<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="8959" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="mtv" source="Orion">MTV</keyword>'s hit series "Catfish: The TV Show" is back with a new season on Tuesday. </li><li><keyword id="2500571" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nev-schulman" source="Orion">Nev Schulman</keyword> and <keyword id="11247591" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="kamie-crawford" source="Orion">Kamie Crawford</keyword> talked to Insider about why people ignored red flags.</li></ul>MTV's hit series "Catfish: The TV Show" returns Tuesday with new episodes.<br /><br />The documentary series features its longtime host <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/catfish-mtv-nev-kamie-very-interested-in-the-circle-netflix-2021-5"><u>Nev Schulman and cohost Kamie Crawford</u></a> as they help people uncover the true identities of online scammers and lovers.<br /><br />A "catfish" is someone who creates a fake profile on a dating app or social-media site to deceive someone who's looking for love or defraud them for money. The TV show was inspired by <keyword id="4296117" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="schulman" source="Orion">Schulman</keyword>'s own experience of being the target of an online romance scam.<br /><br />Insider caught up with Schulman and <keyword id="4375780" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="crawford" source="Orion">Crawford</keyword> while they were on the road filming a "Catfish" episode, discussing with them relationship red flags and how to navigate the murky depths of online dating.<br /><br /><h2><strong>Romantic hopefuls still ignore relationship red flags</strong></h2>It may seem like, particularly with online dating, people tend to overlook signs that their love interest isn't being honest with them. "But people are ignoring relationship red flags off the internet just as much, if not more, and have been forever," Schulman told Insider.<br /><br />"I think as long as human beings are vulnerable and insecure and desperate for love and affection, they're always going to find ways to put on blinders," he added.<br /><br />Perhaps it's easier to overlook these flaws to find some measure of happiness. Crawford agreed, saying that she heard stories like this all the time and that it's the reason they're able to make the show.<br /><br />"We've all been in a relationship or dated someone when we know it's not right, but we ignore the red flags because sometimes it's fun to ignore them," she said. "Sometimes a little bit of attention or an ounce of love and affection is better than nothing at all."<br /><br /><h2><strong>Ignore red flags at your own risk</strong></h2>"It's kind of crazy because the three or four major red flags that I've been saying since the show started are still pretty much the ones to look out for," Schulman said.<br /><br />The list includes declining a phone call, not wanting to get on FaceTime, and being unable to send a video of themselves.<br /><br />Another warning sign is having a very small or nonexistent social-media presence or one that seems strange.<br /><br />"You'd expect someone in their 20s or 30s to have some kind of digital footprint, even if you just Google them and they have a LinkedIn profile or a high-school-basketball-team stat sheet," he said.<br /><br />His caveat to this is that many people choose not to be on social media, so it's not the only piece of information to consider. What it comes down to is doing your homework. Plus, you should ask yourself how long you're willing to continue talking to someone who is avoiding you or too busy to meet in person.<br /><br />"It is your job, if you're going to seriously pursue an internet relationship, to poke around and do a little research," he said. "You might not find anything, which might be good. Or you might find something which isn't good, but you should know going into a potential date."<br /><br />Crawford agreed, saying: "I can't believe how many people I've met that have gone on first dates without Googling the person because they think it's invasive or weird. Google is free, so we should be using it."<br /><br />She also recommended showing a picture of your suspected catfish to at least five people, especially those from a younger age group, to see whether they recognize them.<br /><br /><h2><strong>Pay attention to green flags, too</strong></h2>"I think a green flag is when you're talking to someone who makes it very clear that they want to spend time with you and meet up with you in person," Crawford said. "You'll know when it's a green one because it will feel good."<br /><br />It might take a week or two, or even longer, but there should be a plan to move your conversations offline. If you or your love interest can't commit to spending a couple of hours together for coffee or drinks, Schulman suggested asking yourself: Are you in a position to pursue a relationship?<br /><br />For him, green flags are when someone doesn't take themselves too seriously.<br /><br />"Someone who's a little self-deprecating who's willing to make fun of themselves and be a little silly is just the kind of person I like," he said.<br /><br />The "Catfish" hosts had a little fun talking about the difference between red and green flags, with Crawford saying that a green flag was having "Catfish" in your liked TV shows or favorites. Conversely, it's wise to avoid dating profiles where someone is "holding a fish or a dead animal carcass," Schulman said.<br /><br /><h2><strong>People need a common language to talk about dating</strong></h2>Schulman and Crawford are no strangers to the rapidly growing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/every-dating-term-youll-ever-need-to-know-2018-7"><u>dating lexicon</u></a>, such as cuffing, ghosting, and soft launching.<br /><br />"It's a lot cuter to say I got ghosted versus saying I was talking to this guy for seven months, I was in love, and then he just stopped talking to me," Crawford said.<br /><br />Another common term they use on the show is "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/sex-relationships/love-bomb">love bombing</a>." This manipulative dating tactic involves showering someone with compliments, gifts, or affection to make them feel indebted to the love bomber.<br /><br />"The person is texting them things like, 'I love you so much. I can't wait to spend my life with you,'" Crawford said. "But they've never actually taken any meaningful steps to make that a reality."<br /><br />Schulman said these dating terms were a response to people sharing their experiences publicly. Before the internet, people could tell only a few friends what they learned in their pursuit of love.<br /><br />Now when someone shares their story online, "millions of people can see it, and they can all collectively come up with their idea of what that should be called," he said.<br /><br /><h2><strong>You have to get a little vulnerable to make genuine connections</strong></h2>What surprises Schulman to this day is the overwhelming response he gets from people whenever he shares something he's concerned about or writes about a personal experience.<br /><br />"People really do want to share and connect and offer advice," he said.<br /><br />It takes a little bit of risk to put yourself out there.<br /><br />"Just don't share pictures of you naked with your face," he said, while Crawford echoed that you should leave your face out of these photos.<br /><br />Making authentic connections requires honesty and vulnerability.<br /><br />"While it can be scary, and unfortunately, people can come at you and be negative, the more open and vulnerable that you're willing to be typically attracts people to do the same," he said.<br /><br />This isn't limited to online dating.<br /><br />"Outside of romantic relationships, there are a lot of really great apps for meeting friends and meeting people," Crawford said.<br /><br />Her advice is to find people with similar interests and plan things that will get you offline, such as a yoga or pottery class.<br /><br />"The point of meeting people on dating apps is to quickly transition into an in-person physical date," Schulman said, "and if that's not happening, that should be your first red flag."<br /><br />

