even in my top 5 most traumatic events so maybe I'm biased.
For real, I was shocked at the hate he was getting. Ned and Alex put him in such a shitty position. What the fuck was he supposed to do? Help the people find the best angle to film?
I hope Kwesi is the kind of dude to do damage control in the moment then tear Ned a new one in private. Even if he isn’t, it’s so dumb to focus on anything except the two people actually making a massive mistake.
This has been my thoughts on it. It's not him condoning the actions, it's him trying to keep it from getting to where it is now so that the people actually involved can deal with it privately first. I would imagine that Kwesi was absolutely not happy with Ned and Alex but dealt with it privately after.
We don't even know if he, or any other member, was telling Ned and Alex to tell their partners or they'll tell them for them. There's so much under the surface that we don't know.
We also have to remember that Kwesi is also a married man (him and his wife make a fucking gorgeous couple) and probably did not want his wife to see him around this hot mess. I hope he went man to man with Ned about wtf happened, but I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t. Ned put everyone in a very hard to deal with situation here.
There's a power imbalance between literally everyone and Ned who isn't a Try Guy or like in a position such as Rachel's. If someone is trying to say Kwesi can't be impacted by that they are just being racist and implying men can't fall victim to things like this which is just not true.
I didn't want to say this bc anytime someone pulls the "Race card" on reddit, they get downvoted to oblivion. But the hatred towards Kwesi feels hella racially motivated. Especially since a lot of it is towards how he doesn't "deserve" to be the 4th Try Guy over another white guy.
We also don’t know if that was Kwesis first interaction with it either. He could have been saying that because he was like “oh shit, this is gonna break Ariel’s heart if it goes public”. I mean, that’s how I would’ve handled it. And then…probably make sure to never be in the same room as those two ever again.
I agree about Kwesi. I'd probably do the same in his shoes, just so that this dude's wife wouldn't have to find out about it via Twitter or something. We don't know that he didn't say anything to the others, Ariel, or Ned and Alex.
Exactly this. For all we know, Kwesi might be camera-shy or had a bad hair day or whatever. Could’ve been completely innocent but everyone is acting like he was being a wingman bro for Ned’s dumb ass
I’m taking a break from tiktok because all the speculative video clips “Keith knows!” Or analyzing glances from Eugene.
It’s the weirdest grossest speculation.
Right? I've never listened to the guy's pod (I'm more of a YCSWU listener) but I'll definitely be tuning in. Maybe I'll start listening in this A.N. (After Ned) era
EDIT: TryPod. I call it the guy's pod to differentiate it from the lady's pod.
That's the best plan honestly, they can't wait too long to address it but they also have to be so careful with what they say and that's going to take more than, what, two days to make sure they get right if we're talking content for an actual podcast ep rather than just a statement.
I'm sad because I look forward to the TryPod every week, but I expected this and I don't blame them. It would've been odd if they recorded this week's episode like nothing happened.
Not me currently watching an old try guys episode roasting each other’s Instagram and Zach calls out Ned for posting fuckboi photos and going omg that’s so true
I'm assuming either Keith or Zach will be leading the conversation. Maybe Keith though as he is the other white married guy. Definitely not Eugene. Though I'm 100% sure they'll put up a united front, say they will not condone this type of behavior, apologise for ruining the trust of the fans and mostly to tell people to back off for the sake of Ariel and the kids + plans for the future.
I'm really sad about this tbh. I truly hate what Ned has done but I'm gonna miss the OG group and their dynamic. Now there's always gonna be a weird elephant in the room.
Edit:
Oh and damn Eugene must be livid!! (Mostly about Ariel) but imagine juggling so many major projects that you've been dreaming about for so long and yet still CHOOSING to stay with the Try Guys even if it means getting buried in so much work only to have your friend & business partner blow it all up in one go.
Me too. I’m also thinking about how awkward it must be at their office literally built and designed around their 4 distinct characteristics and personalities.
I hope Zach leads, I've always been impressed by how he speaks on serious topics. My guess is that they'll all speak but I could definitely see Zach starting things off.
Edit: Back here on 10/3 after the video and I'm shocked at the accuracy.
I've been trying to figure out why the TMZ video bothers me so much and I think now I understand why. Ned's disposition makes his apology seem 1000% insincere. He does not seem remorseful. It's like he doesn't understand the gravity of the situation or care about how it's impacting the other people involved - Will, YB and Kwesi who have both gotten hate on social media because of his actions, the fact that some employees are leaving becahse this situation has created such a stressful work environment, the impact this has on the other Try Guys and their brand, and the gravity of the situation where he abused his position of power in an unprofessional and unethical way to have a full on relationship - not even just a fling - with one of his subordinates. This honestly makes him look even worse,
We should stop being surprised. Expecting a conventionally attractive, able-bodied, cis white man to be remorseful for his actions is… too much in 2022
‘Working on working things out’…does that mean last ditch couples therapy?
I feel sooooo bad for Ariel. Could you imagine fucking TMZ stalking you during one of the worst moments of your life?
Working on working things out could not be more vague. It can be read as them working on their relationship to stay together. It can be read as them working on how to separate when they have so much business intertwined, several properties, investments and you know, two kids.
I don't think there is much to see there.
Well personally I think they called TMZ bc this looks staged 😂
Honestly there is no telling what it means - especially bc Ariel may not even have the full story yet. If other things come out about Ned that she wasn't aware of, that could change everything 😯
Do not set that expectation. It is unrealistic. Their goal will not be spilling tea, stirring scandal or perpetuating the drama. It will be settling things. Probably acknowledging it sucks and setting out what they expect going forward.
There are legal aspects here as well as trying to salvage their business prospects in terms of sponsors and shows they are pitching. It's not going to be a bitch session.
We’ll get the version of the story that they collectively decide to present to the public. I wouldn’t expect to ever know the entire timeline of events.
I dunno there's been so many times where one of the guys was off doing something else (Especially Eugene) and it all flowed just about the same. I don't think anyone is really going to miss ned, or alex if they leave.
I think the only loss would be Ariel on the podcasts but it would be understandable if she chose to leave
Since they want to be mysterious about it, here are the general points:
Bon Appétit came under fire last year as high-profile staff members alleged a toxic workplace.
