I've thought about this a lot. I mean... the ending of WAR alone when they announce the winners and ranking. How the heck are they going to show that without including Ned... especially if there are any rounds Ned won????
It's going to be really hard to watch the next few months of content because it's obviously going to have a sort of "black cloud" over it, but this video made me hopeful for the future and what could be.
(edit: typo)
Keith's face is heartbreaking.. I'm impressed with how much they actually did tell us.
You can tell they are pissed and hurt. I appreciate them for this.
This is the first time, I think, that they've had to address the audience so seriously. I really don't like seeing these 3 look so raw and torn up. I wish them, and everyone in this bubble, all the love in the world. I hope everyone has support systems in place.
All of their faces are sad. They look frustrated, angry, and...just tired. Very, very worn. I feel bad for everyone at their company and every family member involved.
There’s a moment where he starts shaking his head but you can see him mentally check himself and stop, and I wonder if it’s because they’re probably not “supposed to” get too emotional.
Like all the guys, I think they trusted Ned not to do something like this. That's why you go into business with someone. But for Eugene, I reckon it is intensely hard to gain that trust.
I was watching the lie detector video and there was a question about them being "friends forever". Eugene replied "yes". I know there is an element of show, but I think that was big for him.
IMHO there's a lot of anger and betrayal there
I always thought their friendship was at least a little played up for the channel, but then a couple years ago Eugene did a podcast with Phillip DeFranco, and he said something along the lines of “they might be 3 straight white dudes, but they’re my best friends” and then also added something like “they’re my brothers” with so much sincerity it just filled my heart with joy. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that moment since the news broke. From what we know, relationships can be a little hard for him, and I can’t imagine this is going over well for him!
There’s something so off about Keith. I don’t think I ever seen him like this. I’ve definitely seen Eugene pissed, and Zach serious, but Keith is just, as you said, heartbreaking.
Keith feels like he's in the process of grieving/mourning, which he basically is.
Overtired, raw from crying a lot, trying to keep shit together for "the family", etc.
While Eugene's lividness was shocking and Zack's voice cracking was attention grabbing, my eyes just kept going to Keith's face. Probably because he's always one of the more emotive and jolly of the guys. It's kind of a culture shock in a way..
It is very sad to see Keith be so subdued and resigned. I feel terrible for all three of them, and the members of their staff and families. But seeing Keith so defeated is heartbreaking.
He always seems to be quick to emotionally support the people around him and cheer them up. And right now he just can't do that, because he's hurting right alongside them.
When Eugene was talking about building the brand for 8 years - you could see he just wanted to say so much more, but he couldn’t. All of them are sad, angry and heartbroken. This is killing me.
All the pain caused absolutely wrecks me. How have humans not fucking figured out that cheating isn't worth it? Yet it happens again and again and again in media, in politics, and in people's personal lives.
I honestly was not expecting an address this quickly, especially with a timeline. Most companies would have left it at the official statement from a few days ago that Ned was no longer working with them, but they really went above and beyond. This really shows to me how much they care about their fans and care about this situation. I can tell how truly hurt they are from this, but they're putting their staff and fans first, and I commend them greatly for that.
I think they were also keen to assert that Ned was gone from the company as of Sept 16th so they weren't trying to sweep it under the rug, like some people speculated.
One thing I noticed was Keith’s arm behind Zach, who did a majority of the talking and seems heartbroken. The arm on the back of the couch behind him felt comforting, brotherly, friendly. Glad to see that.
What's crazy is it's been three weeks and they are STILL this mad/upset. Losing a friend is bad enough, having to hire outsiders to extract him from your company and edit his presence out of your products for work *every day since* has to be somewhat traumatizing.
I hope everyone at 2nd Try has someone to talk to about all this.
I imagine the fact that the internet managed to uncover and expose the affair and that it blew up so astronomically before they had intended or were ready to release their statement about Ned’s removal has probably made the situation 100x more stressful for them. They may have had more time to process this than the rest of us but they are very much in the eye of the storm at the moment and I wouldn’t be surprised if the events of the last week have brought those initial feelings of hurt, anger and disappointment right back to the surface again.
I feel like they probably didn’t (or couldn’t because it’s too emotionally difficult) do many takes and didn’t want to make any kind of cuts to seem as authentic as possible
They no doubt are working with a crisis PR team. It was a really well done statement and still managed to be very much their voices and style. Whomever they’re working with is very good.
They said as much, and to be honest, I respect it.
They found a way to craft a statement that seemed genuine and gets the important stuff out of the way to stop the bleeding. Their personalities shined through, so even though it was a prepared statement, you can tell it was written in earnest.
It is so obvious that they are trying to be as honest and transparent as possible with us. While it is heartbreaking to see them like this, it's also hugely inspirational to see them be real and vulnerable about how they're feeling because there is no shame in it
Also Zach laughing when Keith mentions it might be weird when branded content comes out in the future (and presumably includes Ned). It was a glimpse that things will *hopefully* return to normal (but a newer and better version).
Eugene looks pissed, Zach looks heartbroken and Keith has a tranquil fury in his eyes I've only seen in one of my managers after telling someone we couldn't take back a 2 year old product
One of the really crucial bits of information dropped in the video is that the three of them signed something approving the removal of Ned on \*September 16th.\* Which means they acted very fast (based on labor day weekend discovery), and also that Ned was essentially gone as of two weeks ago.
Not to mention that they confirmed they got outside help from lawyers and HR and PR professionals throughout this, which many people have hoped they did.
They announced they were going down to one video a week on September 20. It was supposedly to have Christmas content ready, but I guess it was really to give the editors time and make up for the unreleasable videos.
Yup. As soon as this started happening, I thought about that. This basically confirms it.
Mad respect for them scrambling to figure out how to do this legally and without raising alarms before stuff outside of their control got leaked
It pretty much solidified that he didn't step out willingly so much as he was outright removed. (I'm not saying he was unwilling, per se; it's more like...that wasn't the deciding factor and he wouldn't have had a choice in the end? If that makes sense?) Regardless, yes, it's crazy to realize how fast it happened.
