The acclaimed cable television network G4 is back after nearly a decade off the air, featuring returning programs and brand-new ones alike. Whereas the original G4 gave nerdy hobbies a place on the small screen, its new iteration is focused on taking advantage of social media and streaming while giving a more traditional audience something to watch as well. One way it's hoping to achieve that mass appeal is with a talent pool more thoroughly engrained in the Internet age.
Game Rant spoke with G4 hosts Fiona "Nova" Piccoli, William Savage Ebers Neff, and Kassem Gharaibeh about working on the revived network's Attack of the Show! and Invitation to Party, as well as other ventures. Interviews have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Fiona Nova
Q: Tell me a little about yourself.
A: My name is Fiona Nova, I'm a main host for Attack of the Show! as well as D&D: Invitation to Party. I'm kind of an online comedy creator, I've done the YouTube stuff, the Twitch stuff, and I recently finished directing and showrunning my first short film. I also directed another interactive murder mystery at Rooster Teeth.
G4 likes to call me the "Jill of All Trades." Is that a compliment? A backhanded compliment? Who knows, but I'm going to take it.
Q: What's your short film about?
A: It's called The Laundromat Off Malibu, something I Kickstarted in February because I love working behind the camera and making my own content. It got funded in like five hours, which is amazing. We had a virtual online screening which was really successful and it's going into festivals right now. We're going to post it on YouTube shortly, but are waiting on Sundance.
All of that is exciting stuff, because directing is another passion of mine and I love movies.
Q: Is that how you got into content creation? Loving movies and wanting to make them?
A: I think yes, but also video games. I love RPGs and storytelling games, which is how I got into that space in general. Then with Twitch, discovering that side of streaming and live content was something I really loved.
Streaming and my love for creating and entertaining kind of just made me feel like I needed to be a creator, be on camera, and work at awesome companies like G4.
Q: On top of living in the same place, I understand we're around the same age; mid-20s or so.
A: Yes! I turned 25 in July. Cancer baby.
Q: Well I'm getting there in February. I have to imagine that's on the younger side compared to G4 veterans like Adam Sessler.
A: I can't say for the entirety of the staff, but I know Ovilee May and I are the youngest - we're the same age but she's a couple of months older than me and loves to point that out. So I am probably the youngest host at G4 at the moment.
Q: What has it been like blending those worlds together?
A: When I was asked to be a part of G4, my first question was, "What is G4?" I unfortunately didn't grow up with it on my television, I wasn't watching that kind of stuff. So I didn't really understand, but when I was interviewing for the job and they talked to me about it I was like, "This is amazing, why haven't we been doing it?" Turns out we had, just maybe a little too early — a little ahead of its time.
It's been amazing, though. I got a job as a creative producer at the beginning, I wasn't really a host. My first gig was writing episodes of Xplay, I wrote a few of the early YouTube videos that came out. The team was just three people making these videos with Adam Sessler, and then it started growing exponentially. The thing I really loved about that was writing for Xplay helped me understand G4's voice and comedy, so I enjoyed working behind the camera even more.
I knew eventually I was going to transition into a host role, but I loved that initiation of just being a writer, I've been able to find my voice at G4.
Q: Do you feel like you were more successful coming in as a result?
A: The short answer is yes, I feel like I was a lot more confident working with these amazing hosts. It can be intimidating because some of them are so popular and legendary, meanwhile I'm a little younger so I don't have as much experience. But they're all so amazing, I was able to get in there, see what G4 needs, and what I can bring to the table. Also, it helped that every one of the hosts are close friends and they're really welcoming. Even the staff - we're able to create what we think will work, and we have the support and backing of everyone.
As a content creator sometimes you feel alone, like you're just doing things out in the wind and throwing it online. But here it feels like you can throw it online and you'll have a major supportive backbone. It's amazing.
Q: Speaking of working with other creators, I know you have a few connections with Kassem Gharaibeh-
A: Oh yeah, Kassem and I are like two peas in a pod, as they say.
Q: I was wondering if there are other dynamics among the cast that you feel strongly about. For example, you're on Attack of the Show! with Gina Darling, who's a trip.
