Smosh Names First Chief Content Officer After Studio Relocation

Posted in: TV, YouTube | Tagged: comedy, SMOSH

Smosh Names First Chief Content Officer After Studio Relocation

After moving to a new studio earlier this year, Smosh has named its first Chief Content Officer under the company's current ownership.

Published Tue, 12 May 2026 20:37:11 -0500
by Gavin Sheehan
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Article Summary

• Smosh names Cory Midgarden its first Chief Content Officer under Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla’s ownership.
• The leadership move follows Smosh’s recent studio relocation and wider behind-the-scenes changes to staff and production.
• Midgarden will guide Smosh YouTube channels, originals, live shows, and new talent-driven formats built for growth.
• With nearly 20 years in digital and TV, Midgarden joins Smosh to expand the brand while protecting its comedy core.

Smosh announced a major change in its leadership and programming lineup this week, naming its first Chief Content Officer under the current ownership. The company has made a few significant changes in the past few months, including moving to a new studio, and a couple of producers announced on social media that they have departed. However, the most significant change to come from this is the reveal that Cory Midgarden will be the company's new CCO under the current joint ownership of founders Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla. A veteran media executive, Midgarden's role was described as "shaping the company's next phase of creative and business growth."

What this truly means for the YouTube channel and its many forms of comedic content has yet to be seen. Smosh has had an interesting history of having executives in various positions, trying to guide the company in different ways, some with great success and others not so much. There are entire videos dedicated to charting the company's success and failures through Defy Media, Mythical Entertainment, and its current return to being creator-owned. We will say that this current incarnation feels like a new "golden era" for the channel and has turned all the talent into well-known names, just as Dropout has seen success with its pool of talent. Here's hoping this doesn't change the way they create comedy, and that they return to a normal content schedule after the move to their new studio.

Cory Midgarden Joins Smosh As The New Chief Content Officer

Midgarden will oversee Smosh's YouTube channels and broader content ecosystem, including series, tentpole events, and live shows, with an emphasis on audience-first programming. As part of this, he will lead the development of originals and new formats, with a focus on regular, talent-driven concepts designed to grow into long-running franchises across multiple platforms. Central to this will be continued investment in casting and talent, featuring a diverse mix of established cast and new comedic voices.

Midgarden brings almost 20 years of experience shaping popular content and leading teams across digital, streaming, cable, and social. He spent 14 years at Paramount, most recently serving as Vice President of Digital, Social, and Streaming Content at MTV Entertainment Studios. There, he led creative efforts that expanded the digital footprint of mainstay events like the Video Music Awards and shows including Wild 'N Out and RuPaul's Drag Race. He also developed creator-led programming with iconic talent such as Liza Koshy, Bretman Rock, and Tana Mongeau, and produced music storytelling with A-list artists like Lady Gaga and Shawn Mendes.

"Smosh has built a strong connection with our audience over the last 20 years, and as we expand as a premium brand that's available in every household, we're entering our next phase as a leading media and production company," said Smosh CEO Alessandra Catanese. "To get there, we're elevating our offerings across the board, and bringing Cory on is a critical investment to delivering on our vision. He understands how to evolve a brand creatively while protecting what makes it special, and that's exactly what we are looking for as we move forward."

"At the end of the day, it's all about making people laugh," said Midgarden. "I'm genuinely laughing all day, and that's because everyone at Smosh, from cast to crew, is invested in making great comedy. That energy comes through on screen. My goal is to build on that with content that keeps audiences coming back and finding new ways to show up for fans wherever they are, keeping the heart of what's always made Smosh work, while creating bigger opportunities for the stories we tell."

"Cory gets what makes Smosh tick," said Smosh Hecox and Padilla. "We're about creating comedy people connect with, rooted in friendship, both in front of and behind the camera. He immediately leaned into that, bringing a level of structure and ambition needed to help us grow more intentionally and take bigger swings."

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