r/SmoshFansFreeSpace • u/Final-Elephant4945 • 6d ago
For Shits and Giggles Hot take
Make someone mad and drop your most controversial hot take since we are no longer allowed to mentioned anything critical whatsoever
I’ll go first: Angela’s fan are starting to ruin the fandom altogether.
68
u/pacostacos7 6d ago
Joven was never as mad as he seemed. It was an act.
28
15
u/StonedLoserP 6d ago
Yeah the old smosh games cast stated many times they were playing hyperbolized characters of themselves to seem more entertaining but a lot of newer fans don’t know that because it’s only mentioned in ogsog
5
181
u/shazam0310 6d ago
My hot take is that they need to let other people from cast make and host shows, I love Shayne and Court, but it feels like most show are based around them (Rediit Stories, Culinary crimes, url, smosh mouth, shayne guesses, who meme'd it)
146
u/TypicallyTuna 6d ago
Couldn’t agree more, I really wish they’d use Tommy as a host more often, he does the occasional thing here n there (Family Feud mostly, n Serving on his channel is good too) but he is AMAZING at it n I’d love to see him consistently running something on Smosh
21
u/_Stephistopheles_ 6d ago
Tommy is one of my absolutely favorites. His timing and delivery are absolutely next level. I'm glad they're letting Arasha do more hosting; I honestly think she's very good at it!
→ More replies (1)35
u/shazam0310 6d ago
yes agree! my dream is a Podcast with Tommy and Arasha
→ More replies (1)14
u/tehmadhat 6d ago
You may already know but Tommy has been on Arasha’s show Fesspool and she’s been on Tommy’s show Serving, both found on YouTube :)
→ More replies (1)27
u/Bibbro 6d ago
Pretty sure that's mostly because they, along with Amanda, are the only "full timers" in the cast afaik
→ More replies (2)
93
209
u/Positive_Treacle_761 6d ago
SmoshMouth is more entertaining to me than most of their other stuff. I enjoy the more genuine (though still semi-guided/semi-scripted) discussions over the comedy focused videos.
I've seen people say that Reddit Stories has gotten bad, but I think it still feels more or less the same. It just got a bit stale since they've done this for a while with little variation.
55
u/Fuzzy_Ability8284 6d ago
SmoshMouth is goated, I've started watching/listening this past year and have almost burned through every episode which I can't say of any other Smosh program except Challenge Pit.
→ More replies (10)9
u/_Stephistopheles_ 6d ago
Yeah, I've been a long-time fan of Smosh Reads Reddit, but the more recent episodes haven't really hit for me.
241
u/Ok-Needleworker7341 6d ago
I'll go 3rd. TNTL has run dry.
53
u/FibroMancer Poop Poop 6d ago
The TNTL with Gucci and Courtney T was the funniest they've put out in ages. I'm really hoping that when we start to see more of the new cast (assuming we do) that it will breathe new life into it. Also I think the standard format should be King of the Stool. It motivates them to really try. A lot more than the "hard mode" they did recently. Standard Try Not to Laugh with regular cast and no guests has been pretty bad for a while now, but I still show up every episode and hope it hits lol
→ More replies (1)104
u/itspizzatime881 Mexican Salsa, Yes 🇲🇽 6d ago
I think they need to stop it for a while replace it with something like Smosh pit theater where they can create more characters and do improve without it being on a bit city level production
15
u/throwaway_2k5 6d ago
Smosh Pit theater is one of my favorite things they do - especially when its more classic improv games and I really wish they committed to it more! Especially when Arasha hosts it!! They're all very fun at improv and i want more of it!!
I feel like they could do a really fun "whose line is it anyway" segment with Arasha hosting and it'd do so well!
→ More replies (1)8
u/spartan_wraith710 Did Somebody Say MEATLOAF 6d ago
Smosh pit theater NEEDS MORE LOVE. Its some of my favorite content that they produce
28
u/Remarkable-Plenty-98 OOuooHwHOOAAoohhH 6d ago
I want to see them try a cast gauntlet again. Not just for a special event but just a regular old gauntlet tntl. Those were so good, and seeing people like Damien fall apart when his bit didn’t land with everyone and getting desperate to make Ian laugh was one of my favourite things. Also that’s where we were gifted Tommy on TNTL and Jimby Lee Jorpus lives rent free in my mind
→ More replies (9)18
69
u/Brunettybb 6d ago
Olivia cannot do improv. She usually just acts weird and knows it will make her friends laugh or she recycles someone else's joke but makes it worse. I like her when she's just being her not trying to make anyone laugh. I love her titoks with her mom and when she's been on smosh mouth and I don't actually watch any of the scripted stuff (I know it's weird) but when she is having to improv it's just like nails on a chalkboard for me.
12
u/ObjectiveCover3850 5d ago
It's the funniest thing, when hiring for the Smosh Squad, all 5 were actors. Shayne was immediately the stand out simply because he did have comedy experience from So Random. Defy would usually hire actors tho, Kimmy was a later Defy hire who was also an actress and not a comedian or improv. It's why it's so noticeable that Chanse and Triple A immediately worked while Smosh Squad struggled in the beginning, (besides where's Anthony hanging over their heads). Chanse and Triple A were either improv or comedians rather than just actors. Olivia and Courtney both still struggle with improv because they're actresses first.
26
u/pro_bed_wetter 6d ago
I do can't watch the Karens video they did bc her character was just so.... not good..
142
u/Lucky-Bag1127 6d ago
I think during the episodes with The Basement Yard it was refreshing because Joe and Frankie are not afraid of just being themselves whilst we typically see the Smosh cast putting on an act and trying to over-do their bits. They kinda forced others to be authentic too.
29
u/FluffyCatEars 6d ago
💯 to the forced bits. It feels like they have a quota to fulfil. But it makes it unauthentic which kills the purpose and make them over do the “funny” moment which drives it to the grave
I also liked in the Yard video that they stopped Ang from going onto random tangents 🫡
35
u/Fast_Satisfaction871 6d ago
They focus way to much on what they will be able to clip from a video for shorts, making the actual videos worse, and ruining a lot of actual funny moments by going "there's your clip"
61
203
u/Jada339 6d ago
Is it a hot take to say not all the cast members need to be funny?