Everyone knows to ignore red flags — but green flags could matter more for your relationship, says the hosts of MTV's Catfish

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"<keyword id="6537369" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="catfish">Catfish</keyword>" cohosts <keyword id="2500571" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="nev-schulman">Nev Schulman</keyword> and <keyword id="11247591" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kamie-crawford">Kamie Crawford</keyword> say they're "very interested" in "<keyword id="185454" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="the-circle">The Circle</keyword>."</li><li>Schulman and Crawford said they'd love to cohost the <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> competition show.</li><li>Both "Catfish" and "The Circle" feature people using fake identities to catfish others.</li></ul><p>"Catfish" cohosts Nev Schulman and Kamie Crawford, who regularly expose people using fake identities and photos in romantic relationships online, told Insider that they are "very interested" in being part of another catfish-filled show - Netflix's "The Circle."</p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/surprising-cool-facts-about-the-circle-on-netflix-2020-3">"The Circle," hosted by comedian Michelle Buteau</a>, is a reality show about people competing for the top "influencer" spot and a $100,000 prize based on the success of their social-media profiles and interactions. Some of the contestants choose to use fake pictures, names, and entire personalities to catfish (a term used to describe <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/anthropology-in-practice/catfishing-the-truth-about-deception-online/">someone with a deceptive online profile</a>) the rest.</p><p>Schulman, who has hosted "Catfish" on <keyword id="8959" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="MTV">MTV</keyword> since season 1, and Crawford, his new season 8 cohost, said they would love to appear on "The Circle," given the two shows' similar premises involving people who are not quite as they appear.</p><p>"I want to try and be the cohost," Schulman told Insider about the Netflix competition show, which finished airing its second season last week.</p><p>And Schulman appears to have the blessing of the current host of "The Circle." After he tweeted in April that he'd <a href="https://twitter.com/NevSchulman/status/1386026370959093763">be open to joining the next season</a> of the reality show (in response to <a href="https://screenrant.com/circle-catfish-expert-nev-schulman-season-3-contestant/">a ScreenRant story</a> calling for Schulman to be a contestant), Buteau responded <a href="https://twitter.com/MichelleButeau/status/1386342550307545094">that it would be "funsies"</a> to have Schulman share some of her hosting responsibilities.</p><div type="image" title="Circle michelle buteau" height="1200" width="1599" msid="82592541" hostid="261"></div><p>Crawford agreed with Schulman that "it would be nice" to host "The Circle," adding that she initially "didn't want to like" the show but got hooked when she started watching the first season in January 2020. </p><p>"I don't want to help the catfishes do a better job at what they're doing because the characters on the show are already doing a pretty good job," Crawford told Insider, contemplating her options on "The Circle." </p><p>"I don't know how [Schulman and I] could be incorporated," she added. "But I think it would be fun either way to do it just 'cause it's such a fun show."</p><h2>Schulman said his personal experience getting <keyword id="2858899" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="catfished">catfished</keyword> makes it easier for him to relate to the people on 'Catfish'</h2><p>Schulman's <a href="https://www.insider.com/catfish-host-max-joseph-announces-that-hes-leaving-the-series-2018-8">"Catfish" journey</a> (now in its eighth season on MTV) started with a 2010 documentary of the same name. The film was about Schulman's experience entering a Facebook romance with a woman, Megan, before finding out that Megan wasn't real and that he was being catfished by someone else - a woman named Angela, who was using a professional model's pictures.</p><p>Schulman told Insider he believes his own experience with <keyword id="1545623" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Catfishing">catfishing</keyword> makes him "well-suited" to talk to the people appearing on the MTV reality show "who are going through what I went through."</p><p>"[It helps] to be able to relate to the feeling of finding out that this person and this relationship that you're invested in might not be what you think it is," he said.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style="margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/COOtVVVnlZk" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Nēv Schulman (@nevschulman)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></p></div></blockquote><p>Schulman also said that the pandemic, with its limited social interactions, has helped give viewers a "better understanding of the physical and emotional place that a lot of the people on our show find themselves in" when they embark on an online relationship.</p><p>"The idea that if you don't feel like you can go out or if you're not comfortable going out, " Schulman told Insider. "Any number of reasons why you might not be comfortable socializing - that's what these people feel."</p><p>"Now we all understand just how important human connection is and conversation is and how much we all crave that," he continued.</p><p>Schulman added: "I think that's been really beneficial for people to sort of better relate to the show and the experience of being in these relationships."</p><p>"Catfish" season 8 is currently airing new episodes Tuesdays on MTV at 9 p.m. ET.</p>

'Catfish' stars Nev Schulman and Kamie Crawford would love to appear on Netflix's 'The Circle' - but as hosts, not contestants

