''The Try Guys'' is an American online entertainment group and media production company that produces content for their
YouTube
YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
channel. The group was founded by Keith Habersberger, Ned Fulmer, Zach Kornfeld, and
Eugene Lee Yang. The Try Guys are known for testing a wide range of activities, such as testing their sperm count, raising toddlers, shaving their legs, and wearing women's underwear. The four men created The Try Guys while working for
BuzzFeed before forming their own company, 2nd Try LLC, in 2018.
They have since expanded their company to include more than twenty employees, starred in a
Food Network
Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, who manages and operates it as a division of the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Group. The channel airs both televi ...
show titled ''No Recipe Road Trip'', and released a book titled ''The Hidden Power of F*cking Up''. , the channel hosts eleven spinoff series starring employees of the company and other collaborators.
Then in 2024, they launched a boutique subscription
streaming service called 2ndTry TV.
Fulmer was removed from the company in September 2022 following an extramarital affair with an employee. In May 2024, Yang announced his departure from their flagship show; he will, however, retain co-ownership of the company.
History
BuzzFeed era (2014–2018)
The group was formed at the company
BuzzFeed in 2014 by then-employees Eugene Lee Yang, Ned Fulmer, Keith Habersberger, and Zach Kornfeld with the creation of their first video "Guys Try Ladies' Underwear for the First Time".
Elizabeth de Luna for ''
MTV News'' emphasized the innovative character of the show:
Their show ''
Squad Wars'' premiered on
YouTube Red
YouTube Premium (formerly Music Key and YouTube Red) is a subscription service offered by the American video platform YouTube. The service provides ad-free access to content across the service, as well as access to premium YouTube Originals ...
in early 2017. Their most-watched video, "The Try Guys Try Labor Pain Simulation", has garnered over 35 million views as of March 2021. The group has accumulated over 100 million views among their videos on BuzzFeed's YouTube channel.
In 2017, the Try Guys were nominated for the
Streamy Awards audience choice Show of the Year award. In 2018, the Try Guys hosted the 8th annual
Streamy Awards and won the audience choice Show of the Year award, the same one for which they had been nominated in 2017.
Independent studio (2018–2023)
On June 16, 2018, The Try Guys announced that they had left BuzzFeed and started their own independent production company, 2nd Try LLC.
2nd Try LLC gained all rights to The Try Guys brand; BuzzFeed remained as the branded content and advertising sales representative for several months.
On December 2, 2019, the Try Guys explained that they decided to leave Buzzfeed as their contracts were expiring, with Kornfeld and Fulmer contributing to the idea of developing their own independent production company.
On their own YouTube channel, the Try Guys have received over 2.5 billion views and over 8 million subscribers.
''
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade, regional metamorphism. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic ro ...
'' highlighted that nearly 80% of their subscribers are women and that their audience "skews young, particularly women in their late teens and early 20s".
On January 30, 2019, the Try Guys announced that they'd co-written a book, ''The Hidden Power of F*cking Up''. It was released by
HarperCollins
HarperCollins Publishers LLC is a British–American publishing company that is considered to be one of the "Big Five (publishers), Big Five" English-language publishers, along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group USA, Hachette, Macmi ...
on June 18, 2019. The book follows each of the four Try Guys as they challenge themselves to improve their lives, discussing how their failures have impacted them and helped them grow. ''The Hidden Power of F*cking Up'' reached the number one position on the
''New York Times'' Best Seller list in the self help, advice, and miscellaneous category soon after its release. One review described it as "completely approachable in the way it's written… an honest, open discussion about failure." The group also went on tour, titled "Legends of the Internet", and launched ''The TryPod'' podcast in 2019.
By 2021, the company had grown to almost 24 employees.In the same year, they produced an
Olympic-themed original series, ''How To Olympics'', an eight-episode series that gives viewers everything they need to know about select Olympic events. The series covers
sport climbing
Sport climbing (or bolted climbing) is a type of free climbing in the sport of rock climbing where the Lead climbing, lead climber clips their climbing rope, rope — via a quickdraw — into pre-drilled in-situ bolt (climbing), bolts for their ...
,
taekwondo
Taekwondo (; ; ) is a Korean martial art and combat sport involving primarily kicking techniques and punching. "Taekwondo" can be translated as ''tae'' ("strike with foot"), ''kwon'' ("strike with hand"), and ''do'' ("the art or way"). In ad ...