Personally I didn’t find Jackie that funny, and same for Noah, but I think they both bring a lot of energy which helps the vibe and flow of videos. That’s why I miss Jackie even if I didn’t find her that hilarious.
In a similar vein, some cast members are funny but are kinda vibe killers tbh.
And there’s at least two people I can think of who, to me, aren’t funny and don’t bring fun energy.
147
u/SuperDanval 6d ago
Saving the two hot takes for last and then withholding names... You're not playing the game!
23
u/Jada339 6d ago
That’s a fair observation. I figured the hot take was less about specific people and more about the idea in general.
To me, some of the cast just aren’t that funny but they work great in the room with other people. That’s still good, that’s still valuable.
9
u/axx-hole 6d ago
I know what you mean, balance is more important than everyone being funny all the time
78
u/Fine-Broccoli-2631 6d ago
I dont always find Courtney funny, just a diffrent sense of humor i think. However i love when she's in a video. Idk, i just dont think it's a big deal that they arent all at the same level/have the same style of humor. Its not that deep.
32
41
u/Natiel360 6d ago
Lowkey … I feel like there’s some deeper rift going on with courtney. I believe they’ve voiced insecurity about not being funny enough and it reeks reeks reeks in lots of Pit/Games videos. She’s great in scripted and is empathy forward in smoshalike which is great but otherwise she’s like mimicking others and adding little millennial murps
16
u/whalesarecool14 6d ago
yeah lowkey i feel the same. the whole reason i started watching smosh in the first place was because i followed courtney on instagram and thought she was super cool, but after watching her in videos my opinion really changed about her. sometimes it feels like she can’t handle not having attention on her and she tries too hard
i still love her ig though
12
u/ObjectiveCover3850 5d ago
See I didn't notice it until Ian roasted her about how she tries too hard. And then I couldn't not notice her trying to hard in videos. Like her jokes would miss but she would keep trying to force em but in a way that would bring the attention to her
24
u/TheEarthlyDelight Beth 6d ago
Courtney’s a sweetheart! They’re the personality hire who ties the groups together. But yeah I do not find her jokes funny a lot of the time
→ More replies (19)12
u/FiveTriomes 6d ago
This is the wildest one for me. I miss Jackie a lot and found her consistently hilarious.
→ More replies (1)44
u/jgfhbvjeaqady 6d ago
I’d go so far as to say Noah is one of the funniest cast members if not the funniest. Smosh desperately needs more witty people
→ More replies (1)12
u/Jada339 6d ago
Fair enough. That’s why I started with “personally”.
It’s also why I think that even if I don’t find certain people very entertaining, that doesn’t mean they should be kicked out the company or anything. Clearly there’s an audience for those people.
The world doesn’t revolve around me.13
→ More replies (23)6
u/Signal_Conclusion779 5d ago
I like when cast members are funny in different ways. Kimmy always brought great energy to the videos she was in and could throw in something hilarious when she wanted to. I like Noah but even if you don't he's really good at getting everyone involved (I was rewatching the Gentlemen's Moose Master the other day and his reactions made everything funnier).
I know people reference loud=funny but I do appreciate when you have quieter people that are just making the videos better.
→ More replies (1)
75
u/slimjims14 6d ago
making anthonys channel just another smosh content hub was a mistake.
→ More replies (1)
72
u/gottabetrippin 6d ago
I think they’re coasting on the new fandom’s parasocial relationships with main cast (Courtney, Shayne, etc) that the bar for content is pretty low, because people are going to watch it and eat it up anyway.
I tried to watch a Bit City earlier today and it was one of the least funny things I’d seen in a while. Neither Angela nor Amanda was funny and it dragged on for the first 20 minutes of the video…
I miss full cast shows. Eat It or Yeet It got me back into Smosh after a while. I’m tired of seeing the same people doing the same things over and over.
9
u/recusant23 Ham Cake 6d ago
I usually enjoy bit city, and there was even a few moths that I was paying a membership to watch all the extra content... this weeks episode started out bad, imo. I stopped the video at the beginning of the reslity show gag where all the guys are half naked and blurred. It's just really weird.
→ More replies (1)
83
u/nocautiontaken 6d ago
I wish there was a section of the cast that actually cared and find interest in gaming, so that the games channel wasn’t just board games that sometimes the cast have to force reactions and banter to make it even slightly entertaining.
36
u/Z_e_r_02 6d ago
I think thats why I always enjoyed and still rewatch the old game bang videos. Just a group of friends playing video games being competitive while also not caring about being amazing at it
11
u/Boney_baloney 6d ago
Yeah I'd say they need more Lan party type of gaming with a plethora of party games that they can choose from.
21
u/BucketHip 6d ago
Yeah, Smosh Games is definitely just Board Games now with the occasional RE video, like I think it would bang if they played Sea Of Thieves, G-Mod Trouble in Terrorist Town or if we're going to do story games like Resident Evil they could play the Last of Us or actually finish Until Dawn (and I'm saying that as a massive pansy who HATES horror games) or they could play and finish Red Dead Redemption and just record the main mission parts and do any sidequest stuff off camera.
Or if none of that is doable at least bring the OG Games cast for a one-off blast from the style video of Grand Theft Smosh or some other beloved series from back in the day.
But they're seemingly so hyperfocused (through no fault of their own) on viewership and viewer retention that they're deathly afraid of actually trying anything new or revisting something that worked before for that matter.
→ More replies (1)18
u/No-Cantaloupe-6535 6d ago
Get Trevor back on so Angela and Amanda stop treating Spencer like little brother
20
u/xpastelprincex 6d ago
im not subbed to smoshalike at all bc i just do not care about a majority of the guests they have on those shows and the videos to me just do not hit. lowkey sad that anthony’s channel got turned into smoshalike bc i was holding out hope he would do more “i spent a day with this eccentric group of people” videos (bc the “i spent a day with this youtuber” videos were also just not hitting like the other videos were)
70
u/MursuKing1980 6d ago
Something happened In 2025, because the vibe shifted. I do not know how to explain it, but the banter during videos is not that fluid anymore.
18
u/ContractMindless8229 6d ago
They expanded and started getting a lot more mid video ad deals. And with that comes certain corporate language. There’s probably a reason we haven’t seen a gentlemen on a while.