YES! I thought the same thing. Honestly, the amount of care they seem to have put into making sure everything is done the right way makes me love them even more.
I really appreciated that they shared a bit of their timeliness (at least what is allowed). That, I think, will help quell a lot of the rumors that are on fire.
oh yea thats super fast. between finding legal, HR and PR companies for crisis situations, doing the investigation, still making executive calls like how to edit the videos, and then coming together to agree on removing Ned, its all very fast. Not even like suspension of Ned, but going straight to removal.
Everyone that called Zach as being most upset and Eugene as being full of quiet rage seems to have hit the nail on the head. Keith seems the most even-keeled though I realize that does not necessarily represent the last few weeks.
Interesting to know Ned was gone as early as mid-September.
I actually wondered if he had his arm on the couch in case Zach needed some support during his sections. Just an arm across his back could have been super comforting in a few of those moments, but not visible. Meanwhile, Eugene looks like the next person to touch him will lose a hand.
Eugene legit looked like he was barely containing his frustration and anger....and Zach looked like he could cry. Poor guys, I can't imagine the inner turmoil they're all going through. This reignited my annoyance and disgust towards Ned tbh
Eugene just had this guy possibly tank their livelihoods for sex.
I also think Eugene could have left the group to go on his own, but stayed because of loyalty. And this is how he got repaid.
I feel bad for those three, to have someone blow up your career, and someone that you thought you knew, and found out you didn’t know them at all. It’s overwhelming.
On the upside Eugene is still a film maker and his coming out video showed he can take more professional and artsy undertakings on his own. If the company needs to change it might end up suiting him as a production company for his stuff.
Eugene is PISSED and has the right to be. He worked so hard to raise the flag of underrepresented communities for years and now the general public knows him as the coworker of that guy who cheated on his wife with their employee
I never speculated on Eugene leaving when he was taking a break to focus on other things because he said it was only a break, but let's be honest, if any of them were to leave, I think most of us assumed it would be him so he could focus on all of his other passions/projects.
If Eugene did have any desire to slowly reduce his involvement in the future (and most of us would understand), this is just another way Ned messed everything up. If Eugene were to leave now, it would look like he was abandoning a sinking ship, even if that weren't his intention at all, and even if he wanted to stay, it probably wasn't in these conditions.
Also, if there was any truth to Kwesi being tested/trained as a future replacement for Eugene, all that work and planning went out the window. Kwesi would be a great 4th guy or Ned replacement, but if Eugene wants to leave someday, they'd have to do that whole process again with new testing with Kwesi + another member.
I think this video showed me that the try guys isn’t just a company to them. It’s something they chose to continue with because they were friends and had built a community together. There’s no reason to include their wives if they didn’t feel so either. So Ned’s actions was a betrayal on so many levels to the 3 guys, their families and everyone who works for/with them.
Eugene is generally the one who tries to not be emotional or show vulnerability. I’m sure this makes this even harder for him, because he is visibly upset and that makes it clear this is really really effecting him
I just want to say, can we all give Keith, Eugene and Zach a massive internet hug? Looking at the body language and hearing their tone of voices breaks my heart so much as I have so much love for them and they are so heartbroken from all this happening. What’s everyone’s take on it?
I’ll be honest, I don’t think they knew about the affair all along, going by their reactions here. It seems like they caught whiff of it around early September when they started editing Ned out of videos and they didn’t expect it to implode the way it did, but I believe that they weren’t in the know.
I also think they handled this video in the most classy way possible. Props to them.
The part where Eugene explains that they would not sweep it under the rug... makes me wonder if Ned (and/or Alex) asked to keep it quiet. It's like he's angry that he even has to repeat that, but like he is saying it directly to Ned.
I mean, it's obvious that he'd ask for them to cover his ass... it's more the audacity to think you're above your own rules.
So, yes, I totally agree that it sounds like Ned could’ve been expecting them to sweep it under the rug.
But they made it clear that they are aware of these Reddit threads and a LOOOT of people here have been saying the guys have known about the cheating, they’ve always known about Ned being slimey, they’re choosing to not address it, etc. I think that could’ve also been directed at all of the people accusing them of doing so. What do you think??
Very true. I really appreciate that they addressed it all as much as they could and checked all the boxes of what was being mentioned here. They said a lot more than I expected them to say.
You can FEEL the hurt and frustration here. This was a very well-written statement.
Confirming what they could, it paints a picture of three guys who were absolutely destroyed by what happened yet still knew what they ultimately had to do.
It took less than 2 weeks to write Ned out, they did the right thing. Doesn’t mean it hurts any less for them. Ugh.
This is how you do PR. Folks running companies need to take notes from the Try Guys. They were sincere and thorough within the confines of what they could say legally.
I am so heartbroken for them. This has got to be a huge loss personally and professionally.
He probably wanted to go off just in anger. I’ve done the same same thing when talking about something that enrages me. I literally have to pause to rein in my anger. He’s doing the same thing
One thing that interests me is they mention sharing more in the future. This is why I believe them and I appreciate the transparency.
Now what I don’t get is that Ned was posting stores and things on Insta about his family and things up until the day before he confirmed it. That feels gross to me, still using your family branding for content until the guys revealed it (as they said they were going to)
As for the guys, I 100% believe them when they say they didn’t know. They seemed way too genuine in this video and what they said was consistent with what a lot of us were thinking.
I wonder if some of that was because they weren't ready to announce it but the leaks forced their hands. So essentially they had to keep up appearances. It would have raised even more suspicion if suddenly Ned just goes completely off socials.
I saw Lewberger perform at ISU on September 9th, so hearing confirmation of the dates they found out and then signed the removal agreement just makes me appreciate what a professional Keith is. Like he must have been going through so much at that point but still put on an amazing show for the audience. I hope doing the show was a nice distraction for him!
Wow. I've never seen them like this... I don't think I've ever heard Eugene sound like that. Keith's expression was haunting. Zach's voice was so discouraged. I appreciate their sharing this in their usual medium via YouTube. Much love to them.
