Why some YouTubers are destined to become supervillains

Inside the rise of Nikocado Avocado, the extreme-eating YouTuber whose meltdown rocked an online community

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Extreme-eating YouTuber Nicholas Perry, known as <keyword id="9071523" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nikocado-avocado">Nikocado Avocado</keyword>, has accrued 3 million subscribers across his three main channels. </li><li>The 27-year-old has developed a reputation for stirring up controversy in the <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword> space.</li><li>Perry, who primarily posts 'mukbang' videos in which he consumes large quantities of fast-food, is also known for trolling his subscribers and posting videos of emotional meltdowns. </li><li>Perry's most recent video, in which he calls himself "Jesus," has viewers concerned. </li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>Nicholas Perry, known as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/NikocadoAvocado">Nikocado Avocado</a> to his fans, has established himself as a prominent Youtuber, racking up a total of 3 million subscribers across three main channels. The 27-year-old is known for his <a href="https://www.insider.com/mukbang-video-the-extreme-eating-trend-making-youtube-rich-2020-2">mukbang</a> videos in which he consumes entire fast-food menu offerings — but he's also developed a reputation for stirring up <a href="https://www.insider.com/nikocado-avocado-fans-worried-for-youtuber-and-mukbanger-after-video-2020-1">controversy</a> among fellow YouTubers and <a href="https://www.insider.com/who-is-youtube-star-nikocado-avocado-2020-1">posting melodramatic videos</a> that leave viewers confused and concerned. </p><p>In Perry's most recent video, titled "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8txw7o2iMEM">Jesus Is Coming Soon, He Spoke To Me</a>," the YouTuber called himself "Jesus." </p><p>"I'm just here. And I'm just stuck in this mess," Perry says in the 17-minute clip. "It's like I'm trapped."</p><p>He goes on to cry, rip up paper, reference the Olsen twins, bemoan the color of his Invisalign, and film close-up shots of his face.</p><p>"God talked to me in a dream. I saw Jesus and he told me the secrets of the world. God Bless everyone," Perry captioned the video. </p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8txw7o2iMEM" frameborder="0"></iframe><p>In one day, the video has been viewed over 60,000 times and received thousands of comments from viewers — some expressing outrage over his theatrics, some comparing him to self-described "online troll" and YouTuber <a href="https://www.insider.com/trisha-paytas-youtube-feud-did-dissociative-identity-disorder-2020-3">Trisha Paytas</a>, and others voicing concern for the state of his mental health. </p><p>"I can't tell if you're pulling a <keyword id="8299810" type="AGENCY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Trisha-paytas">Trisha Paytas</keyword> or this is a genuine psychosis-like episode," one commenter wrote. "It's so concerning how far Youtubers are from reality."</p><p>"This is the first video that actually scared me," another added. "I'm legit scared."</p><p>The video has also received attention from other YouTubers. </p><p>Dennis Feitosa (better known as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzztaOtjmaZoiLvWLagq7bg/featured">Def Noodles</a> to his 300,000 subscribers) posted a satirical YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SbZZzQcIj0&amp;app=desktopktop">video</a> dedicated to dissecting Perry's latest upload, joking that the clip was a "psychological thriller."</p><p>This is far from the first time the mukbanger has gone viral. Perry was also embroiled in a YouTube scandal after another mukbanger he filmed with named <a href="https://www.insider.com/who-is-youtube-star-nikocado-avocado-2020-1#amid-the-deluge-of-youtube-comments-and-reddit-speculation-about-the-feud-mukbangers-weighed-in-the-controversy-8">Stephanie Soo accused him of harassing her and making her feel unsafe</a>. Perry has also accused YouTuber David Dobrik of "stealing [his] DNA" and faced backlash after <a href="https://www.insider.com/who-is-youtube-star-nikocado-avocado-2020-1#perry-however-shows-no-signs-of-slowing-down-in-his-most-recent-video-the-vlogger-declared-a-new-youtube-enemy-and-enraged-subscribers-by-forgetting-kobe-bryants-name-10">forgetting Kobe Bryant's name when speaking about the basketball star's death</a>.</p><p>Perry did not immediately return Insider's request for comment. </p><p><strong>Read more:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/mukbang-video-the-extreme-eating-trend-making-youtube-rich-2020-2">'I don't like to eat alone': Inside the world of 'mukbangs,' extreme-eating videos that are making YouTubers rich</a></p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/youtuber-ssoyoung-live-squid-octopus-video-h3h3-mukbang-2020-4">A YouTuber with over 3 million followers responded to backlash after eating live squids and octopuses on her channel, which critics call 'cruel'</a></p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/life-and-controversies-of-youtuber-trisha-paytas-2019-8">The life and controversies of YouTuber Trisha Paytas, from claiming she has multiple personalities to identifying as 'a chicken nugget'</a></p>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/youtuber-nikocado-avocado-new-video-fans-worried-trolling-2020-4">Insider</a>

