Dan & Phil Part 80: You're my plinth of life

[Stakhanov]

I don't think what they are doing is a clear cut "bad" or "good" thing. I'm not one for waving pitchforks at them, but also I think it's important you can have an open conversation about this and don't have to square the circle and pretend this is no big deal or that you shouldn't be 'negative'.

You're right @DIA that it becomes hard to have a conversation about their content if you're so invested in them as people. As a person, I just hope they do well, take as much time as they need and sort out whatever they feel needs to be sorted out. As a viewer, well I can't pretend this has been a good year. A disproportionate amount of people on this forum might have had the opportunity to see their show live or even meet them, but for most viewers if feel like it has been a rough year. Two and a half channels out of three in indefinite hiatus (three and a half if you count D&P crafts), another year where most of their time and energy went not to their main channels but to other projects.
No doubt these projects have been very successful and they would like to enjoy the fruit of the work a bit. But yea I think the honest truth here is that a lot of things are ending and a lot of things seem to be up in the air. I don't want to celebrate funerals (arguably PINOF 10 already was already a dead shell of it's former self), I want to enjoy that new content and the only channel that semi-reguarly provided that they are now pausing as they wonder which creative direction they will take...
So as a person I'm glad they are taking a break to get through or prevent a more serious burnout but as a viewer enjoying their content this was a liveshow full of horrible announcements.

[pcvaidya]

I wonder if they knew when they filmed that this would be the last PINOF, or if they put the video out and then felt like this one should be the end.

Because I think if it was the first one, I would’ve wanted to know so I could have given the first time I watched it the weight it deserved. For all that there will probably be better content moving forward, it won’t hold that same sentimental, all-consuming fandom wide feeling that we all experienced before, and that’s what i’ll be sad to lose.

[snokoplasmic]

I mean, I'll take umbridge with that - DAPG is not barely uploaded on, they've been averaging once a week all year, and when they weren't on tour it was more than that. Honestly, it's a lot of content, we're just hungry in general.

Phil hasn't abandoned the AP channel, he's just slowed down a bit, but he's still producing plenty of content, both dan AND phil said that he won't change his background and then abandon his channel, he just wants a reset.

Nearly every big youtuber that's been on the platform this long has taken a break, especially the folks that have other parts of their careers going on/don't have an editing or filming staff; it turns out it's hard to produce consistent creative content this long.

If TV shows produced a 20 minute episode once or twice a week with no season breaks for the better part of 4 years, and the writers/actors/editors/scripters were also expected to produce a stage show going to 18 countries and doing 72 shows over 6 months and have side TV shows AND post instastories every single week AND have their own merch lines... well, that doesn't happen, does it? Because that's a terrifying amount of work. Even Shane Dawson, who daily vlogged every weekday for like 5 years took a small break and changed the way he put out content.

Seriously, it's not surprising they are burned out and want to take a small hiatus from DAPG. Honestly it sounds like for AP it could just be as short as a darn holiday vacation. They emphasized they want to keep creating content for us, they just need to figure it where it needs to go for them to be creatively satisfying.

Youtube is a still a new media platform, DNP are in the first generation of people to have this "career" and they're still figuring out what is a sustainable pace for that kind of thing. There's no rulebook or blueprint for this work. There's no label that requires X number of albums in X number of years, there's no writers or staff on their TV show.

(I will also say this is a raw subject for me as someone whose livelihood is also caught up in an audience and a constantly-producing internet cycle, so sorry if I'm getting protective.)

I really love this -- you articulated some of my thoughts so clearly and beautifully! I think putting this into context alongside other youtubers that have been on the platform as long as them and TV shows really helps make the point that I think they were trying to convey themselves, that they need the mental break.

[Andy]

O hay, long time no see. Well, ain't this depressing
An unpopular opinion: i personally hope that this is the beginning of deppy transitioning away from youtube. I know i'm one of those "invested in their relationship" ppl as @000dia000 pointed out and their actual content hasn't really satisfied me for a long time. When watching their content, an idea of how the ppl here would react to smth amuses me more than any comment itself, and i feel like at this point i'm here more for the other fans than Dan and Phil as people, and least of all as content creators.
On a less negative note, i do truly believe they are capable of more and better things and i would love to see them step away from youtube and start a new career doing something else.

[greenergrass]

Well, I sure came home to a storm, eh?

"Hiatus" - I've that word before, and I don't like it, don't trust it at all. Lmao but no, I respect anyone who's upset, but I'm feeling chill about this. I love the gaming channel and will miss it if it never comes back, but like, the reality is that they have to make their money somewhere so I'm pretty confident that if the gaming channel doesn't come back then we'll get something good in its place.

There's so much more to unpack in that liveshow, and I've skimmed the comments here quickly and am interested in the idea that they're getting rid of the filming flat this year. It's definitely plausible, so it'll be interesting to see if we see that flat in the new year.

It also sounds like Dan has a fairly solid plan (for him, at least) to start uploading on his main channel in the new year again, so I'm excited to see where that goes.

I'm also really intrigued about their personal lives in the new year. I'm not someone to ever think they're gonna formally come out or announce anything, but I gotta admit that the way this year has been going I wouldn't be surprised (if they are in fact together) if they start making things quite obvious next year.

And yeah, I'm just excited to see what their plans are, and what sorts of things we'll see from them next year, both professionally and personally.

[Amiaw]

The most interesting thing that I took away from the liveshow was how Phil thought that we knew about pinof and dapg we kind of did and so he thought they didn't need to say anything. I wouldn't be surprised if that is how they chose to handle phan too. now saying that, I am very glad that they came to the decision to be honest about their channels because I would have been very unhappy if they ghosted us.

It's also curious to me why they decided to change the end of ii. It seems like they were preparing us for this and people were having discussions about it but then they stopped talking about going on separate paths and people calmed down. Was that another decision they made to not rock the boat or are they as confused as we are about what they are going to do next year?

[det395]

Readings everyone's posts was very nice to see the similar view points. Sorry if i reiterate what everyone else has been saying but I'm still trying to get my thoughtst together.

I think pinof ending is a good idea, though I'm sad in a nostalgic way. The format still depends on them being very random and hyper and performative and even though they've framed it more naturally in the last couple years, it seems fair for them to have grown out of it and not enjoy it as much. It's very clear they adore the series as much as we do but it's good they don't want to drag it on. I'll happily take replacement mukbangs and baking videos that are relaxed and fun and domestic.

I'm very excited for Phil's new set. I think it's funny that he sees it as a set too and didn't say "not do it in my bedroom anymore". i see u boy. but I love his openness to change and becoming more himself. I predict some feel-good, free spirit Jenna-Marble-esque content (or at least I hope--stuff like his slime video that was purely him wanting to do it).

The gaming channel is a bit confusing to me. They said "And some of you probably already guessed because of the Dan vs. Phil video-" (thank you dizzy haha) but I don't think anyone predicted that? What a strange oversight? DPgames seems like the only channel without creative energy, I don't understand what changes they expect to make, at least not stuff that can be phased in with the chill videos currently happening. If they want a break from YouTube I don't know why they didn't just say so, but they seemed to imply AP is gonna be around and there may even be DINOF early next year. So why is the gaming channel--the least effort most fun channel for them--the one sacrificed? Maybe just the sheer time to make so many consistent videos? Maybe it is the flat, but it seems like a strange excuse?

They were pretty short when they talked about moving. Just "no" which could mean "not yet" or "not right now" very easily. I feel like that's something they don't want to let us in on quite yet, just a feeling.

I can't really wrap my head around this gaming channel decision. But in general, I am happy they talked to us in a liveshow about it and reassured us that there is no apocalypse. I feel like their life stuff is really good right now--openly spending pre or post xmas with the lesters together. I'll take that as consolation. I'm just going to miss lots of content during winter!