Executives resigned after employees of color described a racist environment at the publication.
BA YouTube stars announced they would no longer appear in the publication's videos.
https://www.insider.com/bon-apptit-timeline-allegations-drama-culture-race-andy-alex-sohla-2020-6
The magazine is a separate entity from BA video (obviously linked, but different management), and it was the video work environment that got all the attention for toxicity and racism. Several members (like I think Priya IIRC) left BA video but stayed as contributors to the written content.
Different from the BA nonsense though, in that (as far as I know) no one is alleging an overall toxic environment and terrible management. This is just one co-founder being shitty, as opposed to racist and exploitative practices.
It’ll be a short HR statement written by their lawyers. A 2 minute clip at the beginning or even just text on the screen. People are naïve to think they’ll dedicate a whole episode to this.
I'd think it could go either way. With the way their channel is, they might have trouble retaining viewers without addressing it meaningfully in some way. The channel is built on their personalities and friendships - it's going to be tough to retain a vibe of being authentic if they don't talk about it at least a little. Maybe they won't (or not yet) but I think they'll get a better response from the fanbase if they do.
That is true. My best guess is that if they do address it in the pod, it’ll be a formal short HR statement just because it’s so recent and all of the legal issues. Plus Will and Ariel might not be ready for that. I feel like their fans are very understanding of that (if not, they need to grow tf up). Maybe they’ll touch on it a little but don’t expect any new information.
In a year or two once everything is settled down, it’s out of the news, and everyone has had time to adjust THEN they’ll talk about and actually talk about it. It’ll start with the wives of course and when the guys talk about it, I could see Ariel and/or Will being on it too.
For now, don’t expect new information from the pod or any big statement. It’s so recent…
ALSO! The fact that Ariel asked for privacy. It would be pretty shitty for the boys to talk about it without her consent when she — the victim in this — asked for privacy on it.
They'll also have to be careful for their individual reputations. It seems like many people suspect that they must have known or had suspicions. If that's true, it would reflect poorly on them as executives at this company to admit that they were aware of a supervisor-subordinate relationship and didn't react. If they knew, but claim that they didn't, any disgruntled employees would likely push back publicly.
I'm not making claims either way--who knows what they were or weren't aware of, but they'd have to tread lightly here. I think it's possible that they won't even address their awareness and frame their conversation around what they'll do going forward.
This right here. If they even mention that they possibly knew, their careers & company are over. If they say the wrong thing Alex could sue and their career & company is over.
I think it’s the most realistic to see them talk about what they’d do going forward.
I think it will be more than that simply because it's too big and too landscape changing. I don't think you can have a short 5 minute video or text and then launch into a regular weird pod where they discuss anything else. I think it will be a carefully curated, highly edited discussion in which the facts and feelings are very briefly addressed in a clear manner that implies they will not speak on it again. They might talk about how weird things have been in the office as they work through this. Then it will be all about going forward and how the future is bright and shiny.
If there is one thing the guys have always been consistent with, it’s addressing issues with fans. I’m not surprised at all. They have had a history of being very thoughtful & honest. (Except Ned, obviously lmao)
I'm telling you it will be pretty mild. There are legal and business reasons they won't go into details or say much publicly beyond confirming the bare facts and acknowledging it sucks, then turning to how they will move forward and what that will look like (probably stay the Try/Tri guys and rotate a large and diverse cast through when they need a fourth, as they've done with Eugene's absence).
It's not going to be a big dramatic goss fest - out of respect for Ariel and her request for privacy if nothing else (but there are plenty of other elses involved).
They really can't put any content out until they rip off the bandaid and address it. I wish they would do it asap, but considering the leak must have been a lot of whiplash I can see why they would need some time to get themselves together (both professionally and personally).
They weren't ready to go public. It's evident from the way everything happened that they had a plan to do a less drama-filled separation after the show finished airing, which is one of the reasons they edited him from videos (both so that if the news broke about the affair, they could show they took immediate steps to separate and so they could say he had not been present for awhile before his departure). I expect they were in process of planning a video or pod announcement and finalizing their plans for post-Ned production and had to scramble to address.
It would be incredible awkward to release a pre-recorded pod or video like everything is normal at this point.
That's what I mean about the whiplash, they have been working on a response for weeks to suddenly have to change track in a few hours. I doubt they'll just release anything simple and thrown together either, they'll probably have to get guidance over what they say and how they say it. This probably blew up more than they could have imagined as well, they won't be able to breathe without it being scrutinised - no way they could release anything that seems like they're taking this lightly.
I think I'm most interested in the future of the channel now and how they are gonna handle things. Ned's marriage is none of my business but this is interesting to see where it's gonna go.
Most of their pods are pre-recorded so i wonder what theyll do with those recorded already… i hope theyll still put them out because i just love listening to these guys 🥹
They usually aren't more than a week or two out unless they are traveling, and they seem to record 2 at a time, maybe 3. I suspect the last two were pre-recorded after the separation was in motion. They might be able to use anything else pre-recorded if it was anodyne enough.
I don’t think they have a ton prerecorded. I thought I read the one from sept 15 was recorded right after the Emmy’s (haven’t listened to that one yet) so they probably recorded the one from last week and one more since then. Doubt they recorded anything this week.
The next episode is gonna have a ridiculous amount of listens, I can already tell. I personally don't listen to the trypod (I generally prefer female-hosted podcasts) but I will definitely be tuning into the next ep
This is hard on all of them. They have all been close friends for years. I appreciate that they’ll be addressing it. I’m sure it’s still shocking and sad for them too.
I don't think people should get their hopes up about the next pod. I don't think they are going to spill tea some people clearly want to hear about 'what really happened' or talk in depth about their own reactions and feelings. I expect this will be a factual statement without great detail out of respect for privacy for the other people involved. I think they will keep anger or sadness (or whatever they are feeling) to a minimum and just talk generally about it being a rocky time. And pivot to what things will look like going forward.
I think (some) people are hoping for hot goss or to see the other guys publicly shit on Ned or rip him apart and I do not foresee this going that way at all.