A: She's the best ever, I love her so much. Anytime I'm talking with Gina I know I'm going to have a great time.
Kassem and I immediately clicked, and he's essentially just my older brother. He's like legendary on YouTube and I didn't really know that, so he tells me he doesn't want me to watch his stuff - he refuses to show me. But we immediately bonded and are the bestest of friends, so usually if there's a show with Kassem I'll be the Mini-Me right behind him.
The dynamic between Kassem, Kevin, and I is exceptional as well, we're what we call the "Cream Team." We discussed it publicly on Vibe Check this week, we call ourselves that because our TikTok algorithms are cream. It's so stupid to explain, but we've got cream TikToks.
Q: And I'm sure sharing that sense of humor must help when you're together on-air.
A: Absolutely. I feel so comfortable with Kevin and Kassem that when the camera is rolling it's like we're all just hanging out. It feels like what we would do over text, or when we're alone.
Otherwise, I love Gina — everyone loves Gina. I think she's so exciting and fun. Then Will is someone who has so much expertise on everything. I love just sitting and listening to him, because he has stories on every single thing you can imagine and I learn so much for him.
Then there's Xavier Woods, AKA Austin Creed, who's an amazing, supportive, wonderful human being. I love making content with all these hosts, they're all so different and they're amazing to be around. I always feel positive when I'm around them.
Q: So now that G4's been running for a few weeks, is there a particular kind of content you prefer? Between Attack of the Show!, D&D, etc.
A: That's so tough, it's a tough question. Though speaking of Invitation to Party, that show was something I did not expect. Kassem and I, I'm sure you'll hear from him as well, are super noobs coming into D&D. We didn't even really understand what the idea was. They explained what we had to do, we did a bunch of rehearsals and play tests, and we started getting the hang of it.
As that's going on we're like, "Oh my gosh. This has never been done." Because of that we're the best at it but also the worst at it. B. Dave Walters loves talking about it. But as far as my expectations go, at the beginning I said we'd just do our best to be entertaining. But oh my gosh did it work out, it works out amazingly. I remember doing the first episode like, "Holy sh*t, this actually works." Then we did the second episode and I was like, "This is still working."
People are loving it, which is also the most amazing thing to hear. If they're loving the show and our characters, it gives me more ammo to keep going.
I love [Attack and Invitation to Party], they're both very different, but I think D&D is the thing I'm really excited about each week. Attack of the Show! is my home, and D&D is this fun thing we get to do.
Q: You've talked previously about it being more about improv. I was wondering how features like The Circle come into play with things like physical comedy, since it's different than a lot of other shows.
A: People like to say it's like Whose Line is it Anyway?, but the D&D version. I think that's another thing we really had to get comfortable about, character improv for two hours straight. In an ideal world, improv is something that lasts 20 minutes, but this is something we have to continuously do. It can be tiring and also tough, it's a tough skill you need to develop. I'm not saying any of us didn't have that skill going in, but we needed work, right? We all needed to get ready for this challenge.
What I've realized after doing two episodes is that it's hard, but if you're around the right people it gets way easier. Sometimes you feel like everything is on your shoulders, but when it comes to The Circle and improv in general you have to lean on your coworkers. If you have that trust, you can do amazing things — which is exactly what we're doing. These last two episodes are hilarious because not only are we funny, we're also leaning on and riffing off each other. It's less pressure, more fun.
It's really a lot of improv, we have to be very funny for two hours, which is tough. But we're able to do it, which is why after every single one I'm like, "Oh we did it!"
Q: You're part of G4 now, you've been a part of Rooster Teeth, and The Gunk is coming out soon. How does it feel to be collecting all these "nerd cred" kind of jobs, balancing it all?
A: Collecting these Ws, as they say.
Q: Exactly.
A: I think like two weeks ago I was realizing how much of this is happening all at once. I feel like I'm on autopilot right now, taking whatever I can get. It's like I've worked a lot and am finally getting to a point where I'm super proud of the work I'm doing. I feel more confident in everything.
