Dear Shane,

My name's Jess, and I used to be a fan of yours. I'm writing this letter to mourn the loss over how your video content has changed in the past year.

This isn't to write that I don't support you or your endeavors, but I know I may still get "hate" for "calling out" a YouTuber with such a massive and passionate fanbase. However, it's important for me to discuss why I no longer keep up with you, because you deserve to know why you have one less subscriber to your channel, and one less view on your videos.

As aforementioned, for several years, I was an avid supporter. I subscribed to your channel (and as you always mentioned in your outro, I made sure the notification bell was on)! I also kept up with you on your social media accounts across all platforms, a following of which eventually branched out to include the "squad" you came to surround yourself with—namely, your now-fiancé Ryland, his sister Morgan, your best friends Garrett and Drew and even your pets Cheeto the cat and Uno the dog.

I've always admired the way you engaged audiences, despite the barrier of a screen. Watching you and your squad document your explorations of haunted places underneath a Los Angeles bridge at somewhat appropriate hours of the night, or hiring a Jesus impersonator off of Fiverr to half-prank, half-surprise your mom and her love for Him somehow made me feel as though I was part of your life, as well as those of your friends and family. When you'd scream, "EWWW!" instead of "AHHH!" whenever you felt scared during your late-night expeditions, I'd scream a grossed-out declaration with you. When you got teary-eyed over your mom's joyous connection with "Him" (even though she knew it wasn't really Him), I got emotional with you. Through you, I came to understand that scary is yucky, and that love is all-encompassing. But more than anything, I came to understand that friendship is feasible despite literal or metaphorical barriers, and that intimate connection I felt with you, your friends and family was genuine, and reciprocated.

The vast fanbase I was a part of maintained this unique sense of membership that always fascinated me. See, although it consisted of those who've come across your channel at various stages in your YouTube career, we came together to support you throughout those various transitions. Eventually, this collective support extended to those around you, because we saw how they made a significant, positive impact on your life, which in turn made similar impacts on ours. From afar, we watched as their presences in your life helped overcome your struggles and induce your personal growth, as your content transitioned from crude-humor skits, to entertaining reviews and challenges, to spooky adventures, to shocking conspiracy theories and now to in-depth docuseries. Through them, we came to understand that finding that core group of people who not only truly care and love you but also inspire you to grow as a person can be arduous, but rewarding nonetheless.

I understand that you've changed, and part of why you now produce more serious content is in order to depict the maturity you've garnered over the years. But I also really miss those videos of you and your squad hanging out around the fire pit in your backyard, or even just of you torching random items in your kitchen. I reveled in the relatability, humor and creativity your content so perfectly melded together.

So I suppose I should embrace the changes you make to your channel as your videos have evolved to focus on heavier topics. But honestly, it's hard for me to get over a YouTube content creator I once so dearly admired for his wholesome silliness, and watch it diminish and be replaced by uncanny seriousness without having the ability to stop it from happening.

All this is certainly a part of you growing up, but maybe it's also a part of me growing up, too. I may no longer watch your videos, but I do still maintain an immense support for you as a person. If I can't adapt to those changes, I have to at least respect them.

So Shane, if you're reading this, just know that we love you, and we want to make sure that whichever way in which you portray yourself on the internet is you in your most genuine and fulfilling form. You're not any less of an adult, or any more of a kid, for letting your silly side show once in awhile.

I wish you the best in your serious YouTuber endeavors, and your ventures along the climb of personal growth.

Your forever moral supporter,

Jess

P.S. Congratulations to you and Ryland on the engagement! I'm so excited for you two, and for the lifelong companionship and adventures ahead.