It was 2017. If you spent any time on YouTube back then, you remember the absolute chaos. It felt like the entire platform was a battlefield of "SJWs" versus "Anti-SJWs," and right in the middle of that crossfire, the most unlikely couple in internet history emerged.
Laci Green was the queen of feminist YouTube. She had 1.5 million subscribers and a deal with MTV. Chris Ray Gun (real name Christopher Maldonado) was the sharp-tongued satirist who made a career out of mocking exactly the kind of activism Laci stood for. When news broke that they were dating, the internet didn't just notice. It imploded.
The Relationship That Nobody Saw Coming
Honestly, it sounded like a bad fanfiction plot at first. People thought it was a prank. How could a woman who built her brand on progressive sex education and social justice date a guy who made songs like "Ain’t No Rest for the Triggered"?
But it was real. They met, they talked, and they found common ground that their respective audiences couldn't see. Laci eventually posted a video titled "Taking the Red Pill?" which, as you can imagine, went over like a lead balloon with her core fan base. She wasn't becoming a right-wing extremist, but she was advocating for "open dialogue." In the polarized climate of 2017, that was seen as a total betrayal.
The backlash was brutal. Laci was doxxed, harassed, and basically excommunicated from the very community she helped build. On the other side, Chris’s fans were skeptical too. They wondered if she was "corrupting" him or if the whole thing was a stunt for views.
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Why the Chris Ray Gun and Laci Green Drama Actually Mattered
This wasn't just celebrity gossip. It was a case study in how the internet handles nuance—which is to say, it doesn't.
For many, Laci was a "traitor." For others, Chris was "the guy who tamed the feminist." Neither of these labels was particularly fair or accurate, but they stuck. The relationship represented a brief, weird moment where the walls of the YouTube echo chambers actually crumbled.
They lived together in Los Angeles for a while. They appeared on each other’s streams. They seemed genuinely happy, even as their "teams" were at each other's throats. It was a weirdly human moment in a very robotic era of online politics.
The Turning Point and the Breakup
Nothing lasts forever, especially not under the microscope of a million angry commenters. By 2019, the rumors started swirling that things were rocky.
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The split wasn't a sudden, explosive scandal. It was more of a quiet fading out. In mid-2019, they officially ended their relationship. Laci eventually posted a video called "My YouTube Breakup," though she has since pivoted away from full-time content creation to focus on her career as a mental health counselor.
Chris, meanwhile, moved back to New York for a bit before returning to California in 2023. He’s still active, still making music and commentary, but the era of "Chris and Laci" feels like a lifetime ago in internet years.
Where Are They Now?
Basically, they’ve both moved on to completely different chapters.
- Laci Green: She’s largely stepped back from the spotlight. She earned her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is now a licensed therapist. She rarely posts on YouTube, and when she does, it's usually focused on her professional field rather than the culture wars.
- Chris Ray Gun: He continues to produce content, though his style has evolved. He’s still that skeptical, humorous voice, but the "Anti-SJW" era that defined his early career has mostly cooled off. He’s in a new relationship and seems focused on music and long-form commentary.
What We Can Learn From the Fallout
Looking back at the Chris Ray Gun and Laci Green era, it’s a reminder of how quickly the internet turns on its own. The "Red Pill" video Laci made wasn't a manifesto for hate; it was an attempt to bridge a gap. But the internet doesn't want bridges; it wants moats.
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If you’re still following either of them today, the lesson is pretty clear: digital personas are only a fraction of who people actually are. Laci and Chris found something in each other that skipped past the political labels, even if the world wouldn't let them keep it.
If you want to understand how the current "culture war" started, you have to look back at couples like this. They were the first ones to try and cross the line, and they have the scars to prove it.
Actionable Insights for Navigating Online Drama:
- Check the Source: When you see a "cancellation" happening, look for the original context. Laci's "Red Pill" video was far less radical than the headlines suggested.
- Separate the Art from the Person: You can enjoy Chris Ray Gun’s satire without needing to agree with his dating choices (or vice versa).
- Recognize the Pivot: People change. Laci’s move into mental health is a great example of how someone can leave a toxic public life for a meaningful private one.
The 2017 YouTube era was a wild west of identity politics. While the dust has settled, the story of Chris and Laci remains one of the most fascinating "what if" moments in digital history.