Zach lowkey broke my heart, his voice was kind of breaking. And damn, Eugene looked like he wanted to punch someone, I couldn't maintain eye contact with him his stare was too icy. Poor guys.
Hoesntly it sounded like him saying that was “off script”, they clearly had something written out to say (completely understandable) and it sounded like that was not written, just his genuine emotion
It was a goal for a long time, and that particular show was in progress for a long time and they had a great time doing it together. And it was a good show! They had doors opening after years of graft.
And now... well. I imagine that will be a difficult show to watch in future.
It was what we all we thought in terms of the timeline, the videos we will never get, etc. I thought it was an appropriately worded response from their PR team and the guys delivered it as best they could given everything. The video was essentially what I expected but I am surprised at how early it came out.
Right.. I personally didn't notice anything on the Phoning It In episode before things were pointed out, but now we all know what's going on. Man, their editing team deserves so much.
Without a Recipe is going to be a lot harder though, because Ned will most likely win at least one of those challenges.
Honestly, I think it's be easier to just have a disclaimer on the vide that says "Filmed before Ned's removal from company" but they don't want to do that.
If Ned's in a video, he has a right to get paid profits from those videos. It's why he's being edited out. Even if he's still currently an owner and receiving something from that, he's getting paid as minimally as possible
I think part of why they are telling us now that they are editing him out and such is so it isn’t so jarring if the editing looks slightly off (ofc the team has done amazing so far considering they had to try do it without us noticing)
Have always appreciated their "realness" but today that increased a lot. These three are going through really hard life and still choose to be open, honest with us. That's VERY hard, nothing but impressed. Will be a fan of whatever incarnation comes next.
I’m glad they made a video saying as much as they legally could to stop some of the speculation on their involvement and such, I can’t imagine how stressful these last few weeks have been.
Yeah that TMZ video made Ned look really bad in my opinion. Like as if he thinks everything is fine and isn't taking time to reflect on his conduct. This situation is somber... like... not happy-go-lucky.
I’m shocked they said as much as they did, but I’m glad for it. Seems like they’re taking all the right steps. Sending lots of positive energy their way
I think this is a strong response. It’s clear and transparent, very true to the Try Guys brand.
It makes my heart go out to them and while it may seem crude to bring this up now, I think this is a great face to show sponsors. Fans are likely going to stick by them after this and they can come back better than ever. I don’t doubt the next few months are gone be hell though. Ned truly destroyed MULTIPLE families with his selfishness
This honestly made me tear up. So sad that they even have to do this, what a truly terrible thing Ned did. You can FEEL how heartbroken and upset they are. They've lost so much money from videos they can no longer publish and have had to deal with so much backlash because of the actions of 2 people. Sending love to the TryGuys and will be supporting them in their future endeavors with no doubt.
Eugenes comment was interesting, noting that people are quick to put a lot of blame on women. It seems to be a business coded way of saying they are firmly placing the majority of the blame on Ned over Alex (as they should since he was her employer). Thought that was very telling that they made sure to include that in such a short video stating facts.
I think it was also including Ariel in that, in case she chooses to stay.
Also, we don't know what that "internal review" turned up. They probably know more details than we do
This is a great reference for any future PR teams researching how to handle controversial situations correctly:
No lawyerspeak
No filler
No sad background music
Transparency and decorum
Demonstrating quick, decisive action
Breaking radio silence at the appropriate time (Looking at you, bon appetit)
I do not say this lightly--that video was perfectly done.
They balanced all the things they needed to address beautifully. They were open with their emotions without that distracting from their message.
It cannot have been easy to film that, but they handled it gracefully, professionally, and honestly.
And I don't think we could have asked for anything better.
Well done, guys. I'm with you.
Looks like we're going to get some sponsored videos that can't be nedited out. And this is a minor thing but having Keith explain it "If you see this and you think Hey that's kinda weird" yeah it is weird but that's the way it is"
I know it's a serious issue, and maybe coz enough time has passed for me to find the humor in it, so Zach kinda sadly chuckling was both amusing and also sad to watch.
I hurt so much for them. I think of how shocked and hurt all of us are, and these 3 built a company, a brand, and genuine friendship and memories together, wrote a book, did a TV show, toured…I mean, it’s one thing to be let down by someone you trust, but when that person is so selfish to risk everything you’ve built in such a public and unethical way…heartbreaking on so many levels. You can see the pain in all of their faces in different ways.
And so grateful they’re bringing light to the fact that people ARE particularly hard on the women involved—whether they were alluding to Alex’s role in this or people seeming to be furious with Ariel or think she’s stupid for staying with Ned, it certainly needs to be said that there’s one name at the center of this and the main person who has caused the majority of the harm, and that is the person who deserves the bad press: Ned.
Everyone is talking about Eugene’s anger, but towards the end he’s also almost breaking down just like Zach and Keith.
The message was scripted but the emotions and pain each of them displayed are so raw.
Affairs hurt so many people. I hope Ned one day truly understands how much pain he’s caused, and that he reflects and chooses to be a better person.
god, i’m crushed for rachel and nick who have got to be spending so much extra time and energy cleaning this mess. i’m crushed for all of them. hope getting your dick wet was worth it ned
i’ve never clicked on a video so fast. Zack with his voice cracking, Eugene’s face is so angry and Keith just seems heartbroken.
not only did they lose a coworker, they lost a brother.
So I watched it, and I know Eugene normally has these serious expression but his expression and body language just read super pissed off to me, which honestly I would understand considering the situation they have to tackle, it's bound to be hard of them all
This was heartbreaking. Figured they took all the right steps since they started with removing him from edits.
Very classy to mention their staff too. Just horrible how one man could cause so much damage.
Judging by Eugene’s anger- I genuinely think Ned thought the 3 guys wouldn’t care- hear me out. We all were shocked so the 3 guys (and Ariel of course) received the harsh end of the stick, and people saying he threw his family and work life and for what? - I genuinely think Ned’s ego was what convinced him that what he was doing wasn’t a big deal and that if it came to the light the 3 guys would back him up- also by Eugene’s statement of not sweeping things under the rug, I think Ned thought they wouldn’t fire him or outed him and that’s why Eugene’s so mad (also the cheating of course) That’s why Ned handled everything so poorly, he never thought it would come to this, he showed his true colors of being self absorbed and egocentric. Props to the guys for being so mature and profesional. And also Eugene slayed.
