Top 10 Kings of YouTube: Where Are They Now?

Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla were the dynamic duo behind Smosh, known for their hilarious skits and parodies. After its huge success, the Smosh brand was acquired by Defy Media in 2011, which allowed the channel to expand into other ventures, including an app and a web sitcom. In 2017, Padilla announced he is stepping down from Smosh due to a lack of creative freedom. A year later, Defy Media shut down its operations, putting the future of Smosh at risk. The brand was later bought by Mythical Entertainment. It continues to produce content to this day, albeit with a smaller following.

Remember the high-pitched antics of Lucas Cruikshank's character, Fred Figglehorn? The infamous voice alone brings back some fond memories of good old Youtube days, doesn’t it? Fred's videos were a guilty pleasure for many, and his channel soon gathered a cult following. The Fred content grew into movies and became a franchise of its own. The character was so popular, he even appeared in cult TV shows such as “iCarly” and “Hannah Montana.” What an icon! Cruikshank has since retired the character and now posts content on his personal channel, Lucas, focusing on lifestyle and vlogging.

Kevin Wu, an OG YouTuber, gained fame with his relatable videos that amassed millions of views. He was the first generation of YouTube content creators who managed to catapult themselves right into Hollywood. However, over time, Wu found himself in a limbo, not knowing his place in the creative industry. Eventually, he ended up privating his channel. He struggled with personal growth and admitted his personality became dependent on his viewers. In 2015, he was struck by a car in a near-fatal accident, which further shifted his focus on self-care. A few years later, Wu made a comeback to the platform.

Indie artist Dave Days became huge on YouTube after posting videos about his obsession with Miley Cyrus and making catchy parody songs. His videos gathered millions of views and soon attracted a loyal fanbase. As years went by, his effort paid off - he even actually got to meet Miley Cyrus! More recently, however, Dave Days still makes music but for a much smaller and intimate audience. He seems to have left YouTube behind after releasing his self-titled album in 2021. He keeps a relatively low profile online, but you can still catch a glimpse of him from time to time on his Instagram.

Epic Meal Time, known for its outrageous food creations, was born out of Harley Morenstein's passion for food and making people laugh. Over the years, the channel has amassed a cult following of over 7 million subscribers and expanded its reach to other platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Although content is still posted regularly on the channel, Morenstein has also devoted his time towards other ventures such as Super Snack Time, which brings Epic Meal Time's unique food combinations to your home with products like Pizza in a Bag and Bacon in a Bottle.

Michael Buckley was one of the earliest content creators to come to YouTube. So much so, he claims he was the very first person to start off the whole “like, comment and subscribe” call to action on videos. His content was diverse, consisting of fast-talking pop culture commentary in what he called the “What the Buck Show.” However, Buckley has since officially retired from YouTube and is now a life coach. However, if you do miss his work, you can still catch him on Instagram, where he frequently posts content ranging from hilarious photos to inspiring videos.

Toby Turner, also known as Tobuscus, was once a prominent figure on YouTube, known for his comedic sketches, gaming videos, and literal trailers. However, his career took a downturn after several ex-girlfriends accused him of substance addiction, being non-monogamous, and abusive behavior in 2016. Though he continues to sporadically create content and maintains a steady audience, Turner's controversial past contributed to the downfall of his YouTube career. Despite pleading innocent to the allegations, Turner's actions have had lasting consequences on his career and reputation. Although not as frequently as in the past, Turner still posts content on his YouTube channel.

Ah, who doesn’t love this positive ray of sunshine? Tyler Oakley grew to fame on YouTube with his infectious laugh and upbeat videos which discussed everything from pop culture to LGBT advocacy. He soon became a popular content creator and even got to host his own show on Ellen Degeneres’ ellentube platform. In 2018, he even appeared on an episode of “Ru Paul’s Drag Race.” Since then, Oakley took a hiatus from making YouTube videos and shifted his focus to making gaming content on Twitch and producing his podcast, “Psychobabble.”

The Fine Bros rose to fame after creating the popular ‘REACT’ channel, which soon turned into an official company. The channel rose to fame with its content involving children reacting to various pop culture videos while providing authentic and often funny commentary. The Fine Bros faced their first controversy when they attempted to trademark the term ‘react’, which has been used by plenty of other content creators. Years later, they came under fire again after former employees accused them of promoting sexism and a toxic workplace culture. And as a final nail in the coffin, they stepped down as CEOs of their company after a video resurfaced accused them of racism.

Soon after uploading his first few videos on the channel, Ryan Higa’s channel took off . Centering on comedy, he quickly garnered a huge fanbase and became the most subscribed YouTube channel for 677 consecutive days in 2009. By 2020, Higa expanded his online presence by streaming on Twitch, where he reacts to past videos and shares gaming content. Outside of his internet career, Higa has appeared in several films and even authored a memoir, "Ryan Higa's How to Write Good."