The Untold Truth Of The Try Guys' Zach Kornfeld
If we mention the name Zach Kornfeld, and you immediately think of things like a willingness to put on (and show off) "sexy video game Halloween costumes," eat the "world's smelliest foods," and test out "extreme Korean skincare products" all while cameras are filming, then you're very likely a fan of The Try Guys. The foursome — which includes Ned Fulmer, Keith Habersberger, and Eugene Lee Yang, along with Kornfeld — first met while working at BuzzFeed before striking out on their own, and are famous for making viral-worthy videos for their wildly popular YouTube channel.
As for Kornfeld, you can check him out online doing things like revealing his secret girlfriend (now fiancée) and being extremely open about hair restoration. Granted, there's much more to this internet star than just what he does in The Try Guys' videos. For instance, check out the following facts that you might not have known about this particular performer.
This Try Guy appeared on Saturday Night Live as a child
You may be used to seeing Zach Kornfeld's online antics, but it turns out that he started out on television. Although he didn't manage to nab a bigger role like some of the more well-known child stars in the business, he still managed to snag a pretty impressive gig. If you pop on the August 2018 video from The Try Guys which quizzes the other three members of the group on their knowledge of Kornfeld, he asked his professional besties if they were aware of this little known fact.
All three got the first part of the answer correctly, noting that he had shown up on Saturday Night Live. However, when it came to who happened to be hosting that particular episode of the long-running sketch show, two guesses — Bruce Springsteen and Hugh Grant — weren't quite right. So, who did Kornfeld appear with on SNL? He explained, "I was a background actor ... and the host at the height of Lord of the Rings was Elijah Wood." He also mentioned that the opportunity came within two weeks of having surgery due to nearly losing his testicle, calling it "the craziest two weeks of [his] life." Indeed, take a peek at Kornfeld's IMDb page, and you'll see that he has an SNL credit from back in 2003 that lists his role as "Kid (uncredited)."
While that's certainly a cool childhood memory, that's not what sparked this star's love of performing in (and making) videos.
A toy led Zach Kornfeld to his current career
Some people choose a profession because they follow their relatives into the family business. Others feel like they've always had a certain calling. As for The Try Guys' Zach Kornfeld, he ended up making videos thanks to a toy. Apparently, Kornfeld experienced "an existential crisis around the age of eight," according to Entertainment Monthly. The star explained, "I was like, I don't have any talents, I don't have a value in this world." Adding that he wasn't into the normal things that kids in his area loved, he recalled, "I just convinced myself that I was worthless at a very young age. Which is ridiculous ... And then I kind of found art, and I was like, oh, there are other things I can be good at."
Indeed, things changed for Kornfeld thanks to a LEGO Steven Spielberg MovieMaker Kit. "It had an editing software, and it was kind of like an early version of iMovie," he said. "So I taught myself to edit on LEGO Studios, and from there I could figure out iMovie. From there I could figure out Final Cut. From Final Cut I figured out Premiere Pro. So I've never actually taken an editing class in my life, I just learned it from LEGO Studios. But when I got that kit, it was like, oh my god, this is what I want to do forever."
Granted, that's not all that Kornfeld has done when it comes to his professional life.
His tea company was created because of his autoimmune disease
Zach Kornfeld may be one of The Try Guys and a famous online personality, however, he's also the founder of Zadiko Tea Co. While the different kinds of tea that the company offers surely taste awesome, Kornfeld had another motivation for creating the brand. "I needed the best tea. A few years back I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, an inflammatory autoimmune disease that leaves me stiff with near-constant back pain and an inability to sleep through the night," the YouTube star explains on the website. "I needed the perfect teas to fit my needs: energizing, soothing, anti-inflammatory, and above all: delicious."
After taking it upon himself to make his own tea, Kornfeld explained that the drinks he has created give him energy, gives his creativity a boost, "and soothe[s] both [his] stomach and mind — all without the jitters of coffee." If you're interested in trying out some Zadiko Tea, you can opt for Mission Chill, Zach's Breakfast, or a bundle that includes both.
Following the company's 2020 launch, Kornfeld took to Instagram to write: "Life is wild. Thanks to everyone who has supported and followed the journey. Really hope you love this as much as I do!" We have a feeling Kornfeld's fans will like the tea as much as they like his dog.
The Try Guys star's dog has a massive Instagram following
Do you like Zach Korneld? Do you like dogs? If the answer is "yes" and "uh, yeah, of course," then meet Kornfeld's dog! Just take a peek at Instagram and you might catch a glimpse of the YouTube star hanging out with his Aussie Shepherd named Bowie (who was ridiculously cute as a puppy!). The two like to get out for drives together and get some fresh air, which gives Kornfeld plenty of content for his account. You might also see the pair snuggling together or taking a sweet selfie. Granted, Bowie doesn't just rely on Kornfeld's IG account for social media fame. He has his own Instagram account with over 192,000 followers, as of this writing.
With a bio that identifies him as a "Fashion Model" and uses the hashtag "#WiggleButt," you can also find photos of Bowie being cute (is he smiling?!), being even cuter if that's even possible, and being OMG so adorably cute! No wonder Kornfeld is so eager to snap pic after pic of his pooch.
Obviously, Kornfeld cares a lot about Bowie, which isn't surprising when you also find out that the star is simply a caring person. Indeed, along with caring about his pup, he happens to care about some incredibly important issues.
Zach Kornfeld is willing to speak out about important issues
Zach Kornfeld is known for getting a little (or rather, very) silly on The Try Guys' YouTube channel. Just check him out drawing a nude self-portrait (oh my!) and recreating an awkward elementary school photo (oh wow!). However, the internet star is also someone who appears to care deeply about important issues.
For instance, Kornfeld supports the Black Lives Matter movement and posted about #StopAsianHate in March 2021, writing, "Incredibly proud of Eugene [Lee Yang] and the whole team who worked hard to put this wonderful and informative doc together." He added, "Highly recommend a watch." On top of that, Kornfeld posted an entire Twitter thread in 2020 detailing "why the 'some good cops' argument doesn't matter," which breaks down "the dangers of authority, obedience, and how it leads 'good people' to do horrible things."
And Kornfeld clearly supports vaccinations, which he proved by posting a photo of himself getting a shot to protect himself from COVID-19 on Instagram, while also tweeting (in his perfectly quirky and endearingly upfront manner), "I can't wait to get my vaxxed a** back in a movie theater." We're sure a lot of people are looking forward to that, too, even if they wouldn't have put it in quite the same way.