You probably know him as the guy who screams at a camera while eating ghost peppers or the dude who recently shocked the internet by marrying Courtney Miller. But for a solid chunk of a decade, Shayne Topp was living a double life. While he was becoming a YouTube legend at Smosh, he was also quietly building a tenure on one of the biggest network sitcoms of the 2010s.
It’s weird. Shayne Topp on The Goldbergs is one of those things that feels like a fever dream if you haven’t seen it, yet it lasted for seven seasons.
Most internet personalities fail when they try to "jump" to traditional TV. Usually, it's a cringey cameo where they play "Social Media Influencer #2" and disappear. Shayne didn't do that. He played Matt Bradley, a recurring character who actually had an arc. He wasn't a caricature of a YouTuber; he was just a guy in a denim jacket trying to survive the 80s.
Who Exactly Was Matt Bradley?
Matt Bradley wasn’t just a random extra. He was a core member of the "JTP"—the Jenkintown Posse. If you’ve watched even ten minutes of the show, you know the JTP. They’re Barry Goldberg’s group of ride-or-die, slightly dim-witted, fiercely loyal friends.
Shayne joined the cast in 2017, during the show’s fourth season. At first, Matt Bradley was introduced as a "punk rocker" type. He had the leather jacket. He had the edge. But because it’s The Goldbergs, that edge didn't last long. He eventually softened into the lovable, somewhat confused friend who spent most of his time hanging out in the Goldberg basement.
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What’s wild is how long he stayed. Shayne played Matt from Season 4 all the way to the series finale in Season 10 (2023). That’s over 50 episodes. For context, some "main" characters on other sitcoms don't even get that much screen time.
The Weird Overlap Between Smosh and ABC
Imagine the schedule. Seriously.
During the height of his Goldbergs run, Smosh was going through massive transitions—the Defy Media shutdown, the acquisition by Mythical, and the constant grind of the "Try Not to Laugh" series. Shayne was basically working a 9-to-5 on a Hollywood soundstage and then rushing to a warehouse to film sketches where he dressed up as a middle-aged woman named "The Chosen" or a chaotic baby.
He rarely talked about it on the Smosh channel back then. It felt like two completely different worlds. On YouTube, he was the loud, improvisational powerhouse. On ABC, he was a supporting actor in a highly scripted, multi-cam-style environment.
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Honestly, it’s a testament to his work ethic. Network TV shoots are notorious for being long, boring, and rigid. You’re sitting in a trailer for six hours to film a thirty-second scene. To do that and still keep the high energy required for Smosh content is kind of insane.
Why It Worked
- The JTP Chemistry: The group felt like real friends. Along with Sam Lerner (Geoff), Noah Munck (Naked Rob), and Matt Bush (Andy), Shayne fit right in.
- The Look: Shayne naturally looks like he could have stepped out of a 1985 Sears catalog. The hair, the build—it just worked for the era.
- The Timing: Shayne is a master of physical comedy. Even if he only had one line in a scene, his reaction in the background usually stole the shot.
That One Time He Got a Spinoff (Sorta)
If you follow the deep lore, you might remember Schooled. It was the short-lived spinoff of The Goldbergs set in the 90s. Shayne actually reprised his role as Matt Bradley in the spinoff, specifically in the episode "Dr. Barry."
It provided a little bit of closure for what the JTP members were doing after high school and college. Seeing Matt Bradley in the 90s was a fun "meta" moment for fans who had been following Shayne’s career since his So Random! days on Disney Channel.
Facts vs. Myths: What Really Happened?
There's always talk on Reddit about why Shayne wasn't a "main" cast member.
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Basically, it comes down to how network TV works. Being a "Series Regular" means the network owns your soul. You can't really do other projects easily. By staying "Recurring," Shayne had the freedom to remain a lead at Smosh while still cashing those ABC checks. It was the best of both worlds.
He didn't leave Smosh for the show, and he didn't leave the show because of Smosh. He just... did both. Until the show ended in 2023, he was a constant presence in both the digital and traditional acting space.
What You Can Learn From Shayne's Run
If you’re an aspiring creator or actor, there’s actually a pretty solid lesson here. Shayne didn't treat his TV gig as "better" than his YouTube gig. He treated them both like jobs.
He used his training from the Groundlings and his early acting years to bring a level of professionalism to Smosh, and he used his improv skills from Smosh to make Matt Bradley more than just a background character.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Go Back and Rewatch Season 5: This is where the JTP really hits its stride. Look for the "We Didn't Start the Fire" episode—it's classic Shayne.
- Check out the Smosh Cast: Shayne has occasionally shared stories about the "old days" of acting and the difference between a TV set and a YouTube set.
- Look for the Camereos: Keep an eye out for his JTP castmates appearing in Smosh videos. There's been a lot of crossover over the years because they actually became friends in real life.
The era of Shayne Topp on The Goldbergs might be over, but it stands as one of the most successful "crossovers" in modern entertainment history. No scandals, no "I'm too big for the internet" attitude—just a guy doing good work on two different screens at once.