Legally Trying the Try Guys

If you’ve spent any time on Twitter or tuned into SNL, you’ve heard of the Try Guys and the cheating scandal involving the now former cast member, Ned Fulmer. Upon releasing a statement, the Try Guys announced that Ned had been fired and signed out of the company. Their statement noted that they legally could not speak about much of anything, so let’s break down what’s legally happening behind the scenes. 

A practicing attorney in Hollywood [1] broke down the two most likely reasons Ned was fired. The first is the fact that California has a labor code popularly known as At Will [2], which means companies in California can fire their employees for any reason they see fit. This explains the fun SNL poked at the situation for firing Ned over cheating and secret keeping. There is likely a much bigger reason. Ned was a founder and owner of the Try Guys as a company, meaning somewhere there is an executive agreement he signed. Executive Agreements traditionally have moral clauses that would have highlighted responsibilities as an employer to protect his employees, and this has been a very negative limelight for his employee Alex, whom he had the affair with. 

Many have wondered if the company will proceed to fire Alex. While it was established that California is an At Will State and no reason is necessary to fire her, that would open the door to many possible lawsuits from Alex. The position of power Ned was in over Alex means she could claim sexual harassment or coercion at the workplace. The public may never hear what has legally happened behind the scenes at the Try Guys out of fear of a defamation case, but nonetheless a complicated legal situation will continue months after the firing of Ned Fulmer.