Bronwen Bradshaw, Arts & Entertainment Editor 

(Image from A Conversation with Ariel Fulmer) 

On September 17th, Ned Fulmer, a former member of YouTube’s The Try Guys, broke his three-year silence since the career-shattering scandal that led to his public downfall. In 2022, Fulmer was exposed for having an affair with one of his company’s producers and employees, despite his public image as a devoted husband to his wife, Ariel Fulmer. 

The Try Guys began their careers with Buzzfeed, creating viral content ranging from food competitions to makeovers — essentially, anything entertaining to an online audience. The group consisted of Fulmer, Keith Habersberger, Zach Kornfeld, and Eugene Lee Yang. After leaving BuzzFeed, the group founded their own independent company and YouTube channel, amassing millions of followers and building a brand centered around the four group members.  

Fulmer’s persona in the company was defined as “the wife guy.” Much of their content revolved around Fulmer’s marriage to his wife, Ariel, making the scandal even more shocking. At the time of their founding, Fulmer was the only married cast member and repeatedly put his marriage to the center of his material.  

In 2022, fans began speculating online about Fulmer’s affair after images were released of Fulmer with another woman in public. Rumors swirled, and it was revealed that Ned Fulmer was cheating on his wife with one of his employees, sparking online backlash and discussions on power dynamics in the workplace.  

After the news broke, Lee Yang, Kornfeld, and Habersberger released a video announcing that Ned Fulmer would no longer be a part of the Try Guys channel. They also described having to edit Fulmer out of future videos and scrap videos altogether, costing them millions of dollars in lost revenue for their company. Following the scandal, Fulmer disappeared from online, releasing only a statement on social media before going silent. 

Three years later, Ned Fulmer has reemerged, releasing a podcast called Rock Bottom, which he describes as a show where guests discuss the most challenging moments of their lives and how they overcame them.  

The premiere episode opened with a 4-minute apology video from Fulmer, complete with the stereotypical “apology video” white background. Fulmer recounts the affair and its aftermath, projecting sincerity that comes off as performative to the audience. Fulmer refers to the woman he was involved with as his “producer,” downplaying the fact that she was an employee of his company, given that Fulmer had handled most of the HR responsibilities at the company.  In the episode, Ned and Ariel Fulmer have an uncomfortable conversation about their separation and the betrayal Ariel endured. Throughout the episode, Ned frames himself as the one who has learned and grown from his mistakes, shifting the narrative to himself and pushing away accountability. 

The premise of Fulmer’s podcast is intriguing and could have potential, but I do not believe Fulmer is the right interviewer to do the job. If the podcast is about people’s rock-bottom moments, it should be conducted by someone who has experienced struggles in their life and what they did to overcome them. Instead of redemption, Fulmer’s story is one of living with the consequences of his own deliberate actions. Fulmer is a man who cheated on his wife, financially impacted his company, and betrayed his long-time coworkers and friends.  

Fulmer portrays himself as a survivor, when in fact it is Ariel who survived what Fulmer’s actions did to her and their marriage. Fulmer’s podcast appears shallow, with his comeback centered on the pain he caused as the centerpiece of his return. He may no longer be the ‘wife guy,’ but he has certainly hit rock bottom.