News

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...

If you want someone to tell you how to get to Sesame Street, you can ask the Toys and Colors gang for directions. The massively popular YouTube empire — which is affiliated with kid-friendly media company pocket.watch — is hanging out with Muppets like Grover, Elmo, and Abby Cadabby across a series of collaborations that will drop on both brands’ respective channels.

The videos feature some of the most recognizable characters among kids past and present. Toys and Colors has become one of the most-watched channels in the world, occasionally banking more than 850 million weekly views on YouTube alone. Two of the channel’s on-screen personalities, Ellie and Maddy, showed up in collabs that arrived on the main Sesame Street YouTube channel on March 20. The videos will drop on the Toys and Colors channel on March 27.

Eight-year-old pocket.watch recognized Toys and Colors’ potential in 2021, when it announced a franchise called Kaleidoscope...

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, Paul vs. Tyson leads to a lawsuit, Bitcoin losses lead to a hospitalization, and the Costco Guys lead us into the holiday season.

Creator commotion

Did Keith Lee find something wriggling in his sushi? When the TikTok food reviewer visited Fob Sushi in Seattle, some viewers claimed to notice something moving in his sashimi. Though the restaurant initially chalked up the incident to “elasticity” in the fish, it did temporarily close down to protect the health of its customers. Lee didn’t offer a strong opinion on the rumors, but the ripple effects of his visit are a reminder that he’s the most influential food critic around.

Won’t the real Logan Paul please stand up? Paul sent a lookalike in his...

Halloween is a time for fun and creative costumes, and it’s more fun for anime fans as they get to flex unique cosplays of their favorite characters. Social media influencers are no exception to this, as countless renowned influencers have appeared on a Halloween livestream showing off their cosplays this year including Fanum, IShowSpeed, xQc, Logan Paul, and many more. However, for obvious reasons, the reactions towards Logan’s cosplay aren’t very positive.

Logan Paul | Credit: Logan Paul Official YouTube Channel

Logan Paul attempted to embody the legendary Saiyan warrior Goku, which sparked an immediate backlash from fans. Logan Paul’s controversial history, combined with the deep respect fans hold for Goku, fueled a massive backlash, as many fans felt Paul’s cosplay wasn’t impressive at all.

Logan Paul’s Goku Cosplay

Known for his controversial reputation, Logan Paul appeared on a Halloween livestream alongside fellow content creators Fanum,...

Halloween is probably one of the most anticipated times of the year and the entire hype just gets elevated thanks to YouTube and its brilliant content creators. Every year, we wait for YouTubers to come out with unique concepts for their Halloween videos and they sure didn’t disappoint us this time. As Logan Paul, IShowSpeed, and others get trapped in MrBeast’s haunted house, Halloween just got a little bit better.

YouTubers visit Mr. Beast’s haunted house | Credits: IShowSpeed / YouTube

However, the haunted house took an even scarier turn for Logan Paul who was forced to face the ghost of his past for a moment. When IShowSpeed swore on his life that there was a “dead body” in the bathtub full of fake blood, Logan Paul took a step back and distanced himself from the entire scenario. Looks like someone was reminded of his past at the Aokigahara forest.

YouTube baker Rosanna Pansino is not going to back down in her fight against Lunchly even after Logan Paul and Ksi laughed at her accusations. Pansino’s mold complaints against the Lunchables alternative, launched by the two YouTubers alongside MrBeast, quickly gained attention on social media. Pansino went on to investigate the company and allegedly found disturbing chats on MrBeast’s company chat logs.

Rosanna Pansino in her video about Lunchly | Credits: @RosannaPansino/YouTube

In her latest tweet, Pansino revealed that she has shared her findings with the FBI, who will probably look into the truth behind the claims. Pansino continues to campaign against Lunchly, while other social media users have also raised complaints about the food being served.

Logan Paul and Ksi Laughed At Rosanna Pansino’s Mold Complaints Against Lunchly Logan Paul and Ksi in their podcast | Credits: Impaulsive/YouTube

MrBeast, Logan Paul, and Ksi promoted Lunchly as...

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, gun-loving creators are getting fired up, and experienced digital media execs are getting hired up.

Creator commotion

After YouTube’s latest firearm video crackdown, some creators have had enough. At least four channels in YouTube’s firearms community have announced moves to new platforms in response to a crackdown on machine gun videos and sponsored clips that market guns. This isn’t the first time YouTube has found itself at odds with firearms enthusiasts. Maybe this time, the aggrieved creators will take my advice and move to Pornhub.

Kurzgesagt speaks! Philipp Dettmer runs one of YouTube’s most popular channels but doesn’t give interviews too often, so we’re all over his chat with Forbes. One fun fact: Dettmer “didn’t know...

When Lunchly, a prepackaged meal created by YouTubers Ksi, Logan Paul, and Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson, started to hit store shelves earlier this month, users filmed themselves opening packages only to be met with food that didn’t look particularly appealing; according to videos that started popping up online, there was mold in the cheese.