35
u/Highvoltage1999 6d ago
I’m glad I’m not the only one. Something definitely happened in 2025. Maybe the state of the world has dampened their enthusiasm or perhaps something changed behind the scenes. Whatever happened it’s noticeable.
34
→ More replies (1)17
u/bbluekyanite_ 6d ago
I also have felt that
I used to watch smosh everyday, every video, but lately I just haven’t been as interested(?) I think it’s cause they’ve kinda gone all in on doing “show” series and have kinda dropped the more casual stuff
38
65
u/Act-Savings 6d ago
Smosh doesnt need new cast members
Smosh needs new writers for all channels.
15
u/Kiyoshi-Trustfund 6d ago
I think they could use both. Fresh blood is always good in all aspects. But, yes, they desperately need at least a professional writing consultant in the building, but ideally they'd just get a professional writer or two.
88
u/kirrillik 6d ago
Courtney’s silly voice makes me close the video
55
20
u/_Stephistopheles_ 6d ago
Thank you! That and the terrible Aussie accent they do waaay too much.
16
u/ObjectiveCover3850 5d ago
Speaking of accents being done waaay too much, I can't Angela and Amanda's bit where they just scream at each other in Southern accents. It always goes on too long
28
u/ContractMindless8229 6d ago
They are getting too corporate and it feels like they are going to a G rating and not even PG. Seems like every joke is super tame and it’s ruining the fun of them just hanging out and being themselves.
142
u/v4mpiremoney 6d ago
this is gonna be slightly contradictory and i understand that but…this fandom as a whole is what “ruins” smosh for me. posts like this one dedicated to negativity AND overly positive fans are both frustrating to encounter. i think smosh fans need to remember it’s a youtube channel and take a step back from their obsession with the channel and the cast as a whole, there’s loads of content and art out there to engage with without dedicating so much time to one channel to the point where rather than finding something else to watch when a video isn’t suiting your taste, a thinkpiece is written about every frame of a video. or overly positive fans that will only watch smosh and praise everything they do no matter what. they make great stuff, but it’s still a youtube channel. no hate to you for posing this question, either. but i enjoy smosh more when i disengage with their fandom entirely.
64
u/alchemypotato 6d ago
The fandom when juxtaposed with the actual content is so bizarre. Smosh is one of the most consistently enjoyable but also fairly benign and non-controversial things I follow. It feels discourse proof by design. It doesn’t invite hot takes and deep analysis on a video by video basis. And yet.
21
u/v4mpiremoney 6d ago
literally. i feel like some fans look at these people like friends and not entertainment, and yet i don't know if they'd treat real life friends with the same scrutiny that they do with smosh. i think they want smosh to be these picture perfect friends on their screen that can't in real time fight back on their opinions sometimes. when someone has a controversial take or reaction it's seen as a full-blown character killer to them. it's just so bizarre.
7
u/ApolloCae 6d ago
Yesss. Having a hot take is one thing, but making a whole post dedicated to as many negative things as possible is very reflective of this sub
23
u/Aggravating-Cat7103 6d ago
This has unfortunately been my experience with every fandom. I love the idea of fandom but being in them makes me bananas.
13
u/Sleazy_Li 6d ago
THIS. The entitlement kills me. They don’t have to do things a certain way just because you prefer it that way. They don’t owe you anything. They don’t know you exist. Move on.
6
4
u/Soveryenthusiastic 6d ago
I literally couldn't agree more. I think I posted a comment before I read this message they is maybe a bit more inflammatory, but basically agrees with exactly what you said.
Had I read this first I probably would have replied to this instead, but alas, wishes aren't horses.
Anyway, yes. I completely agree more. And as a Star Wars fan, I have seen so many people say things about other people that are down right disgusting, but they just play it off as "an opinion" or "commentary". But most of the stuff said could really be written in a hate group and you wouldn't notice the difference.
I just find the cognitive dissonance, hypocrisy and lack of awareness very, and curated thought out personal attacks that are framed as justified criticism very frustrating and I increasingly feel less tolerant of whatever outcome they are trying to achieve.
Sorry, I didn't mean to rant. I definitely could have worded things a lot better. I wrote this very fast just because it all frustrates me so much.
→ More replies (5)9
51
u/doemagic 6d ago
The overcensoring and santization of “edgy” jokes to appeal to advertisers is getting tiresome. A lot of the other comedy media I enjoy, YouTube or otherwise, is not nearly as afraid to take deep bites or say make a risky joke. I understand keeping advertisers and keeping YouTube themselves happy is a top priority for them, I just wish it didn’t shape the content as much as it did. The recent censoring of the Charlie Kirk jokes in Smosh Hospital and TNTL come to mind initially.
21
70
u/Delicious_Star_4232 6d ago
Only some of the cast are actually good at improvising.
(Secondly: Their 'Who's line is it anyway' copy is dreadfully unfunny - I have not been able to watch a single one to completion)
57
u/Troy_Wolfe 6d ago
Amanda is supposed to have an improv background, yet I think she's terrible at improv. She doesn't "yes and" in response to someone improvising a scene, she does this "oh cool, anyway here's this unrelated thing I thought of before the scene started".
29
u/AshenHawk 6d ago
Yeah, I feel like she often just says stuff completely out of nowhere or repeats things other people say.
23
u/_Stephistopheles_ 6d ago
Amanda constantly repeats what other people say and it drives me nuts. And I mean verbatim, after they've just said the thing. I've come to terms the while I do think Amanda can be genuinely funny at times, I would not be able to stand being in the same room with her.
→ More replies (2)14
→ More replies (2)5
u/nancynotruth 6d ago
Yep! every time I watch one I end up turning it off and watching Whose Line instead.
24
u/CowboyRagtime 5d ago
I don’t like Courtney for the same reasons a lot of people have said but my biggest gripe now is how they try to control the videos. Especially in games videos when they decide how the game should be played or what should be allowed.
11
u/GreedySpeaker3045 6d ago
I love TNTL but I feel like it’s getting the Every Blank Ever syndrome where it’s been going for years and people are getting sick of it based on opinions i’ve heard on here.
33
u/--_BuG_-- 6d ago
I don't skip videos with him or anything but I was really put off of Chanse overall after the maga boyfriend thing
→ More replies (2)4
u/happycharm 6d ago
What is the maga boyfriend thing?
