Desus and Mero's breakup was 'strategic' planned more than a year in advance, says The Kid Mero

One of the most shocking pop culture developments of 2022 was the breakup of Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, the longtime comedy duo who turned their hit podcast "Bodega Boys" into an empire. comedy that culminated in the late-night talk show "Desus & Mero," which ran for four seasons on Showtime. Last month, the stars abruptly revealed that they would not only be ending their Showtime series, but also to their creative partnership as a whole.

At the time, a Showtime spokesperson told IndieWire, "Showtime's late-night talk show 'Desus & Mero' will not be returning for a fifth season. Its final episode aired on Thursday, June 23. Desus Nice and The Kid Mero will pursue separate creative endeavors in the future.

Since then, fan speculation has swirled as to whether the breakup was the result of a feud between the two comedians. But that's not how Desus and Mero see it. In a new appearance on "Basic!" from Sirius XM podcast (via Variety), The Kid Mero claimed the split was amicable and planned well in advance.

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"Desus and I had discussed pursuing separate interests for a year before the show ended and that conversation solidified us in signing comprehensive agreements acknowledging our intention to independently operate one of the other," Mero said. "As of June of last year, we were both launching or looking to join existing projects as individuals."

He added that there will be no animosity between the two as they pursue separate opportunities in the future.

“The intention was to separate us in a mutually supportive way,” he said. "It's not like I was breaking up with my girlfriend over the phone. It was a strategy we all agreed on."

More than anything, says Mero, the breakup came from wanting to end on a high note, rather than letting the partnership crumble over time.

"In the end, things end and end and when things end, you have to recognize that they end," he said. "And not supermax Patrick Ewing when he has two [kneepads] and his career is coming to an end."

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