If you spent any time on the internet between 2013 and 2017, you probably remember the guy with the incredible singing voice and the "Storytime" narrations. Thomas Sanders was everywhere. He was the "Unproblematic King" of Vine, known for making people smile without needing to be edgy or mean.
Then Vine died.
While many creators vanished into the digital ether when that six-second loop stopped spinning, Sanders didn't. He pivoted. Hard. But if you haven't checked your YouTube subscription feed in a few years, you might be wondering what happened to Thomas Sanders and why he isn't topping the trending charts every single week like he used to.
Honestly? He’s been busy. Very busy.
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The Sanders Sides Era and the Content Shift
The biggest thing that changed for Thomas wasn't just the platform; it was the depth of the work. He moved away from quick-fire comedy and poured his soul into Sanders Sides. If you aren’t familiar, it’s a web series where he plays different "Sides" of his own personality—Logan (Logic), Patton (Morality), Roman (Creativity), and Virgil (Anxiety).
It’s not just a hobby. It’s a full-scale production.
Videos that used to be five minutes long turned into 30-minute psychological deep dives. Production values skyrocketed. He started hiring full crews, makeup artists like Quil Darling, and specialized VFX editors. Because the quality went up, the frequency went down. You can't just churn out a "Sanders Sides" episode every Tuesday. These things take months.
As of early 2026, fans are still dissecting every frame of Season 2, which has been trickling out with episodes like "Why is Dating Scary?" released in late 2025. The series has become a cornerstone of queer representation on YouTube, but that level of responsibility comes with a lot of pressure.
Why the "Cringe" Label Started to Stick
Internet culture is fickle. Somewhere around 2021, a weird shift happened on platforms like Tumblr and TikTok. The very things people loved about Thomas—his theater-kid energy, his earnestness, and his "safety" as a creator—became things people mocked.
He went from being the internet's favorite to being labeled "cringe."
A lot of this stemmed from a demographic shift. As his original audience grew up, a younger, more intense fan base took over. This led to some friction. In 2021, a "smear campaign" of sorts bubbled up on Reddit and Tumblr, mostly involving minor controversies regarding how he interacted with fans or handled certain "asks" about his content.
Most of these "cancellations" didn't hold much water. For instance, some people tried to call him out for working with drama students at his old high school, ignoring the fact that he was invited back by his former teachers as a mentor. It was a classic case of the internet trying to find a "dark side" to someone who seemed a bit too nice.
Transitioning to Professional Acting and Music
If you think Thomas Sanders is "gone" just because you don't see him on your FYP, you’re missing half the story. He has been aggressively pursuing a professional career in musical theater and voice acting.
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He didn't just stay in his bedroom in Gainesville. He’s been:
- Voicing Disney Characters: He voiced "Throat Lobster" in Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe and "Neighslayer" in Hamster & Gretel.
- Starring in Theater: He earned a nomination for Best Performer in a Musical at the 2022 BroadwayWorld Orlando Awards for his role as J.D. in Heathers: The Musical in Concert.
- Producing Music: He’s still releasing music under Foster Dawg, Inc., moving beyond just parody songs into legitimate vocal performances.
He’s effectively transitioned from "Vine Star" to "Working Actor." That's a jump many influencers fail to make.
Is He Still Making Content in 2026?
Yes. Thomas is still active, though his presence is more curated now. He’s found a comfortable home on Patreon, where the "Fanders" (his dedicated fan base) support the high costs of his scripted series.
Recently, he’s been leaning into nostalgia. In May 2025, he released a video reacting to his old pre-Vine skits, showing a level of self-awareness that helps combat that "cringe" narrative. He knows who he is. He’s a theater kid who got famous on the internet, and he’s okay with that.
The "Thomas Sanders and Friends" channel was discontinued a while back, with most of that content moving back to his main channel to keep things centralized. It was a smart business move. It stopped him from spreading himself too thin.
How to Keep Up With Him
If you want to see what he’s actually up to right now, stop looking for him in the 2015-era "funny vine compilations."
Check out his recent Sanders Asides or his work on Sanders Sides Season 3, which has been the subject of massive speculation in late 2025 and early 2026. He’s also active on Bluesky and Instagram, where he posts more behind-the-scenes glimpses of his life in Florida and his various voice-acting gigs.
Thomas Sanders didn't "fall off." He just grew up and took his production value with him.
To see his most recent work, you can follow these steps:
- Watch "Why is Dating Scary?" on YouTube: This is the latest major entry in the Sanders Sides lore and shows exactly where his head is at creatively.
- Check his Backstage Profile: If you’re interested in his professional acting career, his industry credits are updated more frequently than his Wikipedia page.
- Support the Patreon: If you want the deep-dive "Sanders Sides" episodes to come out faster, that’s where the funding happens.
He’s still the same guy—just with better cameras and a lot more experience.