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Updated Aug. 31 2023, 5:59 p.m. ET
If you've been a fan of NELK Boys for a while, you know that the group of YouTube prankers has been pushing the limits for years. One viral "joke" that took place in 2018 resulted in member MTV Jesse getting arrested when he pretended to be covered in blood, asking people for help covering up a murder.
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But by 2020, Jesse started to appear less and less in NELK videos. And then, at some point, he disappeared from the channel altogether leaving fans to wonder what happened to the content creator. It wasn't until later that he opened up about the real reason he left the house for good. Since then, Jesse has put the party life behind him.
So, why did Jesse leave NELK and what is he up to now? Distractify has answers.
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What happened to MTV Jesse from the NELK Boys? He disappeared from the channel.
In a February 2021 episode of The Bootleg Kev Podcast, Jesse shared the truth about his absence from the NELK Boys YouTube channel. Instead of focusing on NELK's video content, Jesse decided to spearhead Full Send, the group's clothing company.
He said in the interview: "[I] just basically, took a — not a break — but came back to doing what I want to be doing, which is the clothing and organizing that."
In the podcast interview, Jesse also revealed what the NELK Boys had up their sleeves for the future. The company set out to create a streaming platform that could rival the biggest names in the game.
"We'll be doing a Send Club and trying to make a competitive platform against Hulu or Netflix eventually," he said. The plan was to start with original content, which we know they're all good for.
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Jesse even said they were in the process of being approved for a 14,000-square-foot warehouse to get everything up and running. They were hiring people and building sets at that time. He said the platform would function like an OnlyFans or Patreon account for now, but he wants to evolve it into something more.
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"The way I see it is, like, what MTV used to be," Jesse said. "It was all reality. It was, like, [a] college audience, [a] high school audience, our same audience. I think there's not really a platform — like an internet-based platform — like that."
But since that interview, Jesse's done way more than step back from the company. He officially left the NELK boys and is doing his own thing now, though, he still owns a percentage of the group's Happy Dad beverage company.
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Why did Jesse leave the NELK Boys? Here's the truth.
While he's still creating content for his own brand, Sunday, Jesse said he has switched his focus from partying to getting sober. Of course, this goal clashes with the group's whole mission statement, which is exactly why he had to take "a step back" from the NELK Boys franchise.
"I've been sober for, like, six or seven months now. Yeah, and I feel great doing that," Jesse said in 2021.
Today, the content creator says there's no bad blood between him and his ex-groupmates. In fact, Jesse was even one of the OG members who pulled up for the NELK Boys reunion in late 2023 and we really love to see it.
If you or someone you know needs help, use SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator to find support for mental health and substance use disorders in your area or call 1-800-662-4357 for 24-hour assistance.