It's really been a journey, and I'm super appreciative of the support from everyone. I couldn't have done it without the people supporting me. Straight up, that's the truth. We'll see how long it lasts - not to be a Negative Nancy, I go to my therapist for that. But we'll see how far it goes and I'll take whatever I can get at the moment. I'm feeling good about it.
William Savage Ebers Neff
Q: I was just talking to Fiona, figure you all have gotten the "What is it like to be on G4" question. I was more curious what the reality of G4 is like compared to the hype.
A: Yeah, that's interesting. For Fiona the answer will be a lot different because she didn't grow up watching G4, but I did - I was a fan. There are elements of it that are pretty surreal, like jumping on the phone with Kevin and talking it up. I think back to a 13-year-old Will Neff and can see him whispering, "That's so cool!" There are moments like that where it dawns on me how neat that really is.
While there's excitement, there's also kind of an anxiety. The excitement is doing something I think could be really meaningful. Austin Creed and Corey "Black Hokage" Smallwood said it, when they were younger G4 meant something to them. Watching G4 was important to them, and I feel like I take on some of that import because I'd like it to be a safe space for young gamers and people who maybe don't fit into the traditional mold.
When I was growing up, video games were much more taboo - especially being a video game nut. Playing Metal Gear was a clear sign that you were someone who should avoid social settings at all costs. Now everyone is on board and plays video games, it's more widely accepted. It is a different task, but I hope we can carry the torch that G4 is a bastion for nerds, for weirdos, for people who are passionate about their play, their media, what they consume. That's the best part of being a geek, and I think G4 carried that at some point. That's the legacy.
Q: As someone who was a fan of G4 growing up, how has it been translating your personal style into Attack of the Show!?
A: The biggest problem for me is I'm a streamer, one who came into affluence during COVID. I was pretty much a rabid animal when I rejoined society, like I was streaming live from Alcatraz - in full LA lockdowns streaming something like 12, 13 hours a day. Getting used to working with other people, being on a schedule, having a production process rather than me just flipping on a webcam...
I'm ADHD and I function at the speed of Adderall. Having a traditional cable structure behind my ambitions is sometimes very liberating and other times very taxing. You're like, "I want to do this segment where I pour a bucket of water on myself." Then someone reminds you that you're wearing a mic, there's a camera next to you, and we have to make sure the other talent is okay with that, but you're like, "Just hit me with the water, man."
It creates some tremendous opportunities, but also has its stressful pitfalls.
Q: Does it feel different performing when you know it's going to television as opposed to just streaming online?
A: Yeah, you know I've been on streams of tremendous scale. I've done some AustinShow streams where we have hundreds of thousands of people watching. When we did election coverage it was the same, something like a quarter-million people watching. But there is something about cable.
I remember being a younger man when a very wise poet said, "I'ma get on this TV mama, I'ma put sh*t down." I played that for my mom, that Kanye song, and I remember her being like, "What the hell is this? What are you talking about, who is this?" But it was meaningful to me. There is something fascinating about the feeling of getting on television, something almost mystic about cable for a kid who grew up on it. It's like I've taken my place in the annals of history, something strange and fascinating.
I'm proud of it. When I really reflect on it, it feels different and I can get misty. But in the moment it doesn't affect me as much.
Q: How much would you say that's benefitted from the people you're working with? You talked a bit about Kevin, but in general.
A: The people who are on camera right now at G4 are so talented. If anything, that's been my security blanket in this daunting process. Kassem, Kevin, Austin, the other Austin (AustinShow), Sessler, Fiona, Ovilee, Gina, Jirard, Frost, everyone is lights-out talented. I've never worried for a second on camera that they're going to drop the ball, or if I drop the ball that they'll leave me there with my pants down. They're all such quick and talented people.
If I missed anyone don't take that as a sleight, just know I'm an ADHD piece of sh*t who couldn't remember everyone's name. But that's really been the highlight of my time here, the insane talent we have on staff.
Q: Fiona was telling me she loves the way you can tell stories about anything. What do you feel like you bring to this group dynamic?