<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a8ca9f48a3a8e1e028b45b7-960/2337615019194686014154024169693413056118070n.jpg" alt="nev and laura attn" data-mce-source="Attn:" /><p class="source"><span>Attn:</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><ul><li><strong>Facebook has greenlit season two of Attn:'s relationship show "We Need to Talk" starring Nev Schulman and Laura Perlongo.</strong></li><li><strong>Attn: CEO Matthew Segal tells Business Insider that Facebook is emphasizing loyal audiences, interactivity, and longer episodes.</strong></li></ul><hr /><p><br />Starting <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/viewership-of-shows-facebook-has-renewed-for-watch-tab-2017-11">in the fall,</a> Facebook began to greenlight a handful of second seasons for its TV-like "Watch" shows. And now "We Need to Talk," <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/attn-tackles-social-issues-with-viral-videos-2016-11">Attn:'s</a> relationship advice series starring Nev Schulman (of "Catfish" fame) and his wife Laura Perlongo, has gotten a 10-episode order.</p><p>Business Insider talked to Attn: CEO Matthew Segal about what it took to get a renewal from Facebook, which has been selective about the series that have made it past season one. Segal said the most important factor was this: "a loyal, repeat audience."</p><p>"I know it's something that Facebook's looking at," Segal explained. "Can viewers return from one episode to the next in the habitual way that implies fandom."</p><p>This makes sense when you consider what Facebook wants Watch to be. The tech giant is focused on making the Watch tab something that doesn't just rely on the same behavior as the news feed. Facebook wants people to check back for new episodes, like they do on YouTube or traditional TV. (One Watch partner told Business Insider that Facebook would prefer a show with fewer "views," if the audience were coming back week after week, and didn't rely on the virality of a particular episode.)</p><h2>Talk to your viewers</h2><p>Segal said the other big factor was the "interactivity" of a show. This leans into Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's new mandate of promoting meaningful interactions.</p><p>"Before we went into production on season one, we had Nev and Laura ask people" what dating topics to cover, Segal said. And in season two, Attn: is going deeper into the fan feedback aspect.</p><p>"For season two it's going to be even more interactive," Segal said. "We are literally going to ask users to comment on their own experiences, and advice." Segal said the hosts will ask the audience about topics like how to ask people out, changing gender roles, money troubles, and so on. And there will be segments on the show when Nev and Laura are responding to reader feedback in real-time (though the episodes won't be live).</p><p>"We Need to Talk" isn't the only show that has used interactivity to find success.</p><p>According to a Watch partner, Mike Rowe's show "Returning the Favor" has been used by Facebook as an example of a show that's doing really well. Rowe asks for fan feedback on every show. "We've already proven the best way to get people interested in RTF is to ask them to program each episode," <a href="https://www.tubefilter.com/2018/02/12/season-two-returning-the-favor-mike-rowe/">he recently told Tubefilter</a>.</p><h2><strong>Simply bigger</strong></h2><p>Season two of "We Need to Talk" will also be longer, with episodes falling more in the 10-12 minute range versus 3-6 minutes.</p><p>"We've hired a whole writers room for this season, and there's lot of jokes peppered in," Segal said, though some of the show is unscripted as well.</p><p>There is definitely a bigger budget for this season, though Segal didn't comment on the exact figure. But in general, Facebook seems to be throwing more funding at shows it thinks can move the needle in terms of repeat viewers and interactivity.</p><p>As one Watch partner put it: "<span style="font-weight: 400;">The shows they don't like are shows with a passive viewing experience."</span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-model-3-best-worst-features-elon-musk-2018-2">The best and worst things about the Tesla Model 3</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/RlbR9Z8r-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

How to get a second season on Facebook's Watch platform, according to the exec who just got Nev Schulman's series 'We Need to Talk' renewed

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Tom Ward's impressive roster of interviews has turned him into an influencer whisperer.</li><li>"Normal sales guy" by day, Ward spoke to Insider about his unique path to celebrity interviewing.</li></ul><p>Apart from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/25/style/hollywood-fix-influencer-videos.html">paparazzi ambushes</a> and the occasional <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/getting-ready-with-emma-chamberlain">red carpet interview</a>, it can be tough to secure more than a few minutes with an A-List influencer like Emma Chamberlain or Bryce Hall — unless you're Tom Ward, in which case, the influencer is probably trying to talk to you. </p><p>Ward doesn't anchor a primetime news show or host a national radio slot. He has his own <keyword id="11894124" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="youtube" source="Orion">YouTube</keyword> channel, "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/thetomwardshow/featured">The Tom Ward Show</a>," where Ward has hours of interviews with top <keyword id="11910992" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="creators" source="Orion">creators</keyword> like David Dobrik, Addison Rae, Logan Paul, Valkyrae, and Bella Thorne.</p><p>In early November 2021, Ward told Insider that a publicist for a TikTok star with more than 10 million followers reached out to him for a YouTube interview. The same week, "Catfish" host Nev Schulman <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNWCeQ9lpvM">sat down</a> with Ward for a chat. And interviewing isn't even Ward's full-time job. </p><p>"The whole thing is so bizarre," Ward said. "This kid reached out on TikTok asking me to interview him and he was like 'I've been watching your interviews since I was in grade school.'"</p><p>Ward's unique position in the celebrity influencer sphere — as well as his path getting there — demonstrate how the gap in influencer coverage from mainstream news outlets in the 2010s gave outsiders who took the field seriously a chance to establish a foothold in the now <a href="https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-benchmark-report-2021/">$14 billion industry</a>.</p><h2>Ward took advantage of Forbes' freelance writing gigs </h2><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EbRmuAqfuuc" frameborder="0"></iframe><p>By day, Ward still works in sales, as an account manager for the industrial equipment company Illinois Tool Works. But in 2015, determined to take his career in a new direction, Ward started blogging on his personal website. He wrote about marketing, business, and success — his first post to go viral was a list of legendary music producer Rick Rubin's life lessons. Actress and entrepreneur Jessica Alba <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jessica-alba_how-to-live-an-exceptional-life-10-tips-activity-6295798230445887488-psSS">shared Ward's post</a> on LinkedIn.</p><p>Afterward, Ward said he got connected with an editor at Forbes, who recruited him as a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/randalllane/2018/02/14/why-forbes-is-investing-big-money-in-its-contributor-network/">freelance contributor</a> for the website. Ward told Insider that he had no other writing experience at the time, but took the opportunity.</p><p>"I was like 'Can I do this?' But then I thought 'Anyone can write an 800-word article with bullet points,'" he said. "It all came from Forbes, because that allowed me to get in a room with anybody."</p><p>By early 2017, Ward started blogging about influencer marketing for Forbes, although he didn't follow YouTubers or YouTube culture at the time. His email started overflowing with PR pitches, and one caught his eye.</p><p>"A guy reached out and said 'I've got this client named Jake Paul,'" Ward said. "I looked him up and thought 'Who is this kid with 20 million followers who I've never even heard of?'"</p><p>Ward drove to the now-infamous YouTuber's <a href="https://www.insider.com/jake-paul-selling-team-10-mansion-2020-12">$7 million "Team 10" mansion</a> and noticed a horde of kids outside, sitting on the front lawn. When he asked what they were doing, they told him they were waiting for a chance to see Paul. More intrigued than ever, Ward said he interviewed Paul about business in Paul's garage for more than an hour.</p><p>"The thing that was very different than interviewing a traditional celebrity was Jake gave me his phone number," Ward said. "And he said 'Hey, when you post the article, text me the link and I'll share it.'"</p><p>When Paul <a href="https://twitter.com/jakepaul/status/874437313174003712">tweeted Ward's article</a> and Ward's Twitter handle, Ward said his phone started "blowing up." Within ten minutes, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomward/2017/06/12/how-jake-paul-is-changing-the-influencer-game/?sh=7dfefaa44210">his interview</a> had more clicks than any other article Ward had written before. When his article surpassed 100,000 clicks, Ward knew he had to pay close attention to the YouTube world. </p><h2>To establish his personal brand, Ward started filming interviews</h2><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/31tyNOCzR8A" frameborder="0"></iframe><p>Ward still writes for Forbes, and his <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomward/2021/11/10/the-influencers-are-coming-to-a-streaming-service-near-you/?sh=5cb9274430ae">most recent article</a> is an interview with the head of TV at TikTok star Josh Richards' company CrossCheck Studios. But having a Forbes byline wasn't the end goal of Ward's new career. </p><p>"It drives me crazy when you're watching a movie trailer and it says 'Forbes said this was the best movie of the year.' Forbes didn't say that, some writer did! If I'm that guy, I'm not even on the screen," Ward said. "I didn't want to be an anonymous writer, that's not fun. I wanted to make a name for myself."</p><p>After he published his interview with Paul, Ward started interviewing even bigger YouTubers and <keyword id="11894122" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="influencers" source="Orion">influencers</keyword>, like <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomward/2017/07/27/all-aboard-the-shane-train-an-interview-with-shane-dawson/?sh=3ef87749113f">Shane Dawson</a> and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomward/2017/12/27/is-there-anything-lele-pons-cant-do/?sh=5138c9024420">Lele Pons</a>. Then, he started filming himself interviewing them.</p><p>"At the time I was doing it, no one was. Everyone looked at these kids like a joke," Ward told Insider. "I have coworkers who make fun of me behind my back, like 'What is this guy doing? Does he think he's some kind of Instagram star?' They don't get it, and at the time no one got it."</p><p>Now, Ward's YouTube channel has more than 5.3 million views, and his easy rapport with influencers has led to even bigger opportunities, like co-hosting a <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-aid-w-griffin-johnson-tom-ward/id1539254397">branding-focused podcast</a> with TikToker Griffin Johnson. </p><p>Views still aren't Ward's endgame. In 2019, when he started posting clips from his interviews on TikTok, he noticed that Q&amp;A clips about the teen stars' dating lives got the most views. But, being their dads' age, Ward said he lets <a href="https://www.insider.com/dangelo-wallace-interview-youtube-shane-jeffree-tati-drama-channels-2020-9">tea channels</a> cover drama. His niche is the business of influencing.</p><p>"They're a lot more savvy than people give them credit for," Ward told Insider. "For me, it wasn't about clout-chasing, or anything like that. I was just fascinated and wanted to figure out how it worked. I took them seriously, and that's why I think they accepted me."</p>

