Channel Awesome #changethechannel Controversy

[Sephex]

So I have been following this story for the last couple of days. If you don't know what Channel Awesome is, let me give you a quick rundown.

Channel Awesome used to be That Guy With The Glasses. It was basically known for the site to go when BlipTV was a thing, and it is best known for the Nostalgia Critic, one of the earliest internet reviewers that focused (originally) on nostalgic movies. Early on, the site had tons of producers on the channel (movie and game reviewers, mostly), many of the major ones are still active to this day on YouTube, including Nostalgia Critic/Channel Awesome.

Basically, lots of former producers started to discuss on Twitter a lot of shady stuff that happened in the roughly ten years since the site's inception during March. On April 2nd, a HUGE google document was released containing former producer's grievances, frustrations, stories of mismanagement, and frankly completely unacceptable behavior. Even if you have no idea who any of these people are it is worth a read to see how easily internet fame can go off the rails if handled by incompetent people. Be warned. This document is a LONG read. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WZFkR__B3Mk9EYQglvislMUx9HWvWhOaBP820UBa4dA/preview

Now, I will admit that some of this reads like people have a chip on their shoulder, and they probably do. But that fact that this many people (and there is another document linked in there that contains negative fan experiences, as well) have this much to say? I tend to believe that most of these stories are true. There are some screenshots and whatnot of some of the stories, verifying them, and thus proves how these people operate. Because of that, I can easily see most of what these people say going down. Also, there are far too many people on this document for this situation to be a simple misunderstanding or some other innocent explanation. I do understand that I am only seeing lots of one sides to an overall larger story, though. I still say the document shouldn't be ignored or brushed off in any way.

It really, really doesn't help that Channel Awesome released one of the weakest apologies ever written. It literally says "We regret you feel that way" in it. https://twitter.com/ChannelAwesome/status/980956519280861184

Most of the problems seem to stem from Mike Michaud, a sociopathic manager that has ego and anger problems. However, Doug and his brother Rob basically contributed to some problems, or stood by and did nothing. Michaud actually owns the Nostalgia Critic as a whole. He's literally the boss. I still think it is shady that Doug didn't even try to interfere with, frankly, some very dark things that happened.

I used to be big into Nostalgia Critic from the very early days. Although I haven't watched the content religiously since around 2012, I still popped in and would watch a few reviews once in awhile. I can't in good consciousness support the channel anymore. Again, even taken into account that some people involved in that document has a chip on their shoulder is exaggerating or is taking some misunderstandings too harshly, it seems that there was a torrent of bullshit underneath all the fun times, wacky gags, etc. It's a damn shame.

As of this writing their subscriber count has gone down over 10,000 and it is slowly and surely continuing to go down. https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/achannelthatsawesome/realtime

[Shauna]

I remember a bunch of stuff similar to this coming up at the last exodus of talent from the site. Here we go again!

[Fynn]

Yeah I read the whole Google Doc today. That shit is crazy. The channel kinda lost me a while ago as I basically stopped visiting it after Lindsay Ellis went and started her thing (which I follow to this day, religiously), but I never expected anybody parted on anything other than good terms. I’m most sympathetic towards both Lupa and those more obscure producers who were basically just stepped under the rug. That is terrible practice and really doesn’t speak well for any of the parties responsible for it. And then there’s all the sexual harassment! Yikes!

[Jinx]

Can we have some highlights?

[Fynn]

https://amp.dailydot.com/upstream/channel-awesome-sexual-misconduct-allegations/#click=https://t.co/J55VqQYhy9

I think the best bit was when Mike Ellis was hired after he sexually harassed Holly the HR manager. Rob and Doug then put her in a safe hoise, escorting her armed with baseball bats and a sword (!). Doug also tested pepper spray in a sink. It didn’t work out too well.

[Sephex]

Can we have some highlights?

