5 Surprising Facts About Where Rhett And Link Are *Really* From (It's Not Just North Carolina)
The question of "Where are Rhett and Link from?" is more complex than a simple city and state, revealing a decades-long friendship forged in a small Southern town and cemented by an unlikely college major. As of late
While the pair are globally recognized as the co-founders of Mythical Entertainment, their story begins with a simple act of childhood rebellion. Their legendary friendship started on September 4, 1984, the day they met at Buies Creek Elementary School, where they were both kept in during recess for writing bad words on their desks. This shared punishment for a minor infraction became the accidental origin story of one of the internet’s most enduring and successful partnerships.
The Unlikely Engineering Path: Rhett & Link's Full Profile & Biography
The lives of Rhett James McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln "Link" Neal III are inextricably linked by their shared childhood, education, and career. While they are known for their on-screen chemistry and comedic timing, their professional foundation is surprisingly technical.
- Rhett James McLaughlin:
- Born: October 11, 1977
- Birthplace: Macon, Georgia, USA (though his family moved to Thousand Oaks, California, and then Buies Creek, North Carolina, by age five)
- Education: North Carolina State University (NC State)
- Degree: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BEng)
- Height: 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
- Charles Lincoln "Link" Neal III:
- Born: June 1, 1978
- Birthplace/Hometown: Buies Creek, North Carolina, USA (where he spent his formative years)
- Education: North Carolina State University (NC State)
- Degree: Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering (BEng)
- Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
- Partnership Origin: Met on September 4, 1984, in the first grade at Buies Creek Elementary School in Buies Creek, North Carolina.
- Current Venture: Co-creators of *Good Mythical Morning* (GMM) and co-founders of Mythical Entertainment.
From Buies Creek to Hollywood: The North Carolina Roots of Mythical Entertainment
The true "home" of Rhett and Link is the small, close-knit community of Buies Creek, North Carolina. This is the geographic and cultural anchor of their entire partnership. The town is home to Campbell University, and the duo’s childhood experiences there were so influential that they later immortalized the setting in their bestselling novel, *Bleak Creek*.
The Fateful First-Grade Meeting
The story of their meeting is a piece of internet lore, often retold on their podcast, *Ear Biscuits*, and in their documentary series, *Good Mythical Origins*. The punishment for desk-defacing was not just a shared moment of detention; it was the beginning of a lifelong bond. They were inseparable throughout their childhood, creating home videos and developing the unique, complementary dynamic that would eventually become their professional brand. This early collaborative spirit, nurtured in the quiet streets of Buies Creek, laid the groundwork for their future success.
The Shift from Religious Content
Their earliest creative endeavors were heavily influenced by their upbringing as evangelical Christians. Before becoming YouTube stars, they worked extensively with Christian organizations and initially produced content with a religious focus. This early phase of their careers, which involved creating videos and music for Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru), was a vital learning experience in production and performance, even though they later chose to pivot their content to a broader, more secular audience.
The College of Engineering to Comedy: How NC State Forged a YouTube Empire
Perhaps the most surprising detail about Rhett and Link's origin story is their educational background. Despite their current status as full-time comedians and hosts, both attended North Carolina State University (NC State) and graduated from the prestigious College of Engineering.
Engineering Degrees and Analytical Minds
Rhett earned a degree in Civil Engineering, and Link earned one in Industrial Engineering. While they ultimately abandoned the world of structural analysis and process optimization for YouTube, their engineering education is often credited with instilling the analytical, problem-solving, and systematic approach they apply to their content creation. The structured, daily format of *Good Mythical Morning*—a show built on testing, ranking, and analyzing—is arguably a direct result of their engineering training.
Their commitment to their alma mater remains strong. In a recent show of support, they established "The Rhett & Link Engineering Innovation Scholarship Fund" at NC State, providing a full-ride scholarship to students in the College of Engineering. This philanthropic effort brings their journey full circle, acknowledging the unexpected role their engineering degrees played in their mythical career.
The Birth of Good Mythical Morning and the Mythical Universe
The true launchpad for their global fame was the creation of their flagship show. *Good Mythical Morning* (GMM) first aired on YouTube on January 9, 2012, marking a major turning point in their professional lives. The show’s success allowed them to transition from making viral comedy sketches and local commercials to becoming daily content creators with a massive, dedicated following.
Expanding the Mythical Universe
GMM quickly became a cornerstone of YouTube’s daily programming, leading to the creation of the larger Mythical Entertainment brand. This expansion includes several key entities that reinforce their topical authority and reach:
- *GMMore:* The daily companion show that offers a behind-the-scenes look and extended conversation after the main GMM episode.
- *Ear Biscuits:* Their popular, long-running podcast where they have in-depth, often personal, conversations, including recent discussions about their schedule and the challenges of getting older.
- The Mythical Society: A paid fan community that offers exclusive content, including their four-episode documentary series, *Good Mythical Origins*, which provides a deep dive into their history.
- The Mythical Crew: A growing team of writers, producers, and editors (including notable members like Stevie Wynne Levine) who help produce the massive volume of content.
While Rhett and Link may have been "from" Macon, Georgia, and Buies Creek, North Carolina, respectively, their journey shows that a sense of place can be more about a shared history than a single birthplace. Their origin story is not a lie, but a complex, multi-layered tale of two childhood friends who leveraged a small-town bond and a pair of engineering degrees into a multi-million dollar entertainment enterprise, proving that the most successful ventures often come from the most unexpected places.
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