Sam and Nia explained

Sam and Nia
Channel Name:samuel8955
Views:1.11 billion
Nationality:American
Occupation:YouTube vloggers
Origin:Heath, Texas, U.S.
Years Active:2014–Present
Genre:Vlog
Subscribers: 2.52 million
Silver Year:2014
Gold Year:2016
Silver Button:yes
Gold Button:yes
Children:4
Stats Update:28 May 2024

Sam and Nia are YouTube vloggers based in Terrell, Texas, who vlog about their daily life as a Christian family. They first rose to prominence with a video of themselves lip-syncing the song "Love Is an Open Door" from Frozen in March 2014.[1] [2] They have over 2.5 million subscribers as of May 2024.[3]

In August 2015, Sam and Nia released a controversial viral video of Sam surprising Nia with her own pregnancy. A few days later, they announced that their pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, and a few days after that, Sam was exposed in the Ashley Madison data breach.

Personal history

Samuel Paul Rader was born October 26, 1985, and NiaChel "Nia" Jonique Rand was born September 2, 1988. Sam and Nia met while attending Wills Point High School in Wills Point, Texas, and dated for nearly five years until they married in Wills Point on September 12, 2009.[4] [5] The couple has four children.[6]

Both received associates degrees from Trinity Valley Community College, while Sam also earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at Arlington.[7] For the first few years of their marriage, Sam worked as an emergency room nurse while Nia worked at a Maurices clothing store.[8] [9] In 2024, the couple self-published a memoir titled Live in Truth: Public Scandal, Secret Vows, and Restored Hearts.[10]

YouTube history

On March 10, 2014, Sam uploaded a video titled "Good Looking Parents Sing Disney's Frozen (Love Is an Open Door)".[11] The video was picked up by news stations and websites all over the world and quickly became a viral video.[12] The video has amassed over 22 million views. The video's success greatly increased the number of subscribers to their YouTube channel. Within one month, they had over 35,000 subscribers.[13] Their sudden burst into Internet fame gained them the attention of Disney who had them do a cameo appearance in a music video based on another song from the movie Frozen.[14]

In June 2015, Sam uploaded a video of him surprising his wife with her own pregnancy by dipping a pregnancy test into a toilet bowl with her urine in it on a morning she did not flush it.[15] It was immediately picked up by the media and went viral.[16] Within two days, it had over 5 million views and currently has 19 million views. The video caused a fair amount of controversy, including Vanity Fair and Mic questioning whether a man had the right to know a woman was pregnant before she knew herself.[17] [18] To dispute the claims made by Sam and Nia in their video, BuzzFeed interviewed a doctor and published an article casting doubt on the ability to get a positive pregnancy test result from toilet bowl water.[19]

Three days after the pregnancy announcement video, Sam and Nia released another video (which has since been removed) announcing that their pregnancy had ended in a miscarriage.[20] [21] This announcement received mixed reactions. Articles and videos were made to support them, and others were made doubting the authenticity of their claims. Sam admitted that Nia had not gone to a doctor to be looked at; he said it was unnecessary because he was a registered nurse and already knew how to handle the situation.[22] This created even more doubt. Sam and Nia have insisted that they were sincere in their pregnancy and miscarriage videos.[23] Sam and Nia have also insisted that they do not regret announcing the pregnancy so early, with Sam saying, "the video and miscarriage were part of God’s plan".[24]

In August 2015, Sam was thrown out of a vlogging convention in Seattle after getting into a physical altercation with another Christian vlogger.[25] Later that year, Sam and Nia were named by The Daily Dot in the top five most influential YouTubers of 2015.[26]

Ashley Madison

See also: Ashley Madison data breach. In 2015, three days after Sam and Nia announced they had a miscarriage, it was revealed that Sam had an account on the affair website Ashley Madison three years prior.[27] Many major news websites and magazines picked up the story, including BuzzFeed, Cosmopolitan, and Perez Hilton.[28] [29] [30] Two days later, Sam, with Nia by his side, released a video (which has since been removed) acknowledging and apologizing for having the account and said that God and Nia had forgiven him.[31] This video caused further controversy and criticism,[32] and yet their subscriber count grew greatly.[33] The couple took a hiatus from vlogging for 33 days before returning — though not daily as they had before.[34]

