Tuna.com was once home to a beloved TV character known as the “mailman.” He was a quirky presence on the site delivering virtual “mail” to fans of the hit show Wicked Tuna. But in recent years the mailman has disappeared, leaving many wondering – what happened to him?
A Brief History of Tuna.com
Tunacom is the official website for the popular reality TV show Wicked Tuna on National Geographic Channel. The show follows commercial tuna fishermen based in Gloucester, Massachusetts as they compete to catch bluefin tuna
The website originally launched in 2012 as a promotional site for the show. It featured bios and updates on the captains, boats, and drama surrounding the competitive tuna fishing industry. The site also had a blog, community forums, contests, and an online shop.
One of the most beloved parts of tuna.com was the virtual “mailman” character. He would make weekly appearances in videos to deliver fan mail and messages from the show’s stars.
Introducing the Tuna.com Mailman
The mailman first appeared on tuna.com in 2013 during the show’s second season. He was an older gentleman with white hair, glasses, and a postal worker’s uniform.
In his introductory video, the mailman explained he was the newly hired “director of communications” for tuna.com. His job was to hand-deliver fan mail to the Wicked Tuna boats and captains.
With his quirky, deadpan humor, the mailman quickly became a fan favorite. His weekly mail delivery videos were a fun way for the show to engage with viewers. Fans loved his snarky asides, dad jokes, and attempts to get the gruff fishing captains to crack a smile.
Popularity and Downfall of the Mailman Character
For the next few years, the mailman appeared consistently in videos and content on tuna.com. Fans even made fan art and memes about him.
But in recent seasons of Wicked Tuna, the mailman has been noticeably absent from the site. His last video appearance was in early 2018. So what happened?
There are a few possible explanations:
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The mailman was just intended as a short-term promotional character, not a long-running staple.
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The show wanted to take the website in a different creative direction, focusing more on the captains and fishing drama rather than an outside character.
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The mailman actor may have left or was let go for financial reasons or creative differences.
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Legal issues, trademarks, or licensing agreements around the character may have forced him to be discontinued.
Whatever the exact reasons, tuna.com has confirmed that the mailman will not be returning.
The Future of Tuna.com
While fans still reminisce about the mailman, tuna.com continues to evolve along with the show it represents.
Recent changes include:
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A redesigned website focusing more on video content.
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Expanded social media presence across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.
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Creation of the Wicked Tuna Fan Club subscription service with exclusive content.
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Launch of a Wicked Tuna merchandise shop.
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Interactive features like trivia, polls, and captain Q&As.
The website remains the main hub for Wicked Tuna superfans to stay up to date on the latest fishing trips, boat tech, captain drama and more. But the quirky mailman delivering fan mail will now only live on in old videos and fan memories.
What We Can Learn from the Mailman
While he is gone, the tuna.com mailman taught some valuable lessons during his tenure:
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Engaging characters and gimmicks can help promotional content stand out. But they may not have longevity if the gimmick gets stale.
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Websites for TV shows can struggle to keep content fresh after the novelty wears off. They have to keep reinventing themselves.
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Fans will get very attached to certain characters or features of a franchise. Removing them can create backlash.
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Legal issues around content rights, branding, trademarks, etc. may force changes against a company’s creative wishes.
The mailman was a fun part of tuna.com’s early years. But the website had to evolve with the show’s needs and audience. This tail of the mailman shows the tricky balance sites must strike between novelty ideas vs. long-term content, and giving fans what they want vs. what legally or financially works.
While we may never know exactly why the mailman disappeared, his spirit lives on for Wicked Tuna devotees. And tuna.com continues swimming into the future with fresh content strategies to engage this unique fandom.
A family from East Kingston, New Hampshire, is mourning the loss of their son — a star on the TV show “Wicked Tuna” — after he died from a suspected opiate overdose.
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Wicked Tuna star dies of what is thought to be an opiate overdose. His family in East Kingston, New Hampshire, is sad about the death of their son, who was a star on the TV show “Wicked Tuna.”
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Why You Can’t Buy A Live Tuna #Shorts
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Who is Tyler McLaughlin from Wicked Tuna?
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