(also phil's coat was just fine. don't know why that boy needs 4 coats, tru dan)

[LurkingTrash]

it's been hard not to feel anxious, sad and grieving about this, i've seen the end of pinof coming but the dapg 'hiatus'? that shook me, all in the same liveshow too

but i'm glad they communicated that in that way to us, even if there was frustrating lag

and i'm hopeful, they have showed us in the past that stopping something great means greater things coming; them saying they are going to keep making content in their main channels is also reassuring

i'm curious about 2019 and i hope the break will help them rest (physically, emotionally, mentally...) and figure things out, i'm happy when they are happy and i hope 2019 will bring more of that, especially now with them choosing their path for their own wishes, it's time to give the people what dan and phil want and i'm SO proud of them for that

[BuffyFiona]

Now that my sadness has cleared a bit, another thing that really struck me is, once again, Phil's reluctance to promise ANYTHING AT ALL whereas Dan is like "come on, we literally CAN promise them the Dilmas vid tomorrow, we already filmed it." I remember this from last year's Gamingmas, where Dan kept being like "A VIDEO EVERY DAY UNTIL CHRISTMAS" and Phil kept tacking on "PROBABLY!" and I just think it's an interesting dynamic, because I think as was evidenced today, there is a sort of weird relationship between Deppy and their fans in terms of expecting content and then being upset when they end up not fulfilling what, to the fans, seemed like a promise. So Phil seems to keep wanting to build in this wiggle room where it almost seems unnecessary (like, they already filmed tomorrow's video, they probably have partially edited it by now at least, since they seemed to have prefilmed by quite a bit, and it doesn't seem as though they have other commitments tomorrow). But then, bigger things like various promises of things during the tour, he didn't seem as bothered by breaking "promises"... or at least I didn't notice that...

I just think it's interesting that Dan is like "shut up yes we can promise a video tomorrow you twit" when he's the one who has been burned before a lot by promising weekly videos (back in the day) or videos in certain months or about certain things (more recently), and then not delivering on those, and then getting flack from everyone like "it's been 82 years release the forbidden Las Vegas footage bitch!" And yet it seems to be Phil who can get more conservative and wary around committing to posting a video they've already made... Sorry I'm waffling to get my mind in a more positive mindset

[Phantasy]

Wow...that was...wow.
Here’s what I’m thinking... 2018 was such whirlwind for them creatively and emotionally that this just feels like a nice natural chapter break. From Dan living his truth and connecting more with himself and in turn being more open with his audience, to the months and months of touring, and the rise of queer Phil, there was a lot to unpack in 2018.

If 2018 was the year of them growing as individuals, I think maybe now is the time they want to take to focus on themselves as a couple... what do they want out of their relationship... nearly 10 years in, what sort of future do they want together... kids, marriage (probably not), forever home. They are well established financially and don’t have to work as hard or at the same pace they’ve been going at, so it probably feels like the right time to figure some of those things out. Part of the equation is of course how much they want to share with their audience, I don’t think they’re quite ready yet, but are slowly getting more comfortable with the idea. Good evidence was Dan’s explanation of going up north... it was a funny anecdote, but was obviously a rehearsed reason... he didn’t over explain or waffle too much, which is something he for sure would have done in the past, but still it fell short of the real/obvious reason.

As much as I think Dan is well capable of making his channel return a 2018 meme year in review to troll everybody, I am passionately convinced that it will be about sexuality and the continuation of his living my truth series... as a by product, putting the gaming channel on hold will grant him some breathing room so he doesn’t feel the pressures of scrutiny for changes in behavior or interaction with Phil (after all, the last big plausible deniability separating Phan as a couple is their sexuality).

Now that they are back in cahoots with the BBC, I love the idea that they are planning a new project... I’m all for a D&P Podcast produced by (or in collaboration with) the BBC... I think that would be the perfect content vehicle for them.

Last bit worth talking about, which is huge growth IMO, is the causal mention of Dan’s brother! I’m not expecting a collab video anytime soon, but acknowledging his existence is at least progress.

[ratlad]

i have mostly collected my thoughts off of the cold, wet concrete along with my shattered heart. i would have appreciated a heads up BEFORE the last pinof tbh. i would have appreciated it more and properly mourned it. i would have been better and more okay than i am now.

now onto dapg, i don't trust the word "haitus" and i know that's a personal issue of mine (when fall out boy split up around 2010, they used that word but then came back in 2013. also i vaguely remember mcr using that word as well back when they split, or like an article writer who interviewed G Way?? sigh.)
i wonder if dnp will announce it on the last day of dilmas with an MCR reference. i don't want it but it's bound to happen.

i DO want them to do what THEY want, i promise. but it's just not easy as a fan when what they say is up to interpretation. i very much appreciate their honesty, but two truth bombs (available at danandphilshop.com) in one sitting is a lot to take in. i know it isn't going to be the end and i know 2019 is not going to be horrible for dnp. but this situation will just leave me to be on edge with anxiety, excitement, fear, etc... until next year. which are all synonymous at this point tbh.
i could understand the end of pinof, but the haitus part fully smacked me in the face. i feel like when phil said he felt like smacking something yesterday, he secretly smacked me and it was delayed by 24 hrs.
like??? y'all just gonna take your purse and leave??? steal my car while you're at it and take the entire basket of bread sticks. leave me with the soggy salad.

okay im being dramatic, im kidding. they worked their collective ass off this year and they deserve a break, but i hate that i keep thinking it's an end?? even though they said it isn't?? they also said that it's a coincidence that pinof is ending and dapg is going on haitus. they said it wasn't related and that they both are still making content.

i just want them to be happy and i want you guys to be happy.
okay i'm not upset anymore i don't think, just very confused.

[Stakhanov]

@BuffyFiona I don't think that's really something new. Phil has always had a habbit of letting Dan bring any bad news, or just not saying anything. The way his talked about how he found it obvious that pinof 10 was going to be the last one says a lot.
He's less forthcoming (you might also say honest) in his communication, and often gets away with remaining the pristine perfect, 'unproblematic' one while predictable Dan gets the heat directed at him. It's maybe partly just reflective of their personalities (Dan being more direct and willing to share, Phil being more reserved and diplomatic) but I think a large part of it is also somewhat deliberate and the result of audience expectations.
I don't blame Phil really for sticking to the 'clean' brand of "AmazingPhil", he basically gets treated like some kind of larger- than-life K-pop star by some. I'd say that's one of the main problems with the D&P-audience interaction in general. Some people just want to treat them as their own little dolls with perfect characters and full of character 'growth', while they are of course real people with complex characters which we only ever see a part of. I bet that's one of the things that makes the want to "pause and reconsider" what they want to do. Dan has for example always pushed against the "wholesome howell" pastel image and phan for that matter but that's another debate and I feel Phil as a 32 yo is getting tired of playing the teen who only ever has positive opinions about plants and animals. Not wanting to films his video's on a bed anymore might be his more diplomatic, roundabout way of saying he wants to get out of that branded cage.

For all we can speculate about 2019 now though, I feel that it's very much gonna be a wait and see period (as it always is with deppy) because if they already have concrete plans they aren't really hinting at them much, and for all of their talk about creative reflection they haven't really changed the direction of their channels to much in the last years, so maybe they'll just return to doing more or less the same thing after a long break. There's plenty of incentives for them to just keep doing what they do and that's an easier path than taking risk and expanding horizons.

[vacule]

I'm well prepared to eat my words come January, but I highly doubt Dan's video is going to be in any way life-changing or different. I genuinely think it will still be a 2018 Dan memes video, much like how every overhyped DINOF video ends up being an ISG. We've definitely seen Dan open up more about 'his truth' but somehow I don't think he's going to make any massive statement about his sexuality. (Maybe because I'm not convinced he has any massive statements to make about his sexuality...)

Phil changing his background will be interesting. I wonder what he'll choose - a desk? Their lounge? Phil enjoys making it seem like he's inviting you into his personal life (ie by filming in his bedroom) while keeping a very careful distance and hiding his actual personal life very well.

I do think they'll be announcing some kind of big project for 2019 that will dramatically cut into their YouTube time. They've steadily grown more disillusioned by YouTube (which as a platform is also slowly losing credibility) and I think it seems natural for them to step away from it for the most part and do something else with their careers. I do still find them to be very awkward hosts (I hate hate hate their presenter voices) so I hope it's not a hosting gig. I'm not sure radio pays as well either, so I don't think they'll do that either. But it will be interesting to watch. I hope it's a podcast, but I don't have high hopes.

