Throughout the past few weeks, the internet has been going absolutely crazy over the cheating scandals of two celebrities: Adam Levine, the lead singer of Maroon 5, and Ned Fulmer, a creator and former member of popular YouTube entertainers The Try Guys. Levine and Fulmer have both been married for several years now with two kids each, and have always seemed devoted to their families. So when news broke out about Fulmer’s affair and Levine’s alleged flirtations, the public was utterly shocked. A lot has happened since September, and the updates just keep rolling in. Keep reading to learn more about the scandals and the shocking similarities between the two men that help reveal the reality around celebrity relationships. 

In mid-September, Instagram model Sumner Stroh announced on TikTok that she had an affair with Adam Levine. Her announcement led several other women to come forward and admit to similar situations. Levine then came on Instagram to make a statement about the situation claiming that he “did not have an affair”  but hee talk to other women in a “flirtatious mannar”. To make matters worse, Adam’s wife, a model known as Behati Prinsloo, is currently pregnant with the couple’s third child. Adam has repeatedly claimed that the flirty texts never turned into an affair, but the women that have come forward say otherwise. Despite all of this, Behati and Adam have been spotted together out and about multiple times by paparazzi since the cheating news, looking seemingly happy. 

Before the cheating scandal, Adam seemed like a guy who was very enthusiastic about his marriage. He and his wife have multiple kids, were always out in public together, and seemed to be very supportive of each others’ careers. Maroon 5 has stayed together for more than two decades, and throughout those years, Adam Levine has become quite the family man. He even featured his wife and kid in the music video for the very popular song “Girls Like You.” This public display of a positive relationship with his wife and children make the scandal even more confusing—or does it? 

Ned Fulmer’s story is different, but shares a very similar tone. He, too, seemed to adore his wife online. Prior to the formation of The Try Guys, Ned Fulmer and its other members made videos for BuzzFeed. In 2018 they left to create their own channel and production company. Like the name of the channel states, they try anything, ranging from cooking to skydiving to putting on acrylic nails. Each Try Guy has his own fun, unique personality. Right from the get-go, Ned has been the wife and family guy. He constantly talked about how much he loves his wife, Ariel Fulmer, and the channel even made a video when his son was born. However, things took a turn when in late September, a video was leaked on Reddit showing Ned kissing Alexandria Herring, an associate producer of the production company in New York City. To make the situation even more scandalous, Herring was engaged when this occurred. When the video was first leaked, people were unsure if the cheating allegations were accurate, as the video was blurry and nothing had been confirmed by a legit source. However, fans noticed that Fulmer had been cut out of recent Try Guy videos. Then, on September 27, The Try Guys made a statement on social media confirming that “Ned is no longer with The Try Guys” and they will continue the channel without him. On the same day, Ned stated on his social media accounts that he “had a consensual workplace relationship,” indicating that this affair had been going on for some time. 

Similar to Adam Levine, Ned Fulmer branded himself as a man who loves his wife and is devoted to his family. He practically made it his whole personality on The Try Guys, so why did he cheat? When someone seems uninterested or not committed to a relationship, it can be easier to process their having an affair. Cheating on someone is always wrong, but if one person or both people didn’t seem satisfied to begin with, it can make more sense. On the contrary, it’s confusing when a man who is so in love with his wife can betray her trust. Or is it? 

Celebrities use all different sorts of personalities and strategies to make them more relevant and appealing on the Internet. Men in particular are often seen as emotionally restricted and cold. Ned and Adam’s personality with their wife was a way for them to seem lovable, affectionate, and down to earth. It’s an easy way for them to create a brand for themselves. However, a man who uses his wife as a foundation for his public personality can be misleading. Relationships are never perfect, and if you’ve built your career off of the idea that yours is, it’s bound to cause issues. 

In addition to those two relationships, there’s been another situation people are shocked by. Comedian John Mulaney divorced his wife suddenly in 2021, who he constantly showed his love publicly for. Soon after, he moved in with his girlfriend, actress Oliva Munn, and the two welcomed a baby. Mulaney never had an affair (as far as we know), but he did use love and affection for his ex-wife as a huge part of his comedy shtick when they were together. No one ever suspected a divorce. John Mulaney’s relationship may not have ended with cheating, but they must have had their issues. 

Problems and fights are normal in relationships, but an appropriate amount of privacy is needed in order for them to be worked out. When a relationship is constantly being put on display, it will never get the time to genuinely grow together and develop a strong intimate connection. A relationship needs a real identity rather than revolving around a brand.