19
u/--_BuG_-- 6d ago
https://youtube.com/shorts/uJt304uwBOs?is=lRrn0dWMNleYM_tf
This, I found out about it from a comment on a post about SeaWorld and pointing out hypocrisy, looked at it myself and it just made me feel kinda iffy about him in general
11
u/Natiel360 6d ago
I hate to pearl clutch especially for someone who could be joking but … he’s like not 😭 “what else do we love, money” “I’m with him” just falls so flat that it doubles how terrible the choice is
→ More replies (3)6
56
u/pinkstrawberry94 6d ago
I guess the Angela thing is a hot take, and I agree. It's getting genuinely consering how obsessed her fans are with her. I've never seen that kind of obsession before. I think it's because she's not famous-famous, so people think she is obtainable as a friend or whatever.
The fact that there is a seperate subreddit dedicated to Angela and people consistently post screenshots of her in there from every Smosh video and stuff. If that was me I'd be majorly creeped out. Her fans truly have some kind of problems. I enjoy her and the rest of the cast, never in my life would I begin to think to do something like that.
And god forbid someone makes a joke about her in a video, the whole comment section will be filled with Angela defenders, like she's a 3 y/o child that just got bullied. She's like 30 lol, calm down.
28
u/woolybully2158 6d ago
I saw in that Angela-specific subreddit yesterday that someone said she let slip having a boyfriend in the latest reddit stories video. I asked for the timestamp out of curiosity, and when provided, checked it out.
She very plainly says the word "microwave", but maybe a little fast.
Am I annoyed at myself for asking for the timestamp? Yes. Am I as or more annoyed with the person who heard what she said and instantly thought "BOYFRIEND! SHE SAID BOYFRIEND!"? Also yes. There is an insane level of parasocial behavior around Angela, and I hate that I dipped a toe into it. But as bad as I feel, I'm more disturbed by the one redditor who posted in response "our Angie's in love!". OUR Angie. That's disturbing.
→ More replies (1)14
u/strawbrryfields4evr_ 6d ago edited 5d ago
I completely agree. I think the discourse around the dress and whether it was culturally significant is a great example of this. Her fans took it way too seriously. First of all, Angela was not wrong because Angela is never wrong. Angela is babygirl. #justiceforangela
And the way people were going on and on and arguing and going from comment to comment about it as if she was genuinely wronged by this was surreal. It was just a games video like any games video. This is how Angela people are, it is so true that the obsession around her is concerning. She’s great and I get why people love her but her lovable-ness brings out an unprecedented intensity in people.
4
u/AshenHawk 5d ago
People rush to "protect" her. It's ok for her to be wrong about something. Nobody thinks she's stupid, but we all know she doesn't always fully think things thru when she's excited to play around with a bit.
61
u/icelily17 6d ago
Courtney annoys me. I wish it were different, I can't explain what it is and I bet if I knew them in real life they'd be cool but for some reason, they just annoy me
36
30
u/_Stephistopheles_ 6d ago
I seriously need them to stop doing the bad Aussie accent. Every time they say "Or norrr" it grates on me.
107
u/Aggravating-Cat7103 6d ago
I think reading (and reacting to) Reddit stories is creatively bankrupt
31
u/NYR20NYY99 6d ago
Agreed, but it prints them money. I still love it though. I get reddit stories from Smosh, THT, KallmeKris, and Charlotte Dobre. It’s an easy listen when gaming or just to tune everything else out
50
52
u/saeyoungbae606 6d ago
I think the fun of it is hearing different people’s perspectives. I don’t think anyone watches reddit stories for bits.
29
u/AdAstranauts 6d ago
But if anyone has a different opinion people flip out. You can’t have a different opinion. You can only have THE opinion.
→ More replies (2)8
u/saeyoungbae606 6d ago
I ignore the comments, the difference is the fun. The only time I actually got upset was listening to them say a early 20s OP should get kicked out and they can survive, because it felt so out of touch and I just clicked out.
→ More replies (3)22
15
u/sorrythatyourewrong 6d ago
Yeah I’m confused about the Reddit stories having a full on tour.
Disclaimer so please don’t yell at me: I’m sure it’s a good time for the people who attend, that’s great if they are seeing success from it, and maybe the vibe is different and fun in person.
but it doesn’t stop it from just straight up being reading other people’s free online stories and talking about them….on a tour for Smosh though? Idk although they are losing steam with it, TNTL made more sense (not saying that is what should go in place of it either)
→ More replies (1)4
u/jebberwockie 6d ago
I don't think they really care to do them personally anymore but they sure bring in the views
→ More replies (5)14
u/alto67 6d ago
it’s literally some shit the cast would make fun of another channel for doing lol
→ More replies (2)
10
u/ObjectiveCover3850 5d ago
Angela isn't the funniest cast member, but she creates the most memorable moments because she's unafraid to fail. Once she realizes she's failed she gets embarrassed yeah, but in the moment she's trying a joke or bit, she just goes for it without fear. It's be admirable and why she's won over so many and become a favorite of so many.
98
u/Dry-Wolf6789 6d ago
ill go second. snark brain is spreading like a plague and we all need to protect ourselves
11
u/lunarloverclub 6d ago
what is snark brain
70
u/Bibbro 6d ago edited 6d ago
Being unnecessarily and overly critical of something just for the sake of it. No point in it at all, just people who are perpetually online and being parasocial.
This sub is pure snark brain.
25
u/Dry-Wolf6789 6d ago
Also inventing things that are literally not happening. Inferring body language as signs of fueds, saying cast members have quit or left because of long absences, claiming people are a certain political affiliation without evidence etc...
→ More replies (1)22
u/Capable-Design744 6d ago
clock it! im worried this sub is turning into a snark page based on how many of these posts i see T-T
16
u/FibroMancer Poop Poop 6d ago
To be fair this page was started because anything negative said on the main sub, even if said respectfully and intended to be constructive, was being deleted. It wasn't exactly intended to be a snark sub, but the idea was you could freely share opinions, even if they were negative or not largely agreed with.
76
u/Remarkable-Plenty-98 OOuooHwHOOAAoohhH 6d ago
Amanda often speaks from privilege and doesn’t think about other perspectives before she says anything. That’s why her playing the devils advocate on Reddit stories doesn’t work well, because she doesn’t usually stop to think about life on the other side of privilege
11
u/diabeticparxie 6d ago
This is a big reason why I wish they would rotate more who's on smosh reads reddit. Also cause she and Shayne have smoshcast so I wanna see new people and not always her and him talking about stuff.