I love the idea of them taking 2019 to figure out their next steps as a couple. I wonder if they have enough to buy a house (probably not in London), or if they're at least investing so that they'll eventually have enough to buy a house big enough for both of them. I kind of doubt the dog will happen - neither of them seemed very keen anyway and I think they wouldn't be able to keep up with caring for it anyway.

Personally I hope that in 2019 they invest more time developing their individual goals and breakaway from the Dan and Phil branding. I think they've spent more than enough time building it and truly hammering it into us since 2016 and I think for them to feel more comfortable about sharing their actual relationship with the public, they need to leave some distance between themselves and that manufactured branding. If they both take 2019 to develop their own personal interests and branding (and I don't think they'll both be going on the same path) I suspect it will be much easier to be open about their relationship as it'll feel less like a brand and more like two individuals who have chosen each other.

I'm interested to see what will happen but I kind of doubt there will be much change. There have been countless times where we've anticipated big changes or big announcements, and nothing has happened. I would be equally unsurprised if the gaming channel is reinstated in February after they've had some time to think about producing more regular content now that they don't have the tour to use as an excuse to shun their YouTube responsibilities.

[dancy]

Hoo boy, that was a lot! Starting with PINOF, I wasn't actually expecting for it to end despite many others saying it probably would for ages. PINOF wasn't even my favourite series of theirs but it was their special tradition and I'm sad to see it go.

However, what I'm especially sad about is the DAPG hiatus. I'm really really really gonna miss that frequent content and their joint dynamic. I don't do well with change and had a hard time dealing with the lack of content at the beginning of this year, so I already know adjusting to this is gonna be difficult for me. I don't think it's truly the end of the gaming channel though, I think it's what they said it would be, a creative break. Y'know, to think about which direction they wanna take the channel in and about what they want in life, both personally and professionally. As much as I have been enjoying the last few gaming videos, I can see why they might want to switch things up and why they feel like now (at the end of a busy year, along with the end of Golf with Friends, Dan vs Phil and probably the Sims) would be a good time to pause the channel.

I do hope we'll continue to get joint content in some form though, whether it's on AmazingPhil, live shows or some other type of project. Speaking of live shows, what's happening to those? I feel like they won't be doing them as often anymore either because there just won't be that much to discuss (no gaming videos and tour/DVD stuff is almost over). So, what content will we get then? Yes, their main channels exist and Dan's channel will finally come back from the grave (not with a Top Dan Memes video, he already said he wasn't gonna do more of those) but even then, it's not like either of them ever used to upload particularly often and I don't expect that to change. I hope the quality will make up for the quantity... I know this break is gonna be good for them and amazing things may happen but I'm also sad for myself and not knowing what the future holds makes me anxious.

As for moving, meh, I still don't see it happening. Don't take this the wrong way, I'd be ecstatic if they were to move into their forever home and get a dog and whatnot but currently I just see it as wishful thinking. Besides some statements that were made 1.5 years ago ("Renting is bad, this isn't a forever home" etc.), there's not much that suggests they're moving anytime soon in my opinion.

In regards to coming out, I doubt that would benefit them in any way. I think they're perfectly fine at this point, showing affection and not holding back so much but still being able to keep their love life private. It's not like making their relationship public would come without consequences in the form of homophobia, unwanted attention, invasiveness, feelings of betrayal and disappointment etc. I'd applaud their bravery but I think it wouldn't be easy for them at all, especially if they want to focus more on their solo careers.

[knq]

now onto dapg, i don't trust the word "haitus" and i know that's a personal issue of mine (when fall out boy split up around 2010, they used that word but then came back in 2013. also i vaguely remember mcr using that word as well back when they split, or like an article writer who interviewed G Way?? sigh.)
i wonder if dnp will announce it on the last day of dilmas with an MCR reference. i don't want it but it's bound to happen.

Right? Hiatus to me means "I intend to come back to the thing but I definitely won't." I've been reading fanfiction for like 15 years. Fanfics go on hiatus and they don't come back. Hiatus is the place where all good things go to die. RIP dapg you will be missed.

[alittledizzy]

I do hope we'll continue to get joint content in some form though, whether it's on AmazingPhil, live shows or some other type of project. Speaking of live shows, what's happening to those? I feel like they won't be doing them as often anymore either because there just won't be that much to discuss (no gaming videos and tour/DVD stuff is almost over). So, what content will we get then? Yes, their main channels exist and Dan's channel will finally come back from the grave (not with a Top Dan Memes video, he already said he wasn't gonna do more of those) but even then, it's not like either of them ever used to upload particularly often and I don't expect that to change. I hope the quality will make up for the quantity... I know this break is gonna be good for them and amazing things may happen but I'm also sad for myself and not knowing what the future holds makes me anxious.

I have a feeling that January will be for solo videos - which, once I looked back at the gaming channel, I realized isn't actually that strange. They've had gaps from gaming content for the past few years that lasted from December 24/25 to 18/20, but both of them would usually post at least one solo video the week before that.

I think knowing they had this break coming has made the last few DAPG games so fantastic. I think they felt freer and happier to be doing what they were doing. And that makes me optimistic, because I think the ideal for us and them is for them to find a balance with their personal life (whether that's moving, reconnecting with friends they haven't gotten to see regularly in close to a year, generally just having time where their life isn't so hectic and stressful to the point where Phil's body is literally giving up consciousness) and their work life (content creation). And to the post earlier talking about how youtubers of their generation now are finding out the burnout point - I'm in favor of what helps them avoid that. I think that they've seen enough examples of youtubers figuring out how to do it the right way and ones doing it the wrong way (Charlie McDonnel, etc) that they're gonna weave the right kind of path that satisfies us all. Grace Helbig and Lilly Singh both recently took breaks - and were back after a month or so seeming to both have come to some conclusions about balance and mental health.

now onto dapg, i don't trust the word "haitus" and i know that's a personal issue of mine (when fall out boy split up around 2010, they used that word but then came back in 2013. also i vaguely remember mcr using that word as well back when they split, or like an article writer who interviewed G Way?? sigh.)
i wonder if dnp will announce it on the last day of dilmas with an MCR reference. i don't want it but it's bound to happen.

Right? Hiatus to me means "I intend to come back to the thing but I definitely won't." I've been reading fanfiction for like 15 years. Fanfics go on hiatus and they don't come back. Hiatus is the place where all good things go to die. RIP dapg you will be missed.

The differences are that a) fanfic isn't a job, and b) The bands that split up did so because they wanted individual careers; Dan and Phil do not do that and reassured us in about a thousand different ways that this wasn't the end of them, complete with committing to future joint videos (mukbang, baking) and saying literally only the two things are happening and that there is no other Dan and Phil apocalypse. They went out of their way to try and avoid splitting-up-forever drama, which to me says that even if DAPG didn't come back something else better will.

[dc34]

Wow that was a way to end 2018 so here we go, when they voluntarily offered the information about Dan going to the IOM, I thought this will be the highlight of the live show but boy did I have a storm coming. Its cute that he's going and i love how its under the pretense of the mince pies. Also, lol @ dip saying phil was leaving for a month when it was only for 9 days and they will spend most of those days together.

The lag was awful, and it cut off right when they announced dapg haitus so I didn't catch at first. I don't really have time to process this but im lowkey scared. DAPG was the one place we could count to see them, bc they dont upload often. They did promise more individual channel content to make up for it. Don't blame me for not believing this.

Phil finally getting rid of his set

The end of pinof, im almost shocked by how sad I am over it. Nothing imo can ever replace pinof and what it stood for

this + mark's graduation from nct dream, its just so many things I love ending in December

No one mentioned it, but Dan mentioning his brother for the first time in years made me go

Glad they're pushing back the watch party for Jan, Im shocked they even moved it to next year but that was the only solution I could see and I guess so did they.

Im on team they're moving out next year, i don't know when but it'll happen. Forever home 2K19 , ive planted the seed and I will see it harvest

IM scared, excited, and curious over 2019

[goodbants]

I haven't caught up with all the posts since the liveshow but I'd like to put my perspective. I'm not sad or scared by all this change at all. I've honestly never been much of a gamer, and while I like to watch them play it has gotten kind of stale for me personally. Also I agree with them that it's better to end a series when it's still loved than let it fizzle out to the point where everyone gets bored with it.