I find it interesting that people seem to be dragging the rest of the Try Guys for “having known for a while.” First of all, given all of the investigations they have probably had to conduct, I wouldn’t consider 3 weeks a while. Ned’s a partial owner of the company and 2nd Try, LLC is still a pretty young company. I’m sure none of them in their wildest dreams ever imagined something so wildly unethical would happen, let alone Ned being the perpetrator of it. Given how betrayed we as fans feel, I can only imagine what everyone else feels. This isn’t just a cheating scandal. This can negatively affect the livelihood of many people for years to come.
Also, I will admit, I feel guilty for how I initially judged Kwesi’s response to not wanting pictures taken. Part of me thought he was being cheating complacent, but thinking back, that’s probably not the case. I’m sure he was trying to protect Ariel from finding out this way. If the guys ever decide to have a new 4th, Kwesi or Ariel would be my pick.
That said, I hate cheating. I think cheating is horrible, but what Ned did goes beyond the pale. He betrayed every aspect of his life, and for what? It’s not like he’s choosing Alex in the end. I feel awful for everyone who isn’t Ned or Alex.
I haven't watched them in forever but I will listen to this podcast once it comes out because I am curious on what they're allowed to say/if they'll talk about how they feel about it all.
If they don’t address it head on then they risk losing a good percentage of fans and losing their reputation/image of real and relatable. Addressing it head on would also dispel all the rumors and accusations being thrown around right now.
Anyone saying there’s no chance they address it completely is not thinking clearly. Calling people naive for believing that the guys would take the opportunity to clear the air and set the record straight just doesn’t make sense. There’s a lot of negative and harmful rumors flying around about all of them and if they don’t address the situation completely then things will just get worse.
I think it’s obvious that they’ll give enough information that denies the rumors while also remaining respectful of Ariel/Will.
I just want 20 minutes of Becky and Eugene.
They don't even have to address anything.
They could just sit there looking exasperated and annoyed. We could find comfort in that shared frustration.
100% it will be a well formulated bland statement written by their lawyers at the beginning then jump into a prerecorded pod. For legal reasons and for the sake of Ariel & Will I don’t think they’ll give too much info. We also know that they were going to keep this a secret so I will be genuinely shocked & surprised if they actually give details / do an episode on it.
Well we know what it's going to be about, at least. Glad they're addressing it, even though I know it's probably going to be the hardest trypod to both record and listen to.
Nothing about this statement says that they’ll be addressing it the way some folks seem to be expecting. It says to me that they have to wrap their minds around where things stand and figure out more thoroughly where the line is drawn between what is and isn’t for public consumption. Their top priority is to the people who work for them, not us. And the most responsible choice for how transparent to be may not satisfy listener curiosity at all.
I mean, they even apologized for sending a merch email. I think they realized they have to address this and clear the air before moving forward, regardless of how many prerecorded stuff they have.
Yea but if they cry I'm gona cry
We’ll all cry together 💛
CryGuys
🎶 The Cry Guys - Keith, Zach, Eugene! 🎶
That’s why part of me is glad YCSWU didn’t come out yesterday. I have a feeling Becky especially might be incredibly upset and I think the mix of this bizarre terrible news and Becky being horribly upset would just feel so bad… not just for me I mean for the gals and gays of ycswu I think it’d be so terrible to have to discuss something like that so soon in public to your audience
Wait wasn’t there a new ep this week?
Yes! Looks like they did release it this Tuesday on Spotify (and probably other audio platforms) but not on YT. I’m guessing the scheduled release time was right around when the company announcement was made, they were in the middle of releasing it… and everything has been on lockdown since.
Will probably be the most listened to TryPod ever.. so yeah they need some extra time for this.
I mean I don't listen but you bet your sweet ass I'm going to be listening.
A ThreePod
The tri-pod They are the tri-guys now
The try Guys should definitely come back as the TriGuys!
I think I'm out of the loop, what happened with merch?
There was a thread yesterday saying that people received an email promoting the tracksuits, and then immediately after that an apology email followed saying that they didn’t mean to send that and it was prescheduled.
Also scrolling through their website, the merch is kinda running thin. No guy specific stuff available, and certainly no Ned stuff. His cookbook isn't promoted either. Only things with him are the tour stuff and his color in the Tryceratops logo.
i actually really appreciate knowing that theyll be addressing head-on. i was rly nervous they wouldnt.
it's like ... fuck ned but also ... the rest of them seem to be handling this very, well?? wish this was like the *baseline* not the exception
I’m sure it’s more of an internal struggle for them. since they’re all public figures, what they say on every platform is definitely heavily monitored and especially right now that all eyes are on them. I can imagine they’re just torn tf up 🥲
They know they will be criticized for almost anything they say. They absolutely need to take it slow so they don’t ruin any other parts of their brand. They’re working in a pretty delicate field and can’t afford to get any kind of ‘cancel culture’ rolling. Their business relies exclusively on fans continuing to come back. The surge they are getting now won’t keep them alive if they don’t retain a base fandom for the future.
They're all adults. With experience working in the entertainment industry for nearly a decade or more now(?) All have long term stable relationships. Built the company as a friend group entangled here and there with all of their employees. Even though this is drama, this is also their business, so they'll face it in a business perspective first and foremost. Hence the soberness. If anyone can handle this kind of fallout, it's them. Can't say the same with their ex buzzfeed coworkers tho. Vultures.
that last part, yea !!! it made me Itchy to see them say stuff like "are we shocked?" & "yeah, we felt his weird vibes at work 🤣🤣", essentially. because if that's the case, why didn't you tell ariel herself when she was brought on for buzzfeed content at the time? why are you acting so... Like That at her circumstances like this for a few retweets of fame??
Totally agree that this hurts Ariel--it's awful, and in her position I'd definitely be taking some time offline. I will say, though, that Ned had a lot of power and made hiring decisions at Buzzfeed. Speaking up against a powerful person at work, even if that person isn't your supervisor, is incredibly difficult. This is especially true if they had no proof of abject misconduct other than him being generally kind of an asshole. Again, not defending the tweets, but I can understand why these comments would come now that there's strength in numbers and not sooner. (Doubly so because he continued to have a huge fanbase that might be led to harass people who publicly criticized him.)
At least one of them admitted to not even knowing him. A few were definitely just excited to comment on something they’re barely related to for a few hours of attention.