A: I guess two things. I am, I would say, more of a traditional humorist than anyone on staff except maybe Kassem. I worked at Second City in Chicago, at Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, I studied at Groundlings, I was one of the original Buzzfeed narrative guys. I've cut my teeth being an improv and stand-up comedian, and that's something I'm very passionate about.
I also like being a clown. Chris Farley once said people need someone to laugh at. They need a guy to slip on a banana peel and bonk his head so they can point at him and go, "At least I'm not that guy." I love filling that role, being the physical dope of the cast. It brings me a lot of pleasure. That's where I fit in, that's my niche.
Everyone is so talented, they can do anything. But that's where I find myself getting the best laughs.
Q: You also joined 100 Thieves in November. Tell me a little about that and what it's like balancing those responsibilities with G4.
A: Well I don't sleep, that's the first thing. I've cancelled sleep.
When I first started taking baby steps into the gaming space, 100 Thieves was an org that I would consistently look at and say, "God they're cool, they do everything so well." Then my friend AustinShow started working with them, and their first impression of me was I did an UNO tournament with CashApp and 100 Thieves where I showed up in full 16th Century French duke regalia. I had a walking cane and my hair feathered, the whole thing. But I didn't say anything about it, I just did this.
I remember Matthew "Nadeshot" Haag came up and was like, "You're either a complete psychopath or the funniest person I've ever met." From there we started having conversations, I helped out with the Nadeshot and CouRage podcast, and it became evident they could benefit from having a guy who was pithy, quick on camera, could show up to fill some of their video space. That happened very naturally, and I was honored to be considered there. I consider them the Yankees of the gaming space.
I love 100 Thieves, I love my time there and the content I make. But it's a precarious balancing act to get everything on schedule. I have two, sometimes three podcasts, one upcoming one that I'm working on; I have G4 right now; I'm on 100 Thieves; I'm currently in the process of developing a Twitch original.
My thing is, I always say this: I spent so much of my 20s and early 30s hearing "no," getting passed over for things. I remember a time when I was applying to be a bellhop at the London Hotel in LA because I was so hard up for cash. I got turned down, and I was thinking, "I have a Master's degree and I can't get a job carrying people's bags. What is wrong with me?"
I had this profound sadness, this sentiment I would never make anything happen. Then this new chapter started in my life where people started saying "yes," so I had opportunities and momentum. The promise I made myself is I would never not do something for lack of energy. If I had time to do it, nothing would get in my way if I felt like it was something important, or is a project I thought would be cool. I've made this Faustian deal with myself to burn it at both ends, but say it's something you wanted all your 20s. Never take it for granted.
Q: Putting all that work in, burning it at both ends, you have at least two big communities. How much do you lean on other creators or fans to help keep you grounded?
A: It's really interesting because at both places, even though I'm a 30-year-old guy, I've found tremendous mentors. Kevin has been an insane mentor, some of his wisdom is so prophetic. Any chance I can I pick his brain. Same thing with Nadeshot and CouRage, they drop pearls as guys who have been battle-hardened by the industry. Every time they pipe up about something I'm taking ears.
That's the first thing I've leaned on, but also I've made some incredible friends. I also pride myself in my own chat, my own community from my streams, being such positive and vibrant people. There aren't many corners of the Internet that mimic that energy. Even some of my friends, sometimes I'll go into their chat and say, "My god, that guy said something abhorrent."
You know they can't control that, but I'm so proud of the fact that all three communities; G4, 100 Thieves, and Will Neef's chat; are such welcoming and genuine people. It's a big source of pride for me.
Q: Is there anything you're looking to improve, any skills you're hoping to foster now that you've worked with G4 for a bit?
A: For me or for G4?
Q: I guess either or.
A: I think G4 is one of those things where we have to get them to trust fall a little bit more. It's not their fault, they're coming from a place of making things for cable with brands on board. I'm not used to having brands on board, you have to make people happy. It's like a massaging act where you assure them, "We're going to throw up a livestream and it's going to be okay. No one's going to take their boobs out or anything, it'll go smoothly."
