By Tasnim Oyshi
Staff Writer
Ned Fulmer has returned to the YouTube scene with his new podcast, “Rock Bottom.” In an exclusive interview with People Magazine published on Sept. 16, Fulmer revealed the first episode would be released on Wednesday, Sept. 17, on his YouTube channel, Rock Bottom With Ned Fulmer. He explained that he “plans to interview people at their lowest moments.”
This marks the first time Fulmer will be active on YouTube again since his cheating scandal in 2023 with one of his employees, Alexandria Herring. After photos of the two on dates went viral on social media in September of that year, the internet was in a massive uproar, with many criticizing Fulmer and speculating on the details of their affair.
There was even an SNL skit made about the situation, which received backlash for seemingly being on Fulmer’s side. Considering that Fulmer was Herring’s boss, this resulted in him being dismissed from his company and YouTube channel, The Try Guys.
The Try Guys originally started as a series on BuzzFeed’s YouTube channel in 2014, with Fulmer, Eugene Lee Yang, Keith Habersberger and Zach Kornfeld as the main cast. Having gained overwhelming popularity over the years and desiring more creative freedom, the members decided to leave BuzzFeed in 2018 and start their own channel under the production company they co-founded, 2nd Try, LLC.
During his time at the channel, Fulmer was known as the “wife guy” who always talked about his relationship. The fans loved this, and much of the Try Guys’ content began to involve Fulmer’s family, which is why it came as such a shock when his infidelity was exposed. In the first episode of his podcast, Fulmer interviews his ex-wife, Ariel Fulmer, from whom he is now separated.
The episode begins with Fulmer speaking to the camera as he provides the audience with an explanation, apology and introduction all in one. During the course of an hour, the former couple discusses how the scandal affected their relationship and what they have been up to since. “We’ve been hiding from the world and I’m not going to lie, it’s been kind of great,” Ariel said.
The pair goes on to talk about the details of how Ariel found out about the affair from the fans, how they have been going to couples therapy and how they have begun a new relationship of co-parenting. Fulmer states that there is a spectrum of being together and not-together that they have come to. While they spend time as a family with their children and go on trips together, they are no longer romantically involved.
When asked if she forgives Fulmer, Ariel says that she definitely has not and questions how one can forgive someone for lying and cheating on them. She shares how as a woman, there was a societal need to question herself and what she did wrong to make him cheat.
By the end of the conversation, she explains that she has come to a good place now and has picked up pottery, an old hobby of hers. In fact, she is starting her own pottery business soon and plans to stay away from the influencer lifestyle she once had with Fulmer. Her wishes for Fulmer as he pursues his podcast are to “just be authentic with [his] audience.”
Comments on the video do not seem to be in support of Fulmer, however, with many expressing that they only tuned in to listen to Ariel's side of the story. “Just to be clear, I’m ONLY watching this to see what Ariel has to say - I will not be watching/consuming anything else Ned puts out,” commented one user.
There were also criticisms of Ned’s deflection of his own responsibility regarding his affair. Another commenter wrote, “3 years later and Ariel is still clearly wrestling with the fact that Ned has not taken accountability and not given her any honest answers. I’ve seen all I needed to see.”
Ned ends the episode in the same setting as the beginning of the video, thanking the audience and Ariel for their time. He introduces the guest he will be speaking to in next week’s episode, Lara Love Hardin, a single mother who has overcome a drug addiction. The episode will air next week.