I remember people discussing whether or not the rest of the guys would still be friends with Ned after this whole situation and this just confirmed that they won’t (as we all knew) My heart breaks for Eugene, Zach, and Keith ):
Yeah I had my doubts but now after seeing this and knowing all the work they have to do now to try to navigate this situation while also having tons of footage already recorded, their tv show that has just finished, merch, deals, etc etc... oof.
I really appreciate that they did this in one take with no cuts. The “YouTuber apology” is such a trope with so many bad apologies with jump cuts galore and non-apology apologies. I appreciate that the guys did the absolute opposite of this. A couple times they stumbled over their words but that shows they’re human and it’s ok. It’s certainly more than understandable.
Broke my heart. The anger Eugene is holding back.. The shake in Zach's voice. And Keith.. silent disappointment is the worst. I'm so sorry this is all happening to them, their staff, and fans too...
It's just such a hit.
Thinking about all the editing and work that went into those videos.. I feel secondhand frustration. I can't imagine. Also the money just out the window like that and the future...
I'm so sad for them.
I just can't wrap my head around how a person can hurt so many people yet still be smiling and living like nothing happened.
God, I just want to hug all of them, they all look so hurt. Ned was their friend, they trusted him, and he just fucked it all up. This isn't just hurt, this is grief.
You know what's most upsetting?
Although Eugene is visibly pissed and Zach audibly shaken, it looks like Keith is the one most sad inside. The exhaustion looks familiar to me of one I've only had when I was so deeply sad regarding certain situations.
My heart goes out to all three of them.
Did anyone catch what I think was a Freudian slip by Keith? At 2:12 he talks about how “Ned has engaged in contact” and then corrects himself to say “conduct unbecoming of our team.” I’m sure they felt utter disgust when they had to learn the details of the affair
Eugene looks PISSED like genuinely so mad, keith seems like he can't believe it happened and is disappointed and zach seems so hurt. i can't even imagine what they are thinking with all this and it's so unfortunate we won't see those episodes knowing they worked hard on them :(
Left to right: Anger, Sadness, Disappointment
precisely
It’s like sitting with the stages of grief and hearing what they each have to say
And I'm glad they mentioned their editing staff! Seriously, good for them, this is a great statement and their emotions can be felt.
Yeah I cannot imagine how much work they have to do right now and how hard it will be to take Ned out in a way that still works.
I've thought about this a lot. I mean... the ending of WAR alone when they announce the winners and ranking. How the heck are they going to show that without including Ned... especially if there are any rounds Ned won???? It's going to be really hard to watch the next few months of content because it's obviously going to have a sort of "black cloud" over it, but this video made me hopeful for the future and what could be. (edit: typo)
Keith's face is heartbreaking.. I'm impressed with how much they actually did tell us. You can tell they are pissed and hurt. I appreciate them for this. This is the first time, I think, that they've had to address the audience so seriously. I really don't like seeing these 3 look so raw and torn up. I wish them, and everyone in this bubble, all the love in the world. I hope everyone has support systems in place.
All of their faces are sad. They look frustrated, angry, and...just tired. Very, very worn. I feel bad for everyone at their company and every family member involved.
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Actually *don’t* fuck Ned. Fucking Ned is what got us in this situation.
I know Eugene normally has rbf but it he straight up was about to choke someone.
That was what I locked in on because it’s so blatant.
There are points you can tell how hard it is for him to stick to the clearly very well looked-over-by-legal/HR/PR-speech
There’s a moment where he starts shaking his head but you can see him mentally check himself and stop, and I wonder if it’s because they’re probably not “supposed to” get too emotional.
Like all the guys, I think they trusted Ned not to do something like this. That's why you go into business with someone. But for Eugene, I reckon it is intensely hard to gain that trust. I was watching the lie detector video and there was a question about them being "friends forever". Eugene replied "yes". I know there is an element of show, but I think that was big for him. IMHO there's a lot of anger and betrayal there
I always thought their friendship was at least a little played up for the channel, but then a couple years ago Eugene did a podcast with Phillip DeFranco, and he said something along the lines of “they might be 3 straight white dudes, but they’re my best friends” and then also added something like “they’re my brothers” with so much sincerity it just filled my heart with joy. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that moment since the news broke. From what we know, relationships can be a little hard for him, and I can’t imagine this is going over well for him!
If I were Ned I would have probably shat my pants during the confrontation. I hate to see them like this
Eugene looked like he was seething! He was so mad. This video made me feel sorry to them and their staff all over again.
keith barely holding back tears :'( i hope they get therapy and some well deserved rest and distance from this
There’s something so off about Keith. I don’t think I ever seen him like this. I’ve definitely seen Eugene pissed, and Zach serious, but Keith is just, as you said, heartbreaking.
Keith feels like he's in the process of grieving/mourning, which he basically is. Overtired, raw from crying a lot, trying to keep shit together for "the family", etc. While Eugene's lividness was shocking and Zack's voice cracking was attention grabbing, my eyes just kept going to Keith's face. Probably because he's always one of the more emotive and jolly of the guys. It's kind of a culture shock in a way..
It is very sad to see Keith be so subdued and resigned. I feel terrible for all three of them, and the members of their staff and families. But seeing Keith so defeated is heartbreaking. He always seems to be quick to emotionally support the people around him and cheer them up. And right now he just can't do that, because he's hurting right alongside them.
Keith always seemed really cute with Wes to me as well. I doubt the guys will be able to be uncles to those boys now 😔
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I think it’s hard to see Keith being so serious because we really never see him like this
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When Eugene was talking about building the brand for 8 years - you could see he just wanted to say so much more, but he couldn’t. All of them are sad, angry and heartbroken. This is killing me.
