TV Host Leaves Network, But Not Without a Special Farewell

An up-and-coming TV host has said goodbye to the airwaves, but not without a proper goodbye. Corey Smallwood, aka The Black Hokage, has exited Xplay. Xplay is a revival of the classic G4 TV video game review show of the same name. TBH was one of the new hosts that joined Adam Sessler when the program relaunched in 2021. In addition to Xplay, this departure from G4 also means he will no longer be featured on spinoffs Xplay Plus and Xplay Kickback.

TBH, who also produces independent gaming/non-gaming content, has not publicly disclosed a reason for his departure. However, he intends to ramp up his personal brands going forward. TBH's exit was somewhat unexpected, being as his profile on Xplay has increased in recent months. He worked on a well-received series of comedic retrospective videos about promising video games that never got sequels, such as Bully and Jade Empire. In the recurring segments, TBH portrayed a bizarre college professor that wildly ranted about the games in front of two bewildered students. 

Before he exited, he led one final Xplay segment. This was a look back at Dragonball Z: Budokai, the dormant fighting game series based on the Dragon Ball manga/Dragon Ball Z anime. At the close of the show, TBH's fellow Xplay personalities shared some kind words and recalled their favorite memories. He was praised for being "game for anything" and "working his ass off." A montage also displayed the unapologetic on-screen talent's best moments.

TBH's departure is the second high-profile host exit for G4 this year, following the July departure of Ovilee May. May was primarily an esports personality that was left in limbo following the cancellation of Boosted, the network's comedic esports talk/variety show. 

"While I enjoyed most of my time at G4, unfortunately, at the company's current state, I'm not able to execute on the projects or ideas that I really want to," she said in a goodbye video. "Now that being said, I'm always open to working with them again in the future if the stars align because I still do believe in the original concept of the network, and I absolutely love the fan base."

Xplay airs full episodes that include reviews, scripted segments and interviews on G4's linear cable channel and its streaming offerings such as G4 Select on Pluto TV. Individual segments from those episodes are also available to watch via YouTube. The show also has a weekly live show, Xplay Plus and Xplay Kickback, that follows a talk show format. Hosts discuss the latest updates in the gaming world and demo various video games live via Twitch and YouTube.