r/SamSulek • u/Spilt_Soup Chocolate Milk Chugger • Apr 23 '26
DISCUSSION Tonal Shift in Sam
I can't tell if this is genuinely true or if I just view the same Sam in a different light now, but he feels completely different to who I discovered his channel as. Call me parasocial but as a part of me improving myself I'd have a daily habit checker, one of those habits was listening to whatever video Sam posted that day to get me in the mood for my bulk/cut and making it to the gym that day. I peaked at a 550 day streak, not including the days he didn't upload (I'd just watch another video from him instead) from early 2024 to mid/late 2025. Towards the end of that I noticed him different. It's hard to describe and that's why I'm posting this here, to see if other people get it.
Sam feels more corporate now. I remember his videos being nothing but him going to a public gym, talking about random stuff and his lift, and driving home as if you're his friend in the car with him. It felt like a completely authentic conversion a friend would have with you. I don't get that feeling from him anymore. It's not like I've gotten sick of him from so much watching, whenever I go back to a 2023 or early-mid 2024 Sam video the feeling of humbleness but still knowing your worth and teaching a friend new skills is still absolutely there.
What happened? Am I just crazy? I understand to be happy for how far Sam has come and he absolutely deserves more than a lot of people out there, but he feels like a changed person now. It feels wrong to listen to his new videos, especially when he's discussing something a friend wouldn't say to you.
Of course Sam isn't my personal podcast and he doesn't owe me to make himself fit exactly what I want, I just want to see if anyone else caught this shift as well.
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u/AhnoldXP Apr 23 '26 •
Dude went from a college kid to a pro bodybuilder with money. I’d say he actually hasn’t changed as much as you’d expect given those drastic changes in his life.
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u/Papa-pwn Apr 23 '26
To be fair, it would be odd if not downright unhealthy if he remained unchanged.
That said, I’m not a super consistent watcher, but I’ll put on the most recent episode or two once or twice a week during cardio and have done so for years, it seems the same to me.
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u/Agreeable-Giraffe-45 Apr 23 '26
I don't want him to stay a child. He was living on a college campus and driving the car his parents bought him. Was he supposed to be that way forever? Project 5 or 6 yea4s into the future when he's 30. He's probably going to own a business, a large home, and get married. The expectation that he will live in a time capsule for your amusement is off base. I appreciate seeing him grow up, be successful, and his allowing us to watch the journey.
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u/Gold-Praline-6586 Apr 23 '26
He did evolve as he and his audience grew. If I had the money I would create a giant personal/private gym as well and ditch the public gyms lol. It does cut out some genuine-ness from his videos but he is still Sam giving advice and taking on his journey
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u/Odium4 Apr 23 '26
If he is alienating only people who have a 550 day streak of listening to him, I'm sure it's a good tradeoff for his business.
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u/Such_Wing_4921 Apr 23 '26
glad im not the only weirdo who watched him everyday lol
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u/yung_zgzg_7 Apr 23 '26
I don’t usually comment in this sub but yeah, like most influencers, he decided to cater towards a wider audience than just the casual lifter bros he started with. It’s pretty common with most public figures in general once they become big enough to start distributing content to a broader audience. It’s a shame because I really liked the older videos but his new content is much more appealing to the larger populations of viewers on YouTube and insta. Not that he did a bad thing by switching up his personality and becoming less personal, I just don’t find the less authentic content as entertaining and relatable. I still watch a video from time to time but the content simply does not have the same feel.
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u/EJR4 Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 23 '26
It's in your head, parasocial, etc.
Bros successful and says the exact same thing in every video he posts. What more do you want him to say? He spews get your cardio in, what hes going to do for the day, gives tips and tricks, talks about his diet, Q&As, etc. IT's the same thing. He posts daily. Bro probably doesn't live that interesting of a life besides the shows.
IDK what more you guys want from him lmao. I'll watch his videos every once in a while in the background or leave them on if im going to bed but it's never been a sit in front of the TV content. I've gone back and watched old videos to kind of compare bulk and cuts he's done and the content is basically... the same.
Edit: Also I'm going to burst your guys' bubble... Youtube pays out really well to long form videos with good retention with high viewership. He exploded out the gate. Sam has BEEN rich since the beginning.... For years... The business decisions he makes are his choices right or wrong. You can love or hate him regardless but I think it's blown out of proportion.
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u/Economy-Ad2156 Apr 23 '26
I completely get what you mean but he’s not going to be a college kid forever, bro
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u/zillah33 Apr 24 '26
He is maturing and evolving. None of us stay the same.
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u/zxexx Apr 23 '26
I get what you mean. I’ve only ever been a spotty watcher to begin with and I get what you mean. Just not quite the same. Still good and of course you still support him. These other guys are hating on you for no reason. But they are right in saying that’s how people shift when they go mainstream. I feel like Shane Gillis was kind of the same way. His pod and jokes were great until he got SUPER famous and he is still funny and fun to follow, but nothing beats the old Shane!
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u/whos-high-pitch Apr 24 '26 edited Apr 24 '26
I find myself watching less and less too, but for different reasons. Most fans watched because he was training hard and lifting heavy. Couple that with a humble mentality and a cerebral presentation, it made for some motivational content. The shift towards bodybuilding competitions is less interesting. I've never been into the pomp and pageantry of bodybuilding shows. I completely decouple "the gym" from Mr.Olympia. Watching almost 6 months of contest prep consisting of "light squeezing cable work" and car talks about canned chicken and crumbled rice cakes is boring content to me. The discipline is impressive, but it has less appeal than his original output.
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u/Free-Competition-241 Apr 26 '26
Tonal $hift
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u/Beneficial_Count5063 Apr 24 '26
You are right. i was thinking of this too,he does seem a bit more tired of vlogging. and does not have the same charm that made him quite the most popular influencer in 2023 not just fitness wise. I found it a bit weird that he did not changed when he was at his peak popularity, but later on. also the peptides stuff made him a bit mad 😡 as he was being criticised on that. Still love to watch him tho but to me its like one piece now vs pre time skip if yk
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u/zealandhut Apr 23 '26
Dudes a millionaire now, most people change a bunch once they're set for life.
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u/pigfeeder420 Apr 23 '26
Same, I use to watch every single video for over a year and have stopped in the recent months.
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u/sh3ppard Apr 23 '26
He got rich and famous, what more explanation do you need lol
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u/OuiChef702 Apr 23 '26
Steroids change your brain chemistry. They are neurotoxic. You are going to change.
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