I have full faith in Dan and Phil that they'll bring something exciting and new to the table. This is the most excited I've been for a long time, actually, cause I think it's time for a change. I've been through so much change I think he phandom already. I remember all the different phases, like the super amazing project, the very beginning of the radio show when we were all so excited and proud of them, the seven second challenge, literally so many things over the years. I am so so excited to see what they have planned next, with their new, mature personas.

I just really hope that they don't leave the internet. I don't think they will, but there's always that fear in the back of my mind. I'm about to get a tattoo of them for godsake, they can't leave before I get them immortalized on my left shoulder blade!!

[itasca00]

The real reason the final Dan vs. Phil video bummed me out so much yesterday was exactly because it felt like Dan and Phil were cutting all ties between DanAndPhilGAMES and 2019. It felt like they were leaving open the possibility of announcing a hiatus (or even an end) to the gaming channel. Yesterday, I consoled myself with the knowledge that it was obvious that they weren’t leaving the internet for good, and I have to say that this liveshow made me feel even better about the situation. It’s so much better to know where their heads are at than to be left in the dark guessing as to what’s going to happen next, and it sounds like they’re definitely thinking this will be a shorter rather than longer hiatus.

After PINOF 10, I also felt like they were definitely leaving open the possibility of having it be the final one. PINOFs are some of my favorite videos, and I’m definitely going to miss them. But I also understand why they felt they needed to end the series. It’s impossible to top yourself every year, and, like they said, many people feel that it’s best to end something that’s popular on a high. (I don’t personally agree, but I do understand.)

To anyone out there who’s feeling low after the liveshow, I say: Give it some time. It’s clear that Dan and Phil aren’t going anywhere, and, if we want them to continue to stick around online for years to come, they need to be happy with what they’re doing. That means they need room to grow and make changes and try new things. I trust Dan and Phil, and I’m sure that whatever’s coming next will be amazing.

With all that said, here are my (somewhat comprehensive) highlights for the liveshow:

• The first thing I noticed was that Phil was being serious about the antlers in his tweet about the liveshow! I don’t know why I doubted that he was, but it’s just so cute!
• [0:50] Dan announces that this will be the last liveshow of the year.
• [1:02] Phil hits Dan in the face with his antlers, and Dan bends the antler out of the way. Then, Phil responds:

  P: Hey! Don’t erect my antler!
  D: I’ll do whatever I want to your antlers. That was--Okay.
  P: Now they’re really wonky. They’re like a deer that failed to fight for another deer.
  D: Yes, I love these. I’m, like, stumpy, and it’s kinda cute.
  P: What part of the reindeer’s body is this, though? *touches Dan’s earmuff*
  D: I don’t want to think--Like, each ass--I don’t know the size.
  P: Ass cheeks?!

• [2:26] This is the last liveshow of the year because Phil will be staying with his family for nine days over Christmas. Dan doesn’t relate. He tries to spend as little time at his family’s house as possible because he feels like he reverts to being a child when staying in his old bedroom under his parents’ rules. Phil says that Dan’s family is lovely, and he asks whether Dan’s room still has a gold wall. Dan doesn’t know.
• [3:57] Phil likes going home because his mom makes nice food for him, and Dan agrees that Phil’s mom is an amazing host. Apparently, Phil’s parents love to host people in their house, and they do so all the time.
• [4:31] Phil’s mom invited Dan to stay at their house, and it took a bit of convincing before he agreed. He didn’t want to “go somewhere and then come back” because it sounded “boring.” But Phil’s mom eventually won him over by telling him about all the mince pies she had made for everyone. Dan will be with the Lesters for a while, but he’s definitely spending Christmas with his family.
• [6:29] Dan tells a story of being shouted at by his neighbor. Apparently, he was singing “Helena” by My Chemical Romance very loudly while playing Rock Band...at 2am. Phil explained that they had been out for a Christmas thing with some friends. Dan’s excuse is that he didn’t know that their neighbor would be home because they’re never there, and he and Phil had heard that their neighbor uses their apartment as an office.
• [9:35] Phil tells the story of the tweet below.
• [11:34] Dan comments on how sad it is that they have such terrible internet while living in Central London.
• [11:51] Dan tells the story of the tweet below.
• [13:25] Someone in chat tells Dan to change his profile picture. Dan’s response is not audible in the recording, and it wasn’t audible when I watched the liveshow live. Phil’s response is pretty great, though:

  P: What you could do is just go scribble some curls on, uh, Photoshop, and you’d be fine.
  D: I’m--Yes, totally. That’s--That’s what my hair looks like. Thank you, Phil.
  P: Or take a photo of some spaghetti and just superimpose that on top of your head on the picture.
  D: Okay. That’s disturbing.

• [17:13] Dan and Phil talk about the Interactive Introverts Tumblr Answer Time. Dan says he liked it better than the TATINOF one because this one was more than just text, and Phil says it was more low-key because they just did it in their apartment rather than at Tumblr headquarters. Dan says that they got an email from Tumblr saying that their Answer Time was the most popular of all time ever. They say that this Answer Time got more questions than any other Answer Time ever has.
• [19:23] Dan says that he’s stealing all of the decorations from the London pop-up shop that were bought and not rented. He wants several of the houseplants and especially the neon sign that says “the void” (pictured below). Phil says he wanted to hang “the void” sign above the toilet, but Dan refused. Dan’s going to put it where he films his videos. As he’s said in the past, Dan wants to have “a more attractive, aesthetic video station.” He says he feels like he can do more.

• [19:45] Phil explains that he also wants to change his video background.

  P: I was saying that too also about mine. Wasn’t I?
  D: Yeah, but you don’t have an idea yet.
  P: I don’t have an idea yet, but I do want to--I want to change it up a bit.
  D: How?
  P: Well, I don’t think I’m gonna sit in front of a bed any more.
  D: Why?
  P: I dunno! I just wanna have a different vibe. You know? I wanna--
  D: But, yeah, but a--but… What sort of things?
  P: What do you mean? In the background?
  D: You need like--You need like cute lighting.
  P: Yeah.
  D: Like, background lights. Couple trinkets.
  P: I think I’m gonna keep some of the f--
  D: Are you gonna have a wall color?
  P: Ooh. I think I’m--
  D: Are you gonna have like a green and a blue wall?
  P: I’m gonna keep the Phil aesthetic. Definitely.
  D: Yeah.
  P: I mean, maybe I’ll just sit in--sit in front of, like, a wall of plants.
  D: When are you--Just one of those vertical planters and be like, “Hi, I’m Phil.”
  P: Yeah.
  D: “I’m in the rainforest.” I hate those. Uh, no offense.
  P: I might do that. Um, yeah. I just--
  D: When are you gonna do that?
  P: Uhh.
  D: January? [unintelligible]
  P: Uh, I--I might...
  D: Can you--Can you involve everybody in the process? If I did that, I--
  P: I might [unintelligible]
  D: [unintelligible] involve. Let’s make it like a--a group project.
  P: A project. Yeah.
  D: Everyone has a say. Do everything via votes on Instagram Stories.
  P: I will. Just every single thing.
  D: But, actually, every time I’ve ever done that, people have been like, “Hey, Dan, what should I change my hair to?” and everyone’s just like, “The bowl cut.”
  P: Yeah.
  D: So maybe don’t--Give them options that you’re happy with.
  P: It will take a while to change it up. But I ju--I--I wanna, like, maybe do that.

• [20:59] Dan and Phil talk about the last three gaming videos they’ve posted (the final Dan vs. Phil, Heartthrob, and the final golf game).
• [22:29] Dan and Phil announce that they’re taking a pause on uploading to DanAndPhilGAMES. It’s not a “life thing.” They just want to pause to have a “creative think.” They want to pause the ongoing commitment to have an assessment. There is no plan. It could be three weeks. It could be six months. It could be 52 years.
• [24:05] Dan reassures everyone that they’re not going anywhere:

  D: ‘Cause Phil’s, uh, not redoing his AmazingPhil background in order to not upload anymore.
  P: No. You will see me on there.
  D: And theoretically, um, if I ever upload on danisnotonfire again--
  P: Yeah.
  D: --the uploads will be more regular than they are now, so that’s--that’s great.
  P: So you’ll still see us on the internet. Don’t worry about that.

