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, I’m here watching a new video from a YouTube icon, a TikTok star irritated some Hollywood A-listers, and Twitch’s “woodwind meta” has arrived.
Creator commotion
Tom Scott is so back. Two years after he took an indefinite break from his YouTube channel, the creator known for showing up in all sorts of places is back with a new travel series. His 6.6 million YouTube subscribers will be thrilled to have him back, but the streaming service Nebula will be the best place to go to watch Scott’s new work.
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Ms. Rachel’s one-year-old kid is pretty smart. Some parents are feeling inadequate after seeing how many words Ms. Rachel’s little one has already earned. They needn’t sweat it; Ms. Rachel educates millions of kids, but her offspring is the only baby who gets to take advantage of one-on-one sessions.
Jason Steele of ‘Charlie the Unicorn’ fame raised over $50,000 to help his mother and her husband. Steele, who produced some of the biggest animations of the early YouTube era, turned to GoFundMe to give his family a helping hand. Thanks to the generosity of fans, Steele’s kin will be able to land on their feet after being evicted.
Clavicular’s Channel 5 interview ended with an epic crashout. The face of the “looksmaxxing” trend felt Andrew Callaghan was being disingenuous when the Channel 5 host said he’s comfortable with his own looks. That’s one way for Clavicular to learn that not everyone shares his intense scrutiny of his body.
Pop culture minute
Jake Shane probably won’t get invited back to the Oscars afterparty. Shane was invited to interview celebs as part of a Vanity Fair shindig, but his disparaging comments about the film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You left a sour taste in some attendees’ mouths. I know everyone’s trying to work with creators these days, but us traditional journalists have our merits, too.
Haley Baylee will help contestants Win The Mall on a Netflix reality competition series. The creator/model is moving beyond social media with a hosting gig that will bring her to Netflix. Her show will be a competitive shopping spree, making her high-energy delivery a good match for the upcoming program.
An adorable “Tubby Nugget” is parlaying Instgram fame into a graphic novel. The super-cute alien character created by Jenine Pastores and Josh Jackson has already starred in its own line of plush toys. Now, with Escape From Nuggetville, Pastores and Jackson are putting Tubby Nugget onto the printed page. An audience of 3.3 million followers will be a big part of the book’s target audience.
The biz
Even a scion of the Reese’s family prefers Feastables to Hershey’s. MrBeast found a smart way to market his better-for-you confections: He invited candy royalty to try the Feastables peanut butter cup, and Brad Reese agreed that the creator’s sweet-tasting product is light years ahead of the competition (and its YouTube content is better, too).
Bonkers Toys is bringing Genevieve’s Playhouse to retail shelves. The toymaker has become a trusted partner for kid-friendly creators and YouTube channel owners who are looking to turn their characters into products. Genevieve’s Playhouse fits that bill, which means its time for kids to get their hands on a selection of “mystery figures” that will be available at stores like Walmart.
Is Alix Earle the last of her kind? That’s the argument made by Arthur Leopold, the Co-Founder of creator marketing company Agentio. Leopold argued that social media feeds are too fractured to produce more “it girls” who can match Earle’s ubiquity and influence. That may be true, but also, Earle rose up by taking advantage of TikTok. Maybe if a hot new platform comes along, culture can get out of its siloes again.
Politics as usual
Kat Abughazaleh falls just short in Congressional primary bid. The TikToker-turned-campaigner finished four percentage points behind winner Daniel Biss in a closely contested Illinois primary. It wasn’t quite time for Abughazaleh to become the first creator in Congress, but she nevertheless used her concession speech to thank her supporters. Then she posted it on YouTube.
Senate Democrats have some questions about Trump’s TikTok deal payout. The President reportedly collected a $10 billion fee from the investors who took stakes in the new, U.S.-only version of TikTok. That’s such a big number that Senators like Mark Warner want to know how much brokering Trump really did.
The internet is a strange place
Skittles gave streamer PointCrow a new controller. It’s also a flute. The candy brand developed a fun Twitch gimmick when it revealed a video game controller that must be played like a flute. Everyone knows that the most important skills in gaming are reaction time, actions per minute, and embouchure.
Doctors are sharing their Match Week results on TikTok. The For You Page is the perfect place for personal stories that previously flew under the radar. Match Week drama fits that description, which is why aspiring docs are revealing their highs and lows for short-form viewers to experience.
Please stop watching TikTok and YouTube while you’re driving. Don’t make me ask you again. I will turn this car around.