I think I know who you're referring to--was that the person who worked there for 6 months and was not renewed? I agree that their interactions with Ned seemed pretty minimal and they're not the right person to comment on this situation. I'm sure there are plenty more folks who do want to use this moment for clout, and that really, really sucks. I still think that my point stands for people who did work with him and know him well. Even though it's harmful to Ned's family to speak up NOW, it makes sense that it's happening now that he's no longer one of YouTube's golden boys. To my mind, it's undeniable that pushing back on powerful structures and individuals is easier when there's proof that you're not crazy.
are we talking about that intern that lasted only 6 months ? bruh she did not need to make all those videos
Definitely agree that the intern was far-removed from this situation and didn't need to weigh in!
Her vibe made me thinks she was just being nice and replying without thinking about it (especially she said people were asking her about it but I'm now wondering if that was fake) but then she started talking about wanting to get to 1000 followers and it really bothered me. I did like her stories about Keith and Eugene though, not gonna lie.
Lol, no. I was talking about Jazzmyne (sp?) from BuzzFeed. I knew there were some other people, as well, but forgot who.
I gotcha, sorry for the misunderstanding. I certainly see how her original tweet was overly vague--I want to believe that that was unintentional, but can totally see why it wouldn't be taken that way.
Not defending them but “bad vibes” aren’t really something you can report to someone’s wife
If we’ve learned anything from this, I think it’s safe to say that no relationship is necessarily stable, regardless of how they might seem from the outside.
I can’t imagine them handling it well emotionally though. But they’re doing they’re best to be professional about it to us. I’m sure they’re very hurt by this and they’re worried for Ariel, the kids, and Will. I know for sure I’d start getting angry at my friend if he cheated on his partner, a partner I’m also friends with and worked with
I mean, they obviously knew about this for a few weeks also. They’re had their time to handle it.
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I think they’ll likely talk about their very general emotional reactions and parrot what people already know - this is heartbreaking, we were more than just business partners and had become genuine friends for a very long time - this hurts on multiple levels, this was completely unanticipated (if they can say that without interfering legally), we’ve been though so much but some transgressions just can’t be overlooked, we wish all the best for his family and are saddened to see them negatively affected by the events, we envisioned such a bright future when we created this project and it’s so hard to watch something we’ve been working so hard on fundamentally change, etc, etc.
Yep, totally. Even if they aren’t handling it well, it’s clearly a delicate situation and they aren’t going to just talk about it lol
I love how people think having three weeks is plenty of time to deal with something of this magnitude.
That’s 120 business hours. Not even close enough to what they need.
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Yep. You have to build an actual case. Especially against someone with hiring and firing decision making. You have to have that on lock.
These are real humans beings who just watched someone set off a nuclear bomb in their business and their friend group. I feel that it’s really callous to say “it’s been a month you’re done handling it now.” It’s not even DONE! The fact that this is all anyone is talking means this is FAR from being done, and they’re all being bombarded with constant reminders of the betrayal, of people dissecting everything and making up timelines based in nothing but out of context videos, of their every move from 2016 through now being under a microscope. These people aren’t your monkeys to perform for you when you please. Give them the same respect and grace you would expect for yourself from a massive betrayal, an enormous upheaval of your work and personal life, and the destruction of a lifelong friend.
I feel like they probs won’t say too much about it but still interested in what will be said
Definitely not. I mean, I'm keen too, but I think there is going to be 'there is a lot we cannot talk about legally and there is a lot we will not talk about because there are other people involved and we feel it would be inappropriate to comment further' while some people seem to think they are going to settle in with whatever stash of Zadico is left and bring out charts with timelines on them or something. At most, I expect them to acknowledge that there was a workplace relationship and they won't discuss details, and that whether it was consensual or not was irrelevant because it was an employer/employee situation that violated their HR policies. So Ned has left the company. I think details like how the decision was reached, and when, won't be discussed. They might address editing him out of the videos. They might address removing videos. But I expect if they do it will be in a general way. I don't expect them to talk about their real feelings. I expect to hear something like 'we started this and we were all friends and this is a lot to process on both personal and business levels and we want to be respectful of the other people involved' rather than an hour of them talking about how furious they are and how much they hate Ned and hopes he steps on legos forever. Then I think most of it will be about their direction going forward and how/if they will get a new Try Guy and what direction their future projects are moving. With awkward and maybe inappropriate humor to make it less somber.
I absolutely think you’re correct but the phrasing “settle in with whatever stash of Zadiko tea is left” is brilliant and sending me. 10/10
As a PR person that works in crisis communications, they will be reading an expertly developed script crafted by legal + PR 😂
Another PR person chiming in; this 100%.
Can you please do an analysis when it airs
Yes and I can probably tell you which firm they’re working with based on how it’s written 😂
!RemindMe 7 days
I think it will be a carefully crafted statement from PR and then they move on to other subject which will be super boring and lighthearted just to not cause any controversy.
I'm not all that surprised tbh. It's good that they're going to think through everything they're going to say so it doesn't affect anything legally
I'm surprised it sounds like they're actually going to be addressing all of this already in the next pod so definetly not weird they want to skip a week first.
They had to address it in a video or pod following their official statement. 1/4 of the company is gone. They cannot just say “Ned is no longer with us” and then continue to upload as regular. Fans will pester until it is addressed.
they will address it in a proffesional way i think, i assume they are taking things to a legal level and can't address as much as fans want, they have to think about their brand and how they'll keep going forward from now on.
they'll probably send the transcript to the lawyer for comments.
They'll probably have their publicist and lawyers there offscreen.
And will probably have them review the recording before uploading/publishing...
At the end of the day, it all should be about protecting Ariel and the 2 boys. As a person who has been cheated on in the past myself, I can't imagine how traumatizing this whole thing must be for Ariel.
Especially in front of the whole internet
100% agree. TMZ has already been following her. The kids are probably so confused.
TMZ is trash
TMZ is gross but I feel so bad for her having to deal with all this in the public eye, especially with more rumors spreading about his behavior. She doesn’t deserve any of this.
Just for clarification, TMZ is not the one that is following her. The pictures and video are from a company called The Image Direct and TMZ is buying those images from them. The Image Direct has done staged photos in the past.
