Podcast Summary
Ian Hecox feels like a 'born again celebrity' after Smosh's return announcement: Ian Hecox experienced an emotional response to Smosh's return, with fans expressing nostalgia and well-wishes, making him feel like a celebrity once again. He also discussed past achievements and potential collaborations.
Ian Hecox, co-creator of Smosh, experienced an overwhelming response after the announcement of the return of the popular YouTube channel. The excitement from fans, many of whom were reminiscing about being early viewers, led to a feeling of being a "born again celebrity" for Hecox. He shared his reactions to the news, including the emotional moment of the announcement and the subsequent influx of messages and well-wishes. The conversation also touched on Hecox's past accomplishments, including buying back the company, and the potential for collaborations with other production companies known for clean, G-rated content.
Childhood friends turned business partners rebuild their friendship: Effective communication and self-work are crucial in maintaining and strengthening relationships, even when they face challenges
Personal and professional relationships can evolve and change over time. Ian and Anthony, childhood friends and former business partners, had to let go of their past friendship in order to rebuild a stronger one. Their friendship turned into a business partnership, and managing the business relationship overshadowed their interpersonal relationship. After Anthony left Smosh in 2017, they didn't communicate well and let their friendship fade. However, they were able to reconnect and rebuild their friendship through open and honest communication as adults. This story highlights the importance of communication and self-work in maintaining and strengthening relationships. It's a reminder that relationships can have ups and downs, but with effort and understanding, they can be revived and become even stronger than before.
Childhood friends reconnect through work and personal growth: Friendship and personal growth can lead to unexpected connections and renewed relationships, even after years apart.
Friendship and personal growth can lead to surprising connections and rekindled relationships, even after years of change. The discussion highlights the experience of childhood friends Ian and Anthony, who reconnected through their work at Smosh. Despite growing into new versions of themselves, they discovered their old dynamic still worked and found joy in each other's company. Ian's personality was misunderstood, with people labeling him as "depressed" due to his humor centered around dark topics, but in reality, he was a chill and usually good-mood person. The first year of Ian's return to Smosh was challenging, as he tried to redefine the brand without Anthony and deal with the end of their friendship and business partnership. This experience was particularly difficult for him as he felt the responsibility of holding things together, much like a single parent. Ultimately, Ian expressed that he is happier now, having navigated these challenges and found success in his personal and professional life.
From high school friends to YouTube stars: Even one person can run a successful YouTube channel, and past experiences can lead to new opportunities in creative partnerships.
The success of Smosh, a popular YouTube channel, didn't happen overnight. For years, the creators, Ian and Anthony, struggled to find the right voice for their main channel as their audience consisted mainly of fans of Ian's solo content. While Ian made the tough decision to leave and pursue success on his own, Anthony continued leading Smosh. This experience taught them that even one person can run a successful channel and that they had the freedom to choose their partnership and friendship. The Smosh duo started as high school friends who were not popular and began as a website years before YouTube. They became known as Smosh during their freshman year, and while Anthony focused on coding and graphic design, Ian was into cross country running. The channel's history spans over 20 years, and their recent reconnection marks a new chapter in their creative journey.
From a small forum to a viral sensation: Smosh started as a small forum for friends sharing content, expanded to a website, and eventually gained fame with YouTube, selling merchandise to fund it all during high school.
Smosh started as a small forum for a group of friends in 2002, similar to Discord, where they shared and discussed animated content. They expanded by creating a website, Smosh.com, where users could upload Flash animations, inspired by Newgrounds. The content ranged from stick figure animations to Jackass-style videos. The website grew in popularity, and they even managed to sell merchandise to fund it during their senior year of high school. Smosh became a household name in their school before they gained wider fame with their YouTube channel. The early content on Smosh.com predated their YouTube videos and included viral hits like the microwave Furby video. The website served as an early form of social media and user-generated content platform for the friends.
Smosh's Early Success on YouTube: Smosh discovered YouTube after someone uploaded their content there, found early success with the Pokemon theme song, and grew their audience and career as a result.
Smosh, a popular online comedy group, gained recognition before the existence of YouTube. They initially shared their videos on Myspace and paid hosting fees. When someone uploaded their Mortal Kombat theme song video on YouTube, they discovered the platform and began uploading their content there. Their first successful video on YouTube was the Pokemon theme song, which gained popularity through user votes and YouTube's growing attention. This early success on YouTube marked a significant turning point for Smosh, leading to a larger audience and a successful career in online content creation.
Anthony's technical skills and creativity fueled Smosh's early success: Despite using pirated software and facing challenges, Smosh's early success was driven by Anthony's passion and determination to create content and build a following in the emerging digital media landscape
The early success of the comedy duo Smosh was driven by both their creativity and Anthony's technical skills. They faced challenges, such as using pirated software for editing due to the high cost, and were among the first YouTubers to sell merchandise. Their viral video, inspired by Star Wars and Pokemon, gained attention through torrenting websites before the concept of going viral was widespread. Anthony's passion and determination played a significant role in their early accomplishments, even when they encountered obstacles. Despite the risks and challenges, they continued to create content and build a following, ultimately making a mark in the emerging digital media landscape.
Embracing individuality in high school and YouTube: The importance of embracing one's uniqueness has shifted from being looked down upon in high school to being celebrated on YouTube.
The perception of what is considered cool or unique has shifted significantly over the years. The speaker recalls how being different was once looked down upon in high school, but as they approached graduation, there was a noticeable shift towards accepting and even celebrating individuality. This change was evident in the early days of YouTube, which was filled with "weirdos" and "goofballs" who found success and popularity. The speaker also shares their personal experience of going from high school to community college and being an early YouTube creator, where they were initially overlooked but eventually gained recognition. Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of embracing one's uniqueness and how societal norms and values can evolve over time.