,
rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which gymnasts perform individually or in groups on a floor with an apparatus: hoop (rhythmic gymnastics), hoop, ball (rhythmic gymnastics), ball, Clubs (rhythmic gymnastics), clubs, ribbon (rhythmic gymnastics), ...
,
hammer throw
The hammer throw (HT for short) is one of the four throwing events in regular outdoor track-and-field competitions, along with the discus throw, shot put and Javelin throw, javelin.
The hammer used in this sport is not like any of the tools a ...
,
artistic swimming,
breaking,
badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racket (sports equipment), racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net (device), net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per s ...
, and
fencing
Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. It consists of three primary disciplines: Foil (fencing), foil, épée, and Sabre (fencing), sabre (also spelled ''saber''), each with its own blade and set of rules. Most competitive fe ...
—telling viewers how each event is scored, how to win, and what it takes to master these athletic disciplines. The Try Guys host the
Food Network
Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, who manages and operates it as a division of the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Group. The channel airs both televi ...
show ''No Recipe Road Trip with the Try Guys'', inspired by their YouTube series ''Without A Recipe''.
The show, initially a one-off special, was due to premiere on
Discovery+ and
Food Network
Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, who manages and operates it as a division of the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Group. The channel airs both televi ...
in 2021,
but was postponed when it was ordered for a six-episode season, which premiered on August 31, 2022.
Fulmer's removal (September 2022)
On September 27, 2022, the Try Guys announced that Fulmer would no longer be working with the group following an internal review regarding Fulmer having an extramarital affair with an employee.
In their official statement on Youtube, the group stated they had been informed on Labor Day weekend of Fulmer having public displays of affection with someone who was not his wife. They stated they confronted Fulmer about the allegations, which he confirmed. After a HR investigation, Fulmer's removal was finalized.
On October 3, 2022, the Try Guys announced that Fulmer would be removed from upcoming videos except in several sponsored videos, "ostensibly due to contractual obligations".
Zoë Aiko Sonnenberg, writing for ''
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade, regional metamorphism. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic ro ...
'', analyzed that beyond the Try Guys' comedy "
shtick", their brand promises the "performance of authenticity" with personas as "
good guys".
Sonnenberg wrote, "to this end, all four of the Try Guys are very publicly partnered, and those partners have become famous themselves.
..The Try Guys had to act quickly when Ned's character as a devoted husband and father fell apart and breached an essential contract with the audience."
Streaming service (2024–present)
In May 2024, the Try Guys launched a boutique subscription
streaming service called 2ndTry TV.
''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' commented that the group is not leaving "YouTube altogether" as they plan "to lean on it as a marketing tool for 2nd Try, to encourage viewers to give their own platform a chance" with hopes that their own platform will be more "sustainable".
They also announced that it was Yang's final season on their flagship show as he was stepping away to focus on other creative endeavors.
Cast
Keith
Keith Douglas Habersberger (born June 18, 1987; ) was born to Donald and Patricia Habersberger in
Carthage, Tennessee. He is the youngest of three brothers, including Brian Habersberger, the creator of
Twitch channel "
Nothing, Forever". He is a graduate of
Illinois State University with a Bachelor in Acting and French Horn. Habersberger is married to Rebecca "Becky" Habersberger (née Miller), with whom he has a son. Habersberger is reportedly , making him the tallest of the Try Guys.
Habersberger is part of the comedy music group Lewberger with Hughie Stone Fish and Alex Lewis. The group has appeared on several television talent shows, including ''
Bring the Funny'' in 2018 and ''
America's Got Talent'' in 2021.
He is known for his love of
fried chicken and has focused on food-related content over the years, the most prominent shows being ''Eat the Menu'', ''Chicken Watch'', and ''Gourmet Garbage''. He is also one of the creators of the Try Guys' series ''Without A Recipe''. On November 30, 2019, Habersberger announced the release of his signature
hot sauce
Hot sauce is a type of condiment, seasoning, or salsa (sauce), salsa made from chili peppers and other ingredients. Many commercial varieties of Mass production, mass-produced hot sauce exist.
History
Humans have used chili peppers and other ho ...
, Keith's Chicken Sauce, which sold out within two days and was well received by consumers.
Habersberger now has a line of Burger and Taco sauces also available through Heatonist.
Zach
Zachary Andrew "Zach" Kornfeld (born July 26, 1990), was born to Jewish parents Adam and Margo Kornfeld in
Scarsdale, New York. He became involved in filmmaking and editing after receiving a LEGO
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg ( ; born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest film directors of all time and is ...