The company boasts on its website that its pizza product is “made with real cheese,” which has a shorter shelf life than the “cheese product” used in Lunchables, the reigning champion of the prepackaged meal scene...

Five Beast Games contestants have filed a class action lawsuit against MrBeast‘s limited liability corporation MRB2024 and Amazon for alleged mistreatment on the set of what the duo touted as “the world’s largest live gameshow” with the “biggest single prize in the history of television and streaming.”

The 50-page suit, filed Sept. 17 in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, includes many of the complaints that began surfacing in July, just after filming of the show’s first round was completed in Las Vegas. Those complaints were highlighted by creators like Rosanna Pansino, who said she personally spoke to over 200 people involved in the production, and that their reports characterized it as a disorganized affair where contestants weren’t being given scheduled medications on time, faced apathy or outright hostility from staff, and were kept up to film at night, without enough rest during the day.

At the time,...

Five former contestants on MrBeast’s upcoming Beast Games competition series have filed a class action lawsuit against the show’s production company, according to a filing obtained by Rolling Stone. The new lawsuit was filed Monday, the same day Rolling Stone published an investigation where former contestants described unsafe work conditions and “wild” chaos on the reality television show with Amazon.

The complaint accuses MrB2024, a production company believed to be owned by Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, and Amazon of having “shamelessly exploited the labor” of the hundreds of...

MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, and Amazon are facing a major lawsuit.

The 26-year-old YouTube star and the conglomerate are named as defendants in a new class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of several contestants who took part in his upcoming Prime Video competition series Beast Games, which was announced earlier this year.

Keep reading to find out more…

Filed on Monday (September 16) in Los Angeles Superior Court, the five unnamed plaintiffs are suing, alleging “multiple causes of action related to the chronic mistreatment of and neglect suffered by participants in Beast Games,” including failure to prevent sexual harassment, failure to pay minimum wages and overtime, not providing meal breaks or rest breaks, created conditions the subjected contestants to infliction of emotional distress, and exposed them to “dangerous circumstances and conditions a condition of their employment.”

The lawsuit is demanding Amazon and MrBeast‘s company pay the alleged unpaid wages and expenses,...

As controversy continues to swirl around MrBeast, the secrets of his production pipeline are being revealed to the public. A leaked document purports to teach readers “how to succeed in MrBeast production,” and it details the strategies Jimmy Donaldson and co. have used to conquer YouTube.

There’s plenty to unpack in the document, which Donaldson appears to have written in his own idiosyncratic voice. If you’re not interested in interpreting the musings of a 26-year-old YouTube megastar, allow Tubefilter to serve as your translator. Here are some recurring themes we noticed during our read-through of the 36-page document:

MrBeast does things his own way

If the creator’s split from management firm Night didn’t make this point clear, his tone in the leaked document should. From the first page, Donaldson stresses that he is not interested in the traditional production pipeline. “This is not Hollywood and I...

Changes are coming to the “Beast Team.”

In response to ongoing criticism — some of which has been tied to contentious production of the Amazon original Beast Games — MrBeast is launching an internal investigation. In an email sent to his employees, Jimmy Donaldson outlined the steps he plans to take to improve the working conditions at his company.

The Associated Press viewed the internal memo and confirmed that it was delivered to MrBeast employees. “As your leader, I take responsibility, and I am committed to continue to improve and evolve my leadership style,” Donaldson wrote. “I recognize that I also need to create a culture that makes all our employees feel safe and allows them to do their best work.”

Three weeks ago, the MrBeast empire seemed to be soaring high. The North Carolina-based creator had become the first YouTuber with 300 million subscribers, had hit a new milestone in his effort...

YouTuber MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has issued an apology after controversial videos of the influencer have resurfaced.

A clip of MrBeast on a 2017 podcast was posted by Rosanna Pansino on X last week. MrBeast could be heard saying racial and homophobic slurs and suggesting he would have sex with rapper Bhad Babie, who was a minor at the time.

A spokesperson for the personalities put out a statement that MrBeast had “repeatedly apologized” for his comments over the years.

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“When [MrBeast] was a teenager he acted like many kids and used inappropriate language while trying to be funny,” the statement said. “After making some bad jokes and other mistakes when he was younger, as an adult he has focused on engaging with the MrBeast community to work together on making a positive impact around the world.

MrBeast‘s team has addressed allegations that the production of Beast Games has been dangerous and disorganized, with contestants being given limited access to food, water, medical supplies, sanitary products, clean underwear, and sleep.

In a statement to The New York Times, MrBeast’s spokesperson said filming, which began July 18, was “was unfortunately complicated by the CrowdStrike incident [on July 19], extreme weather and other unexpected logistical and communications issues.” They added that the production has “taken steps to ensure that we learn from this experience.”