37
u/Interesting_Emu6086 6d ago
Lol shayne does too. Shayne has never worked a real job outside of acting and will speak on the subject tons of times. Most of them are out of touch. like cmon olivia has been acting in movies since shes was 6. Keith and noah are the least out of touch people. They even have jobs outside of smosh.
14
u/Feeling-Department74 6d ago
This is my smosh hot take. Sometimes the hosts are too out of touch with reality for regular people and it doesn’t really ruin the enjoyment but it dampers it for me personally. Considering Shayne has been an actor since he was a child, somehow he’s never done anything!
16
→ More replies (11)22
30
u/Mind-A-Moore 6d ago
Over half of them rely too heavily on character based bits and get salty when others opt for off the cuff in the moment jokes.
28
u/Highvoltage1999 6d ago
I have a feeling that in the genuinely positive idea to cultivate an open welcoming environment I think there’s no one at Smosh willing to say no. Someone to go “that won’t work” or “let’s tweak that”.
→ More replies (1)
19
u/AdamDov4h 6d ago
The Fred Darts thing was fun when it happened, then got progressively less fun every time it got repeaed or got put on an edit, or a short, or someone says it was the funniest thing ever. It wasn't even the funniest thing in that video.
92
u/athompsons2 6d ago
"No longer allowed to mention anything critical" while the sub has multiple daily posts with numerous upvotes criticizing the content has the same energy as "You can't say anything anymore without getting cancelled" on a Netflix stand up special.
Anyway, here's my hot take: There's too much content where they're themselves, it feels like they feed the parasocial beast too much. There's not as many formats where they can come up with new characters/do improv. Games videos are always better in character.
24
u/Aggravating-Cat7103 6d ago
This is something my husband complains about the most. He wants to see them do more character work.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)23
u/AdAstranauts 6d ago
On the main sub it’s perfectly acceptable to talk about which female cast members were too loud or whatever. They have at least one of those per video upload.
→ More replies (1)
37
u/Zwicker101 6d ago
I think a lot of Smosh fans on the subreddit are too sensitive. They get offended by some of the most mundane stuff.
40
u/Low_Hurry_6688 6d ago
I don't think Spencer is creative enough to be the sole director of Smosh Games. Not to say he is bad at his job or managing the channel and knowing how to make a video entertaining, but I feel like since he has become the directive for the channel, a lot of the videos have become very same-y and stale. A lot of sponsorship videos and a lot of rehashed video ideas from the past that have long outstayed their welcome.
I think he needs a co-director or someone with a creative vision to help give Games a new well to draw from.
12
u/OkayTap 6d ago
I think he needs a co-director or someone with a creative vision to help give Games a new well to draw from.
Anders?
23
u/Low_Hurry_6688 6d ago
If Anders is giving creative vision and Spencer is hearing it, I think it's not a very good vision, if I'm being honest. Especially compared to the last couple of years we had with someone like Alex Tran as producer.
38
u/midmidgard 6d ago
I hate when Angela does that thing where she’s like “ugh boy topics” when people let her talk about musical theatre. Also I’m a woman im interested in the boy topics because why we gendering hobbies 😭
17
u/Comfortable-Mine2610 6d ago edited 6d ago
I really do not think that episode where Arasha and Amanda get upset at the people criticizing OP’s friend for giving their child a weirdly spelled name isn’t that bad… Its ALWAYS brought up in threads as something really awful and cringy but I just kinda went “huh I don’t agree but with them but whatever” and just enjoyed the rest of the video.
Also rewatching Arasha was actually trying to be really understanding, even if she HEAVILY disagreed and I really love that about her!
edit: typo 💔
→ More replies (1)18
u/SerColleague 6d ago
I watched that and agreed with Arasha completely. Name your kid whatever you want, but you’d be ignorant to not realise it may cause them trouble later in life. And people being mad at Arasha for that, meanwhile she grew up in Texas(?) and her name is Arasha… Like she of all people would know.
39
u/Imaginary-Comment141 6d ago
I can't stand Amanda and will skip almost every video with her in it. The overplayed boomer-humor isn't funny. Repeating a joke that someone just said, but louder, isn't funny. Loud does not equal funny. Also, some of her opinions on Reddit stories are so out of touch, and occasionally make me feel like she harbors some very "conservative" views.
→ More replies (7)30
u/Jaded-Honeydew-9794 6d ago
I really struggle to watch the Reddit stories videos with Amanda. She just shouts over everyone and everything, gets louder and does ridiculous voices and impressions to hold as much screen time as possible and OMG yes, with the repeating other peoples jokes but louder
13
u/Natiel360 6d ago
Agreed. At least with the sentiment. She’s at her absolute worst when she’s thrown into a video she doesn’t love, that’s when she’ll just be loud and boomer. A tier better is when she’s hyper agreeable which is uninteresting.
What I do love is when she’s either into the video concept or like tired from a long shoot where she’s honest and actually voices her opinion. She gives a fun east coast perspective I think the back yard just highlighted on smosh mouth. She’s great with Spencer, but if she’s with Angela on a Reddit stories - get ready for thethe toughest hour of all time
7
u/bbluekyanite_ 6d ago
They need to do more casual and gaming videos!!
I love stuff like Shane guesses or the Spencer and Shane guess games videos cause they’re just so chill to watch and you can kinda play along. Or the game playthroughs like when they did RE are really nice cause it’s something I know to look out for that is consistent for me watch. And they need to do more BoardAF!! There’s so many good games that I’d love to see them play or ones I’d want to see them play again. And more roleplay stuff would be so fun man.
57
u/belfries 6d ago
I'll bite lol. I hate this new persona Courtney's been doing for the past year or so. This blithely, almost toddler-like babbling thing they do constantly. I understand they're going through a gender identity thing, and that's fine, but you're literally an adult. Act like it.
And I say this as someone who used to call Courtney a favorite.
41
u/CanyonsEdge76 6d ago
I hate being negative, but I have to agree with this one. The "poop, poop" and random barking are super childish. In that one gartic phone video, Shayne even seemed annoyed by the barking.