Initially, while Sam acknowledged that he did have an Ashley Madison account, he insisted he never met up with anyone or cheated on his wife. However, in 2024, in the Netflix documentary Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal,[35] Sam said he lied and had cheated on his wife throughout their marriage,[36] including using massage parlors and strip clubs, as well as engaging in two emotional relationships with the couple’s acquaintances.[37]

Sam and Nia have been included in lists of the biggest YouTube scandals by Teen.com,[38] Digital Spy,[39] and The Verge.[40]

Filmography

Year(s)Show or Music VideoRoleProducer
2014In Summer (from "Frozen")Sam Rader - the bus driver & male teacher
Nia Rader - a lunch lady & female teacher
Disney Music Group[41]
2014Good Looking Parents Sing Frozen, Again... (Love is an open door)Sam Rader - himself
Nia Rader - herself
YouTube Music Awards[42]
2015Nightline, Quest For Clicks (Interview)Sam Rader - himself
Nia Rader - herself
ABC News[43]
2020Sam and NiaSam Rader - himself
Nia Rader - herself
Pinnacle Peak Pictures LLC[44]
2024Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & ScandalSam Rader - himself
Nia Rader - herself
Minnow Films, Netflix[45]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Parents go viral with perfect 'Frozen' lip-sync video . March 14, 2014 . Today.com . August 26, 2017.
  2. Web site: Good Looking Parents Sing Disney's Frozen (Love Is an Open Door) . March 10, 2014 . YouTube . August 31, 2017.
  3. Web site: samuel8955 YouTube Stats, Channel Statistics - Socialblade.com . Socialblade.com . August 26, 2017.
  4. Web site: Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 . . 26 May 2024.
  5. Web site: Good Looking Parents Q&A . April 15, 2014 . YouTube . August 30, 2017.
  6. Web site: Bond . Kimberley . Where are YouTube couple Sam and Nia from Netflix's Ashley Madison documentary now? . May 20, 2024 . . 29 May 2024.
  7. Web site: TUESDAY'S CUTE EIGHT Q&A #7 . July 2014 . YouTube . August 31, 2017.
  8. Web site: Tuesday's Cute Eight Q&As #5 by Sam and Nia . May 27, 2014 . YouTube . August 31, 2017.
  9. Web site: Mehrotra . Kriti . Sam Rader: Where is the YouTuber Now? . May 15, 2024 . Cinemaholic . 29 May 2024.
  10. Book: Live in Truth: Public Scandal, Secret Vows, Restored Hearts . 26 May 2024.
  11. Web site: Good Looking Parents Sing Disney's Frozen (Love Is an Open Door) . March 10, 2014 . YouTube . August 31, 2017.
  12. Web site: Parents go viral with perfect 'Frozen' lip-sync video . March 14, 2014 . Today . August 31, 2017.
  13. Web site: samuel8955 YouTube Stats, Channel Statistics . Socialblade.com . August 31, 2017.
  14. Web site: FROZEN'S "IN SUMMER" GETS A REBOOT IN THIS AWESOME NEW VIDEO . Disney . August 31, 2017.
  15. Web site: HUSBAND SHOCKS WIFE WITH PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENT! . August 5, 2015 . YouTube . August 31, 2017.
  16. Web site: A Husband Did the Impossible and Surprised His Wife With Their Pregnancy News—Watch Now! . August 6, 2015 . E! Entertainment Television, LLC. A Division of NBCUniversal. . August 31, 2017.
  17. Web site: Men Shouldn't Get to Surprise Women with a Pregnancy . August 7, 2015 . Vanity Fair, Condé Nast . September 1, 2017.
  18. Web site: There's Something a Little Troubling About the Viral Male Pregnancy Reveal Video . . August 7, 2015 . September 1, 2017.
  19. Web site: Doctors Cast Doubt On Viral Video Stars Sam And Nia's Pregnancy Claims . August 16, 2015 . BuzzFeed News . September 1, 2017.
  20. Web site: Vlogger Couple Grieves Miscarriage Three Days After Announcing Pregnancy in Viral Video . August 10, 2015 . Gawker.com . August 31, 2017.
