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 group is looking back on its storied past, another creator is featured in an unusual present-day pop song, and an internet fad is ready to become the Hollywood hit of the future.
Creator commotion
Smosh arrived on YouTube 20 years ago this week. The iconic channel led by Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla has had more longevity than any other YouTube hub. To celebrate their bounteous partnership, Hecox and Padilla took part in a Smosh game show and a gala called the Smoscars. Here’s to 20 more years!
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SteveWillDoIt is coming down the YouTube chimney on Christmas Eve. Three years after his channel was banned for gambling-related transgressions, SteveWillDoIt is planning a dramatic return to the platform. The Nelk member says he has been “depressed” while his YouTube channel has been inactive, so hopefully giving away one million dollars can clear up that malaise.
Jack Doherty was arrested in Miami. With eight-digit follower counts on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, Doherty is one of the biggest pranksters in the creator world. His recent arrest for possession is the latest big of legal trouble for an internet-famous practical joker.
Pop culture minute
Of course there’s going to be a Labubu movie. Is anyone surprised that the buzzy toy referenced in millions of short-form videos is getting its own film franchise? The Labubu movie is either going to be the biggest thing since A Minecraft Movie or a completely unwatchable slog for parents. Or — dare I say it — both?
Chess.com is increasing its ELO with Super PogChamps. Previous editions of the creator chess tourney were more notable for silly plays than high-level competition. This time, however, Chess.com is rolling out the big guns. Streamer Tyler1 will be a name to watch, as he’s been steadily increasing his ranking. Can he take down an actual factual tournament chess player in the form of Andrea Botez?
MrBeast built a “massive” city for the second season of Beast Games. The creator’s spectacular, controversial Amazon original series will begin its second season on January 7. 200 contestants will be involved, with a mix of brawn and brains featured. Who will come out on top?
Platform headlines
ByteDance achieves $480 billion valuation. A bidding war for a sizable chunk of ByteDance equity drove up the tech company’s price tag, making it one of the world’s most valuable startups. Keep that massive valuation in mind the next time the U.S. government tries to play hardball with TikTok’s deep-pocketed owner.
Nvidia isn’t a gaming company anymore. Remember when the tech giant was best known for selling GPUs and other pieces of gaming hardware? Pepperidge Farm remembers, even if Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is now saying that his company’s immense AI chip sales have led it away from the gaming world.
This is your brain on Instagram. A study involving 98,299 participants examined the ways that short-form videos affect the brain. Those clips can cause social isolation, sleep problems, anxiety, and loneliness, but at least the dog memes are funny.
The biz
YouTube added €1 billion to the French economy in 2024. The platform’s 2025 YouTube Festival was a celebratory affair, and the release of a France-specific economic impact report was one of the highlights. No wonder the Western European nation’s traditional entertainment companies are so eager to work with creators.
Pop the Balloon or Find Love has become a dating app. After breaking out on YouTube, the romance series has expanded into a multiplatform franchise. I hope the app doesn’t come with popping noises; if it does, everyone swiping at the bar is about to get real loud, real fast.
Agency dealings
Wasserman has big plans for Choyce Brown after signing social media influencer. The daughter of actor Tabitha Brown is one of several celebrity offspring to ink a deal with Wasserman. The agency will give its new charge lots of choyces (sorry) by opening doors for her across fields like acting, events, and branded content.
CAA’s new hire will work at the intersection of journalism and the creator economy. Former CBS News producer Becky Van Dercook will help creators become reporters, and vice versa. Does that mean we’re about to get even more creator-published newsletters to join the ones that are already out there?
The internet is a strange place
A weird song about iJustine went viral on TikTok. The hyperpop artist KIRAAI has an untoward invitation for one of the internet’s biggest tech reviewers, and memers in the short-form world are loving it. I don’t think iJustine is going to fulfill the prophecy of the song that bears her name, though. Maybe KIRAAI should ask Tana Mongeau instead.
TikTok’s talking parrot obsession is making waves in the black market. I understand that parrots are highly intelligent creatures, which makes them great pets for short-form content creators. But if you’re going to buy a parrot, please do so ethically. Can you say ethically, Polly? Brawwk, ethically.
