If you spent any time on YouTube between 2007 and now, you've probably stumbled across a puppet with a blue hat and a nasal voice screaming about chocolate milk. That's Logan Austin McKnight, better known to the internet as Logan Thirtyacre or the face of Super Mario Logan Joseph. It’s a weird name, right? People often search for "Joseph" because he's one of the core trio of characters alongside Mario and Bowser Junior. But behind the puppet antics is a messy, multi-million dollar history involving legal wars with Nintendo and a complete rebranding that changed everything for the Florida-based creator.
Honestly, the story is kinda wild.
Logan started this in his bedroom as a kid. He wasn't some corporate mastermind. He was just a fan of Mario. He grabbed a camera, some plushies, and started making videos that—looking back—were incredibly crude but somehow hit the perfect chord with a younger audience that craved "edgy" content. What started as innocent play morphed into a massive media empire that, at its peak, was pulling in millions of views every single day.
The Rise of the SML Empire
The "Joseph" in Super Mario Logan Joseph refers to the turtle character, a laid-back, somewhat skeptical friend of Bowser Junior. Joseph, voiced by Lovell Stanton, became a fan favorite because he provided a grounded (well, as grounded as a puppet can be) foil to the pure chaos of characters like Jeffy. Most people don't realize that the chemistry between Logan (Mario), Lovell (Joseph), and Chris Netherton (Bowser Junior) is what actually built the channel's backbone.
They weren't just playing with dolls. They were essentially performing improvised comedy sketches.
The growth was explosive. By the mid-2010s, SML wasn't just a channel; it was a subculture. Kids were buying knock-off puppets and recreating the scenes in their own backyards. It was the "wild west" era of YouTube where you could get away with almost anything. But that freedom came with a massive target on Logan’s back. Nintendo, a company famously protective of its intellectual property, wasn't going to let a guy in Pensacola use their mascots to make jokes about "beating your kids" or adult situations forever.
Why the Name "Joseph" Sticks with Fans
It's funny how search trends work. A lot of newer fans or casual observers mix up the names, often blending the creator's identity with the characters. Joseph is iconic because he represents the "original" era of the channel. Back then, they used actual Nintendo plushies. Joseph was a Koopa Troopa. This was before the "Human Puppet" era forced a change in design. When you look at the evolution of Super Mario Logan Joseph, you're looking at a transition from fan-fiction style content to a legitimate, independent entertainment business.
The Day Nintendo Swung the Hammer
Everything changed in early 2021.
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Imagine waking up to a formal "cease and desist" from one of the most powerful legal teams on the planet. Logan had been warned before—demonetization was a constant battle—but this was the big one. Nintendo basically told him to stop using their characters or face a lawsuit that would likely bankrupt him and everyone he knew.
He had a choice. He could quit, or he could pivot.
He chose to pivot, but it wasn't easy. He had to retire every single Nintendo-themed plush. Mario became "Marvin." Bowser Junior became "Braxton." And Joseph? He became a human-style puppet with a green hat, losing his turtle shell but keeping his distinct personality. This was a massive risk. YouTube fans are notoriously picky about change. If you change the look of a character, you risk losing the connection.
Surprisingly, it worked.
The "New SML" era proved that people weren't just watching because of Mario. They were watching for the voice acting and the bizarre, often dark humor that Logan and his crew perfected. Even though the characters looked different, the essence of Super Mario Logan Joseph remained. The channel survived the "Adpocalypse" and a direct hit from Nintendo, which is something very few creators can claim.
Debunking the Myths: What’s Real and What’s Not?
There's a lot of misinformation floating around Reddit and YouTube comment sections about Logan and the crew. You’ll hear rumors that the channel was deleted by the government or that Logan went to jail.
None of that is true.
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The original "SuperMarioLogan" channel was deleted, but it was a self-inflicted move to avoid further legal trouble and to distance the brand from the Nintendo copyright strikes. They moved to "SML Movie" and various other secondary channels to keep the lights on. Another common misconception is about the wealth of the creators. People see the "Logan Mansion" and assume it's all easy money. In reality, the overhead for a production like this—paying a full-time cast, editors, and managing a massive merch operation—is staggering.
