Have you heard? Alix Earle’s haircare hack, DrLupo’s chess cheat, and the VidCon Hall of Fame

Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry. This week, one creator turned a bathroom find into a brand campaign, another interviewed the NBA commissioner, and nine more became part of an inaugural hall-of-fame class.

The biz

Alix Earle made expired shampoo cool. The it-girl influencer sparked a viral trend when she praised the effectiveness of an expired Pantene shampoo bottle she found in her family’s bathroom. Now she’s the star of a campaign that comes with a simple proposition: If Pantene works beyond its expiration date, imagine how good it is when it’s not expired.

Asian Pacific creators come to the cover of Bustle. At the start of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, social media tastemakers like Drew Afualo and Monica Ravichandran joined standouts from other fields for a campaign that asks Bustle readers to “Face the Difference.” Bustle Media Group teamed up with Maybelline New York and Gold House to execute the campaign, which includes 40 Asian Pacific stars in all.

WillNE and James Marriott are getting their coffee buzz on. The English YouTubers are known for irreverent product reviews. Now they’re bringing a coffee brand called Rodd’s to 300 Sainsbury’s stores in the U.K. Will they offer up a review of their own product, for fairness’ sake?

Creator commotion

DrLupo got caught cheating at Pogchamps. The streamer proved himself to be the Hans Niemann of the creator chess scene. Here’s a tip, doc: If you go away from the chessboard for several minutes only to return with a sequence of suspiciously high-level moves, the grandmasters in the chat are going to figure out what’s going on.

The VidCon Hall of Fame is here. The seminal creator convention is honoring videomakers who have defined their industry over the past two decades. The inaugural class consists of an octet of YouTube stars: Rhett & Link, Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla of Smosh, Rosanna Pansino, Tyler Oakley, Grace Helbig, and Joey Graceffa. Babe Ruth can join them once he starts vlogging.

Pop culture minute

Adam Silver’s appearance on Kenny Beecham’s podcast is a level-up for basketball creators. The NBA commissioner’s conversation with Beecham underscored the creator world’s increasing influence in the association. Beecham always seems to find his way to the forefront of that scene.

MrBeast gets a cameo in Love, Death + Robots. The mega-creator will join the animated series as the host of an intergalactic gladiatorial ring. No word on whether said coliseum offers a round-number cash prize to its winners.

M3gan is free on YouTube thanks to Blumhouse Productions. The horror studio is preparing to release a sequel for its hit killer doll film, and it wants viewers to get caught up before they head to the theaters. M3gan 

is the latest blockbuster that can be found for free on YouTube, and it’s just like Blumhouse to make use of a forward-thinking distribution strategy.

The papal brief

The Fantasy Pope League is here. Do you have a strong opinion about the conclave of cardinals? Are you interested in predicting who will be chosen as the next pope? If you answered yes to either of those questions, check out the Fantasy Pope League. Just be careful you don’t get confused and take Pat Mahomes first overall.

Holy See posts papal job requirements on LinkedIn. If you’ve ever wondered about the qualifications that factor into the pope-selection process, a visit to LinkedIn offers answers. I’m male, in sound mind, and not excommunicated. Should I apply to become the first Jewish pope?

Platform headlines

Pinterest’s Inclusion Fund is back for a fifth consecutive year. The digital pinboard has already used its inclusivity initiative to support 350 creators from a variety of backgrounds. The program is getting beefed up for its fifth birthday, and creators who want to be part of it can send in their applications until May 15.

The Tudum Live event is shifting from YouTube to home platform Netflix. The streamer’s fan festival was previously broadcast on YouTube, but the 2025 edition will take the form of a Netflix variety show. It makes sense; if Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos is going to talk all that talk about how Netflix > YouTube, he might as well show off the features and programming that make his streaming service so great.

YouTube is now on Peloton. The fitness brand’s smart workout technology already supported YouTube TV as well as other streaming hubs like Netflix and Disney+. Now it’s getting the general version of YouTube, so if you want to catch up on the latest hour-long drama vlog while riding your stationary bike, go right ahead.

The internet is a strange place

The Dr. Pepper Guy is the Michael Jordan of stream sniping. In general, the practice of “stream sniping” — finding a creator either IRL or in a game during a live broadcast — doesn’t have the best reputation. But the Dr. Pepper Guy’s extremely specific and weird form of stream sniping has a certain charm to it, and you can’t deny how effective his methods are.

Uno is YouTube’s new choose-your-own-adventure game. Want to play the classic card game without a physical deck or any friends? YouTube has you covered. Just make sure to comment “Uno” when you only have one card left.