That's already happened, they've made inroads and trust the process as a famous Philadelphia basketball team would say. Beyond that, in my own life, the first thing is I have to find time for myself to reflect and decompress. Also, I look at someone like Ludwig Ahgren and he's so efficient. There's no wasted energy in that man's life. His livestream is like a salmon farm for him to make beautiful YouTube videos, and the YouTube powers his clip channel that powers his live events.
He is a bastion of efficiency, and in order to be successful in an era where everyone's a true hyphenate making different stuff, it has to be this perfect efficiency. That's where you get really amazing content from.
Kassem Gharaibeh
Q: Just to start off, tell me a little bit about yourself.
A: My name's Kassem Gharaibeh, I'm a host at G4 on Attack of the Show! and Invitation to Party. I am a half-Jordanian, half-Egyptian, mostly comedy-based sketch and YouTube content creator.
I started doing stand-up in 2007 and it quickly turned into a YouTube career. Then I started a studio with some friends, we made YouTube videos for a living for a long time, and I hosted things occasionally. I've always been pretty into gaming and pop culture, so when the opportunity arose to join a network I really enjoyed as a kid it seemed like a no brainer perfect fit. That's the super expedited version of how I'm at G4 now.
Q: You spoke with Game Rant back in May, but since then there's been a lot of development at G4. How's the reality of working on the network compared to the hype?
A: It still feels like we're starting even though we're in our full second week of production, because of Thanksgiving and all that. We had what felt like a soft launch even though it wasn't. I think it was perfect because it gave us an opportunity to see, logistically, how this all works. How the rehearsals and tech work, how our schedules balance. It still feels very early on in the process, and as far as what we expected its been very chaotic and hectic - but in the best way.
I think I have a super packed day today, but it never bugs me in a way that I'm like, "I just want to get through this day." Everything I get to do is based on an interest or something of mine. You know how they say if you love what you do you'll never work a day in your life? I never really understood that until I had this job. Even when I was making my own YouTube videos, that felt like work to me. I felt like I had to feed this machine and there were lots of emotions that came with it.
I haven't done anything at G4 so far that's felt like work. It seems to be all personality-based, everyone I get to interact with on a daily basis is somebody I have a shared interest with. They're all super cool, and the process has been beyond exceptional and fun. I feel so lucky.
It feels like I can't screw this up because it's too good of a gig for me right now.
Q: The cast you're working with has also grown a lot, for example with Gina Darling and Jirard Khalil. How has that growth affected G4 and your interest in the work?
A: As far as the work G4 is doing, I think it's great to see the diversity being brought on. There's not a single person they've brought on where I feel like I can do what they do. I learn something new from every person, and combined I think we really bring a unique offering to the table. It's not diversity for diversity's sake, each person is talented respectively and then we also happen to be a diverse group of people.
That's the way I think things should be done. G4 seems to be, from what I've witnessed in the landscape, pushing that earlier than a lot of other places. It's an honor to be a part of it.
As far as what that's done for me, its made me feel like I'm in an ensemble that's like a crazy Voltron. We all represent a piece of it and come together for our show, which is something none of us could have done alone. It's not something I'm seeing anyone else do right now, and it feels nice to be a part of something like that.
Q: I was talking with Fiona earlier-
A: She's trouble. Everything I said about everyone else, it excludes her. I want her to know that.
Q: Well, I was going to say she talked about you like her older brother at G4. Being an older brother myself, that seems like an appropriate response.
A: Yeah, it's great. Something happened, I don't know what it was but our chemistry was very instantaneous. We worked on an Xplay video I think in March, and we first met on a Google Hangout. Immediately, I'm saying within the first 30 seconds, I saw she was somebody I could get along with. I think she laughed at something I said and it was like two puzzle pieces had found each other.
When we met in person, I think we were wearing the same thing. We kept finding these little things, and she's one of my best friends at work. Somebody I talk to outside of work too, we have this great relationship. It's just another thing that wouldn't have come across my field of view if I wasn't working at G4 because our worlds are so different. She's younger, was at Rooster Teeth, is a great streamer. Generally my group of friends are older stand-up folks. They don't dabble in the online world in that way.