• [24:28] Dan thinks that, if this was to be the last thing on DanAndPhilGAMES, it had to be The Sims. Phil thinks it’s the perfect way to close this chapter on DanAndPhilGAMES. Phil thanks everyone who has supported DanAndPhilGAMES up to this pause. Phil thinks it’s better to take a deliberate pause than to let things fizzle out while they’re figuring things out.
• [25:35] Dan and Phil announce that PINOF 10 was the last one. Phil thinks it was somewhat obvious. He’s wrong. Dan says that, for years, they’ve said they’d do ten PINOFs. Phil didn’t want to say that in a video because it would ruin some of the magic. Dan agrees that you can’t be meta in a PINOF. Dan and Phil agree that it’s best to end something “on a high” or “when it’s good.” They compare PINOF to your favorite TV show, saying that, after 27 seasons, you wouldn’t care any more, the creators wouldn’t care any more, and it wouldn’t be magical any more. Dan says they tried to do things that made it seem more like the first PINOF.
• [27:42] Dan reads a chat comment asking about yearly mukbangs. Dan says there are plenty of recurring series that will still happen that aren’t as special as PINOF. Phil promises that there’s going to be another mukbang. Dan brings up baking and says that they could keep baking for 80 years without ruining it, unlike PINOF.
• [28:19] Phil brings up PINOF 10 bloopers. Dan says he doesn’t know if that exists and that that’s a big thing for Phil to just randomly suggest.
• [28:42] Some interesting perspectives from Dan and Phil:

  D: But hey, it’s a good thing! Hurray for personal growth.
  P: Yeah.
  D: And doing positive things for your mental health. And, you know, don’t ever feel like you gotta keep doing something--
  P: Just because people expect it.
  D: Always in your--Always in your--No, but, like...of the keeping going thing.
  P: Oh, yeah.
  D: Take a moment to pause for yourself and think about what you’re doing and what you want the future to be.
  P: Yeah.
  D: Don’t just let things keep going on as [audio cuts out] time slip away.
  P: Mmm.
  D: The time to stop and think. Like, think again: What am I doing?
  P: Yeah.

• [29:16] Phil says that there will still be things. You can’t just expect them to do nothing next year.
• [29:44] It sounds like Dan definitely has a goal of uploading something near the beginning of next year.
• [30:46] Dan returns to the story of him bothering his neighbor with his singing at 2am. Dan imitates his own singing, and Phil covers Dan’s mouth with his arm.
• [31:37] Dan and Phil are delaying the Interactive Introverts Twitter viewing party until January because they have realized that many people will not get their copy until after Christmas. (Good job, boys! )
• [32:39] Dan reads a question from the chat about whether they are moving. They both say no.
• [32:56] Phil says that there were two things that made him realize that 2018 had been a long year. One was the birth of Colleen Ballinger’s baby. The other was the realization that Queer Eye was released in 2018.
• [33:10] Dan reads a question about whether they can get a dog in 2019, and Phil answers by asking rhetorically whether they can look after themselves.
• [33:52] Dan says that he wanted Joe Sugg to win Strictly Come Dancing because he worked so hard. Phil says he wanted Joe to win because he’s a “good egg.” They say that he’s a good representative of the YouTube world, and he’s not Logan Paul. At [34:49], Dan reads a chat comment saying that “you” on Strictly would be hilarious. He questions who and makes a joke about him and Phil going on together at the same time while strapped together for some three-legged dancing. I’d watch
• [34:54] Phil tells a story about not knowing his left from his right. The other day, he (and it sounds like Dan too) was in a taxi, and he gave the driver the wrong directions, making him drive away from his and Dan’s apartment.
• [35:51] Dan recaps the liveshow saying that PINOF 10 was the last one and that they’re taking a break from the gaming channel for a bit. He says there’s no other extended Dan and Phil apocalypse. He qualifies that it would be a problem if YouTube shut down due to Article 13. Phil jokes that they would then move to America.
• [38:35] Dan and Phil say they haven’t exchanged gifts yet, but they have both bought each other gifts. Dan says that he got Phil something that he doesn’t want Phil to break. Phil says Dan’s is food related.
• [39:03] Phil says that he gifted himself a coat that Dan hates. Phil showed his “other friend” the coat, and she said it was “interesting.” Dan’s first complaint is that Phil already has four coats. He also says that it’s easy for Phil to look cool because he has pale skin and black hair, and he already has the perfect navy coat (pictured below).
  He doesn’t think the colors of Phil’s new coat look good on Phil. Phil reads some comments from the chat that are supportive before saying:

  P: The survey says…
  D: Shut the fuck up. The surveys disagree. Right.
  P: We support it.
  D: “Parkas” are nice.
  P: Dan is jealous.

  Dan reiterates that Phil’s navy coat makes him look really cool.
• [41:47] Phil shows a present to show off how good his wrapping skills have gotten. Dan asks if the present is for him, and Phil says no. Dan says Phil wouldn’t try that hard for him.
• [42:21] Dan says that his family is having a full vegan Christmas this year, much to the chagrin of his grandmother. He says that their grandmother is supposed to be the Christian of the family, and his family asked her, “What would Jesus do?” Dan thinks Jesus would like a vegan Christmas, but his grandmother disagrees. Dan says they’ll be having something more interesting than a nut roast because his brother and his mom are better at cooking than he is.
• [43:11] Phil shows that he got a bag of liquorice for his mom for Christmas, and he says he’s had a really, really hard time forcing himself not to open it to eat it himself. Dan’s reaction is priceless.
• [43:56] Dan and Phil show a gift that the BBC sent them. The gift is a framed, blown up picture of the cover of the Interactive Introverts DVD that they’re going to hang on the wall.
• [44:42] Dan and Phil address the perception that Ellen DeGeneres has ripped off Truth Bombs. Phil does think Ellen’s app is very similar, but he likes to give people the benefit of the doubt. They also address the perception that Ellen ripped off The 7 Second Challenge, and they say that everyone ripped it off. Phil says that it’s fine. They’re okay and over it.
• [46:01] Dan says not to have a meltdown. Phil confirms that he and Dan are still friends. Dan makes a series of jokes about how they secretly hate each other. Then, he concludes:

  D: But, no. People are only saying that because they care--
  P: Thank you for caring!
  D: --and we appreciate that people care.
  P: We care about you! Yeah.
  D: But it’s all in the service of doing even better things for you to enjoy.
  P: Yes.
  D: So it’s all good.
  P: It’s all good.

[Loafer]

I’m interested in some speculation for what direction everyone thinks dan and Phil might go, career-wise!

Personally I think they’re bound to want to get to a place where they don’t rely so heavily on YouTube/fandom for their livelihoods. It’s been good to them so far, but for how much longer can it last? Totally projecting my own mentality, but given how screwy YouTube has been recently, I can see them wanting a solid backup plan.

I would like to see more creative content from them, especially Phil. Skits, shows, more adult oriented comedy, idk. For a random wish, I think he would be a good gbbo host, lol. Imagine him alongside Noel Fielding!

Dan seems happiest when he’s able to connect with and help other people, so I’m wondering if he’ll take more steps down the mental health charity path.

[idk]

I was holding off on making my 2019 prediction post on here for a few more days (which, yes, because I’m an asshole I will say included no pinof in 2019, and also the demise of the gaming channel but they’ve taken those ~predictions~ right out of my hands) but here I am. (Also I’m going to plagiarise myself from other places on the internet here rn but yk.)

RE: pinof ending

The end of pinof didn’t come as a surprise to me. Their reasons and justifications made sense imo. It has been 10 years, they know how to end things whilst they’re still good/before they get stale and before they're doing them just for the sake of doing them etc. It’s also reminiscent of how they ended the crafts channel/joke where Dan said in a liveshow not long after the final crafts video ‘you can’t keep something going on forever’/ ‘let’s make it good and tight so let’s do 3 and then end it’. They definitely gave off that vibe in the pinof too.