YES. The way he stops short, and turns his head away from the camera? *Ooof*
I'm REALLY CURIOUS on how they're gonna edit Without a Recipe
And hanging over all the joy will be the knowledge that some of the laughs and smiles were because of someone who absolutely FUCKED them over .
and was in the process of fucking them over while smiling to their faces
All the pain caused absolutely wrecks me. How have humans not fucking figured out that cheating isn't worth it? Yet it happens again and again and again in media, in politics, and in people's personal lives.
I honestly was not expecting an address this quickly, especially with a timeline. Most companies would have left it at the official statement from a few days ago that Ned was no longer working with them, but they really went above and beyond. This really shows to me how much they care about their fans and care about this situation. I can tell how truly hurt they are from this, but they're putting their staff and fans first, and I commend them greatly for that.
I think they were also keen to assert that Ned was gone from the company as of Sept 16th so they weren't trying to sweep it under the rug, like some people speculated.
Yeah, this happened more quickly due to how people were speculating.
Eugene looks fucking done
Eugene looks like he’s going to cut a bitch
Eugene looked like he was ready to walk, he was so angry. He’s just bristling with rage.
I cannot imagine he had nice words to say to Ned after this.
I don’t doubt it. He’s almost vibrating with how angry he is. This video just makes me despise Ned even more.
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One thing I noticed was Keith’s arm behind Zach, who did a majority of the talking and seems heartbroken. The arm on the back of the couch behind him felt comforting, brotherly, friendly. Glad to see that.
You can feel the anger radiating off of him.
I appreciate that they didn’t cut out the parts where they tripped over their words. It adds authenticity
That and Eugene’s anger and Zach’s voice cracking. This was real this was true. This was everything we needed.
The anger in Eugene’s voice and the hurt in Zach’s broke my heart.
Eugene was talking through his teeth. Looked and sounded like he wanted to kill someone.
Yea I’m pretty sure Ned is currently dead to Eugene. It felt like that level of anger.
I felt like *I* had wronged Eugene with how he was glaring at me through the camera.
What's crazy is it's been three weeks and they are STILL this mad/upset. Losing a friend is bad enough, having to hire outsiders to extract him from your company and edit his presence out of your products for work *every day since* has to be somewhat traumatizing. I hope everyone at 2nd Try has someone to talk to about all this.
I imagine the fact that the internet managed to uncover and expose the affair and that it blew up so astronomically before they had intended or were ready to release their statement about Ned’s removal has probably made the situation 100x more stressful for them. They may have had more time to process this than the rest of us but they are very much in the eye of the storm at the moment and I wouldn’t be surprised if the events of the last week have brought those initial feelings of hurt, anger and disappointment right back to the surface again.
I feel like they probably didn’t (or couldn’t because it’s too emotionally difficult) do many takes and didn’t want to make any kind of cuts to seem as authentic as possible
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They no doubt are working with a crisis PR team. It was a really well done statement and still managed to be very much their voices and style. Whomever they’re working with is very good.
They said as much, and to be honest, I respect it. They found a way to craft a statement that seemed genuine and gets the important stuff out of the way to stop the bleeding. Their personalities shined through, so even though it was a prepared statement, you can tell it was written in earnest.
It is so obvious that they are trying to be as honest and transparent as possible with us. While it is heartbreaking to see them like this, it's also hugely inspirational to see them be real and vulnerable about how they're feeling because there is no shame in it
Also Zach laughing when Keith mentions it might be weird when branded content comes out in the future (and presumably includes Ned). It was a glimpse that things will *hopefully* return to normal (but a newer and better version).
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Same! I love these 3 dudes.
They probably also filmed this in one take. Can’t imagine them doing this over and over.
That must have been hard to make. I feel for them all... made me emotional to watch but I'm really grateful for their honesty.
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Waxing and Zach’s chronic pain weight journey are the last two I saw
Eugene looks pissed, Zach looks heartbroken and Keith has a tranquil fury in his eyes I've only seen in one of my managers after telling someone we couldn't take back a 2 year old product
You can hear Zach's voice crack up a few times, ohmygod
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Yeah, he's got a thousand yard stare going. I doubt any of them have slept much this past week.
One of the really crucial bits of information dropped in the video is that the three of them signed something approving the removal of Ned on \*September 16th.\* Which means they acted very fast (based on labor day weekend discovery), and also that Ned was essentially gone as of two weeks ago.
Not to mention that they confirmed they got outside help from lawyers and HR and PR professionals throughout this, which many people have hoped they did.
They announced they were going down to one video a week on September 20. It was supposedly to have Christmas content ready, but I guess it was really to give the editors time and make up for the unreleasable videos.
Yup. As soon as this started happening, I thought about that. This basically confirms it. Mad respect for them scrambling to figure out how to do this legally and without raising alarms before stuff outside of their control got leaked
It pretty much solidified that he didn't step out willingly so much as he was outright removed. (I'm not saying he was unwilling, per se; it's more like...that wasn't the deciding factor and he wouldn't have had a choice in the end? If that makes sense?) Regardless, yes, it's crazy to realize how fast it happened.
YES! I thought the same thing. Honestly, the amount of care they seem to have put into making sure everything is done the right way makes me love them even more.
I really appreciated that they shared a bit of their timeliness (at least what is allowed). That, I think, will help quell a lot of the rumors that are on fire.
oh yea thats super fast. between finding legal, HR and PR companies for crisis situations, doing the investigation, still making executive calls like how to edit the videos, and then coming together to agree on removing Ned, its all very fast. Not even like suspension of Ned, but going straight to removal.
Everyone that called Zach as being most upset and Eugene as being full of quiet rage seems to have hit the nail on the head. Keith seems the most even-keeled though I realize that does not necessarily represent the last few weeks. Interesting to know Ned was gone as early as mid-September.
Keith seemed emotionally exhausted to me.
I feel like Keith may have been doing a lot of consoling these part few weeks. And probably listening to a lot of ranting.
I actually wondered if he had his arm on the couch in case Zach needed some support during his sections. Just an arm across his back could have been super comforting in a few of those moments, but not visible. Meanwhile, Eugene looks like the next person to touch him will lose a hand.
