Twitch Streamer BFF Hasan Piker Will Talk About Issac’s Binding and Long Island

TwitchCon 2024 was a whirlwind. During the streaming platform’s three-day convention, I saw drag performances, mock debates, crazy costumes, and a Chevron installation. I’ve rubbed shoulders with major Twitch streamers like Hasan Piker, Caroline Kwan, JuiceBoxx, Deere, and more; Moreover, I experienced incredible jet lag.

One of my last interviews was with Will Neff, a broadcaster and actor who specifically dated Kwan. He hosts the TwitchCon live show Name Your Price and works closely with Piker, AustinShow, and QTCinderella. He’s also an unabashed New York Jets fan, a former G4 host, and a motormouth amateur. Neff, who has a master’s degree in interactive media, was recently banned from Twitch for 48 hours After watching The Shawshank Redemption during “film school” sessions.

Before this ban, on the second day of TwitchCon 2024, *checks notes* I sat down with him to enjoyably discuss cock sucking, being from Long Island, and his friendship with Hasan Piker. Oh, and his undying love for The Binding of Isaac. He also very kindly gave me a bottle of his hot sauce, though the TSA took it from me – sorry Will.

Below is our conversation, edited for clarity and brevity.

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Alyssa Mercante: This is nothing serious. I’ve had enough serious interviews.

Will Neff: You got it.

AM: Wait, you went to school for game design?

WN: No, I also went to school for a major known as Interactive Media. This was sort of a millennial code as it tried to repurpose traditional forms of media for the web. So I focused on film and my focus was on taking film elements and putting them online. And so, my thesis at the end of my master’s degree was to make a choose-your-own-adventure movie using a program called Galahad… I went to Cuba for my master’s program and shot a documentary about the government-supported organic farming program. .

AM: Cool.

WN: Um, and like that, these very small, um, kind of urban farms in Cuba are outperforming farms in the United States, which is very impressive because they have almost nothing… But yeah. I used to be fun and worldly, and now I sit at my desk and make jokes about sucking my own dick. For this reason.

AM: I think this is great. I have a master’s degree and maybe I should do the same.

WN: Making jokes about sucking your dick?

(Both laugh)

AM: Or at least don’t do smart things anymore. Because it doesn’t really make money.

WN: Yes, I’ve been a screenwriter for years and that’s how I eventually found my way to publishing, but it didn’t work.

AM: Yes, and you made the new version of G4.

WM: I did G4, I was at BuzzFeed. Full screen.

AM: You did all the media work

WN: Yes.

AM: I’m not saying you’d condone everyone quitting their jobs and doing something like this, but considering what you’ve done before, could you ever have imagined that this would be where you are now? Or does it feel like a natural progression?

WN: No, I couldn’t imagine that… I think a lot of people in our age range, we’re burdened by a lot of our parents’ opinions. And one of them is that you mainly have to work for someone.

And especially in the entertainment space, it’s a very sticky door because it’s such a predatory business. And you, as a young, creative person, are so eager to prove to the devil you have (your family, friends, whoever) how wrong that you have talent and can make a living from it that you are willing to put yourself through levels of discomfort that I don’t think any other profession would tolerate .

Especially because of the money we get. Ultimately, I think this stems from mentality. You know, my father is 94 years old. And a mentality that goes something like this: “You can have a home with a firm handshake and a good work ethic,” and it just isn’t like that anymore.

AM: You destroyed the economy.

WN: Right. This is not something we inherited. I think I worked for a lot of people, you know, created great work for BuzzFeed, Fullscreen, and a lot of other people, and I was coming home on less than $30,000 a year, which is not very livable in Los Angeles. .

I eventually found my way to Twitch; I was about to quit everything and become a beekeeper with my cousin. Because we still have a farm in Michigan and my cousin is my closest family member. I was literally making plans and Hasan Piker got me drunk one night and said: “You’re going to buy a gaming PC and you’re going to stream, bitch.” And I said, “No, I have $2,000 in my bank account, it’s over.”

But I’m pretty sure I bought a Core Power PC from Walmart with that $2,000. And I started streaming and it was like a love affair because I was always an artist and I was always an entertainer. And I get a lot out of creating happiness or laughter in people. And I was getting an instant feedback loop where Twitch’s feedback loop is very fast. This is similar to that social media smell where you get your comment thread as soon as you publish content.

And so I was immediately hooked. But it wasn’t like, “Oh, I’m going to be great at this one day.” I was like, “I should go ahead and see what people think about this.”

AM: And now look at yourself.

WN: Becoming a broadcaster after so many years was a bit surreal. But this is very pleasing and I am very lucky.

AM: And you have your core group, you all understand what each other do every day because you’re all streamers. Is this a little weird or is it good because you realize Hassan won’t be available for eight hours?

WN: Yes, it’s always interesting and fascinating, things you can get used to, and after all, Hassan was a guy I knew when he was a fat, sweaty mess.

AM: How did you know him? From school?