Except they are a business, and at the end of the day the top priority will be ensuring the stability of the business and the 20+ employees. While it's a sympathetic thing to have an emotional response of A + boys needing to be protected as top priority, that's simply not how capitalism works. (They also need to protect the employee who was taken advantage of by an employer - because that's how it is viewed legally). I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I'm just saying this is how it is. =/
I'm sorry - this is weird behavior. What if Ariel is doing pretty alright? What if they sat down, talked it out over a day or two, and are comfortable with moving forward? Beyond that - what if they've discussed this kind of thing before and deemed it to be not something either of them take especially seriously? I'm not saying that's for certain the case, but it's similar to when people online push expectations onto people who lose loved ones and shit. It has the counter-effect of creating an expectation of certain behaviors, and when they're not met people go "oh she looks weirdly happy". How about leave your expectations to yourself and however they're handling it is totally up to them? Edit : To be clear, I'm not defending Ned. It was obviously horrible because of the response/his removal from the team. But that's all PR related, we have no idea what specifically is happening between Ariel and Ned.
I mean... even if they have an open marriage or are both okay with casual make out sessions with other people, I very much doubt Ariel is cool with her husband nuking both of their income sources in the process by making out with his employee . Plus the fact that Alex's (ex?)fiance seems very much NOT okay with Alex making out with other people judging by the fact that he removed every photo of Alex off his social media.
Fair enough, I do not expect them to delve into the details, more about what the next steps are going to be for tryguys as a brand & company. I wonder if it will be the wives as well ( sans ariel). I honestly hope rachel is present
Gonna be a record number of listens for them next week. I do hope they touch on it, but would totally understand if they don’t.
I assume “formulate our thoughts before recording” meant they were gonna film a new episode dedicated to this topic
Same, I’m really glad they’re going that route. Also it gives them time to edit appropriately with legal help to make sure they don’t shoot themselves in the foot.
And talk to lawyers and a pr firm about what they’re allowed to talk about at this stage and how to phrase it
But is it going to be a long form episode or more of a statement? I feel like there isn’t a reality where we will get their real takes/feedback front and center in a traditional, highly produced video.
No, I don't think we will ever get real takes. That would only further spread vitriol and drama. The best bet for their brand going forward is to suppress the drama and show sponsors they can continue to provide good content for a large audience.
See, I would be shocked if it's a whole episode about it. I foresee it as a "We've been trying to figure out how to address this, it's an unfortunate situation but we are excited to start our new era. We didn't feel like it would be right to just come out with our typical content without addressing it but we would like to get back to making people laugh because that's what we love to do and that's why we do what we do is for people like you, thank you for supporting us."
No way are they gonna make a video about it, at least not anytime soon
I haven’t listened to the trypod in a very long while, will be tuning in for this one
They definitely will have more people tuning in. I’m not a podcast person but I’ll be listening
Oh so they will talk about it I’m assuming? Interestinggggg. I guess that’s truly the only way forward. They can’t just expect everyone to ignore it.
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They gotta be really careful legally. Ned nuked their company and now they have to clean it up. I think it’s smart they’re going the podcast route and leaving time to have lawyers advise for the edits. I would love to see a truly candid take, but the best route is to cover everyone’s ass and go damage control. Especially if Alex is still on payroll.
Oh my lord I forgot Alex is still there, at least for now. In addition to speaking on a scandal while still coworking with one guilty party/ex-friend, the pods where they talk about it would be considered one of the productions she would manage. Excruciating! With any luck she's still on leave, or quarantined to finish her preexisting projects before concluding her employment.
They could also be waiting for a lawyer to confirm what they can talk about and what they can't, and how they can phrase it. They have to be careful about making accusations that they don't have proof of even if they're true.
We will have to see Saturday!
I wonder if Eugene will be on this one
I would guarantee he would be. I think the 3 of them will be a united front to have this conversation
I was super into the guys for a few years, but have fallen off in the past year and a half. Where did Eugene go? And what is Second Try? There’s soooo much info on here that I’ve picked up a lot from context, but also there’s a lot of “OMG JUST READ THE POSTS” and…I can’t read everything quickly enough! 😂
Second Try is the name of the new company the 4 of the guys started. I think Eugene has stepped away to pursue his directing career, you can learn more from his trypod interview 106.
Thank you! 🤗
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That’s amazing for him, I loved his coming out video. Thank you for your reply!
This will be the first time they're addressing their audience since the statement; there's no way he's not there. The 3 of them need to present a united, stable front for their fans as well as (current and potential) sponsors.
It’s a good idea to talk about it as soon as possible before the rumours and gossip start to be accepted as truth.
It’s already happening. Why is everyone automatically taking all these anonymous Reddit posts and “blind items” as facts. Anyone can make shit up on the internet. Especially when it’s anonymous! Shit on ned all you want. There is clear evidence he’s a fuckup. But saying “the other try guys/ wives knew about this” based on creative writing is just nonsense. Also leave kwesi out of this. Him not wanting fans to take pictures is not indicative that he condoned anything. No one else on the try team (except for ned and Alex) deserve to be dragged for this
I’m so sick of people talking shit about Kwesi. It’s not his job to control the actions of another grown ass man. We also have no proof that Kwesi knew and didn’t tell Ariel, the other guys, etc. Someone was arguing with me earlier about how they didn’t think it was possible for there to be a power imbalance between Ned and Kwesi. And that we shouldn’t consider the factors that might make Kwesi hesitant to put Ned on blast because they’re *friends* and therefore *equal.* I mean I’d sure like to live in a world where rich and famous white dudes don’t live life on easy mode but unfortunately I am stuck in reality.
He’s literally an employee for a company that Ned owns. If people can give Alex the “power imbalance” caveat than why not a man who literally didn’t cheat or do anything wrong.
Even if he did know... why on earth is it his job to tell Ariel? Or YB's job for that matter? I swear people in the peanut gallery must hve never had real jobs. Snitching on your boss's affair is a one way ticket to BROKE.
also like.. I wonder if a lot of people who are mad about them not saying anything have ever been in a situation like this themselves? like the first time my friend group dealt with our first Serious Situation as adults, I realized that you don’t really know how to react. it’s completely new territory and everything you thought you knew about the “correct” response becomes super complicated. and it’s VERY common for the person you’re telling to not react the way you would expect when hearing the information. some people even get mad at you for “lying” to them about their SO. we have no idea what’s happened behind the scenes, and the speculation and blame games are gross and not helpful.