How Tom Ward's YouTube side hustle became the go-to interview for influencers and YouTubers

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="9910469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="amanza-smith">Amanza Smith</keyword> is counting on her "<keyword id="9648878" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="selling-sunset">Selling Sunset</keyword>" castmate <keyword id="5936036" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Chrishell-Stause">Chrishell Stause</keyword> to beat "Tiger King" star <keyword id="9130931" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="carole-baskin">Carole Baskin</keyword> on ABC's "<keyword id="29882" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="dancing-with-the-stars">Dancing With the Stars</keyword>."</li><li>"If she can’t beat Carole Baskin, we’ve got problems," Smith joked during a recent phone call with Insider.</li><li>She continued, "I can’t imagine that she’s got a ton of rhythm. I just can’t imagine."</li><li>The first episode of season 29 of "Dancing With the Stars" premieres on ABC on September 14. </li></ul><p>Season 29 of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" will feature a face-off between two <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> reality stars: Chrishell Stause of "<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/selling-sunset">Selling Sunset</a>" and <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/carole-baskin">Carole Baskin</a> of "<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/tiger-king">Tiger King</a>."</p><p>Stause's costar, Amanza Smith, weighed in on the competition during a recent phone interview with Insider. </p><p>"If she can't beat Carole Baskin, we've got problems," Smith, who used to be a dance teacher and an NFL cheerleader for the Indianapolis Colts, joked. </p><p>"I can't imagine that she's got a ton of rhythm," Smith said, referring to the 59-year-old CEO of Big Cat Rescue. "I just can't imagine."</p><p>Both Stause and Baskin have already <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/09/dancing-with-the-stars-season-29-lineup">started rehearsals</a> ahead of the show's premiere next week.</p><p>On Tuesday, Stause shared a photo of herself standing next to Baskin, who was covered in animal print, on her Instagram story. </p><p>"So THIS just happened," the 39-year-old real estate agent wrote, adding a lion emoji. </p><div type="image" title="chrishell stause carole baskin" height="1792" width="828" msid="78043689" hostid="261"></div><p>Stause is also slotted to compete against "Bachelor" star Kaitlyn Bristowe, rapper Nelly, "Catfish" host Nev Schulman, and more. </p><p>Smith told Insider that she has faith in Stause, calling her costar "amazing" and pointing out how much she's been through in recent years. </p><p>Toward the end of season three of "Selling Sunset," viewers learned that Stause's husband of two years, Justin Hartley, texted her to notify her that he filed for divorce, bringing their six-year relationship to an abrupt close. He's <a href="https://theblast.com/c/justin-hartley-instagram-official-girlfriend-sofia-pernas-chrishell-stause-selling-sunset-divorce">since moved on with actress Sofia Pernas</a>. </p><p>"This woman has had just blow after blow," Smith said, citing not only to Stause's divorce but also the death of both her parents <a href="https://www.etonline.com/chrishell-stause-on-why-she-joined-dwts-i-dont-have-anything-else-to-lose-exclusive-152397#:~:text=Chrishell%20Stause%20is%20ready%20to,celebrity%20cast%20for%20season%2029.">a little over a year apart</a>. </p><p>"She's really had a lot of tough trauma over the past few years. This year, even on the heels of her divorce, she was nominated for an Emmy. She's going to do 'Dancing With the Stars.' She's selling real estate. She's beautiful. She's going to be just fine," Smith told Insider. </p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style="margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEvQKPbHtIH" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">I can’t put into words how much fun I am having/how much I am pushing myself to do something I never thought I could! Life is short-Say YES even if it terrifies you! I hope you guys vote for me on Sept 14th bc I want to be around to play in the sequins &amp; glitter for a long time hopefully  @dancingabc #DWTS</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by  Chrishell (@chrishell.stause) on Sep 4, 2020 at 7:36pm PDT<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2020-09-05T02:36:34+00:00">Sep 4, 2020 at 7:36pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><p>As for Stause, the real estate agent is ready to leave the past behind her. </p><p>"I'm hoping this will be a new chapter, something positive, an experience I can kinda throw myself into and just kind of learn a new skill and have fun at the same time. I have no dance experience, so it's going to at least be a laugh for all of us," she told <a href="https://www.etonline.com/chrishell-stause-on-why-she-joined-dwts-i-dont-have-anything-else-to-lose-exclusive-152397#:~:text=Chrishell%20Stause%20is%20ready%20to,celebrity%20cast%20for%20season%2029.">Entertainment Tonight</a>. </p><p>Stause added, "I want to be in a place where everybody just moves on. I'm excited to move past that chapter and onto the next."</p><p>Season 29 of "Dancing With the Stars" will premiere Monday, September 14 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC. </p>