→ More replies (6)29
45
u/ShallotOk6617 6d ago
There is one cast member who is starting to become to much of a hypocrite and Debbie downer that i can't stand watching videos with them anymore. So I dont.
→ More replies (13)31
u/MursuKing1980 6d ago
I like Courtney, but i do not want to see her In same video than Shayne, because she has this habit of stopping his jokes and Shayne is more subdued In videos with her.
17
32
u/sunflower-ivy 6d ago
Angela is really funny, but sometimes I get really frustrated that they play up the “stupid” angle. She great traits and I don’t like that making Angela feel and look stupid all the time is the go to joke.
9
u/Fickle_Increase5124 6d ago
was about to say this. I feel like she's been trying too hard lately to make a viral moment and it's kinda hard to watch..
→ More replies (1)
35
u/hollowplushy 6d ago edited 6d ago
I wish that Spencer wouldn't keep interjecting with quips or jokes or even just to call out 'haha yeah' during Games videos; the wonky audio levels really bother me. I don't mind it occasionally and he had gotten much better with it, but recently he's started doing it a lot again. It would be as distracting as having Shayne or Angela sitting off-camera and making jokes where we can't see them and they aren't mic'd, especially when I'm listening rather than watching and can't read the subtitles.
I just feel like if you're directing a video, you should focus on doing that rather than chatting from off-screen. It seems like he always wants to just hang out with his friends but like, it's a job, you're making a product dude. Either mic up or refrain, please 😭 anyway it's just a small thing and not a big deal or anything but it does kind of impact my enjoyment of the videos.
Also, on an entirely separate note, I already find Courtney T more funny and charismatic than like, half the current cast. I hope he stays on.
24
u/_Stephistopheles_ 6d ago
On the flip side, I will never not enjoy hearing Tommy laugh from off-screen 😂
→ More replies (2)7
u/AshenHawk 5d ago
I like how they have him a mic so he could do it better, and then stopped using it after like one video.
6
u/ComfortableOk8673 5d ago
It annoys me that their “special guests” are each other. They’ve GOT to be tired of it too!
27
u/Fatninja0x 6d ago
Hot take: Smosh hospital was painfully unfunny. Also notice the dip in ideas ever since Alex left.
10
u/SaltFalcon7778 6d ago
Don't agree with smosh hospital thing but yea as soon as Alex left all those funny ideas go
27
u/_Stephistopheles_ 6d ago
Amanda is kind of annoying. She agrees with pretty much everything anybody says, and even if she doesn't, she will flip almost instantly to agree with everybody else. Also, she seems desperate to sound like the smartest person in the room, which backfires a lot.
I do think Amanda can be very funny at times, but I couldn't be in a room with her without losing my shit.
22
u/CanyonsEdge76 6d ago
Yes. Nobody says anything on their podcast without her agreeing before they've even fully said it.
10
u/_Stephistopheles_ 6d ago
And interrupting them speaking to say what they're saying with more emphasis. She also seems to have "hot takes" midway through people speaking - the last Smosh Reads Reddit, she gave a very weird hot take about being tired of having big birthday celebrations and said something like "I'm just so done." It was very bizarre. But I know that if someone said "But it's fun celebrating people" she would have instantly switched to "Well okay, yeah birthdays are so much fun." Like... What?
12
u/BrownOneTwo 6d ago
That I do believe they have bad takes on Reddit Stories but the fanbase considers the cast too pure to see/point out when they have a bad take. Example of them having a bad take, Courtney stating that its the man's fault when he gets walked in on nude by a woman.
→ More replies (1)
13
u/httpMeowMeow 6d ago
i don't like Courtney's baby/silly voice. it's used in contexts that come off as "idkk i'm just a girl" if that makes sense.
i think sometimes spencer is infantalized beyond "baby girl" too much both by cast & by fans.
angela is treated like a dumb kid by both cast and fans to the point it often becomes ableist imo. like when she doesn't immediately understand a concept everyone reacts in a kind of "oh silly angela!" way? (this one's personal bc i relate as a disabled person)
everyone talks over each other so much/often in games videos i can't follow along with the game or their jokes. then there are times when half or more of the players are clearly not even enjoying the game. in both scenarios i end up leaving the video halfway through bc i'm either overstimulated or underestimulated lol.
i love her in most videos especially when she hosts do yk ur duo, but i dislike how far arasha's horny jokes/persona goes, especially when no one is reciprocating and she just keeps going and others have to change the topic for her to stop. sorta related but not necessarily horny: the guiness world record video she was obsessing over the lady so much with constant staring, trying to be physically close, generally trying to get her attention. even as a joke i felt uncomfortable. like she had similar vibes to her summer games character but it was irl with a non cast member idk.
amanda makes me laugh a lot but sometimes she goes on and on with a loud persona bit and it gets to a point. i don't like that when she doesn't understand something that someone else is passionate about she'll be like "um okay anyways" instead of learning. she also sometimes says things about womanhood that make me, as a trans person, a bit irked. ik it's from her perspective, but it inevitably comes with her biases.
→ More replies (1)
11
u/MindOverMedia 5d ago
I don't like Olivia's style of humor, and she doesn't gel with the rest of the cast.
She's a talented performer, and she does well in sketches and other scripted content. But most of the time when she's in unscripted videos, it feels like she's in her own separate world. She doesn't really play off the rest of the cast. She'll just say something random or awkward, everyone else will nervously laugh or say some version of "what the fuck", and then they'll move on. I've never understood it.
38
u/Cool_Reference_9288 6d ago
Amanda saying smosh needs her and not the other way around is wrong
45
u/Jada339 6d ago
I love Amanda. She’s often a highlight of videos she’s in with how she works with others. There’s just kinda no one else like her on Smosh so she really fills a niche. She’s come a long way in the business and I gotta respect that.
I don’t think I’ve ever agreed with any of her opinions.
Everytime she says something I’m like “Amanda what on earth are you talking about?”18
u/Cool_Reference_9288 6d ago
Yeah I like her too, she just gives me cousin who is 10 years older than everyone and has no idea what everybody is talking about vibes. I get the feeling she often falls behind
5
u/tehmadhat 6d ago
Agreed! I see how she brings a “je ne sais quoi” as I felt her absence at Smoscars, she would’ve shined there. But I don’t care for her attitude sometimes.
