Oh, conspiracies. We all know someone - be it a friend, a family member, or that crazy guy who yells at us on the streets when we park up for a Starbucks - who really, really loves a conspiracy theory.
You know the ones. The Royal Family are lizards. The world is run by shadowy figures pulling all the strings. Men never walked on the moon.
And while we, outwardly, like to roll our eyes and pretend we are far too logical for such nonsense… let’s be honest. There is always something we have doubts about. It might not be as extreme as giants built the pyramids, but there’s always an unsolved mystery or a lofty notion that never really feels settled in our brains.
And this is what is at the core of The Why Files - and why, some 4.49 million subscribers and 280+ videos later, people keep coming back for more.
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The Who behind the Why
Who would watch a guy and talking fish exploring bizarre and obscure historical mysteries? Well, as it turns out, a lot of people.
4.49 million subscribers as of January 2025 - plus an active Reddit community with over 73,00 members, making it one of the site’s top 2% of subreddits.
This is the community that Andrew AJ Gentile and his trusty sidekick, the talking goldfish, HeckleFish have created.
AJ brings his successful career as a TV producer and writer to the YouTube series, having worked on The Naughty Show and Stoned Science - and this could be why The Why Files stands out.
Because, let’s face it, the internet is the place to go for wild conspiracies. With a crowded market of conspiracists, the quality AJ brings gives The Why Files something you might not necessarily associate with this type of content - credibility.
Why Andrew is the perfect host
Even if Andrew himself doesn’t believe in the topics, he commits to the bit. Everything - from ‘proof’ of life after death to the Giants of Malta - is researched and presented as a slice of quality investigative storytelling.
He’s not speaking down to his audience or exaggerating anything to make himself the focus. It’s the content that matters, and AJ knows how to cast a spell with creative video editing and charismatic hosting.
It’s not so weird why it’s such a success
“The truth is out there… and it’s weird” - that’s AJ’s tagline for the show. But what isn’t a mystery is how The Why Files has remained so popular for years.
In addition to expert storytelling, AJ and the team keep the content consistent - and consistently varied.
If it were aliens every week, it’s very possible AJ and HeckleFish’s fans would grow bored. Part of the genius is never knowing what to expect.
But whatever the topic, the show finds a way to keep it relevant to the audience. From aliens to gods to subliminal warfare, it’s not necessarily what the show covers that’s key to its longevity, but how they approach the topics.
And in that regard, The Why Files - for all its AI artwork and lofty ideas - is old school in one sense. It’s a testament to the simple art of storytelling. From traveling bards to hieroglyphs, storytelling has always brought people together.
The genius behind The Why Files
- If you tell good stories, you’ll attract loyal audiences: from Jesus Christ’s wandering teachings to daytime soap operas, history has taught us that humans want to be entertained
- Understand your audience: The Why Files doesn’t assume that all 4+ million subscribers are fleeing in terror from 5G. This isn’t a platform built on hateful stereotypes and crazy conspiracies - it’s more a deep dive into the how and why of it all. Whether you believe or not is left up to you.
