Smosh Mouth Podcast Episode #37: A Smosh History Lesson

Release Date: March 11, 2024

In this engaging episode of Smosh Mouth, hosts Shayne Topp (Shane) and Amanda Lehan-Canto (Amanda) are joined by their special guest, Trevor, to delve deep into the rich history of Smosh. The trio navigates through the evolution of Smosh Pit, reminisces about iconic shows, and shares personal anecdotes that highlight the journey of one of YouTube's most beloved content creators. This detailed summary captures all the key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.

1. Welcoming Trevor to Smosh Mouth

The episode kicks off with Shane and Amanda warmly welcoming Trevor back to the show. They humorously address common mix-ups with his name, initially mistaking him for Trevor Noah, setting a lighthearted tone for the conversation.

• Shane: "No, that's not you." ([00:34])
• Amanda: "I wanted to say Trevor Noah, but that's not true." ([00:40])

Trevor expresses his excitement about being part of Smosh Mouth, emphasizing his positive experience and the new dynamics he's encountering within the Smosh team.

• Trevor: "I feel great. I mean, I'm loving it. It's great. I just, you know, it's a whole new world." ([00:58])

2. Introducing Smosh Pit: The Early Days

Shane takes on the role of recounting the origins of Smosh Pit, focusing primarily on its early days before Amanda joined the team. He traces its roots back to Ian Hecox's solo channel, which featured simplistic vlogs like "Ian is bored," where Ian would engage in everyday activities such as bathing his guinea pig.

• Shane: "It was originally Smosh. So it was originally Ian Hecox. It was Ian's channel." ([05:58])

As the channel evolved, Anthony Padilla joined Ian, transforming the content into more collaborative and interactive formats like "Lunchtime with Smosh" and "Mailtime with Smosh," where they engaged directly with fan mail and personal vlogs.

3. Formation of the Smosh Squad

The discussion shifts to the formation of the Smosh Squad—a core group comprising Shane, Noah, Courtney, Olivia, and Keith. Shane elaborates on their early days, describing how they were tasked with creating content without a clear structure, resulting in spontaneous and often low-effort videos.

• Shane: "They were filming themselves in these videos, just kind of casually doing it." ([07:24])

Despite the lack of direction, the squad managed to produce memorable content, including viral moments like the "Keith masturbating" meme, which became an enduring part of Smosh's legacy.

• Shane: "There's the Keith. There's the Keith. There's the Keith masturbating meme. That is a very famous meme." ([10:59])

4. Transition to Structured Shows and Challenges

As Smosh grew, the need for more structured content became apparent. The team introduced various shows to diversify their offerings:

• "Put It in My Mouth" with Noah: A show where Noah and guests dared each other to eat bizarre and often foul-tasting foods.

  • Shane: "It was eat it or yeeted, except there's no hope. Awful shit. Brutal." ([12:00])

• "Seriously, Super Stupid Sleepover" with Olivia and Courtney: Focused on mock sleepover antics, featuring absurd challenges and guest appearances from personalities like Logan Paul.

• "Smosh Lab" with Shane: A science experiment show co-hosted by Nick Uhos, where Shane balanced entertainment with scientific demonstrations.

Shane shares a personal story about filming "Smosh Lab" while going through a significant breakup, highlighting the challenges of maintaining professionalism amidst personal turmoil.

• Shane: "I feel very sick." ([28:03])

5. The Rise of "Try Not to Laugh" Series

One of the pivotal moments discussed is the inception and eventual explosion of the "Try Not to Laugh" series. Initially a sporadic effort, the series gained immense popularity in 2018, becoming a cornerstone of Smosh Pit's content strategy.

• Shane: "There was an episode we had Juju Moofu, this bodybuilder, come on. And he was. To this day, he's arguably one of our best guests ever." ([33:14])

The success of "Try Not to Laugh" led to increased production frequency, with episodes being filmed in batches and featuring a mix of in-house talent and special guests. The hosts reflect on how the series' growth mirrored their own evolution in comedic timing and performance.

6. Smosh Summer and Winter Games: Competitive Fun

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to reminiscing about the Smosh Summer and Winter Games—annual competitive events that fostered camaraderie and showcased the team’s athletic and strategic prowess.

• Shane: "The first Summer Games was still kind of like. It hadn't found its full identity, but it was still big and crazy." ([45:15])

Shane details various seasons of the Games, including memorable team names like "Banana Ramas," "Harshmallows," and "Toxicitea," and recounts intense competitions such as belly flops and obstacle courses. He humorously reminisces about the origins of the team names and the dynamics that led to heated rivalries.

• Shane: "We had a big belly flop competition... your flop and the style and the impact." ([59:12])

The episode also touches on the unfortunate reference to Harambe, a gorilla from the Cincinnati Zoo, sparking a humorous yet poignant discussion about legacy and internet memes.

• Shane: "Harambe was a gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo... And they shot Harambe. It's so sad." ([51:08])

7. Reflections and Future Endeavors

As the episode approaches its conclusion, Shane encourages listeners to revisit past Smosh Pit content and share their favorite moments and team names from the Summer and Winter Games. The conversation then shifts to potential future projects, with the hosts playfully drafting teams for a hypothetical new Summer Games event.

• Amanda: "I'm curious down below comment. What your favorite team name of all Summer and Winter Games." ([57:27])

Trevor introduces his own mythical lore and team names, contributing to the lighthearted and collaborative atmosphere of the discussion.

• Trevor: "My team name. Christian Moms Against Furries." ([65:08])

The hosts speculate on themes and team compositions, blending nostalgia with creative brainstorming for future content.

8. Closing Thoughts

The episode wraps up with heartfelt reflections on the evolution of Smosh, the enduring friendships within the team, and the shared experiences that have shaped their content creation journey. The hosts express gratitude towards their listeners and tease upcoming episodes, leaving fans eager for more insights and stories from the Smosh universe.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Shane on Early Content:

  • "It was just him doing whatever the main thing was called... just like, we're Hanging." ([05:58])

• Trevor on Try Not to Laugh:

  • "Every single time I've done it, I'm hoping I get over it now that I'm here and gonna be in a lot more of them." ([35:19])

• Shane on Personal Struggles:

  • "I had to just fully compartmentalize, and I get it." ([28:32])

• Amanda on Harambe Discussion:

  • "Why would they kill Harambe? He didn't want to do anything. He was probably talking to him." ([52:08])

• Trevor on Zoom Holiday Party:

  • "I was drinking before it started, and then I was drinking during it. Cause I was like, surely, like, you know, I'm just gonna sit here and experience this." ([68:13])

This episode serves as a comprehensive history lesson on Smosh, offering fans a nostalgic trip through the myriad of shows and events that have defined the channel's success. Through candid conversations and shared memories, Smosh Mouth not only celebrates the past but also sets the stage for future adventures within the Smosh community.