WM: So my best friend growing up was her best friend in college. So I met him when I was 12 and visiting my best friend and he was at Rutgers. Then one day we all went to California for lunch because Hasan lived there. And this was like the third time I hung out with him. My friend brought his girlfriend and at this lunch they got into a huge New Jersey style fight and went out and Hassan and I were sitting at the table in silence. I looked at him and said: “Do you want to eat their food and put them on the bill?” And he said, ‘More than anything.’

(Both laugh)

And we’ve been very close friends ever since. All in all, I am very happy with Hasan’s success and I think he is a much better person now. But there are days I miss, like his sweaty Backyardigans version.

AM: I mean, you were all confused yesterday. I was at Debatelords and I said, oh, this is a shirtless hour.

WN: Oh yes.

AM: Was this planned?

WN: No, no, no. Ok my love. I guess we’re all former fat kids with muscles now and it’s like if I get the chance to get my boobs he’ll come. Absolutely yes. I worked hard for these tits.

AM: Absolutely yes. I feel the same way as someone who exercises too much. If I have an excuse to work my ass off. I’m taking it out.

WN: Do it. God, yes.

AM: Because I think drunkenness is funny too.

WN: The lunar eclipse is very funny.

AM: And I think we’ve lost that as a society. Butts are funny.

WN: It shines and blinks like the moon and is very funny.

AM: It’s still funny.

WN: It’s a good time.

AM: And this is the simplest form of entertainment.

WN: Yes.

AM: Every time my sister drops me off on the train; I’m from Long Island…

WN: Where?

AM: From where?

WN: (points to himself) Oyster Bay, Greendale.

AM: Wait, what?

WN: Yes.

AM: farmingdale

WN: My god. Are you a Jets fan?

AM: Yes.

(Both laugh)

WN: My god. Wait a minute.

AM: Wait what?

WN: Did we just become best friends?

AM: Wait, what? I didn’t know this. You’re from Long Island.

WN: Oh, I am. I’m from Long Island and…

AM: How long did you live on Long Island? Why don’t you have a terrible accent?

WN: Because I left when I was eight.

AM: Wow. Yes. Ok my love.

WN: And again, my father is 94 years old. In other words, he is a person with very developed diction.

AM: So these are from New York? Your family?

WN: My father is from New York and New Jersey and my mother is from Michigan.

AM: This is awesome, man. Yes. Have you ever been back? So why would you?

WN: I return to Manhattan occasionally because many of my friends are still there. And it’s interesting to see that they’re very worldly and very fun and sometimes they have moments where they get very depressed.

AM: (laughs) Yes. Oh yes. Long Island is also crazy because I guess growing up there I didn’t realize how conservative it could be.

WN: It’s also a very interesting conservative brand. It seems weird because they’re like crazy partiers. They are not fond of Puritan values. But they’re also like, “Wow” about it. None of that weird stuff. (laughs)

AM: This is so funny. We call this place Dirty Valley.

WN: Really?

AM: Yes. Like real garbage.

WN: Yes. When I was 15, I was arrested for underage drinking.

AM: My friend, It’s in Long Island’s blood. I love making fun of Long Island, but it’s a magical place. It made me the person I am today.

WN: It’s magic. Listen, all you need to know is that even though the Jets are the losingest sports club in history, they have the fourth strongest fan base.

AM: Long Islanders are loyal to a fault.

WN: And there is something truly admirable about that.

AM: Maybe there’s something in the water there. You know?

WN: It’s the same thing that makes bagels great.

AM: What about hockey? Are you a hockey person?

WN: I wasn’t an Islanders/Rangers guy growing up. Unfortunately, I was a fan of Satan growing up.

AM: We’re not best friends anymore. I’m a Rangers fan. I hate islanders.

WN: Really?

AM: I hate islanders. I hate them. My dad said: “I like classic hockey, the original six teams.”

(Both laugh)

WN: None of this new nonsense.

AM: My god. You’re a Jets fan. You know heartbreak better than anyone.

WNL Man, I was watching the Patriots on Thursday when we absolutely bombed at home for the first time – What happened? They won a home game against the Patriots for the first time in 15 games.

AM: This is bad. This is pretty bad. I should probably ask you about video games; Which is your favorite thing?

WN: I think I’m having an unfortunate disconnect with single player games and won’t be playing much on the stream. Because conversation is the most disgusting thing that isn’t done at a Mensa-like pace.

AM: “You’re such an idiot,” they say.

WN: (laughs) Yes, more than one attempt… But I love the early Metal Gear Solid games. I’m absolutely obsessed. They were very important to me. And lately I’ve fallen in love with roguelikes. I like the element of a good run versus a bad run and the game IQ enhancing your experience.

The game I play most often is Binding of Isaac. I got my girlfriend (Caroline Kwan) involved in this and now, like every flight, she said, “Let’s play Binding.”

AM: Absolutely yes. What are you playing with? Steam Deck?

WN: Yes.

AM: I have one and people on the subway say: What is this? What’s that thing in your hand?

WN: They are very big.

AM: Very big. You could hurt someone with this. It functions as a weapon in the subway. I’m worried if anything happens, I could literally break someone’s head with it.

WN: Yes. Hit a masturbator’s head; This happens every day in Brooklyn.

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The rest of our conversation veers into jokes and other nonsense; This includes promising to take his shirt off later in the Name Your Price episode.

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