Amanza Smith jokes that there will be 'problems' if Chrishell Stause can't beat Carole Baskin on 'Dancing With the Stars'

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5cdc5806021b4c25b0560912-2000/untitled%20design%2010.png" border="0" alt="snapchat gender filter" data-mce-source="Ben Gilbert/Business Insider"><p class="source"><span>Ben Gilbert/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">One of the new Snapchat face filters adds smoother skin, thicker eyelashes, long hair, and a leaner face and jawline.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/snapchat">Snapchat</a> recently released new AR lenses that let users add traditionally female or male features to their visual appearance.</li><li>People have started using the eerily convincing lens to trick friends and strangers into thinking they're someone else.</li><li>Some men have created Tinder profiles for women using their female-appearing filtered faces, and have started to realized the type of messages women often receive on dating apps.</li><li>Since debuting the new lens, Snapchat has seen its app downloaded by an estimated seven million new users.</li><li><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</strong></li></ul><p>Snapchat may have found a way to fight its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/snapchat-teens-favorite-social-platform-beats-instagram-piper-jaffray-report-2019-4">decreasing popularity among teens</a> with a new lens filter that's getting a lot of attention from users.</p><p>The latest <a href="https://lensstudio.snapchat.com/">AR lenses</a> from Snapchat allows users to change their appearance to include facial features that are traditionally male or female. For the male-appearing lens, that translates to adding a five-o-clock shadow, thicker eyebrows, a widened jawline, and attempt to blur out long hair. With the female-appearing filter, Snapchat adds smoother skin, thicker eyelashes, long hair, and a leaner face and jawline.</p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong>: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/snapchat-teens-favorite-social-platform-beats-instagram-piper-jaffray-report-2019-4">A new survey shows that Snapchat is still the favorite social platform among Gen Z - but it's not the app teens are using the most</a></em></p><p>Looking on social media, the gender-changing filter seems to be particular popular among men. While the male-appearing filter on women does work, the female-appearing lens on men is must more realistic. Men have posted their <a href="https://twitter.com/Tyler_Sederwall/status/1126606846427635712">transformed looks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/bbyboynextdoor/status/1126663787476447232">after applying</a> the Snapchat filter, and <a href="https://twitter.com/fosh2k/status/1126835365531332608">it's often</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/daandarnell/status/1126893458499743744">hard to tell</a> that it's a digitally created female-appearing person.</p><p>Some people have already started to use the feature for slightly more nefarious purposes than just playing around with their appearances in Snapchat: Several men have posted online they've created fake Tinder profiles using their computer generated female-appearing faces, and <a href="http://www.ladbible.com/community/interesting-guy-uses-girl-snapchat-filter-on-tinder-gets-1650-matches-20190512">have found success with their catfishing attempts</a>.</p><p>These fake Tinder profiles have also brought to light the type of abuse many women are subjected to on dating apps. Some men have begun posting on Twitter about how their female-appearing profiles were inundated with matches and often-vulgar messages from male suitors.</p><p>"<span>I made a Tinder using that female Snapchat filter and holy f--- did I make a mistake," <a href="https://twitter.com/fuckgarrett/status/1127811140434706433">one Twitter user wrote</a>.</span></p><p>&#xa0;</p><p>Even "Catfish" host Nev Schulman got in on the fun, and lamented at how the filter was "really, really not good."</p><p>Still, since its debut, the feature has been wildly popular.</p><p>Many on social media <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/aliciabarron/snapchat-is-getting-a-lot-of-re-downloads-thanks-to-its-new">have posted saying</a> they've re-downloaded Snapchat or created a new account just to be able to use the new filter. In the five days since Snapchat rolled out the new lens filter, seven million people across iPhone and Android have installed the Snapchat app for the first time, according to data from Sensor Tower.</p><p>That's a huge increase above how many new users Snapchat usually draws in: During the same five-day time span a week before, Sensor Tower reports the app was only downloaded three million times, which means there's been a 133% increase in the amount of new Snapchat downloads, a significant jump for an app that has been seeing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/snapchat-teens-favorite-social-platform-beats-instagram-piper-jaffray-report-2019-4">its daily user base shrink</a>.</p><p class="tagline"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/stories-slide-deck?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=socialmedia&amp;itm_campaign=stories-slide-deck"><img src="https://static.businessinsider.com/image/5bd375adcd6f3842155a1a29" alt="Exclusive FREE Report: The Stories Slide Deck by Business Insider Intelligence" border="0" style="width: 100% !important" /></a></p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Girls with the new snapchat filter vs guys <a href="https://t.co/hV1A2gubSn">pic.twitter.com/hV1A2gubSn</a></p>- Bryan  (@diplobruh) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1127388302200328192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>So rather than going out, me &amp; SJ decided to see how far Jess could go on tinder.. within an hour I was the most popular girl in Derby. <a href="https://t.co/Mwgw8KjDdw">pic.twitter.com/Mwgw8KjDdw</a></p>- Jake  (@J_Askew) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1127050762985582592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>My brother's using the snapchat filter to catfish guys on tinder and it's absolutely seen me off. HOW do these men think that is a real woman's face?? <a href="https://t.co/h8JVE8u7bS">pic.twitter.com/h8JVE8u7bS</a></p>- han 🏳️‍🌈🦈  (@Cans4Hans) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1127667741614387200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I made a tinder for Ewald with the girl Snapchat filter and I guess a lot of guys thinks he's pretty attractive 😂😂 <a href="https://t.co/4EmfDgy7dx">pic.twitter.com/4EmfDgy7dx</a></p>- jason burnham  (@jburny99) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1127683586176442368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I made a Tinder using the new Snapchat filter to see what would happen, and these are the fucking messages I got<br><br>I feel for you women everywhere if this is what your inboxes actually look like <a href="https://t.co/MBOwpZuDTg">pic.twitter.com/MBOwpZuDTg</a></br></br></p>- 🕸 Snapchat: MoshWithTyler 🕸  (@MoshWithTyler) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1127668016857079808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Used the Snapchat filter on tinder for 30 minutes, and in conclusion I hate men. <a href="https://t.co/WfzhKqVpmE">pic.twitter.com/WfzhKqVpmE</a></p>- Mohi  (@MohimenMahbuba) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1127391568980320256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Life update: <br><br>I made a Tinder using that female Snapchat filter and holy fuck did I make a mistake. <a href="https://t.co/nitAzDwxTV">pic.twitter.com/nitAzDwxTV</a></br></br></p>- Garrett Mumford  (@fuckgarrett) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1127811140434706433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Why Snapchat, why? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/catfish?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#catfish</a> <a href="https://t.co/b8nr30C0LX">pic.twitter.com/b8nr30C0LX</a></p>- Nev Schulman  (@NevSchulman) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1127724161718202368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/watch-mark-zuckerberg-outline-facebooks-new-privacy-approach-2019-4">Watch Mark Zuckerberg outline Facebook's new 6-principle approach to privacy</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/cBk0yREN-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