The article Fynn posted is a good rundown. I was going to copy and paste some bits for you, but the doc has that disabled. I'm telling you the document is worth the read. Just go to any random spot and read if you are pressed on time. You WILL come across stuff that is messed up. Holly's section in particular is messed up.

Here is some stuff I remembered off the top of my head. There is seriously so much more than this.

One of the things that got me is that a smaller producer wanted to do something on JewWario's suicide. He was shut down by Mike Michaud because he admitted that he wanted someone bigger to cover it for bigger views. Dude literally wanted to profit from someone locking himself in his bathroom and shooting himself.

Another former head of site got obsessed with the former HR manager, Holly. Things got so out of control that when they let the guy go, Soug, Rob, and others ESCORTED HER TO AN IMPROVISED SAFEHOUSE WHILE CARRYING BASEBALL BATS AND A SAMURAI SWORD!!!

*In "To Boldly Flee" Doug wanted to include a comical rape scene between Mecakara and Nostalgia Chick. It was still in there, but the original script was worse. Film Brain sees it happen and ignores it while trying to play it off comically. You can see this page scanned in the document under the Lupa's section.

*To company Policy was issued with a "coming soon" message and they were still expected to adhere to rules they made up on the fly and randomly enforced.

*They started a crowdfunding deal to fund a game show and other projects. Got $90,000. They half assed the show, didn't deliver as many episodes as promised (but made enough to keep things legal). Other promised shows were also half assed or never materialized.

*Every anniversary movie was a nightmare behind the scene. Doug and company had to be told to provide water for people. That barely scratches the surface of how fucked up the production on those movies were.

[Psychotic]

Interesting link, I've been reading through it. On the one hand I get that most of us have some connection to CA, although distancing yourself from that, it sounds like generic incompetent management who have no idea what the smurf they're doing and managing by being troutheaps to people. Stuff like this happens in a lot of businesses and we just never hear about it.

[Fynn]

You mean most businesses escort their harassed employees armed with baseball bats and samurai swords?

[Sephex]

Interesting link, I've been reading through it. On the one hand I get that most of us have some connection to CA, although distancing yourself from that, it sounds like generic incompetent management who have no idea what the smurf they're doing and managing by being troutheaps to people. Stuff like this happens in a lot of businesses and we just never hear about it.

Keep reading. It goes well beyond simple business mismanagement. There is some frivolous stuff in there, but most of it is frankly unacceptable.

[Psychotic]

Oh okay yep there we go. Fair dues!

[Freya]

Holy shit that's some ridiculous drama.

[Shauna]

Yeah, I'm reading this and a bunch of stuff so far I feel like I already knew.

It all got swept under the rug last time, huh. Glad it's getting exposure now.

[Fynn]

I wonder if they’re done for after this. Followers unfollowing aside, Linkara quit right after this went public and he was pretty much their biggest producer aside from Doug himself

[Sephex]

I wonder if they’re done for after this. Followers unfollowing aside, Linkara quit right after this went public and he was pretty much their biggest producer aside from Doug himself

Unfortunately, I don't think that they'll be done. The numbers are dropping, but it isn't really that sharp enough. However, I really do hope they take a hard hit, and if they are still around that they learned their lesson from all this. From the sound of that Mike guy I fear that won't be the case though.

[Sephex]

Chris Stuckman left of his own accord. Sorry that I keep talking about this, but I was big into TGWTG back late last decade and early this decade. This is both depressing and facinating to me.