The Early Days of YouTube: Creativity, Determination, and a Bit of Luck: Smosh, a comedy duo, started on YouTube from humble beginnings, making videos for fun. They gained an audience and committed, facing copyright issues and early monetization through merchandise and deals.
The early days of YouTube were marked by creativity, determination, and a bit of luck. Ian Hecox, one half of the popular comedy duo Smosh, started his entertainment career as a Chucky entertainer at Chuck E. Cheese while being a single mom. They began making videos for fun and committed to it when they saw an audience responding positively. The early YouTube content consisted mainly of vlogging, sketch comedy, and lip syncing. However, copyright issues began to arise as companies tried to claim ownership of content, leading to lawsuits and the development of DMCA and similar processes. Ian and Anthony didn't start making money until they began selling merchandise and securing deals with YouTube competitors. Their parents were supportive, and their dad's background as an accountant provided them with valuable guidance and resources. The story of Smosh is a classic example of the entrepreneurial spirit and determination that characterized the early YouTube scene.
From high school to YouTube fame: The Smosh story: The Smosh duo, Ian and Anthony, started in high school and evolved into successful YouTubers. Their early content is making a comeback, and their names originated from a misheard term. They rose to fame during YouTube's early days and have grown and adapted to changing times despite past controversial elements.
The Smosh duo, Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla, have a rich history that began in high school and evolved into a successful YouTube career. Their early content, which was quite different from their current style, is making a comeback. The name "Smosh" originated from a misheard term, and their channels, Smosh and Smoshpit, had distinct purposes. Ian was initially portrayed in a negative light in their sketches, but that does not reflect his true character. Their rise to fame occurred during YouTube's early days in 2005. Despite some controversial elements from their past, such as the use of terms like "bikini girl" in their scripts, they have grown and evolved as content creators. Their history is marked by learning, growth, and the ability to adapt to changing times.
Smosh's Unique History and Elements: The Smosh YouTube channel, known for comedy, has a rich history with various series, pranks, and a fictional family tree including Abraham Lincoln. 'Food Battle' has an open-ending, 'Mail Time with Smosh' stopped due to disturbing mail, and Ian used 'bitch' frequently in comedic context.
The Smosh YouTube channel, known for its comedic sketches and collaborative content, has a rich history with numerous series and pranks. During a conversation, it was mentioned that the channel's Wiki page lists various details about the creators, Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla, and their fictional family tree, which includes a joke about their great-great-great grandfather, Abraham Lincoln, being involved in a roller coaster accident. The discussion also touched upon some of the series that have aired on Smosh, such as "Couples Therapy," "Dead Table Talks," and "Food Battle." One intriguing detail mentioned was that the end of "Food Battle" leaves it open-ended, and it's unclear if the series has actually ended. The creators also shared memories of their "Mail Time with Smosh" segment, where they would read viewer mail and often pretend to die in response to the content. They stopped doing this segment due to the increasingly disturbing and gross mail they received. Ian was noted for using the word "bitch" the most during their content, although it was used in a comedic context. Overall, the conversation highlighted the extensive history and unique elements of the Smosh channel.
Childhood fears and shared experiences: Ian's apiphobia and sphexophobia, Macaulay Culkin's experiences, unexpected popularity of Ian's Twitter name change, Amanda's Portuguese heritage, and friendship with Angela were discussed, highlighting the speakers' closeness and ability to find humor in various aspects of their lives.
The conversation between the speakers revolved around shared experiences, personal fears, and random anecdotes. A notable fear discussed was Ian's apiphobia and sphexophobia, triggered by a childhood incident involving wasps. The speakers also shared their memories of Macaulay Culkin's experiences and the unexpected popularity of Ian's Twitter name change to Caillou Mhmm. Additionally, they discussed Amanda's Portuguese heritage, her friendship with Angela, and the reactions she received regarding her bangs. The conversation showcased the speakers' closeness and their ability to share and find humor in various aspects of their lives.
Amanda and Ian's Unique Experiences in Media: Dedication and resilience are crucial in media industries, whether as a news writer or a YouTuber.
Both Amanda and Ian have had unique experiences in the media industry. Amanda shared her time as a news writer and teleprompter operator at NBC 7 News, where she faced challenges and learned valuable skills. Ian, on the other hand, discussed his journey as a YouTuber, starting as a one-man band and working his way up. They both agreed on the importance of dedication and resilience in their respective fields. A surprising revelation from Amanda was her past experience as a news writer, which Ian was unaware of. Despite the different paths they took, they both faced challenges and learned valuable skills that helped shape their careers.
Misinformation on Wikis and Fan Sites: Fact-checking is crucial to prevent the spread of inaccurate information. Personal preferences can lead to playful banter.
There can be discrepancies and misinformation on wikis and fan sites, leading to confusion. This was evident in the discussion about Shane's supposed dislike for cheese, favorite TV show, and Pringle flavor, all of which were found to be incorrect or in need of a reference. Additionally, someone had falsely claimed that Anthony and Ian owned Smosh on their Wikipedia page. These inaccuracies highlight the importance of fact-checking and verifying information before spreading it. The conversation also touched upon personal preferences, with Amanda asking Ian if he preferred Big Bird or Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street. Despite their similar ages, Ian jokingly suggested that being married made him cooler, to which Amanda playfully disagreed. Overall, the episode showcased the importance of accuracy and the occasional lighthearted banter between the hosts.