People are loving the new gender-swapping Snapchat filter, and it's now being used to catfish unsuspecting men on Tinder

<div id="ooyalaplayer" style="width: 800px; height: 450px;"></div><div style="display:none;" id="kalturavideoplaceholder">kalturavideoplaceholder</div><div><div><script src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script><div class="g-ytsubscribe" data-channel="BusinessInsider" data-layout="full" data-count="default"></div></div></div><p class="embed-spacer"></p><p>"<a href="http://www.mtv.com/shows/catfish/" target="_blank">Catfish: The TV Show</a>" host and co-creator Nev Schulman stopped by to explain simple ways you can avoid being deceived by online love interests.<br><br>This process has become known as being 'catfished,' thanks to Schulman's popular MTV show, as well as the 2010 <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1584016/" target="_blank">movie</a> on which the show is based.<br><br><em>Produced by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/author/graham-flanagan" target="_blank">Graham Flanagan</a></em><br><br><strong>Follow BI Video: </strong>on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsider.Video?ref=br_tf" target="_blank">Facebook</a></br></br></br></br></br></br></p>

The 'Catfish' guy reveals how to spot fake people online

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5b64848764dce830008b49dc-1000/yourfoodroots.png" border="0" alt="Attn Zooey Deschanel" data-mce-source="Attn:" data-mce-caption="Zooey Deschanel will host another season of &amp;quotYour Food's Roots&quot; with Attn:."><p class="source"><span>Attn:</span></p><p class="caption">Zooey Deschanel will host another season of "Your Food's Roots" with Attn:.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div><ul><li><strong>Attn: has made a handful of Watch shows funded by Facebook - but its latest project is getting greenlit thanks to an advertiser.</strong></li><li><strong>The publisher is working with The Farm Project on a second season of "Your Food's Roots" to explore what goes into food.</strong></li><li><strong>The series is not exclusive to Facebook and could live on other social platforms and streaming services "in the coming months."</strong></li></ul><hr><p>Digital <keyword id="6354777" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Media">media</keyword> company Attn: is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/attn-tackles-social-issues-with-viral-videos-2016-11">most well-known</a> for its short, viral videos that break down complex social issues like climate change into easy to understand clips.</p><p>For example, a video of former California governor and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger pressing President Trump's efforts to rescue the coal industry is one of the most popular videos on its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/attn/videos/216711662491605/">main Facebook Page currently</a>&#xa0;- and has amassed 30 million views since it was posted on June 28.</p><p>So it's no surprise then that the company has pumped resources into Facebook Watch, making nine to 10 programs over the past year. Some of those series have been funded by Facebook but the company's latest Watch project is paid for by an advertiser and not necessarily exclusive to Facebook, said Jarrett Moreno, co-founder of Attn:</p><h2>Attn: is putting its own spin on the food craze</h2><p>The publisher is making a second season of "Your Food's Roots," a show that examines what's in food and how sustainability and healthy eating impact how people choose to eat. The series is a joint partnership between Attn: and The Farm Project, a initiative started by actress&#xa0;Zooey Deschanel and Jacob Pechenik that educates consumers on growing and eating local foods.</p><p>The first five-episode season racked up 30 million views, 25 million minutes of watch time and 335,000 followers, according to Moreno. 15 million of those views alone came from one episode about the difference between whole-grain and white bread.</p><p>The show was originally funded by Facebook in its first season as part of the platform's push into original content. For the second season, Attn: nabbed an advertiser to pay for the show instead: Garden of Life, a nutrition and supplement company.</p><p>"We had been exploring something in the food space that would be an interesting complement to what people see on social feeds and on TV," Moreno said. "The realization was that people have never known less about food and how it's grown."</p><p>The show is hosted by Deschanel and each episode explains what goes into making foods like honey, olive oil and lettuce in four to five minutes.</p><p>"We had thought about doing a more traditional form - like maybe through a Netflix or Amazon series - but we thought doing something more short form hits our audience," said Pechenik. "It matches the common attention span for people these days."</p><h2>Getting an advertiser to back it increased production costs significantly</h2><p>Moreno declined to say how much Garden of Life paid for the series but said that the second season "included a larger production budget," compared to what Facebook paid for the first season. "Third-party sponsors are bigger contracts."</p><p>As part of the bigger production costs, the team was able to travel to Texas for shooting in addition to California, where the first season was filmed.</p><p>Attn: is also working on Facebook Shows that are underwritten by Facebook, including "We Need to Talk" - a year-old dating series hosted by couple Nev Schulman and Laura Perlongo - and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-is-finally-starting-to-cozy-up-to-news-publishers-2018-6">a weekly news program </a>called "Undivided Attention."</p><p>With "Your Food's Roots," Moreno said the show is not exclusive to Facebook, meaning that the publisher may shop it around to other social platforms and streaming services.</p><p>"For now, the initial release is on Facebook but it won't be exclusive to Facebook so this will live on other platforms in the coming months," he said.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fyourfoodsrootsbyattn%2Fvideos%2F157300788210048%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fyourfoodsrootsbyattn%2Fvideos%2F157860691487391%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fweneedtotalkbyattn%2Fvideos%2F244586802819078%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-west-point-united-states-military-academy-army-cadets-reception-day-2018-7">INSIDE WEST POINT: What it's really like for new Army cadets on their first day</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/0h0MBS7u-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div></hr>