[Vyk]

Yeah, I spent most of yesterday watching (the guy who does Down the Rabbit Hole videos) Fredrik Knudsen's archived live stream reading and reacting to it, a fair few producers showed up in the chat for confirmation and support of the exposure

I had mixed feelings about the departure of Spoony back in the day and kinda felt like there was no reason for me to enjoy the site much afterwards, he was my main draw, and could easily be found elsewhere at the time. I don't defend the guy, but I knew even before he was diagnosed something was going on, so his behavior was understandable (inexcusable, but understandable), I did not feel the same way about how Channel Awesome handled their end though, publicly trash-talking him and stuff

So I haven't really followed them for a few years, but they were still on my radar, mostly because I had friends who still liked the Critic, and I'd randomly watching Phelous, Bennet's, and Joe's stuff privately on YouTube, so they were never really very far out of mind

I would have had a hard time guessing this kind of BS was going on behind the scenes. The ignorance and incompetence doesn't really surprise me. The anti-intelligence and sexism kinda does. But the other outright evil stuff is beyond the pale. And unless Michaud leaves, I hope the site suffers irreparable PR from this. I think his departure would be the ONLY plausible remedy, and even then, Doug and Rob would have a lot to answer for, and have to reign in other psychopaths like Greg and a few others. There's just so many things that can't be justified. At all. There honestly should be legal action for more than a handful of things. And like Fredrik said in his stream, it's likely that this document means that nobody is even interested in legal action at this point, they just wanted to clear the air and set some records straight. Which is noble. But I think more could or should be done. But it's not for me to decide

Regardless, it's all very sad, and was so easily avoidable, if people could keep their petty egos in check. I hate the fact that people who were loyal and regular and used the side to support a family were immediately let go for just one screw up, missing one day for a video that the main site probably wasn't even going to promote properly. Just lots of egomania and anger issues and power plays all over the board

Edit: Also, Channel Awesome's non-apology was outright insulting to read. The whole sorry-not-sorry BS people do when they're sorry you're mad, but not sorry they said the thing to upset you. Which basically means they're not even sorry you're mad, they're just sorry that they're being cast in a bad light. The end

[Sephex]

So...uh...update. I can't link anything because I am on my phone with time constraints.

Turns out JewWario was the person in question who groomed women. This was confirmed by multiple people involved with the document. The only reason why this is known is because Channel Awesome did a bad job covering up names in this second response (which while it had a good point or two, it was mostly another garbage responce).

They are down to only 4 producers on the site as of this writing.

This whole thing is fucked up.

[Darkhero]

Can't say I'm really surprised by the whole thing, but I didn't expect it to be this bad. I really don't think they'll survive at this point.

I used to watch some of them, mainly Spoony, Linkara, and Bennett, but I haven't visited the site in a long time.

[Fynn]

Oh the JewWario thing is true, that is probably the single most devastating thing about all this

[Sephex]

It's so fucked. They knew. The fucking knew what JewWario did and they fucking made money for a fucking tribute video.

Needless to say I calmly talked to them on Twitter, because the constant hate and rage I feel needs to go somewhere.

https://twitter.com/sephex1982/status/984620857812283393

[Jinx]

Yeah, apparently he outright raped at least one woman.

[Fynn]

This is all getting more and more terrible

[Fynn]

Now, this is far less serious but I just went to their site and noticed that they made a response where they basically doubled down on the whole controversy and said everything that was said was a lie. And apparently, this is the point where all the remaining contributors left.

I think at this point it is pretty safe to say that this is the end for Channel Awesome. And good fucking riddance.

[Jinx]

Agreed. Versus someone like Polygon, who after finding out one of their content creators had sent unsolicited sexually explicit messages to girls, fired him pretty much the next day.

It's possible to have integrity, even if it's hard for you at the time, CA.

[Darkhero]

The more of these "apologies" I read, the less faith I have in them getting out of this situation with anything left. Channel Awesome is done for.

[Fynn]

The Walkers and Guru Larry are the only ones left on the site. It is over.

[Darkhero]

And the only reason Larry remains on there is for his own amusement (https://twitter.com/LarryBundyJr/status/984642322649485314).

[Fynn]

Yeah I would not expect him to stay out of loyalty

[Shauna]

well this escalated

[Shoeberto]

Jesus.

I haven't watched any of this stuff since undergrad, but good riddance it sounds like.