Also, I definitely thought Phil would end up ditching the AmazingPhil room in 2019 and I didn’t think they would have done a pinof in any other room than that one. If you wanted further ~confirmation (before the announcement) look at the live show after pinof - the chat was absolutely filled with ‘is this the last pinof’ questions and they didn’t answer a single one. That, imo, was as good as confirmation too. It would have been easier just to say ‘no, it’s not the last one’ and they didn’t.

Also, I just wanted to say them mentioning that they did things in this pinof like the house plant tour in homage to the first pinof was so sweet. They really did value that series and gave it a death full of dignity and grace. It went out well.

RE: The end of DAPG

In terms of them taking a ~break from the pressure of on-going uploads/content I think it’s clear to see why they’re doing it and why it is a very valid and dare I say expected thing for them to do. It has been over 5 years, the last time being 2013, since their only ongoing ~projects were their main channels. Their last 5 years in terms of on-going/main projects:

2013: Radio show

2014: Start of dapg, radio show, writing first book, planning first tour

2015: Planning tour, radio show, making/releasing the 7SC app, uk tour, writing/releasing the first book release, dapg

2016: US tour, AU tour, making/releasing the second book, end of radio show, two movies editing and release, Dan’s gaming doco, dapg

2017: Moving, planning the 2nd worldwide tour - bigger than the first, making/releasing truth bombs, dapg

2018: Second world-wide tour, movie release, dapg

All that in addition to other things like conventions, and hosting the Brits for several years and hosting the TCAs etc. And that’s just the main/big projects per year. They also worked on their personal channels, founded several companies, did some collabs, travelled for various other things/events etc.

Filming, editing, and uploading a dapg video at least once every approx 10 days does/will get in the way of other pursuits. I think it comes to a point where, yes, absolutely, they still make money off dapg uploads but does the amount of work it takes in making dapg ~justify or make it worth it? (And is this something they even want to do?) We know they’re bound to have other interests and goals and dreams. JackSepticEye himself has said the height of gaming on youtube is over. There’s also algorithm problems, AdSense problems etc.

They cited similar reasons for ending the weekly radio show - time commitment, the end didn’t justify the means - all the planning and meetings and having to go into to the radio all day on Sundays etc just to be live for only 2 hours became too much/not ~worth it for them. I definitely think this is a factor here too.

In addition to the fact that a break has been a long time coming, I think it’s worth noting that Dan and Phil are literally both multi-millionaires, things that would be in their best interests re: money don’t have the same weight to them as they do to people who aren’t millionaires. They can afford to end things because they want to. They can afford to take time to think about where they’re going next. They can afford to take risks. And either way, the money from dapg doesn’t completely stop if (when/as) they decide to end it. Re-watches will continue to generate (some) money for them.

I think the scariest part of this for them would have been the initial announcement, now they’ve done that they can breathe a little easier. I give them major props for actually doing it.

They have a track record for ending things on the promise that it’s a hiatus and then not coming back to it (radio show, sap, etc.) and I, honestly, think it would be best to end it here in this situation. IMO, even if they do make a return to that channel I don’t imagine the channel would live past 2019. They have, imo, set up the perfect end for dapg. They’ve ended the Dan versus Phil series and given it a winner, it seems like there will be some closure for the end of the sims series. Not only are they giving the sims series an end/closure but ending it now would have the sims be the final video(s) on the channel. Something they’ve done intentionally too – “if this was to be the last thing on dapg it had to be the sims.”

So, not only have they said it’s a hiatus and we know they’ve used that to end things but Dan said (implied) it also may not be a temporary thing and that’s more than they usually do. He mentioned it could be 3 weeks, 6 months, 52 years etc. Side note- I think it’s interesting that Phil said hiatus and nothing more than that where Dan said hiatus and then implied it could also be permanent (and will be imo).

I think the reasons they cited for ending PINOF apply to dapg too - that they know how to end things whilst they’re still good - it’s fair to say dapg has had an incredible run. Ending things when it feels right to them, not just when it has run dry. It has been 4 years, there are hundreds of videos. They’ve gone through so many fundamental changes between them and their audience, and as people in general since 2014. They also cited ‘personal growth’ and “doing positive things for your mental health” like taking the break which, imo, applies to ending it too.

Also, sometimes more than anything it’s just time. Time for new projects, new pursuits. Time to move forwards and onwards and upwards. New things are coming. And, as they’ve said, some old content is staying too.

Also, they’ve always had 3+ weeks breaks in January with dapg. We know this. No one would have assumed it was gone if it were only gone for (the most part of) January.

They also made sure to emphasise the fact that they’ll still be on the internet, on their main channels, they’re not leaving youtube/going anywhere – I firmly believe this is true. It’s just new and different content coming.

So, if there’s any time to end it, in my opinion, it’s now. They’ve got the tough stuff out of the way. They’ve made preparations for it, they’ve laid the ground work down for it. The channel will not last forever and I don’t think it should either. They’ve given it the ending, imo, it deserves and one that makes sense. Everything has been laid down for it. They just need to commit to the idea – which they will imo.

Ultimately, as they explicitly said in the live show, they have not yet made a decision about it. They’re giving themselves time to think. But they have planted the seeds for it being the end so if they decide that they do want to end it, they can. And they acknowledged it. That’s a smart move imo. More than anything, I do hope they do genuinely take a while to think through things seriously and in the long term.

Also, tangentially, I think it’s interesting to note that in that 2012 live show they said they wanted to/had plans to make a Heartthrob video together and it was then the final non dvp/non sims video they uploaded.

RE: Dan

I think Dan will make a comeback to his channel and focus on it more. Dan has frequently said he’s got a lot of ideas for his channel, and I 100% firmly, genuinely, and sincerely believe that it’s true. I’m expecting these to be videos in which Dan is a lot more open and transparent about who he is and will talk about things like his mental health experiences, therapy experiences, personal thoughts and feelings about different subjects etc.

I said a couple months ago on here that I think a video about sexuality is something Dan’s planning on making, I still think it is. It’ll hit the internet sometime next year.

In terms of an actual announcement about their relationship/being together? Not something I’d bet my money on. If anything, I could see a drop of a ‘boyfriend/partner’ mention in a video (be it Dan's sexuality video or some other video) and then let people live with their assumptions - that it’s Phil, which, yeah, it is. Which, lbr, they're already doing so yk.

Also, in light of their assumption people would understand things from taking hints (re: the end of pinof, re: interpreting the final dvp as the end of dapg etc.) I think it’s fair to say they employ this ~~~~tactic/method in other places. They’re not straight. They aren’t closeted. They aren’t hiding anymore. They’re living and letting people live with their assumptions. It also works with that time Dan said he’d been dropping small hints about moving before they actually did. They do this. It works.

My personal hope is that Dan writes a book one day. I think the written word is his strongest medium of communication and something he knows how to do well imo. Not only is he very good at writing, I think it the things that come with writing (ie. the ability to edit and think before publishing etc) benefit him too.

RE: Phil

I have no idea what Phil’s plans are for his channel but I’m incredibly happy not only that he’s ditching the AmazingPhil set but that he’s also ditching filming in front of a bed altogether. This means something imo.

I hope he does something off youtube in addition to his main channel videos – though I don’t think this’ll be happening in the immediate/near distant future. But give it some time. He’s mentioned having ideas for a game show several times in the past year or two, maybe he’ll do something with that. I’m incredibly intrigued. I just hope he makes it off youtube at some point, which I have faith that he will.

Other stuff:

I think liveshows will dramatically decrease in frequency and go back to being as and when. They seemed firm on this idea before the tour and I think they continued joint live shows after the tour in line with their Giving The People What They Want theme. Their reasons for switching to doing liveshows as and when were solid and fair imo ie. Dan/them not always having good days/weeks, not always having things to (or that they can) talk about – I think this is relevant now more than ever, being busy some weeks/not having time/scheduling issues etc. I think I'll miss these the most, but, yeah, I do understand.

I’m still 110000% sure we will get joint content in some capacity. In what capacity? I don’t know. I’d love a podcast, I’d love something more chilled and real, if you will. I'm open to many possibilities. They’re not leaving Youtube any time soon of that I’m sure. 