Movie Maker Kit as a child. He is Jewish but does not keep
kosher and did not have a
bar mitzvah
A ''bar mitzvah'' () or ''bat mitzvah'' () is a coming of age ritual in Judaism. According to Halakha, Jewish law, before children reach a certain age, the parents are responsible for their child's actions. Once Jewish children reach that age ...
, though he did choose the Hebrew name Rakedan (Hebrew: רַקְדָן), meaning ''dancer''.
Kornfeld was diagnosed with
ankylosing spondylitis in his late twenties. He graduated from
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private college in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It also maintains campuses in Los Angeles and Well, Limburg, Netherlands (Kasteel Well). Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of Public Speaking, o ...
with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts
A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students pursuing a professional education in the visual arts, Fine art, or performing arts. In some instances, it is also called a Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA).
Background ...
. As a child, he appeared on ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' in an episode hosted by
Elijah Wood that aired on
December 13, 2003.
In December 2018, he announced he had been in relationship for the past two years with Margaret Angela "Maggie" Bustamante, a
pediatric nurse. In 2019, he decided to undergo
hair restoration, a combination of surgery and
microblading, to combat
pattern hair loss. On May 13 2020, Kornfeld announced his intention to start a six-part series on the Try Guys YouTube Channel challenge of starting his own business, Zadiko Tea Co., for less than $500. Kornfeld and Bustamante announced their engagement in August 2020 and married in February 2023. In April 2025, the two announced Bustamante's pregnancy on
Instagram
Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
.
Eugene
Eugene Lee Yang (born January 18, 1986;
Korean: 양유진) was born to Korean immigrants Jae Yang and Min-young Lee in
Pflugerville, Texas. Yang graduated from the
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...
with a B.A. in Cinema Production. He regularly participates in
LGBT
LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...
pride events and has worked with
The Trevor Project. Yang
came out on June 15, 2019, in a YouTube video, "I'm Gay". In 2019, he announced that he has been in a long-term relationship with Matthew McLean. Despite still being listed as an official member, he has made increasingly infrequent appearances on the channel. In 2024, it was announced that Yang would only be doing one more season as part of the cast before stepping away for other projects, though he will still retain his co-ownership of the company.
Ned
Edward Gallo "Ned" Fulmer (born June 11, 1987) was born in
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
. He graduated from
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
with a major in
chemistry
Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...
.
He had a career working in a chemistry lab before he had a career change and started working at Buzzfeed, where Fulmer developed the video fellowship program. He previously lived in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, working at a
renewable energy
Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable resource, renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human lifetime, human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind pow ...
lab by day and performing improv and sketch for
Second City and iO Chicago house teams by night,
where he was named a "Critic's Pick" by
Time Out Chicago.
He is married to Ariel Marie Fulmer (née VandeVoorde), an
interior design
Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. With a keen eye for detail and a Creativity, creative flair, an ...
er, and they have two sons.
''
The Verge
''The Verge'' is an American Technology journalism, technology news website headquarters, headquartered in Lower Manhattan, New York City and operated by Vox Media. The website publishes news, feature stories, guidebooks, product reviews, cons ...
'' highlighted that much of Fulmer's public persona "revolves around being a husband," and that he "successfully built a fanbase and brand around this relationship specifically," calling him a "
wife guy."
Fulmer was removed from the group in September 2022, following an extramarital affair with an employee.
Episodes
Main series
Spin-offs
Over the series of ''The Try Guys'' episodes, particular episodes have branched off as part of series of a specific topic or mini-series.
Tour
On May 4, 2019, The Try Guys announced via
YouTube
YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
that they would be embarking on a 20 city, nationwide tour (called “Legends of the Internet”) as a part of their “Summer of Try”. Then on July 30, 2019, The Try Guys announced they would be bringing Legends of The Internet to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
and, later
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
. Finally, on September 3, 2019, the group announced the final leg of the Legends of the Internet tour, this time in the
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though no official boundary exists, the most common ...
(which was missed on the original run of the tour).
In total, The Try Guys performed 26 shows of ''Legends of the Internet'' worldwide.
Legends of the Internet
Awards
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Try Guys, The
21st-century American comedians
2014 web series debuts
American comedy web series
American non-fiction web series
American YouTube groups
BuzzFeed
Comedy-related YouTube channels
Shorty Award winners
Streamy Award-winning channels, series or shows
Web series producers
YouTube original programming