Game Changer’s Jacob Wysocki Gets Surprise $100,000 Episode—Here’s How His Friends Pulled It Off
Game Changer on Dropout is known for its unpredictable twists, but the July 28 episode, “Who Wants to Be Jacob Wysocki?”, took things to a whole new level. In a heartfelt surprise, comedian Jacob Wysocki found himself at the center of an elaborate game show inspired by Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, surrounded by friends and ending the day with a massive $100,000 check. The experience was so surreal for Wysocki that he’s still not sure if it actually happened.
- How the special Game Changer episode was secretly organized
- Why Jacob Wysocki was kept in the dark
- The emotional reasons behind the episode
- Key moments and surprises during the filming
- Wysocki’s reaction to the big reveal
The Game Changer Twist
Every episode of Game Changer is a surprise, but this time only Jacob Wysocki was out of the loop. The rest of the cast and crew knew what was coming. Wysocki thought he was just taking part in another quirky challenge, but soon realized the entire episode was focused on him. The show’s host, Sam Reich, and Wysocki’s friends orchestrated the entire plan, making sure the comedian had no idea what was about to happen.
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Planning the Surprise
Kurt Maloney, Wysocki’s “best bud,” played a huge role in making the episode special. He worked closely with Reich and the Dropout team, pitching ideas and keeping the secret safe. There was even a moment where Maloney had to invent a story at a party to avoid giving away the surprise. Wysocki admits, “I was like, ‘It makes no sense that you’re having this sort of conversation with Sam without me being a part of it.’” His friends even reassured him he was overthinking things, all to protect the secret.
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Why This Episode Mattered
This episode was more than just a prank. It was a celebration of Wysocki during a tough time in his life. In 2024, he lost his mother and a close friend, Roger Garcia the Third, which brought a lot of grief and challenges. While viewers wouldn’t have known it from his cheerful appearances, his friends wanted to show their support. The episode mirrored a previous Game Changer episode, “Don’t Cry,” which also honored a cast member facing hardship.
On Set Surprises
During filming, Wysocki slowly realized the episode was all about him. The set was styled like a game show, and his friends, “The Two Tylers,” appeared as lifelines. Later, a hot dog eating contest with Scott Milton Brazee and Evan Rosenberg made it clear: this was his show. Even then, he wondered if another twist was coming. “Is somebody gonna come and steal it all away? Is it fake? Is it real?” he wondered. But this time, everything was genuine.
Support From Friends and Family
Wysocki’s friends Kimia Behpoornia and Jeremy Culhane joined him on stage as emotional support. He had to answer who he thought was the funniest among them, quickly praising Behpoornia and jokingly putting Culhane last. Wysocki explained, “There’s a lot of maturity and power in being able to be the heel,” showing the playful dynamic among the group.
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The Final Surprise
One of the biggest surprises came at the end, when Wysocki’s father, Tim, made a special appearance to present the $100,000 check. Maloney had reached out to Tim early in the planning, and he managed to keep the secret the whole time. Wysocki said, “He watches what I do on Dropout because he’s a supportive father, but I don’t think he really understands, like, what it is and the nuance of online streaming and direct-to-consumer consumption.”
The Impact
With nearly one million subscribers, Dropout’s audience was quick to celebrate the episode. Wysocki said, “To see the episode be reverberated back to me through this notion of, like, all thumbs up. It’s pretty wild.” Even now, the reality of what happened hasn’t completely sunk in for him. “I think there’s still a part of me that doesn’t even know if it’s real, you know. It’s that big of a gesture, and it’s that big of a sensation that I’ll probably be chewing on this for the rest of my life.”
To read more about Dropout’s growing popularity, check out this article.
