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, big-name YouTube stars of the 2010s are making headlines: A notable creator pair made a massive reveal, and a special effects wizard worked his way into the film biz.
Creator commotion
Turns out Dan and Phil have been dating the whole time. When Dan Howell and Phil Lester were going on massive tours in the 2010s, there were constant rumors about their alleged romantic connection. In a joint video, they revealed that the shippers were right the whole time, and they have been dating since 2009. Now they’re commemorating their “hard launch” with a podcast of the same name.
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Twitch’s biggest stars probably belong on the Mount Rushmore of streamers. Twitch CEO Dan Clancy stepped in it when he claimed that Kai Cenat and iShowSpeed haven’t been on top of the game long enough to earn a place on the exec’s hypothetical “Mount Rushmore” of streamers. At this point, I feel like we’re ready for the Mount Rushmore of silly Mount Rushmore drama.
Pop culture minute
Freddie Wong and Matt Arnold “will return to our action comedy roots” with a film called Nail House. Wong, a special effects maestro who thrived on YouTube during the platform’s first decade, announced his new project on Instagram. To tell the story of a dumpling shop fighting a hostile takeover, Wong is re-teaming with Arnold, who he worked with on the acclaimed action comedy Video Game High School.
Rhett & Link are authoring a children’s book for picky eaters. When it comes out in 2026, Spaghetti Head and Chicken Fingers will celebrate kids with stingy dietary preferences. This may sound like a bit that came out of the Wheel of Mythicality on the duo’s morning show, but it is indeed very real.
All of MatPat’s furious Five Nights At Freddy’s theorizing has paid off. The retired Game Theory creator will head to the big screen with a small role in the upcoming horror sequel Five Nights At Freddy’s 2. The indie game was one of MatPat’s favorite subjects for his theories, and in the post-Minecraft Movie landscape, it’s the right time for his hard work to be rewarded.
After asking “Who TF Did I Marry,” Reesa Teesa gets a book deal. A Penguin Random House imprint has acquired the rights to What (TF) Do I Do Now?, Teesa’s examination of her life post-viral fame. The book is described as “not just a memoir, it’s a survival guide.” Sounds like another fun adventure for a TikTok favorite.
Former Rooster Teeth employees are tackling mental health in a PBS series. By marrying frank conversations about mental health with the vibe of a sitcom, creators like Tyler Coe (formerly of Rooster Teeth), Barbara Dunkelman (RWBY), and Elyse Willems (Funhaus) are landing on PBS affiliates across the country. It’s good to see hard-working Rooster Teeth alumni landing on their feet.
Politics as usual
Doctor Mike hits out at the AMA for its unengaging counters to misinformation. There’s faulty medical information everywhere these days, even at the highest levels of government. When the AMA’s fact-checking tweets are only reaching a few thousand people, Doctor Mike doesn’t think the agency’s efforts are adequate. He has a point. Factual claims are only powerful when they are boosted to as many people as possible, and the AMA seems to be missing that part of the equation.
Senate Dems want to know if YouTube’s Trump settlement was a bribe. After the president used a YouTube settlement to help fund a glitzy new ballroom for the White House, liberal regulators want answers. YouTube’s recent actions against channels critical of Trump means that this inquiry is standing on solid footing.
Platform headlines
YouTube has a neat new streaming feature that promotes paywalled content. In the middle of broadcasts, YouTube streamers can now switch between public access and subscribers-only segments. It’s like if sports broadcasters made viewers pay extra to watch the end of the game, so it at least seems like a good deal for the streamers themselves.
By saying “YouTube does a much better job,” Elon Musk shades his own platform. The head of X believes the platform formerly known as Twitter is underpaying creators. As evidence, he pointed to YouTube and commended the monetization on the Google-owned hub. Praising your rivals is an odd strategy, but it’s just par for the course as far as the Chief Twit is concerned.
Dan Clancy says Twitch is not Amazon’s “zombie brand.” The streaming hub’s relationship with its parent company has been uneven over the years, but Twitch’s current CEO isn’t worried. “Amazon has been great at supporting everything that we’re doing,” Clancy said during an interview with Bloomberg. “Twitch gives Amazon a platform where they can reach a younger audience, which I think is important to Amazon.”
The internet is a strange place
A noted dog photographer is launching a talk show. Move over, hot wings: There’s a new interview show gimmick in town. Elias Weiss Friedman of The Dogist will interview (human) celebrities while hanging out with the (canine) all-stars of New York City.
Duolingo is teaching Japanese through an anime series that stars its owl mascot. I’m not sure if I’ll learn a lot of Japanese words from watching the show, or if I’ll just learn the word “nani” a thousand times.