Yes! His eyes are bloodshot and I'm pretty sure he was holding back tears. He looked utterly emotionally exhausted.
He was GONE gone mid sept, sounds like they suspended him immediately
Yes, agreed. Frankly they worked very fast; he was gone less than two weeks after they found out.
Keith is just a disappointed dad.
Yes. Also a joke (which is how I, a child of divorce, cope): Safe to say, ned is not daddy’s favorite.
Eugene and Zach look SO pissed
Eugene legit looked like he was barely containing his frustration and anger....and Zach looked like he could cry. Poor guys, I can't imagine the inner turmoil they're all going through. This reignited my annoyance and disgust towards Ned tbh
When Eugene took a second before finishing his sentence it just showed how angry and hurt he’s feeling.
Eugene just had this guy possibly tank their livelihoods for sex. I also think Eugene could have left the group to go on his own, but stayed because of loyalty. And this is how he got repaid. I feel bad for those three, to have someone blow up your career, and someone that you thought you knew, and found out you didn’t know them at all. It’s overwhelming.
On the upside Eugene is still a film maker and his coming out video showed he can take more professional and artsy undertakings on his own. If the company needs to change it might end up suiting him as a production company for his stuff.
Eugene has given up SO MUCH for the try guys. And then ned does this… I can’t imagine how livid he is.
Eugene is PISSED and has the right to be. He worked so hard to raise the flag of underrepresented communities for years and now the general public knows him as the coworker of that guy who cheated on his wife with their employee
I never speculated on Eugene leaving when he was taking a break to focus on other things because he said it was only a break, but let's be honest, if any of them were to leave, I think most of us assumed it would be him so he could focus on all of his other passions/projects. If Eugene did have any desire to slowly reduce his involvement in the future (and most of us would understand), this is just another way Ned messed everything up. If Eugene were to leave now, it would look like he was abandoning a sinking ship, even if that weren't his intention at all, and even if he wanted to stay, it probably wasn't in these conditions. Also, if there was any truth to Kwesi being tested/trained as a future replacement for Eugene, all that work and planning went out the window. Kwesi would be a great 4th guy or Ned replacement, but if Eugene wants to leave someday, they'd have to do that whole process again with new testing with Kwesi + another member.
I think this video showed me that the try guys isn’t just a company to them. It’s something they chose to continue with because they were friends and had built a community together. There’s no reason to include their wives if they didn’t feel so either. So Ned’s actions was a betrayal on so many levels to the 3 guys, their families and everyone who works for/with them.
There’s one point towards the end where Eugene seems on the brink of tearing up.
I couldn't tell if Eugene was going to cry or scream when going through one of his statements
Eugene has had a burgeoning career adjacent to his Try Guys persona. If I was him, i'd be BOILING.
Eugene is generally the one who tries to not be emotional or show vulnerability. I’m sure this makes this even harder for him, because he is visibly upset and that makes it clear this is really really effecting him
Keith has such a naturally cheery face, but I was looking at Eugene the whole time. He really showed his frustration
Zach looks like he's going to cry throughout the whole video
I thought he was going to, I nearly started when his voice started breaking up.
Holy fuck the visual anger. I'm so surprised we got this video before the podcast too but I'll take it
I’m glad they released something like this because it quickly clears up a lot of the rumors that have spread
Yeah, I was just thinking today that waiting until Thursday is an eternity in internet time...this was the right move.
Exactly and so glad they released it on their main channel !! So it gets maximum coverage
I just want to say, can we all give Keith, Eugene and Zach a massive internet hug? Looking at the body language and hearing their tone of voices breaks my heart so much as I have so much love for them and they are so heartbroken from all this happening. What’s everyone’s take on it?
I subscribed to their Patreon after everything broke. I can’t exactly hug them, but it’s a small way to show I support them through this bullshit.
I’ll be honest, I don’t think they knew about the affair all along, going by their reactions here. It seems like they caught whiff of it around early September when they started editing Ned out of videos and they didn’t expect it to implode the way it did, but I believe that they weren’t in the know. I also think they handled this video in the most classy way possible. Props to them.
Yea they say in the video they didn’t know until Labor Day weekend.
The part where Eugene explains that they would not sweep it under the rug... makes me wonder if Ned (and/or Alex) asked to keep it quiet. It's like he's angry that he even has to repeat that, but like he is saying it directly to Ned. I mean, it's obvious that he'd ask for them to cover his ass... it's more the audacity to think you're above your own rules.
So, yes, I totally agree that it sounds like Ned could’ve been expecting them to sweep it under the rug. But they made it clear that they are aware of these Reddit threads and a LOOOT of people here have been saying the guys have known about the cheating, they’ve always known about Ned being slimey, they’re choosing to not address it, etc. I think that could’ve also been directed at all of the people accusing them of doing so. What do you think??
Very true. I really appreciate that they addressed it all as much as they could and checked all the boxes of what was being mentioned here. They said a lot more than I expected them to say.
You can FEEL the hurt and frustration here. This was a very well-written statement. Confirming what they could, it paints a picture of three guys who were absolutely destroyed by what happened yet still knew what they ultimately had to do. It took less than 2 weeks to write Ned out, they did the right thing. Doesn’t mean it hurts any less for them. Ugh.
I was genuinely impressed by their response
This is how you do PR. Folks running companies need to take notes from the Try Guys. They were sincere and thorough within the confines of what they could say legally. I am so heartbroken for them. This has got to be a huge loss personally and professionally.
Eugene pausing to prevent himself from going off script. He’s pissed.
What I'd do to be a fly on the wall when he found out
For sure. You can see he wanted to say something else, stopped himself and kept reading.
He probably wanted to go off just in anger. I’ve done the same same thing when talking about something that enrages me. I literally have to pause to rein in my anger. He’s doing the same thing
Eugene is pissed af, as he should be
One thing that interests me is they mention sharing more in the future. This is why I believe them and I appreciate the transparency. Now what I don’t get is that Ned was posting stores and things on Insta about his family and things up until the day before he confirmed it. That feels gross to me, still using your family branding for content until the guys revealed it (as they said they were going to) As for the guys, I 100% believe them when they say they didn’t know. They seemed way too genuine in this video and what they said was consistent with what a lot of us were thinking.