They didn’t explain how the CrowdStrike incident–which crashed systems around the world and impacted things like airlines, banks, and hospitals–specifically affected production.

The Times spoke to over a dozen of the 2,000 competitors who gathered in Las Vegas to film the qualifying round of Beast Games, which Amazon bought for $100 million in March. It corroborated allegations that were first brought to light by Rosanna Pansino,...

A PR representative of Jimmy Donaldson, better known by his screen name MrBeast, claims that the viral clip of their client making racist jokes and using a homophobic slur in 2017 was just a case of edgy humor gone wrong.

Donaldson’s YouTube account boasts a whopping 307 million subscribers, making it easily the most popular channel on the platform and causing Donaldson and his collaborators to be some of the most high-profile and closely watched content creators on the internet. Right now, the MrBeast channel is at the center of one of the internet’s most inflammatory controversies as Donaldson’s long-time friend and co-host, Ava Kris Tyson, faces accusations of grooming and predatory behavior over her online interactions with a minor. Both Tyson, who is trans, and the now-20-year-old whom Tyson stands accused of abusing have vehemently denied the allegations against her, but Donaldson and MrBeast have cut ties with the long-time collaborator nonetheless.

Update, 8/2: MrBeast’s team has now addressed the Beast Games allegations. You can read its statement here.

Original story:

MrBeast‘s team has issued a statement addressing comments he made in an old video resurfaced by fellow YouTuber Rosanna Pansino, but hasn’t yet addressed Pansino’s allegations that the ongoing production of his $100 million Amazon reality series Beast Games has created dangerous conditions for contestants resulting in broken bones and withholding of medication and sanitary products.

Pansino, who has 14.5 million subscribers on YouTube and has starred in creator collaborations like Joey Graceffa‘s Escape the Night, has been at odds with MrBeast (aka Jimmy Donaldson) since the filming of his 2021 Creator Games competition $1,000,000 Influencer Tournament! Late last year, she alleged that she’d finished the competition in third place, but Donaldson had edited her performance so it looked like she’d performed worse.

Now, she’s speaking to...

MrBeast acknowledged Wednesday that he used “inappropriate language” in his early days on the Internet, addressing a controversy surrounding allegations of past racist remarks.

MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, came under fire recently following accusations of racist remarks made early in his career, including a recently circulated 2017 clip in which YouTube influencer Rosanna Pansino alleged that Donaldson had responded to a comment about selling Black people for money to say, “The most I would pay is probably 300.”

The allegations occurred alongside reports that Ava Kris Tyson, his longtime colleague, had made inappropriate sexual comments to minors.

“When Jimmy was a teenager he acted like many kids and used inappropriate language while trying to be funny,” a spokesperson for the YouTuber said in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “Over the years he has repeatedly apologized and has learned that increasing influence comes with increased responsibility to be more aware...

MatPat — the creator of The Game Theorist, The Food Theorist, The Film Theorist, The Style Theorist, and GTLive fame — shared that he and his partner, Steph, are going to appear less in videos. They want to focus more on family, work behind the scenes, and create new channels.

YouTuber MatPat (via his X account)

Matthew Patrick, widely known as MatPat, has been the face of the YouTube channel The Game Theorist for more than 14 years. He recently announced that he’s passing on his YouTube franchise (all four Theory channels) to someone else.

Yesterday, on March 9, the content creator uploaded his final video on The Game Theorists channel before stepping away to pursue new endeavors.

Fans Mourn as MatPat Drops Final YouTube Video to Bid Farewell MatPat

Earlier this year, MatPat announced that he’s taking retirement from his YouTube channels. In a video titled Goodbye Internet, the Ohio native...

Matthew Patrick won’t officially retire from his Game Theory hosting duties until March 9, but he’s already planning his return to the content network he made famous. In one of his final Theory videos, the man known as MatPat announced that he will co-host an event called Creators in Fashion on the Style Theorists channel on April 25.

MatPat announced in January that he would step away from his on-screen Theorists role. He and his wife Stephanie had previously sold their brand to startup Lunar X in a December 2022 deal. In a video titled “Goodbye Internet,” which has been seen more than 19 million times to date, MatPat discussed the stress his creator gig had put on him. “As much as I love you, and I love overthinking things, and I love theorizing, I don’t love late nights,” he said.

As the final MatPat-hosted Theory video approached its March 9 release date,...

The newest resident on Sesame Street wears bright orange suspenders and a bowtie to match. The Sesame Workshop has collaborated with Blippi on a series of videos that will be released across both brands’ respective channels.

The partnership launches on February 3 and features Sesame Street characters like Big Bird, Elmo, Abby, and Herb the Dinosaur. They’ll meet up with Blippi (whose real name is Stevin John) and his friend Meekah (real name Kaitlin Becker), who both lead educational adventures for Blippi’s 19.3 million YouTube subscribers.