I think one of the main takeaway sentences of the live show comes from Dan: “It’s all in the service of doing even better things for you to enjoy.” It’s a very optimistic thing for him to say imo. This is a good thing, a great thing. I’m very excited to see where they go next.

(Also, if them announcing Dan’s going up north with Phil for pre-christmas on Kath's invitation is any indication of where things are headed between us and them, I’m so fucking excited.)

And a list bc predictions are fun:

2019 predictions:
“life things” 
- moving/forever home
at least one personal travel holiday 
- japhan 2.0 (or somewhere else)
no conventions 
another mukbang video
liveshows as and when - not weekly 
dog
no return to dapg

I am very very very excited for 2019 and beyond. I’ve never been more optimistic about it. They've used joint pronouns during every talk of the future. Starting 2019 and beyond with a completely new fresh blank slate is incredibly exciting. The future is bright and unseeing and the possibilities are endless right now. New things will rise. Here’s to the new era of Dan and Phil on (and off) the internet.

[ratlad]

now onto dapg, i don't trust the word "haitus" and i know that's a personal issue of mine (when fall out boy split up around 2010, they used that word but then came back in 2013. also i vaguely remember mcr using that word as well back when they split, or like an article writer who interviewed G Way?? sigh.)
i wonder if dnp will announce it on the last day of dilmas with an MCR reference. i don't want it but it's bound to happen.

Right? Hiatus to me means "I intend to come back to the thing but I definitely won't." I've been reading fanfiction for like 15 years. Fanfics go on hiatus and they don't come back. Hiatus is the place where all good things go to die. RIP dapg you will be missed.

The differences are that a) fanfic isn't a job, and b) The bands that split up did so because they wanted individual careers; Dan and Phil do not do that and reassured us in about a thousand different ways that this wasn't the end of them, complete with committing to future joint videos (mukbang, baking) and saying literally only the two things are happening and that there is no other Dan and Phil apocalypse. They went out of their way to try and avoid splitting-up-forever drama, which to me says that even if DAPG didn't come back something else better will.

oh no i'm not relating bands splitting up with dnp taking a break from their channel, it's just that i associate the word "haitus" with betrayal and pain. but also that is comforting to hear as well !!!!!! my brain drifts off to bad scenarios and trades them for reality sometimes.

thank u @itasca00 for those time stamps! it's much better to read what they said than hear it.

[fancybum]

Well they really ruined my fucking day. I was in a theatre watching Mary fucking Poppins when they announced and did their little liveshow and I had to come down from a WHOLESOME MAGICAL TIME to this shit. Trying to socialize irl but also attempt to understand what was going on in D&P world by skimming the internet (the brief glimpses of info initially giving the impression D&P just up and quit everything) was not the plan for today. "Hiatus". Cool. Aren't they still technically on hiatus for the radio? Wasn't SAP a hiatus? Cool, cool. I so enjoyed the last few dapg vids, I was warming back up to their schtick after a difficult year of feeling pretty alienated, and was totally prepared (excited, even) for a familiarly slow January before getting back to some kind of normal. But normal just does not exist with them any more. You can't go home again and nostalgia is a lie. Apart from the tour, the only consistent thing they've done this year is dwindle their content down more and more while saying all along that nothing's really changing, just stick around guys. Like I feel like I've just been strung along for months, waiting for something that seems now like it will never come, because they decided, turns out, they're over it. Dinof uploads being "more regular" than they are now doesn't really mean much of anything considering his rate this year of 2 videos (that couldn't be described as spon). So.. 4 videos for 2019? Give or take some ISGs? Totally a fair trade for ~weekly or so content on dapg. Can't. wait. Okay, I just needed to get some sky is falling off my chest because they just keep stabbing me in the heart.

Podcast/Radio theories. I always come back to Dan's snide (said with love because lol) little remark about how they don't need to do a podcast when they have a radio show, which was obviously said when they, you know, actually had a radio show. Maybe it wouldn't be so beneath him now, not that it ever should have been. Podcasts are to radio what YT is to television; why do you need boring people breathing down your neck when you can diy? Personally, I don't have any excitement toward them doing a podcast since that would be... the equivalent to joint liveshows they already.. do.. But this time with ads for Audible and Dollar Shave Club. And possibly not even filmed. Better audio quality vs. no faces, so.. ultimately a step down? But if they end up doing a podcast together, and that then leads to them going back to solo liveshows (unlikely probably, but let me hold on to the pitiful hope of something), then I support it wholeheartedly. I don't see what going back to the radio would do for them (if the radio would even want them back at this point), unless they really want to get back into presenting/hosting things for other people. For.. some.. reason. I think that one is the most left field option for next year.

Maybe this is a good thing though; I need to get a lot of shit done in 2019 and hey if they're committed to dumping their audience (however gently), then I should just consider it a favour. Oh and rip pinof- tbh I'm not too sad about that one. It had a good run and it definitely ended on a high note of cute quifftasticness. At least we'll always have danandphilg-- oh right. Well. We'll see, I guess. Happy fucking 2019.

Did they happen to mention xmas baking? Or is it just dilmas and bloopers before the end? I don't think I can bring myself to actually watch the ls.

[rizzo]

I was holding off on making my 2019 prediction post on here for a few more days (which, yes, because I’m an asshole I will say included no pinof in 2019, and also the demise of the gaming channel but they’ve taken those ~predictions~ right out of my hands) but here I am. (Also I’m going to plagiarise myself from other places on the internet here rn but yk.)

RE: pinof ending

The end of pinof didn’t come as a surprise to me. Their reasons and justifications made sense imo. It has been 10 years, they know how to end things whilst they’re still good/before they get stale and before they're doing them just for the sake of doing them etc. It’s also reminiscent of how they ended the crafts channel/joke where Dan said in a liveshow not long after the final crafts video ‘you can’t keep something going on forever’/ ‘let’s make it good and tight so let’s do 3 and then end it’. They definitely gave off that vibe in the pinof too.

Also, I definitely thought Phil would end up ditching the AmazingPhil room in 2019 and I didn’t think they would have done a pinof in any other room than that one. If you wanted further ~confirmation (before the announcement) look at the live show after pinof - the chat was absolutely filled with ‘is this the last pinof’ questions and they didn’t answer a single one. That, imo, was as good as confirmation too. It would have been easier just to say ‘no, it’s not the last one’ and they didn’t.

Also, I just wanted to say them mentioning that they did things in this pinof like the house plant tour in homage to the first pinof was so sweet. They really did value that series and gave it a death full of dignity and grace. It went out well.

RE: The end of DAPG

In terms of them taking a ~break from the pressure of on-going uploads/content I think it’s clear to see why they’re doing it and why it is a very valid and dare I say expected thing for them to do. It has been over 5 years, the last time being 2013, since their only ongoing ~projects were their main channels. Their last 5 years in terms of on-going/main projects:

2013: Radio show

2014: Start of dapg, radio show, writing first book, planning first tour

2015: Planning tour, radio show, making/releasing the 7SC app, uk tour, writing/releasing the first book release, dapg

2016: US tour, AU tour, making/releasing the second book, end of radio show, two movies editing and release, Dan’s gaming doco, dapg

2017: Moving, planning the 2nd worldwide tour - bigger than the first, making/releasing truth bombs, dapg

2018: Second world-wide tour, movie release, dapg

All that in addition to other things like conventions, and hosting the Brits for several years and hosting the TCAs etc. And that’s just the main/big projects per year. They also worked on their personal channels, founded several companies, did some collabs, travelled for various other things/events etc.

Filming, editing, and uploading a dapg video at least once every approx 10 days does/will get in the way of other pursuits. I think it comes to a point where, yes, absolutely, they still make money off dapg uploads but does the amount of work it takes in making dapg ~justify or make it worth it? (And is this something they even want to do?) We know they’re bound to have other interests and goals and dreams. JackSepticEye himself has said the height of gaming on youtube is over. There’s also algorithm problems, AdSense problems etc.

They cited similar reasons for ending the weekly radio show - time commitment, the end didn’t justify the means - all the planning and meetings and having to go into to the radio all day on Sundays etc just to be live for only 2 hours became too much/not ~worth it for them. I definitely think this is a factor here too.

