It’s been two weeks since Showtime confirmed the end of Desus & Mero and the dissolution of the creative partnership between Desus Nice and the Kid Mero, and neither party has been particularly silent in the aftermath. The Kid Mero spoke in more detail about the duo’s split on a recent appearance on the SiriusXM Basic! podcast, co-hosted by former MTV executive Doug Herzog and Vulture TV critic Jen Chaney. “Desus and I had discussed pursuing separate interests over a year prior to the show coming to an end,†Mero explained of the decision. “That conversation solidified in us signing overall agreements that recognized our intent to operate independent of one another. As far back as June of last year we were both pitching or looking to join existing projects as individuals.â€
Mero emphasized that the decision to pursue separate endeavors was mutual and difficult and that he and Desus remain supportive of one another, stating, “It’s not like I’m breaking up with my girlfriend on the phone. It was a strategy and one that we all agreed on.†He stressed that the decision was primarily about not wanting to continue forcing something that had naturally run its course, given that it would be unfair to the dedicated fan base the duo had built. “At the end of the day, things wind up and wind down, and when things are winding down, you have to recognize that they are winding down and not supermax Patrick Ewing when he has two [knee pads] and his career is coming to a close,†he joked.
Following the news of the split, the Kid Mero appeared on Twitch and on a WFAN radio show to offer some additional context. He also quietly agreed with a post on the bodegaboys sub-Reddit suggesting that earlier reports regarding manager Victor Lopez’s role in the duo’s split had made Lopez a scapegoat. Desus, meanwhile, has been active on Twitter, clapping back at the interminable Jason Whitlock and retweeting a picture where he looks very familiar with comedian and Bodies Bodies Bodies star Rachel Sennott. After the podcast was released on August 3, Desus and Mero appeared to engage in a proxy squabble over one user’s tweet, calling into question the diplomatic tune of Mero’s statements on the show. “I love that Desus Nice is just letting Mero talk,†read a tweet liked by Desus. Mero promptly liked a reply to that tweet which read, “Maybe he’s saying nothing because he has no defense. Hollywood Desus.†It appears we have not yet sufficiently “heard both sides.â€