In their collabs with Sesame Street characters, Blippi and Meekah will operate an excavator, give Big Bird a paleontology lesson, and help Abby plan a surprise party for Elmo. The partnership includes multiple original songs to go along with its positive messaging and scientific syllabus. It’s unclear whether Elmo will ask viewers how they’re doing.

Blippi General Manager Kaitlyn Hall said that...

Rosanna Pansino is done talking about her MrBeast situation and is apologizing to the creator.

The YouTuber and host revealed during a podcast last week that the fellow YouTuber lied in a Creator Games video about the results of the challenge.

Since then, she has been very vocal about the whole situation, and has shared her thoughts on other podcasts as well.

She even shared messages between MrBeast, where he asked to talk about it and come to a resolve, but went silent when she asked for an explanation and raw video footage in writing.

Now, after several days of negative response and thousands of death threats, Rosanna has apologized for publicly speaking out and has removed all of her social media posts about it.

See what she said in her apology inside…

“I would like to apologize to MrBeast,” Rosanna shared on Twitter/X. “I should have expressed my...

Rosanna Pansino is calling out MrBeast in a new interview and on social media!

The YouTube and Food Network star competed in his “Creator Games” three times, and the third one, she experienced something that she was not fond of.

Rosanna shared a lengthy new note on Twitter/X about how he lied and edited the video to where she was eliminated way sooner than she actually was.

“I have been allowing others to treat me poorly in private for many years and I’m fed up,” she captioned her post. “I am going to start standing up for myself and finding my voice.”

Find out what happened and see what she said inside…

“I had participated in Creator Games 1 and 2 and was excited to be a part of YouTube’s ‘Creator Games 3. (Hide and Seek at SoFi Stadium),” she started out. “After filming had wrapped I truly couldn’t...

Get ready for a thrilling Halloween cookie showdown! On Monday, October 30, 2023, at 10:00 Pm, Food Network brings you the latest episode of “Halloween Cookie Challenge” with some deliciously spooky twists.

In this episode, four talented cookie makers are put to the test with one of the toughest challenges in the baking world—slice and bake cookies. Hosted by Duff Goldman and Rosanna Pansino, the competitors will have to use their precision and creativity to master this tricky technique.

But the excitement doesn’t stop there. The bakers are also tasked with creating 3D haunted mirrors, each featuring something eerie and mysterious trapped inside. It’s a test of their artistic and spooky skills, and the results promise to be both delicious and spine-tingling.

With only three bakers remaining, the competition is getting fierce, and each one is determined to impress the judges and win the Halloween Cookie Challenge.

If you...

Get ready for a spooktacular episode of “Halloween Cookie Challenge” on Monday, October 23, 2023, at 10:00 Pm on Food Network. Season 2, Episode 6 brings you the magic of Halloween with two exciting cookie challenges.

In the first challenge, four cookie experts will use their skills to create colorful and glowing Halloween stained glass cookies. These bewitching treats will surely impress judges Duff Goldman and Rosanna Pansino. Expect creativity and some cookie artistry as they compete to craft the most mesmerizing stained glass cookies.

But the Halloween fun doesn’t stop there. In the second challenge, the remaining three cookie masters will take on the task of building giant and elaborate Halloween funhouses. These funhouses are not just for show; they’ll be filled with your favorite carnival flavors. It’s a spooky and delicious combination that will have your taste buds tingling.

Join the “Halloween Cookie Challenge” to witness these cookie experts...

On Monday, October 16, 2023, at 10:00 Pm, Food Network is serving up a spooky and delicious episode of “Halloween Cookie Challenge.” In Season 2, Episode 5, titled “Host a Haunted House and Spirit Boards,” four talented cookie makers are ready to give Duff Goldman and Rosanna Pansino a good fright.

The challenge for these cookie creators is to craft cookies that showcase three different levels of a haunted house. With their artistic skills and a touch of Halloween magic, they aim to impress the judges and create cookies that look both eerie and delectable.

But that’s not all! The three remaining contestants take it up a notch by hosting a séance using playable spirit boards filled with flavored spirits. It’s a culinary challenge that combines the spookiness of Halloween with the artistry of cookie making.

If you’re a fan of both sweets and Halloween thrills, don’t miss this episode...

On Monday, October 9, 2023, at 10:00 Pm, Food Network will air Season 2, Episode 2 of “Halloween Cookie Challenge” titled “Possessed Treats and Two-Sided Trick-or-Treat Bags.” In this episode, four expert cookie makers take on a unique challenge.

They turn the tables by showing Duff Goldman and Rosanna Pansino what it would be like if our Halloween treats had a mind of their own and wanted to eat us! The cookie makers showcase their talents by creating two-sided trick-or-treat bags, with one side featuring a candy.

It’s a creative and spooky twist on the traditional Halloween treats we all love. The challenge allows these talented bakers to flex their creative muscles and demonstrate their cookie-making skills in a fun and imaginative way.

