Show Me to Me, Please: How Online Were You in May?

Whispering into George Bush’s ear: A second Try Guy has left the Try Guys. The YouTube content collective relaunched themselves — again — on May 22 with cast member Eugene Lee Yang announcing his departure after ten years. Originally a foursome, the brand got its start on BuzzFeed before going independent in 2018. After weathering a major upset that saw the ousting of Ned “Not-So-Wife-Guy” Fulmer in Fall 2022, Lee’s upcoming exit brings the OG crew down to just Keith Habersberger and Zach Kornfeld. However, in tandem with Lee’s announcement, the brand revealed that nine more cast members, who already featured heavily in the channel’s videos, were joining the team as the Try Guys brand launches a subscription service. Hopefully the third try’s the charm.

Why It’s a 3: Because this news wasn’t a cheating scandal and seemed to be a bittersweet decision made with love and respect, the wider internet did not really care. However, it’s a blow for the Try Guys’ 8 million subscribers, even though many will say they saw it coming.

The Challengers effect is real. Last month, creator Yuval made one of his signature Joe-from-You videos for London-based influencer, Ayamé, finding her exact location after she posted from a hotel. This began a playful, and increasingly flirty, back and forth between them as the latter continued to jet-set around the world, and Yuval not only located her hotel but her flights, various beverages, and items of clothing. And then on May 2, a wild Oliver Mills appeared. The Aussie TikToker who notably received a “22” hat from Taylor Swift during the Eras Tour back in February appeared to collaborate with Ayamé on a shoot, and their chemistry was … palpable. The rivalry between Yuval and Ollie began to escalate and turned into a flirtation within itself, with Yuval identifying Ollie’s house to send him a bouquet of roses. As of today, fans are begging Ayamé to choose between the two TikTok suitors — but if two men were going to increasingly elaborate lengths to get your attention, why would you ever let it end?

Why It’s a 3: This entire saga has a whole playlist dedicated to its every escalation, with each new update receiving millions of views. Their story has fan cams, commentary, and factions going to war for both men in pursuit of Ayamé’s ultimate approval. If she doesn’t choose soon, however, the two suitors seem quite happy to just fall in love with each other.

Beloved children’s internet personality Ms. Rachel got her first taste of controversy when she went out on a limb to declare that children should have healthy food, clean water, and protection from violence. On May 12, she announced that she would be raising money for Save the Children through personalized Cameo videos, citing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza among many others. In response, her social media was flooded with harassment from people who felt this was a rebuke of Israel, whose attacks are responsible for the dire conditions currently afflicting residents in Gaza. “The bullying is so bad,” she said in a follow-up video on May 16. “It’s so bad. But I can handle this.”

Why It’s a 3: Ms. Rachel is the Mr. Rogers of iPad babies, beloved by both children and parents alike. Her expansive reach is exactly why her statements advocating for Palestinian children, among others, had such an effect — and, ultimately, why they will make a crucial difference.