Is Frenemies ending? The Trisha Paytas and Ethan Klein drama explained

9 June 2021, 15:07 | Updated: 9 June 2021, 16:22

Trisha Paytas accuses David Dobrik of pushing her to have a threesome with Tana Mongeau

By Katie Louise Smith

What happened to Frenemies? Here's everything you need to know about Trisha and Ethan Klein's dispute, what's been said and whether or not the podcast will return.

In two emotional YouTube videos and a series of tweets shared yesterday (June 8), Trisha Paytas revealed that they would be stepping down from the Frenemies podcast.

Trisha has co-hosted Frenemies with Ethan Klein since September 2020. Each week, the show racks up millions of views and listens, and has also had a huge impact on the controversial YouTuber's popularity over the past few months, gaining them a whole new legion of fans on TikTok.

Now it seems like Trisha is completely done with the podcast after a dispute about creative input and percentages blew up over social media, after originally starting at the end of the latest episode of Frenemies.

Here's your guide as to what Trisha and Ethan have both said so about the whole thing.

READ MORE: Trisha Paytas now uses they/them pronouns after coming out as non-binary

Is Frenemies over?

Trisha Paytas and Ethan Klein Frenemies drama explained
Trisha Paytas and Ethan Klein Frenemies drama explained. Picture: H3H3 Productions

Why did Trisha quit the Frenemies podcast? What happened?

The drama started following the June 8th episode of Frenemies, which is now available to watch on YouTube.

In the episode, Trisha and Ethan, who are dressed as Debbie and Uncle Fester from The Addams Family (obviously), set out to discuss the latest developments in the other major drama currently swirling around YouTube involving Gabbie Hanna.

Trisha and Ethan's drama bubbles over in the last 10 minutes of the episode, when their pair end up in a dispute over an advice segment that Trisha called "lazy". That then descended into a heated conversation over pay, creative contribution and production on the Frenemies brand, when Ethan said that Trisha "just shows up and we do all the work".

Trisha also accused Ethan of gaslighting them by telling them how they felt about the whole thing, saying he believed Trisha was "so angry" about the whole thing.

Talking About Gabbie Hanna - Frenemies # 39

What did Trisha say in their YouTube video?

The day after recording the podcast, Trisha took to YouTube to reveal that they would be stepping down – but not because of pay or the percentages mentioned in the episode. (Ethan said he takes an extra 5% from the podcast and 100% of the revenue from the highlight episodes to pay the H3H3 crew and production costs.)

Trisha explains that they believed they would have more of a say in the building of the show: "Last night, Ethan's like, 'H3 produces it, you are the talent,' and that's when I realised it was different to what I thought it was. I thought we were 50/50 building the show."

Trisha then adds that they believed they would have a say in new producer hires for the Frenemies podcast because they thought that was what the 5% was meant for.

While referencing the gaslighting comments made toward Ethan, Trisha agreed that they did get frustrated. Trisha also explained that Ethan had told them that the H3H3 production crew were upset with their comments.

In a comment after posting the video, Trisha wrote: "I'm leaving to ease the tension everywhere. I don't want to be the toxicity in their machine and I can feel that I am. And it's not good for anyone involved. I'm sorry so many of you are disappointed in me. Or that you only became a fan of me again through the show. But I cannot continue."

What has Ethan said about Trisha leaving Frenemies?

Shortly after Trisha announced that they would be departing the show, Ethan Klein took to Twitter to comment on the situation.

"I am honestly gutted over this whole thing, Trisha's video this morning was a total surprise to me," he tweeted. "I don't really know what more I can say or do. I'm very sorry to all the fans of frenemies, I know how much it meant to everyone, I did everything I humanly could to save it."

Ethan also added: "Ultimately this is my fault for ordering pizza while dressed as Uncle Fester," in reference to the weird fact that the pair always seem to end up in a disagreement when they order pizza on the show.

What did Ethan's deleted tweets say?

In a back and forth after Trisha's YouTube video, Ethan's initial comments and a second video posted by Trisha, the pair began sharing screenshots of their conversations and Ethan called out the "hate" that the crew was getting off the back of the whole situation.

In now deleted tweets, Ethan wrote: "Ok I'm starting to get upset about all of this – our crew is getting hate from Trisha's fans on their personal accounts and I am losing my cool. The crew has done nothing but support her and work their asses off every week and the treatment they are getting is unacceptable."

Ethan also commented on the upcoming Frenemies merch and how all his Frenemies money is tied up in the project that doesn't come out until July. He said that Trisha will get 50% of the merch profits.

So, is Frenemies over forever?

Well, we'll see. It's not the first time that Trisha and Ethan have disagreed or come to blows on the podcast.

Back in December 2020, Trisha previously said they would be quitting Frenemies and blocking Ethan's number after an argument regarding Ethan's wife, Hila, not wanting to be mentioned on the podcast anymore because it was causing tension with her brother, who Trisha is engaged to.

Trisha walked out on the show during the recording and later said in a YouTube video that they apologised and decided to step away because their "behaviour at the end was horrible."

While fans are hoping that the two can come to an agreement, it's currently unclear if Trisha will return to Frenemies this time. Although, in tweets posted after their YouTube video, Trisha made it clear that they didn't want any "enemies."

For now, Frenemies seems to be over.

READ MORE: Trisha Paytas and Tana Mongeau accuse David Dobrik of "pushing" them to have a threesome