The Zooey Deschanel's show that Facebook bankrolled is getting a bigger second season - thanks to a advertiser

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/59aff90d79bbfd2b008b862d-1085/screen shot 2017-09-05 at 45408 pm.png" alt="Screen Shot 2017 09 05 at 4.54.08 PM" data-mce-source="Facebook Watch" data-mce-caption="Skeleton and Cactus go on a date on VR dating show." /><p class="source"><span>Facebook Watch</span></p><p class="caption">A skeleton and cactus go on a date on Watch's "Virtually Dating."</p></div><p></p></div></div>Last month, Facebook released Watch, its new section that features original, TV-like shows - and so far the programming has proven uninspired.</p><p>Watch's shows span a wide range of genres: from scripted sitcoms, to short how-to videos, to documentaries. The videos are also quite varied in length, and can last anywhere from three minutes to well over an hour. </p><p>But are there any good ones? Not many.</p><p>Facebook Watch feels like programming that's been curated for viewers by the algorithm that puts together YouTube's suggested videos section. Almost every show (and I'm using the term "show" very loosely here) feels as if it were made by someone who was undecided about whether they wanted a TV show, or a viral video - and ended up accomplishing neither. </p><p><span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-watch-tab-launch-in-august-premium-tv-shows-2017-8" title="Facebook is officially launching its big attack on TV">Facebook's goals for Watch are ambitious</a>, and there is still more to come, including live-streamed sports events. Facebook is also reportedly willing to pay millions to have the exclusive rights to longer premium shows, and could spend up to $1 billion on original shows, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-is-willing-to-spend-big-in-video-push-1504863181">according to The Wall Street Journal</a>. But so far we haven't really seen anything in that category.</span></p><p><span>If Facebook wants to build Watch into a robust platform pioneering new types of video, it needs to seed it with some good content to get users there in the first place. That hasn't been the case yet.</span></p><p><span></span>But it's not all bad. Some of Watch's spotlighted shows are standouts, like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StrangersSeries/videos/112472752778134/">Refinery29's scripted show "Strangers</a>," which follows a newly single Isobel as she rents out her spare room to strangers; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/honytheseries/videos/270725436762500/">"Humans of New York: The Series</a>;" and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OverratedTheShow/videos/342057456244025/">Vox's "Overrated,"</a> which unearths facts about different things that have oversaturated pop culture.</p><p><span>These are the exception rather than the rule, however. Some of Watch's worst spotlighted shows include "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/weneedtotalkbyattn/videos/135564440387982/">We Need to Talk</a>," featuring "Catfish's" Nev Schulman and his wife Laura Perlongo answering relationship questions, and "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/DustShorts/videos/221182751744079/">DUST short films</a>," sci-fi shorts that play on tired sci-fi tropes (for example, technology is ruining everything). </span></p><p><span>The scripted shows feel hastily made, with poor production value, bad writing, and incoherent plot lines. Non-scripted shows straddle the line between viral clips and reality TV. The biggest problem with almost all of the shows is that they feel like long advertisements, created with the intention of driving you to an assortment of Facebook pages with the help of your favorite D-List celebrities.</span></p><p>And good luck to you if you try to watch anything other than the spotlighted shows. The vast majority of Watch is a buffet of the internet's most saccharine animal videos and dull reaction videos. </p><p><em>Note: Business Insider and INSIDER have shows on Facebook Watch.</em></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-you-missed-season-7-episode-7-finale-game-of-thrones-jon-snow-night-king-dragons-2017-8">6 details you might have missed on the season 7 finale of 'Game of Thrones'</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/HBZCvNap-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

Most of Facebook's new 'Watch' shows are stuck in a boring purgatory between premium TV and the charm of YouTube