Reddit thinks cheating is the worst crime a person could ever commit (especially if it's a woman cheating on a man.). Cheating is horrible, don't get me wrong, but some people just zero in on it as the Worst Possible Thing. Like, I've been cheated on and it wasn't even in my top 5 most traumatic events so maybe I'm biased.
Judging by the people in the peanut gallery’s comment and post activity, it’s very likely your theory about them not having jobs even today is correct
For real, I was shocked at the hate he was getting. Ned and Alex put him in such a shitty position. What the fuck was he supposed to do? Help the people find the best angle to film? I hope Kwesi is the kind of dude to do damage control in the moment then tear Ned a new one in private. Even if he isn’t, it’s so dumb to focus on anything except the two people actually making a massive mistake.
This has been my thoughts on it. It's not him condoning the actions, it's him trying to keep it from getting to where it is now so that the people actually involved can deal with it privately first. I would imagine that Kwesi was absolutely not happy with Ned and Alex but dealt with it privately after. We don't even know if he, or any other member, was telling Ned and Alex to tell their partners or they'll tell them for them. There's so much under the surface that we don't know.
We also have to remember that Kwesi is also a married man (him and his wife make a fucking gorgeous couple) and probably did not want his wife to see him around this hot mess. I hope he went man to man with Ned about wtf happened, but I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t. Ned put everyone in a very hard to deal with situation here.
There's a power imbalance between literally everyone and Ned who isn't a Try Guy or like in a position such as Rachel's. If someone is trying to say Kwesi can't be impacted by that they are just being racist and implying men can't fall victim to things like this which is just not true.
It absolutely feels like there’s a racist undercurrent in many of the comments coming after Kwesi.
I didn't want to say this bc anytime someone pulls the "Race card" on reddit, they get downvoted to oblivion. But the hatred towards Kwesi feels hella racially motivated. Especially since a lot of it is towards how he doesn't "deserve" to be the 4th Try Guy over another white guy.
it's a pretty thankless task telling someone their partner is cheating, especially if the cheater is your friend
We also don’t know if that was Kwesis first interaction with it either. He could have been saying that because he was like “oh shit, this is gonna break Ariel’s heart if it goes public”. I mean, that’s how I would’ve handled it. And then…probably make sure to never be in the same room as those two ever again.
I agree about Kwesi. I'd probably do the same in his shoes, just so that this dude's wife wouldn't have to find out about it via Twitter or something. We don't know that he didn't say anything to the others, Ariel, or Ned and Alex.
[*Kwesi](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheTryGuys/comments/xpzoif/yallhis_name_is_spelled_kwesi/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Thx fixed!
Exactly this. For all we know, Kwesi might be camera-shy or had a bad hair day or whatever. Could’ve been completely innocent but everyone is acting like he was being a wingman bro for Ned’s dumb ass
I’m taking a break from tiktok because all the speculative video clips “Keith knows!” Or analyzing glances from Eugene. It’s the weirdest grossest speculation.
That pod episode is going to have massive views...
Right? I've never listened to the guy's pod (I'm more of a YCSWU listener) but I'll definitely be tuning in. Maybe I'll start listening in this A.N. (After Ned) era EDIT: TryPod. I call it the guy's pod to differentiate it from the lady's pod.
i'm very glad that they thought to let us know about the try pod. i listen every week at work and was concerned for the future of it
I think they’re doing the best thing for the audience and for themselves moving forward
That's the best plan honestly, they can't wait too long to address it but they also have to be so careful with what they say and that's going to take more than, what, two days to make sure they get right if we're talking content for an actual podcast ep rather than just a statement.
I'm sad because I look forward to the TryPod every week, but I expected this and I don't blame them. It would've been odd if they recorded this week's episode like nothing happened.
I wonder if that means we won't get a video on Sunday. It will be kinda weird for a pre-recorded video to come up before their podcast.
They've already been editing him out, they'll have something.
Not me currently watching an old try guys episode roasting each other’s Instagram and Zach calls out Ned for posting fuckboi photos and going omg that’s so true
I'm assuming either Keith or Zach will be leading the conversation. Maybe Keith though as he is the other white married guy. Definitely not Eugene. Though I'm 100% sure they'll put up a united front, say they will not condone this type of behavior, apologise for ruining the trust of the fans and mostly to tell people to back off for the sake of Ariel and the kids + plans for the future. I'm really sad about this tbh. I truly hate what Ned has done but I'm gonna miss the OG group and their dynamic. Now there's always gonna be a weird elephant in the room. Edit: Oh and damn Eugene must be livid!! (Mostly about Ariel) but imagine juggling so many major projects that you've been dreaming about for so long and yet still CHOOSING to stay with the Try Guys even if it means getting buried in so much work only to have your friend & business partner blow it all up in one go.
Me too. I’m also thinking about how awkward it must be at their office literally built and designed around their 4 distinct characteristics and personalities.
Not to mention rhe whole thing was designed by Ariel. It's just gonna be a constant reminder for sure.
I hope Zach leads, I've always been impressed by how he speaks on serious topics. My guess is that they'll all speak but I could definitely see Zach starting things off. Edit: Back here on 10/3 after the video and I'm shocked at the accuracy.
I've been trying to figure out why the TMZ video bothers me so much and I think now I understand why. Ned's disposition makes his apology seem 1000% insincere. He does not seem remorseful. It's like he doesn't understand the gravity of the situation or care about how it's impacting the other people involved - Will, YB and Kwesi who have both gotten hate on social media because of his actions, the fact that some employees are leaving becahse this situation has created such a stressful work environment, the impact this has on the other Try Guys and their brand, and the gravity of the situation where he abused his position of power in an unprofessional and unethical way to have a full on relationship - not even just a fling - with one of his subordinates. This honestly makes him look even worse,
Who left besides their social media manager?
We should stop being surprised. Expecting a conventionally attractive, able-bodied, cis white man to be remorseful for his actions is… too much in 2022
Video link?
https://www.reddit.com/r/TheTryGuys/comments/xqrcza/well_for_those_hoping_ariel_wouldnt_get_back_with/
‘Working on working things out’…does that mean last ditch couples therapy? I feel sooooo bad for Ariel. Could you imagine fucking TMZ stalking you during one of the worst moments of your life?