- Fact: The puppets are now custom-made by specialized artists to avoid copyright.
- Fact: The channel has been age-restricted multiple times, leading to huge fluctuations in income.
- Fact: Many "lost episodes" exist only on fan re-upload sites because Logan had to scrub the original Nintendo content to satisfy legal requirements.
The Jeffy Factor
You can't talk about the history of Super Mario Logan Joseph without mentioning Jeffy. Jeffy is the catalyst that took the channel from "popular" to "internet phenomenon." When the character with the diaper and the pencil in his nose debuted, the channel's trajectory changed.
Jeffy was polarizing. Parents hated him. Kids loved him.
He became the face of the brand, much to the chagrin of some "OG" fans who preferred the simpler days of Mario and Joseph just hanging out. But from a business perspective, Jeffy was a goldmine. The merchandise sales for Jeffy puppets alone probably funded a significant portion of Logan's life. It created a weird tension within the fandom: those who wanted the classic Super Mario Logan Joseph dynamic and those who just wanted to see Jeffy hit his diaper.
Behind the Scenes: The Real Logan
Logan Thirtyacre is a complex figure in the creator space. He’s been criticized for his handling of controversies and his public feuds with other YouTubers, including his own family members at times. It’s a bit of a soap opera. If you follow his vlogs, you see a guy who is clearly stressed by the demands of a daily upload schedule.
Making a 10-20 minute puppet video every few days sounds easy until you realize you have to write, film, and edit it while managing a team of friends who aren't always professional.
The dynamic on set is famously loose. They don't usually use scripts. They have a "prompt" or a general idea, and then they riff. This is why the videos feel so "human" compared to polished corporate kids' shows. When Joseph or Junior stumbles over a line and starts laughing, they often keep it in. That authenticity is exactly why the Super Mario Logan Joseph fanbase is so fiercely loyal.
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The Impact on YouTube Culture
Whether you love them or think the humor is bottom-of-the-barrel, SML changed the platform. They pioneered the "puppet-com" (puppet sitcom) genre on YouTube. They proved that you could build a massive brand without a traditional studio. They also served as a cautionary tale about the dangers of building a business on someone else's IP.
Every time a creator gets a copyright strike today, they look at what happened to Logan as a roadmap for what not to do—or how to survive if the worst happens.
The transition to original puppets was a landmark moment in "Fair Use" discussions. It showed that even if you lose the "look" of your brand, you can keep the "soul" of it if you have a strong enough connection with your audience.
What’s Next for the SML Crew?
Today, the channel continues to churn out content. They've moved past the "Nintendo era" and are fully leaning into their own universe. The videos are still controversial. They still get flagged. But Logan seems to have found a rhythm that works.
If you're looking to dive into the world of Super Mario Logan Joseph, you have to understand that you're entering a rabbit hole of over a decade of lore. There are recurring jokes, deep-cut references to 2012 videos, and a cast of characters that has grown to include everything from a confused "goodman" to a megalomaniac "Chef Pee Pee."
It's a strange, loud, and often chaotic corner of the internet.
Actionable Steps for Fans and Creators
If you're interested in the "SML style" of content or want to follow the brand more closely, here is how you should approach it:
- Watch the "SML Rebrand" Video: To truly understand the shift, find the video where Logan explains the transition to the new puppets. It’s a masterclass in crisis management for creators.
- Separate the Art from the Drama: Follow the "SML Movie" channel for the actual sketches, but take the "Behind the Scenes" drama on social media with a grain of salt. The SML world is famous for its internal "beefs" that are often exaggerated for views.
- Study the Improv: If you're an aspiring creator, watch how Lovell (Joseph) and Logan play off each other. The timing is actually very difficult to replicate, which is why so many SML clones fail.
- Check Official Sources for Merch: Because of the Nintendo legal issues, there are thousands of fake SML puppets online. If you want the real deal that supports the creators, only use their verified links found in the video descriptions.
The legacy of Super Mario Logan Joseph isn't just about plushies or voices. It's about a guy who refused to let his brand die when one of the biggest companies in the world tried to shut him down. It's a story of adaptation, for better or worse.
The puppets might look different now, but the chaos remains exactly the same.