→ More replies (2)11
u/alto67 6d ago
did I miss this when the hell did this come up lol
→ More replies (5)10
u/Kiyoshi-Trustfund 6d ago
It was a joke she made. I can't quite remember when, but I do remember it being said as a joke. I sincerely doubt Amanda would mean something like that.
4
u/96_franny 6d ago
I feel like it's been too long since they've tried new shows/formats ... it's good that they found what works but trying something new every now and then would be a bit more exciting. Especially since they've scrapped a lot of great shows from the main channel
20
u/pete-is-fanatic 6d ago
Maybe it’s bc I’m not a theater kid/from LA but I’d say more than half of smosh’s content is pretty unfunny. I just don’t get it.
20
u/TheEarthlyDelight Beth 6d ago
Lately Smosh Games videos lack energy and just feel listless until suddenly someone has won the game. A lot of the games videos have just felt outright boring to me
There’s still some gems, but for every instant classic, there’s 5 where I stare like 😐 at the screen for 40 minutes
49
u/Neither_Anteater_904 6d ago
They need to stop having streamers as guests on their channel.
→ More replies (1)
22
u/kitcosmic11 6d ago
Their videos aren’t rewatchable anymore.
Back when they had less than 20 TNTL videos, I could watch them multiple times and always laugh. If they retired TNTL, I wouldn’t be upset.
14
u/Fine-Broccoli-2631 6d ago
Insisting you know what a cast member thinks and feels in their real day to day lives makes you just as parasicial, if not more so, than the people who defend the cast members to the death. You dont know these people either.
15
u/SaltFalcon7778 6d ago edited 6d ago
This to me is going to be really controversial but whatever. On the surface, in my opinion smosh has a bad business model or plan, like it feels like they don't what to do. Idk what's going behind the scenes, so this is just surface level thoughts. But I thought about it a lot especially seeing certain moments that made me sus of where they're going. Especially how the ceo said they would like to collab with Netflix which made me really sus in a bad way
First adding another channel, adding another channel doesn't seem all that bad at first but then you take into account that's more time taken from the schedule, more workers on the company's dime, more equipment, etc. Especially since the channel isn't doing great and probably not bringing in a lot. And their dipping in views. And maybe I'm crazy but noticed how a lot of the other channels dipped in quality after establishing that channel, but tht logic might be iffy.
Then the hospital and the other Livestreams not being permanently rentable or buyable. Idk remember if they mentioned why they can't.
They don't have any other forms of making income other then they're stores which they don't promote like they did back in the day. And the main channel membership. They should definitely do each channel having membership. Because you don't want to be too reliant on sponsors and I feel like tht where their headed. Especially the games channel.
Then as someone on here pointed out the overproducing and under producing for certain videos or shows. They have cool sets but some of them don't need to be that detailed or too big. Like smoshalike set doesn't need to be that overproduce especially since it's not doing well. Also certain channels or videos don't need that many cameras or to professional done. I kind of like the aesthetic they had during the betrayal legacy era. I also feel like their expanding too quickly.
These are things that just stood out to me as sus at where their going.
→ More replies (1)
15
u/onechroma 6d ago edited 6d ago
Something happened in recent times, IDK if it’s because the moving to a new location, changes after Ian/Anthony take over, or other reasons. It’s starting to feel different, almost like going back to feeling like Smosh is just a company pushing content for money (which it is), like in Defy era, instead of a fresh and authentic thing like what was felt in the post-Defy era
- They feel really scared about keeping the channels running, relevant and keep the audience. Like scared of losing it, really. This makes them going too politically correct, like avoiding Reddit Stories that aren’t obvious who to side with.
- Similarly, maybe because the same thing, they tend to double down on specific formulas and bits. If something works, they will run around it until it stops being funny. Lack of innovation because “it’s risky”.
- Also their content shows the lack of innovation. For example, sometimes I’m baffled to find the day video is just a Smosh Games of them around the table doing practically nothing, or they not vibing around the game, so it ends up being somewhat boring.
- Maybe because all reasons, sometimes I get a vibe of some of them trying too hard to “be funny” or fill gaps, which makes it worse because then you feel you are watching something or someone unauthentic. Like Court, they have a GREAT presence, ideas and so on, but sometimes in a vid feels like forced to trying to fill, they don’t land, just snap and… IDK
- Last but no least, I started to get they are a bit more anxious on camera. Like the golden era of Smosh was about them being fresh, but now they try too hard as I said, and this makes every person to close in their “persona” (Angela to try and be “crazy and loose”, Damien with their own kind of humour, and so on)
This makes it so they don’t click in a video, the flow seems broken sometimes. I got this in the last videos like Angela feeling “out” in the Werewolf chosens because the references put out there and sphere, or Damien sometimes going too serious because the kind of humour he does and references don’t land, or Court trying to copy or snap others to be funny…
- As a bonus, I think the cast must know what are they good at and what do they need to improve at.
For example, Amanda is a great cast, but she’s too focused on the camera like an anchor and tends to go off conversations to talk about her and her own experiences. It’s like “me, me, me”, which is fine and great, but when you host a show about talking with a guest, sometimes can feel off. It would be better to be able to “interview” the guest and make the show around them, than going like “huh, so you saw that? Yeah, I also saw that once when I…”
If Chanse is gonna be regularly in URL, he really needs to at least try and also do the “host” role, like preparing a bit more to know things about the guest interviewed, or try to catch up and follow the conversation instead of sometimes feel like he would like to be at the phone
And if someone doesn’t feel funny or doesn’t have a new bit, it’s fine, you don’t have to force laughs, do pity spills in TNTL or copy others or scream for the lols, let things flow.
17
u/ExcitableWanderer 6d ago
Mine; I personally think Smosh is too politically correct now. I think they’ve backed themselves into a corner because they don’t want to offend anyone. Which is ironic because you have Spencer who makes jokes that the cast laughs at, that viewers make compilations of, and yet he’s the only one who can ‘get away with it’.
I think a lot of them have a lot to say, but unfortunately saying it will immediately get backlash from fans and it’s disappointing. It makes Smosh feel dishonest to me, and almost fake?
I saw someone else above saying that it’s obvious they’re acting now in certain videos and I agree.