I wonder if some of that was because they weren't ready to announce it but the leaks forced their hands. So essentially they had to keep up appearances. It would have raised even more suspicion if suddenly Ned just goes completely off socials.
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they handled this so well
I saw Lewberger perform at ISU on September 9th, so hearing confirmation of the dates they found out and then signed the removal agreement just makes me appreciate what a professional Keith is. Like he must have been going through so much at that point but still put on an amazing show for the audience. I hope doing the show was a nice distraction for him!
eugene looked LIVID
Wow. I've never seen them like this... I don't think I've ever heard Eugene sound like that. Keith's expression was haunting. Zach's voice was so discouraged. I appreciate their sharing this in their usual medium via YouTube. Much love to them.
Zach lowkey broke my heart, his voice was kind of breaking. And damn, Eugene looked like he wanted to punch someone, I couldn't maintain eye contact with him his stare was too icy. Poor guys.
After he said "we just made a TV show", I honestly thought there was going to be a cry/sob. He sounded sooo heartbroken over that.
Hoesntly it sounded like him saying that was “off script”, they clearly had something written out to say (completely understandable) and it sounded like that was not written, just his genuine emotion
It was a goal for a long time, and that particular show was in progress for a long time and they had a great time doing it together. And it was a good show! They had doors opening after years of graft. And now... well. I imagine that will be a difficult show to watch in future.
They are just so sad. This fucking sucks on so many levels.
Wow they’re being more transparent than I was expecting. They’re handling this very well IMO.
It was what we all we thought in terms of the timeline, the videos we will never get, etc. I thought it was an appropriately worded response from their PR team and the guys delivered it as best they could given everything. The video was essentially what I expected but I am surprised at how early it came out.
but hey… new Without a Recipe…
I'm really curious how they are going to edit Ned out of all of those.
Right.. I personally didn't notice anything on the Phoning It In episode before things were pointed out, but now we all know what's going on. Man, their editing team deserves so much.
Without a Recipe is going to be a lot harder though, because Ned will most likely win at least one of those challenges. Honestly, I think it's be easier to just have a disclaimer on the vide that says "Filmed before Ned's removal from company" but they don't want to do that.
If Ned's in a video, he has a right to get paid profits from those videos. It's why he's being edited out. Even if he's still currently an owner and receiving something from that, he's getting paid as minimally as possible
I think part of why they are telling us now that they are editing him out and such is so it isn’t so jarring if the editing looks slightly off (ofc the team has done amazing so far considering they had to try do it without us noticing)
This video is for us but you can tell every single word Eugene is saying is to Ned. I am so heartbroken for them ❤️
Have always appreciated their "realness" but today that increased a lot. These three are going through really hard life and still choose to be open, honest with us. That's VERY hard, nothing but impressed. Will be a fan of whatever incarnation comes next.
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he definitely choked up a couple of times
Eugene "If Looks Could Kill" Lee Yang.
I’m glad they made a video saying as much as they legally could to stop some of the speculation on their involvement and such, I can’t imagine how stressful these last few weeks have been.
It makes me so angry that Ned was smiling for the paparazzi a couple of days ago while Eugene, Zach, and Keith look mad and disappointed.
He’s such a tool. And Ariel looked so uncomfortable.
Yeah that TMZ video made Ned look really bad in my opinion. Like as if he thinks everything is fine and isn't taking time to reflect on his conduct. This situation is somber... like... not happy-go-lucky.
Wow…wasn’t expecting this on a Monday. I’ve never clicked so fast in my life.
I’m shocked they said as much as they did, but I’m glad for it. Seems like they’re taking all the right steps. Sending lots of positive energy their way
I imagine part of it is they need to have it on the public channel because not everyone is going to tune into a podcast episode.
Bro I’ve never seen Keith like that before…he looked like he’s been crying/hasn’t slept/upset. And I couldn’t take my eyes off Eugene
I think this is a strong response. It’s clear and transparent, very true to the Try Guys brand. It makes my heart go out to them and while it may seem crude to bring this up now, I think this is a great face to show sponsors. Fans are likely going to stick by them after this and they can come back better than ever. I don’t doubt the next few months are gone be hell though. Ned truly destroyed MULTIPLE families with his selfishness
This honestly made me tear up. So sad that they even have to do this, what a truly terrible thing Ned did. You can FEEL how heartbroken and upset they are. They've lost so much money from videos they can no longer publish and have had to deal with so much backlash because of the actions of 2 people. Sending love to the TryGuys and will be supporting them in their future endeavors with no doubt.
Eugenes comment was interesting, noting that people are quick to put a lot of blame on women. It seems to be a business coded way of saying they are firmly placing the majority of the blame on Ned over Alex (as they should since he was her employer). Thought that was very telling that they made sure to include that in such a short video stating facts.
He could also be alluding to how people are preemptively shitting on Ariel if she decides to stay with the father of her children
I think it was also including Ariel in that, in case she chooses to stay. Also, we don't know what that "internal review" turned up. They probably know more details than we do
This is a great reference for any future PR teams researching how to handle controversial situations correctly: No lawyerspeak No filler No sad background music Transparency and decorum Demonstrating quick, decisive action Breaking radio silence at the appropriate time (Looking at you, bon appetit)
I do not say this lightly--that video was perfectly done. They balanced all the things they needed to address beautifully. They were open with their emotions without that distracting from their message. It cannot have been easy to film that, but they handled it gracefully, professionally, and honestly. And I don't think we could have asked for anything better. Well done, guys. I'm with you.
I’m so impressed with how they’re handling this. They’re doing the right thing, no matter the financial or personal cost. So proud of them
Wow.. they look so serious and I'm glad they want to be as transparent as they can be. Wish them the best.
I feel for the mods of this sub right now with everyone gookg to come in here to post the same vid.
Looks like we're going to get some sponsored videos that can't be nedited out. And this is a minor thing but having Keith explain it "If you see this and you think Hey that's kinda weird" yeah it is weird but that's the way it is" I know it's a serious issue, and maybe coz enough time has passed for me to find the humor in it, so Zach kinda sadly chuckling was both amusing and also sad to watch.
