Samuel Golbach, 21, and Cole Brock, 20, a.k.a. Sam and Colby, often attract attention for their wild videos, but they made headlines on Jan. 16 for a different reason — they were arrested! The YouTube pair was caught trespassing at a school under construction, and although they posted bail and were released the next morning, fans were freaking out about their arrest. But that being said, no one was exactly shocked to see Sam and Colby’s mugshots. That’s because they’ve got a long history of filming risky footage in abandoned locations from theme parks and hotels to asylums and colleges. We’ve got all the details on who these guys are — and why it sort of makes sense that they spent a night behind bars.
1. They have over two million YouTube subscribers. After starting their entertaining careers on Vine, Sam and Colby took their talents from the failing app to YouTube and have found tons of success there. Their first video was posted in 2014 and, over four years later, they have a whopping 2.2 million followers! So what are they posting that viewers are so into? Some pretty wild stuff! TBH, it’s hard to tell what’s crazier — the videos they film or the fact that they didn’t get caught until now.
2. Sam and Colby are known for their daring ‘exploration’ videos. The more haunted and more abandoned, the better! Sam and Colby have made a name for themselves visiting empty prisons, orphanages, hospitals… the list goes on and on. This actually inspired their merch, and when they aren’t wearing XPLR gear, they’re marking all of the abandoned spots they’ve tackled with XPLR stickers. One of their coolest? They managed to slap a sticker on top of a Ferris wheel at a Six Flags in New Orleans. We can’t help but wonder if they managed to plant one at the abandoned school they were arrested at before the cops came.
3. They co-founded The Life Project. These two don’t just want to use their filming skills for exploring, but for helping teens as well! They’ve created The Life Project, which provides podcasts and videos explaining things their young fans won’t learn in school, with the help of mental health professionals and other influencers. The site requires a $17/month subscription.
4. One of them has a girlfriend. While Colby is single, Sam is dating a girl named Katrina — and their Instagram posts couldn’t be cuter! Whether they’re pulling all the stops with their Halloween costumes or taking a simple selfie, they’re an adorable couple.
5. Sam and Colby have alter egos. Their YouTube channel isn’t all about exploring. The friends also have made a few videos as their female counterparts Samantha and Colleen, which are more entertaining than they are educational.