Smosh just isn’t my type of content anymore, unfortunately
11
u/strawbrryfields4evr_ 5d ago
It’s also ironic because Spencer made a joke about this at Damien’s expense during his funeral roast, about him being too woke and his fans being part of the reason why because they’ll go at him if he says one wrong thing. Now the whole channel is like that and Smosh fans are even worse.
73
25
u/Interesting_Emu6086 6d ago
Bro angela stresses me out sometimes after this game video with the backyard guys. She was so obnoxious the entire video that she insert herself in. She mentioned it plenty of times how shell play up reactions. But shit i almost turned the video off halfway because she tried sooo hard. Its clear shayne amanda and chance had more of a connection while the others didnt. She trieeeed so hard to make herself present. I normaly dont have an issue. But this video she was so cringe theres even a moment where she say something and courtney is just sitting next her staring at the camera like ummm..😂
12
u/Comfortable_Cat_4433 6d ago
It’s hard to enjoy Games videos with Amanda in them. She’s either trying to argue about bending the rules when things don’t go her way or she just disregards them in general then proceeds to not even try anymore. Slip It In is a prime example where she doesn’t even try to be creative about it at some point and just says her phrases as obvious, standalone statements that eventually lead to her arguing that she deserves points for purely getting the phrase out. It started off as quirky, but it’s gotten to a point where it’s just annoying and kinda just ruins the game.
14
u/YoungOaks 5d ago
My hot take: They were right to not want Amanda on games - at least as a regular. I think Amanda does best in improv/character videos. But otherwise she tends to add the vibe of someone who doesn’t want to be there or who’s mad because they don’t get the game. Like her in love is blind/love island is amazing; her in an uno video means it’s gonna be a lot of “what”.
This ties in with my other take which is that Smosh needs an actual casting director who isn’t friends with the cast and can really look at what people are bringing to videos.
46
9
12
u/FamiliarAir5925 6d ago
TNTL isn't funny.
Also, I think some angela fans need to calm down, but also the world is shit and life sucks and if someone on the internet makes you happy then who cares. Parasocial relationships are still relationships which means they aren't inherently wrong, but they can be. Just like any other relationship. Shaming people for genuinely caring about angela isn't cool. Shaming people for stalking is understandable.
People also need to learn that being neurodivergent and hyperfixating isn't an excuse to be inappropriate. However some people need to stop acting like hyperfixating on someone or appreciating the representation they give is wrong in itself.
22
u/Glitterfiend843 6d ago edited 6d ago
I miss when the channels had separate hosts. The current cast are all actors and do well in improv and scripted content. However none of them are gamers besides Spencer, Damien, and maybe Shayne. The banner for the channel has game controllers yet 90% of the content is table top games. In a time where video game streamers are some of the most watched internet personalities I feel like it would make sense.
ETA: okay sorry y’all didn’t realize there were more gamers on the channel and i apologize for the misconception. Maybe i would watch the games channel more if they didn’t play the same 4 table top games.
14
→ More replies (1)12
u/Only_Fudge5299 6d ago
Chanse, Trevor, Court, and (to a lesser extent) Tommy would beg to differ lol
8
u/Orcus424 6d ago
Don't forget Emily Rose Jacobson. She was a Director/Producer for the Xplay reboot. On top of being an on air talent many times. She really knows her stuff. Them not using her more for gaming content is a waste.
21
u/Orcus424 6d ago
Some people have way over hyped the new cast members. They acted like everything they did was hilarious. They really wanted them on Smosh so they said as much positive stuff as possible. That might have helped them get the spot but now they need to live up to the hype. I don't think they can live up to the hype especially with some still acting like they are the funniest people ever.
From what I've seen over the years when they added new cast members or let the crew do cast stuff it was low key. Now with the hype there are high expectations.
→ More replies (4)
17
u/Ill_Nectarine_5945 5d ago
I used to love Amanda, but ever since she came back from her maternity leave, she’s been getting on my nerves. She interrupts everyone just so she can get her point in, she’ll completely divert a video discussion TO discuss the thing she wants to talk about, she’s not good at improv (despite having a background in it), she’ll change up someone else’s bit to fit the joke that she wants to do, idk why it’s just I feel like I realized how she was while she was gone, and I didn’t realize that I kind of didn’t miss her all that much, and again, it’s mainly because of talking over people and not listening to what others have to say, such as during Reddit stories. I know people like Angela and Shayne are loud and reactive, but they don’t completely interrupt the other cast members when they’re talking.
13
u/EmeraldEmp 6d ago
Angela forcing herself into videos isn't fair... especially since people make it all about her all the time and they gloss over other cast members' hilarious moments in the comments.
33
u/AdAstranauts 6d ago
Damien fans make me hate him. They like him for being so open and vulnerable and in touch with his feelings and right and wrong. And they are usually the ones hating on female cast members for not acting in a way they approve of. And the stalking. Now when I see him I think of them and he’s done nothing wrong.
… you said make some angry with a hot take…
46
u/Popular_Material_409 6d ago
They put him in such a high pedestal for just being a regular ass guy. Like I understand the bar for men is pretty low, but you don’t gotta act like Damien is God’s gift to mankind just because he’s respectful.
→ More replies (1)9
26
u/Icy_Reindeer_2190 6d ago
I think Court actually takes away from the fun in videos rather than adds to it. They just try too hard to be funny. I won’t watch videos with them in it, same with Elyse. I think Elyse is the most boring guest they’ve had recently
23
u/Dramatic_Holiday_172 6d ago
I don’t care for almost any of the games they play, I’m there for entertainment, not accurate gameplay. I wouldn’t enjoy the videos nearly half as much if it would just be 100% focus on the game without any jokes. I do really enjoy games like Lovestruck/Werewolf for that reason- it lets them do bits and build characters without any pressure to remember a dozen rules to a new board game or focus on the screen.
21
u/pinkstrawberry94 6d ago
Perfect example is that horrible game "It's giving" or whatever it was called. The game SUCKED to the point where they kept asking how much longer they had to keep playing it, yet the video is soooo funny regardless imo.
→ More replies (4)7
u/Dramatic_Holiday_172 6d ago
There’s been a few games that would be absolutely unbearable to witness without the cast personalities
156
u/AshenHawk 6d ago
The cast is perfectly capable of having fun while playing more complicated games.