If you’re a fan of Halloween-themed baking and enjoy watching talented bakers take on creative challenges, “Halloween Cookie Challenge” on Food Network at 10:00 Pm is a show worth tuning in for.

On Monday, October 2, 2023, at 10:00 Pm, Food Network brings a spooktacular episode of “Halloween Cookie Challenge” for all the cookie enthusiasts out there.

In this episode titled “Half-Face Makeup and Zombie Parts,” four skilled cookie masters take center stage to showcase their creativity. They bring in the expertise of Duff Goldman and Rosanna Pansino to judge their Halloween-themed cookie creations.

The challenge kicks off with a hot Halloween trend – decorating half-face makeup cookies. These talented bakers will impress you with their artistic skills as they craft edible versions of makeup looks on cookies.

But that’s not all. The competition takes a gruesome turn as the remaining bakers dive into the world of Halloween gore. They are tasked with creating life-sized, oozing zombie body parts using gooey and eerie ingredients.

Prepare to be amazed and slightly spooked by the extraordinary cookie artistry on display. Tune in at 10:00 Pm for...

Tune in to Food Network on Monday, September 25, 2023, at 10:00 Pm for an exciting episode of “Halloween Cookie Challenge.” In this episode, titled “Day After Halloween and Ancient Coffin,” viewers are in for a treat as talented bakers showcase their skills to judges Duff Goldman and Rosanna Pansino.

The show kicks off with a post-Halloween twist, featuring four skilled bakers who demonstrate how creepy cookies can help you unwind after the spooky festivities of Halloween night. You’ll get to see creative and delicious treats that are perfect for the day after the haunting holiday.

But that’s not all! The competition intensifies as the three remaining bakers go head-to-head to create 3D ancient coffins with mummified ingredients. Expect to be amazed by their baking expertise and imaginative designs as they try to bury the competition.

Don’t miss this spooktacular episode of “Halloween Cookie Challenge” on Food Network. Join...

The topic was social attitudes toward sexual identity.

That none-too-subtle message was woven throughout NCIS: Los Angeles Season 14 Episode 14.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Of course, the episode directed by Daniela Ruah took a while to get to that point. It began simply as an investigation of a sailor's mysterious death.

It was amusing that the Osp was tasked with that mission because Lucy Tara, the Allegiance's former agent afloat, had returned to her post on NCIS: Hawaii.

This circumstance meant that the L.A. office would tackle the question of why three sailors had committed suicide on the Allegiance in recent months.

Kilbride seemed to take this spate of suicides personally. It sounded like something he had dealt with before during his lengthy career.

What wasn't evident was why Kensi felt the need to tear into Chief Adebayo, the dead sailor's supervising officer.

Yes, Adebayo had a...

Announced via press release, “Ghostober,” the highly successful, multiplatform event is back with more than 55 hours of spine-tingling new series/specials and returning shows for the Halloween season, including hair-raising ghost hunts, tales of the supernatural and show-stopping pumpkin carvings from Travel Channel, Food Network and discovery+.

Paranormal superstar Zak Bagans, filmmaker Eli Roth, Food Network star Sunny Anderson, paranormal investigator Jack Osbourne and actor/comedian John Henson are just a few of the fan-favorite celebrities who will participate in this year’s event.

“Fans have come to view ‘Ghostober’ as the unofficial start of the holiday season, and with our 25+ U.S. networks, we can promote all of its in-demand content to more than 35 of cable’s nightly primetime audience,” said Kathleen Finch, chairman and chief content officer, U.S. Networks Group at Warner Bros. Discovery. “’Ghostober’ is a proven success with record levels of engagement across social media,...

“Ghostober,” the multi-platform spooky television event, is returning this year with more than 55 hours of new series, specials and returning shows for the Halloween season.

The programming for the event includes ghost hunts, supernatural tales and pumpkin carvings from Travel Channel, Food Network and Discovery+. “Ghostober” will feature programming starring the likes of Zak Bagans, Eli Roth, Sunny Anderson, John Henson and paranormal investigator Jack Osbourne.

“Fans have come to view ‘Ghostober’ as the unofficial start of the holiday season and with our 25+ US networks, we can promote all of its in-demand content to more than 35 of cable’s nightly primetime audience,” Kathleen Finch, chairman and chief content officer of US Networks Group at Warner Bros. Discovery, said. “Ghostober is a proven success with record levels of engagement across social media and this year we’ve increased the number of hours across our platforms to super-serve the audience. We are officially the home of Halloween.

Calling all fans of sparkles, pom-poms, glue sticks, paint, and construction paper!

For the lovers of DIY crafts, “Craftopia” is unmissable. In this youth-oriented reality TV show, nine to 15-year-old kids compete against one another in thrilling craft-related challenges to wow the jury and ultimately win the ‘Craftrophia.’

“Craftopia” debuted on HBO Max on May 27th, 2020, and has released two seasons so far. It is hosted by YouTube icon and a DIY star Lauren Riihimaki, aka LaurDIY, and co-produced by Rhett Bachner, and Brien Meagher of the production company B17 Entertainment. It was launched on the same day HBO Max launched.

