Since their early days at BuzzFeed, The Try Guys, originally consisting of Ned Fulmer, Zach Kornfeld, Keith Habersberger and Eugene Lee Yang, have been household names. Their humorous videos and willingness to try new things have solidified their YouTube careers. Over the past decade, the group grew to a multimedia empire including tours, books and a streaming service, 2ndTryTV. Despite their overwhelming success, they have faced challenges that caused the entire dynamic of The Try Guys to change forever.
Ned Fulmer, previously known as the “wife guy,” had a reputation built on his devotion towards his family. This positive image was shattered in September 2022 when it was revealed she was in an affair with an employee of The Try Guys. He received intense public backlash, leading him to depart from the group. He remained out of the public eye for the next three years, only briefly issuing a now-deleted statement that acknowledged his infidelity.
Fulmer has chosen to resurface through the creation of his podcast, “Rock Bottom,” where he plans to explore stories of people facing their lowest points. In the debut episode, Fulmer brought his wife, Ariel, on to communicate about their separation and co-parenting situation.
Ariel Fulmer, a ceramicist and interior designer, learned about the affair through fans’ posts online. She admitted that she could not forgive Ned for his betrayal, emphasizing in the podcast that forgiveness is no longer her goal. The Fulmers are focusing on co-parenting their two children. The couple is now what they call a “platonic friendship,” maintaining clear boundaries between their personal and private life.
Eugene Lee Yang is another original member of The Try Guys who has moved on to other artistic endeavors. Although Yang continues to be a shareholder in The Try Guys, he does not participate in the regular Try Guys videos. Yang has begun focusing on creative pursuits such as filmmaking with his first feature film and writing both graphic novels and queer fantasy novels. He is also involved in activism, specifically in the LGBTQ+ community.
Zach Kornfeld is one of the two remaining members on-screen for The Try Guys. While he works on The Try Guys, he has also branched out towards filmmaking as well. Kornfeld worked on “OUCH!,” a short film that sheds light on living with chronic pain due to his autoimmune disease, Ankylosing Spondylitis. He also partnered with Zadiko Tea Co., inspired by how tea has helped manage his symptoms.
Finally, Keith Habersberger has had many personal milestones since the scandal that shifted The Try Guys’ trajectory. Habersberger and his wife, Becky, recently celebrated the birth of their first child, marking a new chapter in the group’s professional evolution.
Kornfeld, Habersberger and Yang have emphasized that they want to produce work that they are passionate about, no longer following the viral trends. Over the past three years, The Try Guys have changed a lot, with scandals, separations and their reinvention. Fulmer’s infidelity altered the group dynamic, but he and his wife, Ariel, are moving past the past, working towards co-parenting their children. Kornfeld, Habersberger and Yang have continued to expand their creative pursuits in the aftermath of scandals.