This has been the biggest gift, creating and nurturing relationships with people who I don't think I would have had the chance to meet in a different situation. But yeah, Fiona's trouble. She kind of keeps me young and fresh, and if she feels like I'm her older brother then I feel like she's my younger sister.
I also feel like there's a physical resemblance. If we were to photoshop her into a family photo, no one would bat an eye. Which is fun.
Q: You two are on Attack of the Show! and Invitation to Party, how do you feel the relationship has come across?
A: I think our chemistry; me, Fiona, and Kevin; we've had a lot of time together. It's obvious to people who watch us. I read a lot of comments about it, and to me part of what's making Attack of the Show! and Invitation to Party work is we've been getting to know each other since March, eight to 10 hours a day everyday. By the time we launched this year, it was all very obvious onscreen.
I think we're very fortunate to have that, and to have meshed well. It's not the case with everyone, but I think everyone is on a different trajectory with their chemistry and friendships. Luckily, me, Kevin, and Fiona were very fast friends, we have a similar comedic sensibility. We're all co-founders of the Cream Team, which I'm sure Fiona talked about. It's a way for us to connect without it having to be work-related, even though it kind of is when we share TikTok videos and comment on things we think are funny.
That's been the secret sauce. It's not so secret, we've just been working together for most of this year, we have our inside jokes, we know each other, and we can improvise together without worrying about somebody not getting the joke or dropping the ball. It's been really great.
Q: You've been an online personality for a long time on platforms like YouTube. Does it feel any different performing for something that's going to television?
A: Sometimes it does, but to be honest we're cheating. Everything we're doing still plays on Twitch and YouTube first. For me, if I'm standing in front of the camera I still consider it to be Twitch and YouTube where I'm most comfortable. I have to be concerned about where the audience is, and the audience is online. That's the audience I've been making content for my whole life, so it's how I approach that.
It is nice to know that there's a newer or older audience - I don't know the demographics of the cable channel - that maybe doesn't consume media computer-first but still gets a chance to watch us.
I was part of the early generation of YouTube where we were kind of anti-traditional media. Everything we did was motivated by the lack of gatekeepers online, wanting to do things on our own. There is still a spirit of that in what we do, and the though of being on TV is like a cherry on top but in no way do I think about it more than that.
Q: With Fiona we were talking about you two being D&D newbies. I was wondering how working on that has been compared to Attack of the Show!, would you say you've had a particular preference?
A: You know what's fun is that they're both so different that I get something different out of them. With Attack of the Show! I feel very comfortable, like I've been doing a version of that for many years. I'm comfortable with the process and don't think I'll be doing anything outside of my comfort zone - for the most part. It's all two camera and/or sketch stuff. Relatively fun and easy for me.
For Invitation to Party, I was initially apprehensive because I don't want to disrespect the Dungeons and Dragons community by not knowing what it is. It's title as the "first D&D show on television" is something I keep hearing, and it makes me feel like I have to do a good job with it.
The reason I agreed is there's a big improvisation aspect to it, and I am comfortable doing that. I figured anything that's made me uncomfortable in the past has helped me learn or grow in some way, so this would be the same.
D&D is something that, from my point of view, I'm learning on the fly. I've seen people in the comments say they don't play D&D, but the show has made them interested in trying it. If I can be that surrogate for people who are on the fence about it or think about it as that dorky "play in your mother's basement" game, I want to give them an opportunity to try it because they understand it.
I've been so surprised by how fun D&D is. The fact I don't know what's going to happen is scary but also refreshing in some way. A little bit of that pressure I had at the beginning to "do things right" has gone away. The less I care about that, I think the more interesting the show and my character are.
So both of those shows have been unique in their own way, and I'd like to think I don't prefer one over the other because they're just so different.
Q: Is there anything else you want to add?
A: Overall the experience has been above and beyond anything I could have hoped to be a part of. Every day I'm trying my hardest not to lose my job because I'm living a dream that a lot of people have, and I don't take that for granted. My goal is to stick around, and if they fire me I'll find a way to break in. It'll take some work for them to get rid of me.
[END]
G4 is streaming now on YouTube and Twitch, with programs also running on various Cable TV networks.