“It’s honestly such an incredible honor being this random Canadian from a small town who grew up crafting. It’s just so insane to see years and years of producing my own YouTube videos to lead up to something like this — it’s so rewarding,” said LaurDIY in an exclusive interview.

YouTube Originals loves a good creator-packed competition series.

The company has unveiled today the trailer for Copy That!, which will see top video stars from various fields trying their hands at one another’s talents.

Copy That! will feature Sofie Dossi, Luhhsetty, Rosanna Pansino, Preston Arsement, and Matt Stonie showcasing their skills in dance, makeup, cooking, gaming, and competitive eating, respectively. The series, produced by Sony Pictures Television and executive produced by Charles Wachter, drops on Nov. 29, with each of the five installments airing on the spotlighted creator’s channel.

Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

YouTube Originals is bolstering its originals slate with a slew of unscripted orders including the acquisition of a Tom Petty feature documentary.

The streamer has acquired the rights to Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers, exploring how the musician made his seminal album. The film, which is directed by Mary Wharton, features ever-before-seen footage drawn from a newly discovered archive of 16mm film as well as new interviews with album co-producers Rick Rubin and Heartbreaker Mike Campbell, along with original Heartbreaker Benmont Tench.

The film first debuted in March as an Official SXSW 2021 Selection, winning the festival’s Audience Award, and will see its theatrical release on October 20 for a one-night global celebration via Trafalgar Releasing.

Launching on YouTube later this year, it is produced by Peter Afterman with executive producers Dan Braun, Mary Wharton and Adria Petty and presented by Inaudible Films, Warner Music Entertainment and Warner Records.

Melissa Stokes, exec producer of HBO Max’s Selena + Chef, is preparing to stick with the streamer after striking an overall deal.

The arrangement will see Stokes (left), who also recently worked on Craftopia, continue to collaborate as an exec producer on HBO Max unscripted shows.

In addition, the streamer will have first-look rights to all of Stokes own projects, unscripted concepts that she owns or controls.

It is the WarnerMedia-owned platform’s latest overall arrangement in the unscripted arena – last summer it struck a deal with Love Is Blind showrunner Sam Dean.

Stokes recently wrapped production on Selena + Chef, Craftopia and baking competition series Baketopia.

Selena + Chef stars pop star Selena Gomez as she cooks up a variety of cuisines with a selection of expert chefs including Antonia Lofaso, Ludo Lefebvre, Roy Choi and Tanya Holland. The first season launched on August 13 and the second season...

HBO Max wants a slice of one of YouTube’s longest-working baking personalities.

The nascent streamer has tapped Rosanna Pansino -- who counts 12 million subscribers and 30 million monthly views -- to headline a new competition series called Baketopia that will premiere on March 25.

The series will see bakers facing off in challenges each week for the chance to win $10,000. The series will feature current baking trends that are proliferating across social media, while challenging contestants to create their own.

Pansino will serve as both host and a judge, and will be joined at the judging table -- or 'cake council', according to the show’s parlance -- by fellow cooking creators Donal Skehan and Timbo Sullivan. The show, which has been in the works for two years, was produced by B17.

Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

In today’s TV news roundup, HBO set the release date for its new baking competition series “Baketopia,” hosted by YouTuber Rosanna Pansino, and Syfy announced the premiere date for the fifth and final season of “Van Helsing.”

Dates

BET Plus announced that the second season of Will Packer-executive produced comedy series “Bigger” will premiere April 22. Tanisha Long, Angell Conwell, Rasheda Crockett, Chase Anthony and Tristen Winger will return as series regulars while Angela Ko, Bechir Sylvain, Alyssa Brooke and Warren Burke will return as recurring guest stars. The new season also features notable guest stars including Tori Spelling, Jasmine Guy, Christopher “Play” Martin, Eva Marcille, Devale Ellis, Toccara, Karlie Redd, Debbie Morgan, Curtis Washington, Charmin Lee, Alexa Rachelle Jennings and more. Created by showrunner Felischa Marye, “Bigger” follows a close-knit group of 30-somethings as they balance love, friendships and career ambitions. Season 2 will kick off three months after the...

Pocket.watch, the digital studio creating kids' content alongside YouTube megastars like Ryan Kaji, has unveiled its largest content slate to date for 2021 that it says will bolster its library by 1,600 episodes.

The slate will roll out across Ott, AVOD, and SVOD streaming services -- including Amazon, Roku, and Hulu -- where Pocket.watch programming is already distributed, and emphasizes its commitment to diversity, the company said.

The slate also features two YouTube icons who are working with Pocket.watch for the first time: Lilly Singh and Rosanna Pansino (whose Magic Food Truck is an animated series seeing her fly around the world to educate viewers about local cuisine).