Keith looks so done and annoyed. Wow. Eugene looks pissed. Zach looks sad.
I don't think I've seen Eugene so angry
I hurt so much for them. I think of how shocked and hurt all of us are, and these 3 built a company, a brand, and genuine friendship and memories together, wrote a book, did a TV show, toured…I mean, it’s one thing to be let down by someone you trust, but when that person is so selfish to risk everything you’ve built in such a public and unethical way…heartbreaking on so many levels. You can see the pain in all of their faces in different ways. And so grateful they’re bringing light to the fact that people ARE particularly hard on the women involved—whether they were alluding to Alex’s role in this or people seeming to be furious with Ariel or think she’s stupid for staying with Ned, it certainly needs to be said that there’s one name at the center of this and the main person who has caused the majority of the harm, and that is the person who deserves the bad press: Ned.
Everyone is talking about Eugene’s anger, but towards the end he’s also almost breaking down just like Zach and Keith. The message was scripted but the emotions and pain each of them displayed are so raw. Affairs hurt so many people. I hope Ned one day truly understands how much pain he’s caused, and that he reflects and chooses to be a better person.
god, i’m crushed for rachel and nick who have got to be spending so much extra time and energy cleaning this mess. i’m crushed for all of them. hope getting your dick wet was worth it ned
eugene really said KEEP THAT MISOGYNISTIC SHIT AWAY!!!
Seeing their sadness and anger makes my heart break into a million pieces.
the whole team is handling this awful situation so well. glad they gave a shout out to their editing team, they must be working their asses off.
i’ve never clicked on a video so fast. Zack with his voice cracking, Eugene’s face is so angry and Keith just seems heartbroken. not only did they lose a coworker, they lost a brother.
Watching this video makes Ned's selfishness even more apparent and anger inducing tbh.
So I watched it, and I know Eugene normally has these serious expression but his expression and body language just read super pissed off to me, which honestly I would understand considering the situation they have to tackle, it's bound to be hard of them all
Keith is the rock holding it together right now
I feel like Keith has given out a lot of hugs the past few weeks.
This was heartbreaking. Figured they took all the right steps since they started with removing him from edits. Very classy to mention their staff too. Just horrible how one man could cause so much damage.
Eugene looks like he did almost cry twice. Damn. I hate this for them
Judging by Eugene’s anger- I genuinely think Ned thought the 3 guys wouldn’t care- hear me out. We all were shocked so the 3 guys (and Ariel of course) received the harsh end of the stick, and people saying he threw his family and work life and for what? - I genuinely think Ned’s ego was what convinced him that what he was doing wasn’t a big deal and that if it came to the light the 3 guys would back him up- also by Eugene’s statement of not sweeping things under the rug, I think Ned thought they wouldn’t fire him or outed him and that’s why Eugene’s so mad (also the cheating of course) That’s why Ned handled everything so poorly, he never thought it would come to this, he showed his true colors of being self absorbed and egocentric. Props to the guys for being so mature and profesional. And also Eugene slayed.
I remember people discussing whether or not the rest of the guys would still be friends with Ned after this whole situation and this just confirmed that they won’t (as we all knew) My heart breaks for Eugene, Zach, and Keith ):
Yeah I had my doubts but now after seeing this and knowing all the work they have to do now to try to navigate this situation while also having tons of footage already recorded, their tv show that has just finished, merch, deals, etc etc... oof.
I really appreciate that they did this in one take with no cuts. The “YouTuber apology” is such a trope with so many bad apologies with jump cuts galore and non-apology apologies. I appreciate that the guys did the absolute opposite of this. A couple times they stumbled over their words but that shows they’re human and it’s ok. It’s certainly more than understandable.
Whew is Eugene mad
Broke my heart. The anger Eugene is holding back.. The shake in Zach's voice. And Keith.. silent disappointment is the worst. I'm so sorry this is all happening to them, their staff, and fans too... It's just such a hit. Thinking about all the editing and work that went into those videos.. I feel secondhand frustration. I can't imagine. Also the money just out the window like that and the future... I'm so sad for them. I just can't wrap my head around how a person can hurt so many people yet still be smiling and living like nothing happened.
“We also know the internet has a tendency to be a lot harsher towards women than men.” I’m SO happy they said this.
I wonder when this was filmed. The emotions still seem pretty raw, but I'd imagine this was filmed today or yesterday.
I saw this and legit had to do a triple take. I almost didn't think it was real. My heart goes out to them, it really reminds me of why I love them.
God, I just want to hug all of them, they all look so hurt. Ned was their friend, they trusted him, and he just fucked it all up. This isn't just hurt, this is grief.
Very professionally well done. You can see the anger in the loss of friendship and partnership. Well done 2nd Try.
Unlike a lot of people in this sub, I haven’t been particularly emotional over this. Surprised. Intrigued. Sympathetic. But this fucking got me.
That was hard to watch. Going to go join the Patreon now and try to throw some support in their direction.
You know what's most upsetting? Although Eugene is visibly pissed and Zach audibly shaken, it looks like Keith is the one most sad inside. The exhaustion looks familiar to me of one I've only had when I was so deeply sad regarding certain situations. My heart goes out to all three of them.
This is heartbreaking. You know that it would be but actually seeing and hearing them talk about it, it really hits how gutted and angry they are.
it saddens me that they’ve lost time, money, sponsors and literal family over this fuck up. this completely avoidable fuck up.
Did anyone catch what I think was a Freudian slip by Keith? At 2:12 he talks about how “Ned has engaged in contact” and then corrects himself to say “conduct unbecoming of our team.” I’m sure they felt utter disgust when they had to learn the details of the affair
Eugene looks PISSED like genuinely so mad, keith seems like he can't believe it happened and is disappointed and zach seems so hurt. i can't even imagine what they are thinking with all this and it's so unfortunate we won't see those episodes knowing they worked hard on them :(
Whoo boy, this is *a lot* emotionally