In addition to the fact that a break has been a long time coming, I think it’s worth noting that Dan and Phil are literally both multi-millionaires, things that would be in their best interests re: money don’t have the same weight to them as they do to people who aren’t millionaires. They can afford to end things because they want to. They can afford to take time to think about where they’re going next. They can afford to take risks. And either way, the money from dapg doesn’t completely stop if (when/as) they decide to end it. Re-watches will continue to generate (some) money for them.

I think the scariest part of this for them would have been the initial announcement, now they’ve done that they can breathe a little easier. I give them major props for actually doing it.

They have a track record for ending things on the promise that it’s a hiatus and then not coming back to it (radio show, sap, etc.) and I, honestly, think it would be best to end it here in this situation. IMO, even if they do make a return to that channel I don’t imagine the channel would live past 2019. They have, imo, set up the perfect end for dapg. They’ve ended the Dan versus Phil series and given it a winner, it seems like there will be some closure for the end of the sims series. Not only are they giving the sims series an end/closure but ending it now would have the sims be the final video(s) on the channel. Something they’ve done intentionally too – “if this was to be the last thing on dapg it had to be the sims.”

So, not only have they said it’s a hiatus and we know they’ve used that to end things but Dan said (implied) it also may not be a temporary thing and that’s more than they usually do. He mentioned it could be 3 weeks, 6 months, 52 years etc. Side note- I think it’s interesting that Phil said hiatus and nothing more than that where Dan said hiatus and then implied it could also be permanent (and will be imo).

I think the reasons they cited for ending PINOF apply to dapg too - that they know how to end things whilst they’re still good - it’s fair to say dapg has had an incredible run. Ending things when it feels right to them, not just when it has run dry. It has been 4 years, there are hundreds of videos. They’ve gone through so many fundamental changes between them and their audience, and as people in general since 2014. They also cited ‘personal growth’ and “doing positive things for your mental health” like taking the break which, imo, applies to ending it too.

Also, sometimes more than anything it’s just time. Time for new projects, new pursuits. Time to move forwards and onwards and upwards. New things are coming. And, as they’ve said, some old content is staying too.

Also, they’ve always had 3+ weeks breaks in January with dapg. We know this. No one would have assumed it was gone if it were only gone for (the most part of) January.

They also made sure to emphasise the fact that they’ll still be on the internet, on their main channels, they’re not leaving youtube/going anywhere – I firmly believe this is true. It’s just new and different content coming.

So, if there’s any time to end it, in my opinion, it’s now. They’ve got the tough stuff out of the way. They’ve made preparations for it, they’ve laid the ground work down for it. The channel will not last forever and I don’t think it should either. They’ve given it the ending, imo, it deserves and one that makes sense. Everything has been laid down for it. They just need to commit to the idea – which they will imo.

Ultimately, as they explicitly said in the live show, they have not yet made a decision about it. They’re giving themselves time to think. But they have planted the seeds for it being the end so if they decide that they do want to end it, they can. And they acknowledged it. That’s a smart move imo. More than anything, I do hope they do genuinely take a while to think through things seriously and in the long term.

Also, tangentially, I think it’s interesting to note that in that 2012 live show they said they wanted to/had plans to make a Heartthrob video together and it was then the final non dvp/non sims video they uploaded.

RE: Dan

I think Dan will make a comeback to his channel and focus on it more. Dan has frequently said he’s got a lot of ideas for his channel, and I 100% firmly, genuinely, and sincerely believe that it’s true. I’m expecting these to be videos in which Dan is a lot more open and transparent about who he is and will talk about things like his mental health experiences, therapy experiences, personal thoughts and feelings about different subjects etc.

I said a couple months ago on here that I think a video about sexuality is something Dan’s planning on making, I still think it is. It’ll hit the internet sometime next year.

In terms of an actual announcement about their relationship/being together? Not something I’d bet my money on. If anything, I could see a drop of a ‘boyfriend/partner’ mention in a video (be it Dan's sexuality video or some other video) and then let people live with their assumptions - that it’s Phil, which, yeah, it is. Which, lbr, they're already doing so yk.

Also, in light of their assumption people would understand things from taking hints (re: the end of pinof, re: interpreting the final dvp as the end of dapg etc.) I think it’s fair to say they employ this ~~~~tactic/method in other places. They’re not straight. They aren’t closeted. They aren’t hiding anymore. They’re living and letting people live with their assumptions. It also works with that time Dan said he’d been dropping small hints about moving before they actually did. They do this. It works.

My personal hope is that Dan writes a book one day. I think the written word is his strongest medium of communication and something he knows how to do well imo. Not only is he very good at writing, I think it the things that come with writing (ie. the ability to edit and think before publishing etc) benefit him too.

RE: Phil

I have no idea what Phil’s plans are for his channel but I’m incredibly happy not only that he’s ditching the AmazingPhil set but that he’s also ditching filming in front of a bed altogether. This means something imo.

I hope he does something off youtube in addition to his main channel videos – though I don’t think this’ll be happening in the immediate/near distant future. But give it some time. He’s mentioned having ideas for a game show several times in the past year or two, maybe he’ll do something with that. I’m incredibly intrigued. I just hope he makes it off youtube at some point, which I have faith that he will.

Other stuff:

I think liveshows will dramatically decrease in frequency and go back to being as and when. They seemed firm on this idea before the tour and I think they continued joint live shows after the tour in line with their Giving The People What They Want theme. Their reasons for switching to doing liveshows as and when were solid and fair imo ie. Dan/them not always having good days/weeks, not always having things to (or that they can) talk about – I think this is relevant now more than ever, being busy some weeks/not having time/scheduling issues etc. I think I'll miss these the most, but, yeah, I do understand.

I’m still 110000% sure we will get joint content in some capacity. In what capacity? I don’t know. I’d love a podcast, I’d love something more chilled and real, if you will. I'm open to many possibilities. They’re not leaving Youtube any time soon of that I’m sure. 

I think one of the main takeaway sentences of the live show comes from Dan: “It’s all in the service of doing even better things for you to enjoy.” It’s a very optimistic thing for him to say imo. This is a good thing, a great thing. I’m very excited to see where they go next.

(Also, if them announcing Dan’s going up north with Phil for pre-christmas on Kath's invitation is any indication of where things are headed between us and them, I’m so fucking excited.)

And a list bc predictions are fun:

2019 predictions:
“life things” 
- moving/forever home
at least one personal travel holiday 
- japhan 2.0 (or somewhere else)
no conventions 
another mukbang video
liveshows as and when - not weekly 
dog
no return to dapg

I am very very very excited for 2019 and beyond. I’ve never been more optimistic about it. They've used joint pronouns during every talk of the future. Starting 2019 and beyond with a completely new fresh blank slate is incredibly exciting. The future is bright and unseeing and the possibilities are endless right now. New things will rise. Here’s to the new era of Dan and Phil on (and off) the internet.

i love and agree with a lot of your post but am struggling with your suggestion that they're essentially ending all collab content permanently. i don't think that's the case. while i'm not certain this is the definitive end of dapg, i fully expect a replacement project/content/channel if they do decide to let it go. and even at absolute minimum, relatively regular join ls's are a must. (even once a month would be better than nothing.)

having them just create solo channel content seems... boring? and i recognize that there's a lot of 'life things' to be done, but like..... don't you want to see them? how will you enjoy those life things? a yearly mukbang?

i recognize i'm projecting my Wants on the situation, but like... yeah, that's exactly what i'm doing. i want content. i want to be able to see dan and phil banter, grow, share their experiences, flirt, etc with us and i genuinely think they recognize that want from us. that's their bread and butter. i mean just go look at the most viewed videos on their (well... maybe just phil's) channel. it's Dan and Phil™ content.

so like... i'm here for the dog and the forever home and phil's new space and all the life things, but i don't think that should or will come at the sacrifice of content. not while their phandom is still standing strong and begging to watch them grow in that capacity.

[argo]

dan's ear muffs are so extra i love them. i don't know if i can watch 5 days of dilmas knowing there's a hiatus afterward but i'm happy they're reassessing stuff. i need a creative break also