If the Internet/YouTube didn't exist, would you know about Rhett & Link?

If the Internet/YouTube didn't exist, would Rhett & Link be experiencing as much success as they experience today? Or, would they not have gotten as much recognition? Or, would they have been able to "make it" in traditional media without the help of the Internet (thus making them even more successful/recognized, perhaps)?

What do you think?

I'm writing a paper that assesses the extent to which YouTube 'democratizes' celebrity, and I intend to use Rhett & Link as my case study. If you have any thoughts on this topic, I'd love to hear them! Thank you for your input. :)