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/583ed7abba6eb67d058b6b52-888/undefined" alt="attn: founders" data-mce-source="Attn:/Lance Williams" data-mce-caption="Attn: founders Matthew Segal (left) and Jarrett Moreno (right)" /><p class="source"><span>Attn:/Lance Williams</span></p><p class="caption">Attn: founders Matthew Segal (left) and Jarrett Moreno (right)</p></div><p></p></div></div>During the election, when social <keyword id="6354777" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Media">media</keyword> seemed filled to the brim with fake news and partisan screeds meant to confuse, a startup called Attn: was quietly continuing its mission to make complex social issues easy to understand.</span></p><p>Attn:'s most effective tool: short viral videos, particularly animated ones spread on Facebook.</p><p>Even if you've never heard Attn:'s name, you've probably seen one of its videos, which average a whopping 3.8 million views in the first 30 days - more than any other Facebook publisher, according to Tubular Labs. Attn: says it has never paid for that reach, and that all its growth on social media is natural.</p><p>That is an impressive feat for a startup that is not yet a household name, and perhaps it's why Attn: has already attracted big partners and investors, especially in entertainment - from Bill Maher and HBO, to Apple Music and Jimmy Iovine, to Ryan Seacrest. Attn: has raised $24 million total, including a $20 million Series B round in 2016.</p><h2><strong>Digestible issues</strong></h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Matthew Segal and </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jarrett Moreno, who had previously run the voter empowerment organization Ourtime.org, founded Attn: in 2014, with the goal of breaking down issues in a way that's easy to digest.</span></p><p>"2,000 words can be a little tedious, and can feel like a homework assignment," Segal told Business Insider. Sometimes it can be intentionally confusing, he continued. Attn: started to brainstorm ways to make the type of issues, from the electoral college, to the war on drugs, to gerrymandering, clearer to you in a few minutes on your smartphone.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the first big breakthroughs was animation, which Attn: has worked with from day one. "Animation has been incredibly successful," Segal said, especially in allowing a two-minute video not to feel totally dumbed down. It makes the complicated issues more accessible, he says. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Attn: works in other forms, like video interviews or text articles as well. It depends on the issue. For instance, Attn:'s live-action videos about different aspects of parenthood have gone viral over and over. The 75-person company produces about 4-5 videos per day.</span></p><h2><strong>The topics</strong></h2><p>In deciding which topics to cover, Attn:'s number one consideration is whether its editorial team feels there is something about the issues that needs to be changed, Segal said. That sentiment is key to understanding what makes Attn: click.</p><p>"We are not a news company," both Segal and Moreno said at different points. "Of course we are opportunistic about news," Segal said. But Attn: is more about getting people involved with the political process, or the community around them.</p><p>That doesn't mean, however, that Attn: is pushing a partisan agenda, Segal said. The editorial team tries to pick issues where "the writing is one the wall," and where they see a sense of "moral obligation." That does skew toward the values of younger people, however.</p><p>Take the "War on Drugs," which Segal said Attn: has made hundreds of videos about. "It's abundantly clear that marijuana is safer than alcohol," Segal said. He characterized things like marijuana legalization as bipartisan issues that transcend party affiliation. But a recent Attn: video talks about how Donald Trump's attorney general pick is against marijuana generally, and ends with this frame:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/583edcbfe02ba78f1c8b690a-1132/screen shot 2016-11-30 at 90432 am.png" alt="Screen Shot 2016 11 30 at 9.04.32 AM" data-mce-source="Attn:" /><p class="source"><span>Attn:</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While Attn: isn't hawking a Democrat agenda, there is a certain element of progressivism in its politics. But there are </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">areas where Attn:'s editorial team feels that there's no clear answer to a problem, and in that case, Attn: doesn't offer one. "Sometimes there is no call to action," Segal said. He presented an explainer on the Iran nuclear deal as an example of this. Attn: just wanted to explain what was going on.</span></p><h2><strong><span>A partnership sweet spot</span></strong></h2><p>The basic aim of Attn: is to be empowering without being hyper-partisan. It's comprehensible and palatable. That combo has made it very attractive to partners and investors.</p><p>"It's such a clean product," Main Street Advisors CEO Paul Wachter, who is an investor in Attn:, said. "It's easy to understand, since it's so obvious what they are doing … That's always good for partnerships, not, 'We kind of do this.'" <span>Wachter should know. In his career he's helped negotiated high-profile partnerships and acquisitions, like LeBron James' lifetime Nike deal, and the sale of Beats to Apple.</span></p><p>Attn: already has partnerships with heavyweights Spotify, HBO, Apple Music, Tribune Media, and others, and has made videos for the likes of Netflix and Showtime. And there are lots more deals and partnerships to be had, according to Wachter.</p><p>"Partnerships with brands is the place where there is low-hanging fruit [from a revenue perspective]," cofounder <span>Jarrett </span>Moreno said. This is particularly useful since media companies are having a tough time effectively wringing money from Facebook video, where Attn: does a large piece of its traffic.</p><p>These partnerships come in all shapes and sizes. Attn: made an original series for Spotify about musical history, whereas with Netflix it was branded content. Attn: has also done partnerships with celebrities like Catfish's Nev Schulman, who collaborated with Attn: on a video about maternity and paternity leave that has garnered over 92 million views. Moreno described these celebrity collaborations as akin to an op-ed.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/583ee36fe02ba75c658b5beb-1436/screen shot 2016-11-30 at 93315 am.png" alt="Screen Shot 2016 11 30 at 9.33.15 AM" data-mce-source="Attn:" /><p class="source"><span>Attn:</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Some of these partnerships are also intertwined with investments. Bill Maher's investment, for instance, helped Attn: land a partnership with HBO. The entertainment bigwigs that have backed Attn: aren't simply names on a page, Moreno said. They are pretty much all "strategic investments."</p><p>Eventually, Wachter sees Attn: fitting into a larger company, with a portfolio of media brands, that is looking to engage younger people. He said he could name 20 off the top of his head. "It could plug and play so easily ... But it's too early for that," he said.</p><h2><strong>Los Angeles style</strong></h2><p>Right now, Attn: is focused on continuing to deepen its reach on platforms from Snapchat to Facebook to old-fashioned TV.</p><p>Moreno says he sees longer-tail value licensing Attn:'s content to different places. Both Moreno and Segal use the word "evergreen" to describe a big chunk of Attn:'s videos. They describe ongoing issues, and will still have value six months from now.</p><p>And Moreno says the company is exploring longer opportunities like TV or digital shows, TV specials, and so on. In pursuing that, Moreno said the company's base in Los Angeles is perfect.</p><p>"Not only is LA the epicenter of all things video, in politics it leads the nation in how it tells stories, and shapes people's perception," Moreno said.</p><p>Hollywood's political reach seems an apt touchpoint in understanding Attn:'s appeal. Hollywood often gets accused of having a left-leaning political agenda, but the narratives it crafts are consumable by those on both ends of the spectrum. There is a certain universality that boosts its massive reach. Attn:'s videos are more overtly political than many Hollywood films, but watching them, one gets that same sense of broad appeal.</p><p>That's probably why, even as a young company, Attn: has developed a superstar roster of Hollywood backers and partners - and continues to produce videos that spread across Facebook.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/resume-expert-reveals-perfect-sample-format-template-example-2016-10">A résumé expert reveals what a perfect résumé looks like</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="Ixdm1tMjE644TehKrTjVjnFfHKPbJsM-" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'Ixdm1tMjE644TehKrTjVjnFfHKPbJsM-',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

You Searched For "nev schulman" and got 10 results

Everyone knows to ignore red flags — but green flags could matter more for your relationship, says the hosts of MTV's Catfish

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This startup averages a whopping 3.8 million views per video - and it's trying to make social issues easier to understand

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