Also in the works is Misprints, about a happy-go-lucky middle schooler who embraces his physical challenges; For The Win!, in which YouTubers will battle it out in kid-friendly video games and physical challenges; and Dani & The Weeds, an animated musical about a...

Lilly Singh will star in a new animated musical short film — centering on the theme of LGBTQ pride — from Pocket.watch, part of the digital kids’ content studio’s expansive 2021 slate.

In “Lilly Singh’s Proud Princess,” the YouTuber and host of NBC’s “A Little Late with Lilly Singh” will voice a young girl discovering pride in her true identity. The film is currently in pre-production.

“She’s an amazing talent and represents an example of the diverse points of view we are bringing to our audience,” Pocket.watch chief content officer Albie Hecht said. The film “will speak to LGBTQ identity issues for kids. Lilly will be an eloquent and articulate spokesperson for that.”

Singh, the actor and comedian who rose to fame on YouTube, two years ago announced on social media that she is bisexual, female and “coloured.” “Throughout my life these have proven to be obstacles from time to time.

YouTube’s brand new holiday original is one giant 'Secret Santa' gift exchange -- with myriad charity tie-ins and the involvement of 12 of the platform’s most beloved channels.

Premiering today, with all 12 episodes live now, The Great Gift Exchange will see creators partake in a giving chain -- with each installment benefiting a charity of their choosing, all while paying it forward to the next creator on the chain. The series is hosted by gift wrap artist Alton DuLaney, who will educate viewers on the art of gift wrapping while wrapping each charitable donation in a creative manner that’s bespoke to each creator’s personal brand.

Participants in The Great Gift Exchange -- who count a combined 78 million subscribers -- include: AsapSCIENCE (Rainbow Railroad), Molly Burke (Mira Foundation), Shalom Blac (St. Jude), Rosanna Pansino (Feeding America), Physics Girl (The Malala Fund), Alex Wassabi (Make-a-Wish Foundation), Kristopher London (The...

Do you love “The Masked Singer” as much as we do? We’ve done well with our guesses as to the real identities of the celebrities taking part in season 4. We nailed the names of the two contestants from each of Group A and Group B that have been eliminated to date. Group C takes to the stage for the first time on October 28 and we’ve been busy trying to figure out who are disguised as Broccoli, Jellyfish, Lips, Mushroom and Squiggly Monster.

Viewers won’t know the identities of the five famous faces inside these elaborate costumes until they are unmasked. But we’ve been doing some digging and think we’ve cracked the mysteries. So keep reading for “The Masked Singer” spoilers, including the name of the YouTube star hidden inside the Mushroom costume.

See ‘The Masked Singer’ spoilers: Who is Broccoli?

All we’ve got so...

YouTube has canceled “Escape the Night” after four seasons, ending its longest-running original series, Variety has confirmed. The semi-scripted murder-mystery series was hosted by Joey Graceffa, who presided over the retro mega-collab in which a famous YouTuber got killed off in each episode.

But Graceffa isn’t letting “Escape the Night” fade to black.

In a video posted Tuesday, he said Season 5 of the show was not happening “this year” but he left the door open for the series to return (which would be under different auspices now that YouTube has dropped it). “I don’t know when there will be a Season 5,” Graceffa said, saying it was unable to go forward because Covid-19 production shutdowns.

Graceffa didn’t say that “Escape the Night” was canceled. However, a source tells Variety that YouTube declined to pick up “Etn” Season 5.

In lieu of a new season, Graceffa teased a new interactive...

The results of the 9th Annual Streamy Awards are in, presented tonight live at the Beverly Hilton and streamed worldwide by YouTube. The Streamys honor the best in online entertainment and the creators behind it. The annual event brings together the biggest names in online entertainment for a night of celebration, discovery, and recognition. This year’s show included appearances by Emma Chamberlain, David Dobrik, Paris Hilton, Derek Hough, Casey Neistat, and Hannah Stocking, among others. The Streamys, which went host-less for the first time, featured the show’s inaugural collaborators. Emma Chamberlain coached this year’s Breakout Creator nominees on how to give a good acceptance speech. Diy creators Mr. Kate got distracted while presenting the Lifestyle award and re-designed Joey Graceffa’s table. Rosanna Pansino was joined by her friend iJustine for some live cookie decorating prior to presenting the Health and Wellness award.

Engineer Mark Rober unleashed...

This year’s Streamy Awards, co-produced by Dick Clark Productions and Tubefilter, are set to ditch the traditional singular host format, in favor of a faction of creators who will head up this year’s ceremony as so-called "collaborators.”

Past Streamys have featured The Try Guys, Jon Cozart, King Bach, Grace Helbig, Tyler Oakley, and Hannah Hart as masters of ceremonies. Instead, this year’s show will feature a number of creator-led segments that the Streamys says serve to emphasize the diversity of the space, including Emma Chamberlain, Mr. Kate, Rosanna Pansino, Mark Rober, Brandon Rogers, Patrick Starrr, and Hannah Stocking. All told, these collaborators count more than 100 million followers across multiple verticals including beauty, comedy, food, and education.

