Uncover Shank’s clarification as he dismisses rumors of a rivalry with Peller, describing him as both a brother and senior colleague. Learn...
Uncover Shank’s clarification as he dismisses rumors of a rivalry with Peller, describing him as both a brother and senior colleague. Learn more about their relationship. Streamer and skit-maker Shank (real name - Shane "Shank" Middleton) clarified to Isbae U's Curiosity Made me Ask podcast that the alleged feud between the streaming community is merely a rumor. Shank, who is a veteran content creator considering his age, scoffed the idea when inquired about his connection with the younger, more energetic Peller by suggesting that there was no rivalry between the two and instead described their dynamic in a much more colleague and traineeship-like manner.
Shank: "Peller is my brother. He is experienced but I am the first to see him in the industry. We all play the same game, we all row the same boat. When humans talk about rivalry, it is a misinterpretation, a wrong interpretation of what is the real meaning of friendship.
Two paths, one lane
Shank responded that they had met nearly by chance. Being an aspiring content producer, he needed guidance and help. Already an experienced YouTube and Twitch star, Peller provided support and the opportunity to cooperate. I was a younger man, I was only good and green. Peller was there, he gave me the push to keep going. We had collaborated on a few projects and thus it is difficult to imagine us as enemies.
The "rivalry" story was born when the two creators began gaining momentum on the same streaming platforms as some of the viewers began to suspect that the two were competing to attract a similar audience. Shank refused to acknowledge that competition has become conflict.
Shank: We do not compete against one another. We are both attempting to create the most content to our fans. We are pushing each other to do better, if anything.
Mentor, not enemy
Another mention that Shank made is Peller as a mentor. He is an older co-worker, yet it is I who has trained the person on how to write scripts of his streams. We trade ideas back and forth. I taught him around, and he taught me about my point of view as an inexperienced creator also.
He expounded that the seniority that Peller has developed over the industry is not based on the rank his experience comes with. I believe that many people are like, he is older, he must be stronger. Yet it's all about holding oneself in regard to each other.
Audience reactions
The audience of the podcast was both surprised and relieved. A number of individuals had been anticipating a "heat-up" between the two creators due to several rumors regarding exclusive deals or hate videos. The discussion in the podcast explained that these rumors have no ground.
Listener comment: They always crossed my mind as competitors due to their almost identical content.
Shank: No, we are brothers in the streaming world. We are separate voices, but we are all members of the same family.
Future collaborations
Shank indicated that the two are most likely to work together on new projects. I have a series idea where we use our skills together; Peller to tell Long-form stories and I do my comedy sketches. It will be a new experience to both of us developing.
As yet, Peller and Shank are still prospering in their respective fields and they enjoy a friendship of equals, each with the same ambition and the same level of healthy competition which as Shank puts it, keeps us on our toes.
What came up in the conversation was the fact that the streaming world is large enough to have each of them make it without each other becoming competitors. As Shank and Peller have shown, there can exist cooperation and comradeship in the presence of healthy competition.