  21. Web site: Days After Viral Pregnancy Announcement, YouTube Stars Sam and Nia Share Heartbreaking Miscarriage News . People, Time Inc. . August 31, 2017.
  22. Web site: WHY WE NEVER SAW A DOCTOR . August 17, 2015 . YouTube . September 1, 2017.
  23. Web site: Couple Behind Viral Baby Announcement Insists Pregnancy Was Real After Suffering Miscarriage . Inside Edition Inc. . August 31, 2017.
  24. News: After a miscarriage, Sam and Nia explain why they don't regret their viral pregnancy announcement . The Washington Post . August 31, 2017.
  25. Web site: Coder . Maria . Sam Rader Admits He Got Physical with Another Vlogger Before Being Thrown out of Convention – but Denies Making Threats . People Magazine . 26 May 2024.
  26. Web site: The most influential YouTubers of 2015 . December 24, 2015 . The Daily Dot . August 26, 2017.
  27. Web site: The YouTube Star Who Surprised His Wife With a Pregnancy Announcement Was on Ashley Madison?! . August 21, 2015 . E! Entertainment Television, LLC. A Division of NBCUniversal. . August 31, 2017.
  28. Web site: Oh Crap, Sam Rader Had An Ashley Madison Account . August 22, 2015 . BuzzFeed . September 1, 2017.
  29. Web site: Sam Rader of Christian Vloggers "Sam & Nia" Admits He Had Ashley Madison Account . August 22, 2015 . Cosmopolitan, Hearst Communications, Inc . September 1, 2017.
  30. Web site: YouTube Surprise Pregnancy Husband Admits To His Ashley Madison Account — But He Says He's Already Been Forgiven, By God And His Wife! . PerezHilton.com . September 1, 2017 . September 1, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170901153613/http://perezhilton.com/2015-08-22-sam-rader-nia-rader-youtube-surprise-pregnancy-ashley-madison-account-forgiven-god-wife . dead .
  31. Web site: Sam and Nia Star Speaks Out on Ashley Madison Account: 'My Wife Has Forgiven Me' . People.com, Time Inc. . September 1, 2017.
  32. Web site: God forgives Christian YouTube star who used Ashley Madison . National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. . September 2, 2017.
  33. Web site: How a stunt pregnancy announcement, and a miscarriage, turned Sam and Nia into YouTube stars . National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. . August 31, 2017.
  34. Web site: Viral Christian Vloggers Sam and Nia Are Taking an Internet Break . August 26, 2015 . Cosmopolitan, Hearst Communications, Inc . September 1, 2017.
  35. Web site: Fequiere . Roxanne . Sam and Nia Rader on What Happened After Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal . . 17 May 2024.
  36. Web site: Sarner . Lauren . Ashley Madison Netflix doc: All the celebrities revealed in cheating hack . May 16, 2024 . . 17 May 2024.
  37. Web site: Aldecoa . Kayla . Who Are YouTube Stars Nia and Sam Rader? Details Amid New Ashley Madison Documentary . May 15, 2024 . InTouch Weekly . 26 May 2024.
  38. Web site: 6 of Your Fave YouTube Stars Who Were Caught in Serious Cheating Scandals . Teen.com, Defy Media . September 1, 2017.
  39. Web site: 7 of YouTube's most shocking scandals, from fake kidnappings to fake pregnancies . Digital Spy, Hearst Magazines UK, Defy Media . September 1, 2017.
  40. Web site: YOUTUBE'S GOSSIP VLOGGERS HAVE CREATED THEIR OWN TABLOID INDUSTRY . June 7, 2017 . . September 1, 2017.
  41. Web site: In Summer (from "Frozen"). June 6, 2014 . Disney Music . July 21, 2017.
  42. Web site: Good Looking Parents Sing Frozen, Again.... December 17, 2014 . YouTube Music Awards . July 21, 2017.
  43. Web site: Nightline, Quest For Clicks. Nightline ABC News . July 21, 2017.
  44. Web site: Amazon Prime Video. Amazon.com, Inc. . March 27, 2023.
  45. Web site: IMDB.com. IMDb.com, Inc. . May 18, 2024.
  46. Web site: The Artists Music Guild - Awards Search . The Artists Music Guild . May 18, 2024.