Last week The Try Guys announced that Ned Fulmer, one of the original four Try Guys, had been fired. The news went viral, and people started speculating about the drama surrounding The Try Guys. Now, about a week later, the three remaining Try Guys, Zach Kornfeld, Keith Habersberger and Eugene Lee Yang, posted a video providing more context into what happened, and how their company would be moving forward.
The official Try Guys accounted posted a statement on Instagram last week explaining Fulmer would no longer be working there, and Ned posted a conformation saying he had a “consensual workplace relationship.” Along with these two posts, Fulmer’s wife Ariel Fulmer, also posted requesting privacy “for the sake of [their] kids.” In their latest YouTube video the three guys explained what exactly happened, Kornfeld said:
We want to give you a timeline of what’s transpired and some transparency into our decision-making. Throughout this video, there will be things that we want to say or go into further, but as I’m sure you’re aware, there are some legal issues we have to consider as we go through everything.
They went on to explain that on Labor Day weekend the three guys were alerted by fans that Ned had been seen out with another employee. Habersberger explained that Ned confirmed those rumors were true, and the relationship had been going on for a while. The guys noted they had no idea it had been happening, and they were shocked by the news. Lee Yang explained that after finding out about the news, a review promptly began.
And thus began a three-week process of engagement with employment lawyers, corporate lawyers, HR, PR and more in order to make sure we are taking all necessary steps. From the jump, we were acutely aware of just how contrary this was to the values of the company we’ve built and those of everyone who works here.
Both Ned and Ariel had been big parts of the channel. Also, Ned’s marriage was a big part of his online persona. His wife and two young boys had made many appearances on the channel. Lee Yang explained that the three guys “refused to sweep things under the rug” because “it’s not what [they] stand for.”
They explained they removed Ned from work, and edited him out of videos pending the results of the review. Kornfeld noted there are several videos they have “deemed unreleasable,” saying no one will see them because of Ned’s involvement. This is similar to when Joe Gatto exited Impractical Jokers, and some episodes featuring him were removed. After the review, they explained they could not move forward with Ned, and all three remaining members signed written consent to remove “Ned as a manager and employee.”
Lee Yang explained they always planned on making a statement. However, because of all the coverage the issue has received and speculation around what happened, they decided not to wait longer to make a statement. To watch the full statement, you can watch the video here:
The trio also noted how they will proceed to work for the rest of the year. They will continue to release videos, with Ned edited out of them, like their popular series Without a Recipe, and will still be posting branded content, because those are contracted videos. The group also has a Food Network show on the 2022 TV schedule, called No-Recipe Road Trip which premiered in August and features Ned.
It’s clear Ned will not be seen in Try Guys content moving forward, and the three guys said they will talk more about what happened, and how they plan to move forward at a later date.