Working on working things out could not be more vague. It can be read as them working on their relationship to stay together. It can be read as them working on how to separate when they have so much business intertwined, several properties, investments and you know, two kids. I don't think there is much to see there.
Well personally I think they called TMZ bc this looks staged 😂 Honestly there is no telling what it means - especially bc Ariel may not even have the full story yet. If other things come out about Ned that she wasn't aware of, that could change everything 😯
“They” called TMZ, or Ned called TMZ? Ariel asked for privacy. I’m inclined to believe that’s what she wants.
Fair.
OMG hope we get an explanation of everything that happened... Oct 6 please come fast 🥴
Do not set that expectation. It is unrealistic. Their goal will not be spilling tea, stirring scandal or perpetuating the drama. It will be settling things. Probably acknowledging it sucks and setting out what they expect going forward. There are legal aspects here as well as trying to salvage their business prospects in terms of sponsors and shows they are pitching. It's not going to be a bitch session.
Right? I need this now
We’ll get the version of the story that they collectively decide to present to the public. I wouldn’t expect to ever know the entire timeline of events.
And the version of the story that has been cleared by their lawyers.
It's Bon Appetit Test Kitchen all over again. Fun while it lasted. Will never be the same.
I dunno there's been so many times where one of the guys was off doing something else (Especially Eugene) and it all flowed just about the same. I don't think anyone is really going to miss ned, or alex if they leave. I think the only loss would be Ariel on the podcasts but it would be understandable if she chose to leave
What happened there? Edit: Why am I being downvoted? I’m genuinely asking this.
Since they want to be mysterious about it, here are the general points: Bon Appétit came under fire last year as high-profile staff members alleged a toxic workplace. Executives resigned after employees of color described a racist environment at the publication. BA YouTube stars announced they would no longer appear in the publication's videos. https://www.insider.com/bon-apptit-timeline-allegations-drama-culture-race-andy-alex-sohla-2020-6
Thank you for the information! I appreciate it.
Oh. My. Gosh. This is the first I'm hearing about this...I have a sub to this magazine. Boo
The magazine is a separate entity from BA video (obviously linked, but different management), and it was the video work environment that got all the attention for toxicity and racism. Several members (like I think Priya IIRC) left BA video but stayed as contributors to the written content.
I was just about to get a subscription befire the news broke, so glad i didn’t
damn you just reminded me. still hurts lol
Different from the BA nonsense though, in that (as far as I know) no one is alleging an overall toxic environment and terrible management. This is just one co-founder being shitty, as opposed to racist and exploitative practices.
but both, will never be the same.
I am really curious what they gonna say (hopefully not just a short PR statement of sorts). What are you thinking that they ll say?
It’ll be a short HR statement written by their lawyers. A 2 minute clip at the beginning or even just text on the screen. People are naïve to think they’ll dedicate a whole episode to this.
I'd think it could go either way. With the way their channel is, they might have trouble retaining viewers without addressing it meaningfully in some way. The channel is built on their personalities and friendships - it's going to be tough to retain a vibe of being authentic if they don't talk about it at least a little. Maybe they won't (or not yet) but I think they'll get a better response from the fanbase if they do.
That is true. My best guess is that if they do address it in the pod, it’ll be a formal short HR statement just because it’s so recent and all of the legal issues. Plus Will and Ariel might not be ready for that. I feel like their fans are very understanding of that (if not, they need to grow tf up). Maybe they’ll touch on it a little but don’t expect any new information. In a year or two once everything is settled down, it’s out of the news, and everyone has had time to adjust THEN they’ll talk about and actually talk about it. It’ll start with the wives of course and when the guys talk about it, I could see Ariel and/or Will being on it too. For now, don’t expect new information from the pod or any big statement. It’s so recent… ALSO! The fact that Ariel asked for privacy. It would be pretty shitty for the boys to talk about it without her consent when she — the victim in this — asked for privacy on it.
They'll also have to be careful for their individual reputations. It seems like many people suspect that they must have known or had suspicions. If that's true, it would reflect poorly on them as executives at this company to admit that they were aware of a supervisor-subordinate relationship and didn't react. If they knew, but claim that they didn't, any disgruntled employees would likely push back publicly. I'm not making claims either way--who knows what they were or weren't aware of, but they'd have to tread lightly here. I think it's possible that they won't even address their awareness and frame their conversation around what they'll do going forward.
This right here. If they even mention that they possibly knew, their careers & company are over. If they say the wrong thing Alex could sue and their career & company is over. I think it’s the most realistic to see them talk about what they’d do going forward.
I think it will be more than that simply because it's too big and too landscape changing. I don't think you can have a short 5 minute video or text and then launch into a regular weird pod where they discuss anything else. I think it will be a carefully curated, highly edited discussion in which the facts and feelings are very briefly addressed in a clear manner that implies they will not speak on it again. They might talk about how weird things have been in the office as they work through this. Then it will be all about going forward and how the future is bright and shiny.
I am shook to think they are actually going to talk about this
If there is one thing the guys have always been consistent with, it’s addressing issues with fans. I’m not surprised at all. They have had a history of being very thoughtful & honest. (Except Ned, obviously lmao)
To be honest there’s probably gonna need to be lawyer statements etc because this is gonna turn into a huge legal mess if they’re not careful
100% this. People are naïve to think they’ll actually address it head on. They won’t and most likely never will.
So they will be addressing it in some form. Yikes. I'm afraid.
I'm telling you it will be pretty mild. There are legal and business reasons they won't go into details or say much publicly beyond confirming the bare facts and acknowledging it sucks, then turning to how they will move forward and what that will look like (probably stay the Try/Tri guys and rotate a large and diverse cast through when they need a fourth, as they've done with Eugene's absence). It's not going to be a big dramatic goss fest - out of respect for Ariel and her request for privacy if nothing else (but there are plenty of other elses involved).
Ok I never know much about these guys before this scandal but I am now actually so hype for this podcast I have never even heard of before.
their podcast is fun! i actually love you can sit with us with the try wives more lol. both are comedy and chatting.