“Collaboration is a hallmark of YouTube culture -- so this year we're working with multiple creators to further showcase the diverse and robust range of creative talent within the digital community worldwide,...

In honor of Giving Tuesday, The Game Theorists hosted a star-studded, nine-hour charity stream yesterday to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

And the broadcast was a massive success, clocking in roughly $1.33 million -- and counting -- for the organization, which works to treats the toughest forms of childhood cancer and other pediatric diseases. The Game Theorists is a game-centric channel run by married creator duo Matthew and Stephanie Patrick, with 12.2 billion subscribers.

That tally was undoubtedly bolstered by appearances by fellow YouTube megastars The Completionist, Dawko, Because Science, Markiplier, Miranda Sings, NateWantsToBattle, TheOdd1sOut, Rosanna Pansino, SomethingElseYT, The Try Guys, and VSauce3. Notably, the creator of the cult-hit horror video game Five Nights At Freddy’s, Scott Cawthon, donated $500,000 to the cause. The stream also featured familiar games and challenges that served as incentives to drive donations, as well as an appearance from a former St. Jude patient named Miguel.

Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

The 9th Annual Streamy Awards are going host-less, Dick Clark Productions and Tubefilter announced today.

Presenters include Streamy veterans and newcomers Kalen Allen, Jack Douglass, Joey Graceffa, iJustine, Gus Johnson, Collins Key, Larray, Elle Mills, Nikita Dragun, Brent Rivera, Sierra Schultzzie, Jay Shetty and more to be announced.

During the awards, the Streamys will introduce inaugural collaborators Emma Chamberlain, Mr. Kate, Rosanna Pansino, Mark Rober, Brandon Rogers, Patrick Starrr, and Hannah Stocking.

“Collaboration is a hallmark of YouTube culture — so this year we’re working with multiple creators to further showcase the diverse and robust range of creative talent within the digital community worldwide,” said Streamys founder Drew Baldwin. “As the Streamys continues to evolve, our mission remains the same: to honor the best in online video and to celebrate the accomplishments of our community.”

The awards will take place at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, on Friday, December...

In celebration of Giving Tuesday, an unofficial holiday to counteract the consumerism of Black Friday, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital -- a pediatric treatment and research facility focused on cancer -- is teaming up with a slew of top YouTube stars on a marathon-length nine-hour charity stream.

The broadcast will be hosted by The Game Theorists, a game-centric channel run by married creator duo Matthew and Stephanie Patrick. Over the course of nine hours, they will welcome fellow creators in a bid to raise money and awareness for the organization. Guests are slated to include: The Try Guys, Markiplier, Colleen Ballinger, TheOdd1sOut, Vsauce3, Rosanna Pansino, animation phenom SomethingElseYT, and gamer Dawko. All told, St. Jude notes that participating channels count a combined 100 million subscribers.

The stream will kick off at 1 pm Et on Dec. 3, and will feature familiar games and challenges, including a crazy cookie taste test, Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?...

The ninth annual Streamy Awards are nearing, with Dick Clark Productions, Tubefilter, and YouTube revealing the nominees.

David Dobrik leads the pack with 11 nominations, Escape the Night: Season 4 follows with 5 nods, while music artists Lil Nas X and Lizzo are among the first-time nominees. Also picking up nods are Emma Chamberlain, Lilly Singh, Jada Pinkett Smith for Red Table Talk), Jack Black for JablinskiGames, Ninja, and Gordon Ramsay.

“This year’s Streamy Awards nominees express the breadth of creativity and diversity of our creator community,” said Streamy Awards founder Drew Baldwin. “We’re honored to partner with YouTube to celebrate the talent and accomplishments of our extraordinary industry on a global scale.”

Added Jamie Byrne, YouTube’s director of creator partnerships: “Creators are the heart and soul of YouTube, so we’re excited to celebrate and honor their creativity, diversity and hard work. Together with the Streamys, we’ve expanded...

YouTube has unveiled the trailer for a previously-announced original series dubbed Could You Survive The Movies?, in which creator and host Jake Roper will undertake real-life scientific experiments to replicate famed moments from iconic films like Back To The Future, Ghostbusters, and Men In Black, Jumanji, and Alien. It will feature appearances from fellow creators like Casey Neistat, Ian Hecox of Smosh fame, and Rosanna Pansino.

Episodes one through three of the series will roll out weekly beginning Oct. 21, while episodes four, five, and six will launch on Dec. 16. The series will live on YouTube.com/Learning -- a landing page for educational content that the video giant launched last October -- as well as on Roper’s YouTube channel, VSauce3, which is dedicated to all things science and currently counts 3.7 million subscribers. While the series will be free for all, YouTube Premium subscribers will be able to binge the first three episodes on Oct.