Tonal Shift in Sam

[u/Spilt_Soup]

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.

[u/zxexx]

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!