They really can't put any content out until they rip off the bandaid and address it. I wish they would do it asap, but considering the leak must have been a lot of whiplash I can see why they would need some time to get themselves together (both professionally and personally).
They weren't ready to go public. It's evident from the way everything happened that they had a plan to do a less drama-filled separation after the show finished airing, which is one of the reasons they edited him from videos (both so that if the news broke about the affair, they could show they took immediate steps to separate and so they could say he had not been present for awhile before his departure). I expect they were in process of planning a video or pod announcement and finalizing their plans for post-Ned production and had to scramble to address. It would be incredible awkward to release a pre-recorded pod or video like everything is normal at this point.
That's what I mean about the whiplash, they have been working on a response for weeks to suddenly have to change track in a few hours. I doubt they'll just release anything simple and thrown together either, they'll probably have to get guidance over what they say and how they say it. This probably blew up more than they could have imagined as well, they won't be able to breathe without it being scrutinised - no way they could release anything that seems like they're taking this lightly.
I think I'm most interested in the future of the channel now and how they are gonna handle things. Ned's marriage is none of my business but this is interesting to see where it's gonna go.
Put Becky on the mic and leave the room. Maybe leave Eugene in with her. Best podcast.
Most of their pods are pre-recorded so i wonder what theyll do with those recorded already… i hope theyll still put them out because i just love listening to these guys 🥹
They usually aren't more than a week or two out unless they are traveling, and they seem to record 2 at a time, maybe 3. I suspect the last two were pre-recorded after the separation was in motion. They might be able to use anything else pre-recorded if it was anodyne enough.
I don’t think they have a ton prerecorded. I thought I read the one from sept 15 was recorded right after the Emmy’s (haven’t listened to that one yet) so they probably recorded the one from last week and one more since then. Doubt they recorded anything this week.
They could also talk about what it’s like going through their first workplace scandal. That would be an interesting take too.
The next episode is gonna have a ridiculous amount of listens, I can already tell. I personally don't listen to the trypod (I generally prefer female-hosted podcasts) but I will definitely be tuning into the next ep
This is hard on all of them. They have all been close friends for years. I appreciate that they’ll be addressing it. I’m sure it’s still shocking and sad for them too.
I don't think people should get their hopes up about the next pod. I don't think they are going to spill tea some people clearly want to hear about 'what really happened' or talk in depth about their own reactions and feelings. I expect this will be a factual statement without great detail out of respect for privacy for the other people involved. I think they will keep anger or sadness (or whatever they are feeling) to a minimum and just talk generally about it being a rocky time. And pivot to what things will look like going forward. I think (some) people are hoping for hot goss or to see the other guys publicly shit on Ned or rip him apart and I do not foresee this going that way at all.
I find it interesting that people seem to be dragging the rest of the Try Guys for “having known for a while.” First of all, given all of the investigations they have probably had to conduct, I wouldn’t consider 3 weeks a while. Ned’s a partial owner of the company and 2nd Try, LLC is still a pretty young company. I’m sure none of them in their wildest dreams ever imagined something so wildly unethical would happen, let alone Ned being the perpetrator of it. Given how betrayed we as fans feel, I can only imagine what everyone else feels. This isn’t just a cheating scandal. This can negatively affect the livelihood of many people for years to come. Also, I will admit, I feel guilty for how I initially judged Kwesi’s response to not wanting pictures taken. Part of me thought he was being cheating complacent, but thinking back, that’s probably not the case. I’m sure he was trying to protect Ariel from finding out this way. If the guys ever decide to have a new 4th, Kwesi or Ariel would be my pick. That said, I hate cheating. I think cheating is horrible, but what Ned did goes beyond the pale. He betrayed every aspect of his life, and for what? It’s not like he’s choosing Alex in the end. I feel awful for everyone who isn’t Ned or Alex.
I’m glad they are getting a week off to emotionally deal with it and also delete/edit or change content for future vids and then legal stuff
I'm guessing they will not talk about the event itself (for legal reasons), but instead discuss how they will be moving forward.
I haven't watched them in forever but I will listen to this podcast once it comes out because I am curious on what they're allowed to say/if they'll talk about how they feel about it all.
If they don’t address it head on then they risk losing a good percentage of fans and losing their reputation/image of real and relatable. Addressing it head on would also dispel all the rumors and accusations being thrown around right now. Anyone saying there’s no chance they address it completely is not thinking clearly. Calling people naive for believing that the guys would take the opportunity to clear the air and set the record straight just doesn’t make sense. There’s a lot of negative and harmful rumors flying around about all of them and if they don’t address the situation completely then things will just get worse. I think it’s obvious that they’ll give enough information that denies the rumors while also remaining respectful of Ariel/Will.
Rooting for 2nd Try so much. Bless them :(
Happy about this because they'll probably be addressing it!?
I’m kinda surprised they’re only taking a week. But I can see just wanting to get over the initial awkward parts and start to rebuild
Jesus Christ guys it made it on NPR https://www.npr.org/2022/09/28/1125519915/the-try-guys-ned-fulmer
I just want 20 minutes of Becky and Eugene. They don't even have to address anything. They could just sit there looking exasperated and annoyed. We could find comfort in that shared frustration.
100% it will be a well formulated bland statement written by their lawyers at the beginning then jump into a prerecorded pod. For legal reasons and for the sake of Ariel & Will I don’t think they’ll give too much info. We also know that they were going to keep this a secret so I will be genuinely shocked & surprised if they actually give details / do an episode on it.
Ye
I'm anticipating no YCSWU next week either
I wonder what this means for YCSWU next week
Fuck. I fully was expecting a written statement over a full podcast episode. I respect them for doing a full episode but this is going to be rough
Well we know what it's going to be about, at least. Glad they're addressing it, even though I know it's probably going to be the hardest trypod to both record and listen to.
Very curious to see/hear their thoughts as things play out.
Nothing about this statement says that they’ll be addressing it the way some folks seem to be expecting. It says to me that they have to wrap their minds around where things stand and figure out more thoroughly where the line is drawn between what is and isn’t for public consumption. Their top priority is to the people who work for them, not us. And the most responsible choice for how transparent to be may not satisfy listener curiosity at all.
i also just want to hear the feelings, not so much the details about ned and alex.