Extreme-eating YouTuber Nikocado Avocado calls himself 'Jesus' and cries in a new video, leading many viewers to express concern

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Colleen Ballinger has been a YouTube mainstay since 2008, largely known for her character Miranda Sings.</li><li>Ballinger has been accused of "grooming" her minor fans and making skits that included racist stereotypes.</li></ul><p>Who knows what the veteran YouTuber <a href="https://www.insider.com/colleen-ballinger-apology-accusations-lingerie-teen-fan-miranda-sings-2020-5">Colleen Ballinger</a> thought she would accomplish when she <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceKMnyMYIMo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sat down in front of her camera with a ukulele</a> in late June. </p><p>Maybe she thought she was being clever, responding through cutesy song to allegations of mistreating minors. In any case, many of those who watched her perform the 10-minute non-apology, which had 14.6 million views by mid-August, were quick to say that she was not.</p><p>Maybe Ballinger thought a song would dampen the controversy engulfing her, which has been steadily undoing the work she's been doing online — and offline — for almost 15 years. Whatever the poorly conceived intention, she accomplished one impressive feat: She's now responsible for one of the grimmest public responses to a PR crisis in recent memory, and she's crashed and burned. After about a decade as one of the most popular YouTubers on the platform, Ballinger has now become a widely reviled figure.</p><p>For the uninitiated, Ballinger has been a YouTube mainstay since 2008, largely known for her unbearable character, Miranda Sings. Miranda is the theater kid of your nightmares: an unpleasant, inappropriate creep with smeared red lipstick who is convinced she can sing — but can't.</p><p>She's notable only for her bad wardrobe and lack of self-awareness; she's devoid of any visible trace of charisma but has the audacity to believe in herself. Like so much social-media output of the 2010s, Ballinger's work is all about cringe — the watchability of the unpleasant — and the result was a horde of about 10 million followers.</p><p>Over the past few years, Ballinger has been accused of unsavory actions including "grooming" her minor fans and making skits that included racist stereotypes. The latter, it must be said, is practically a rite of passage on YouTube. </p><p>Rumblings that she'd engaged in unseemly behavior <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2023/07/colleen-ballinger-miranda-sings-allegations-controversy.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first began gaining traction in 2020</a>, when a former fan said Ballinger sent him lingerie when he was a child. She <a href="https://www.insider.com/colleen-ballinger-apology-accusations-lingerie-teen-fan-miranda-sings-2020-5">confirmed</a> that she did indeed send the lingerie. "It was never a creepy, gross thing that I was doing in secret," she said in <a href="https://youtu.be/r5AsmKUSaQg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a YouTube video three years ago</a>. "It was a silly, stupid mistake that now is being blown way out of proportion."</p><div type="image" title="Trisha smiling with long wavy hair with a bow and a striped sweater." height="1628" width="2170" msid="102857187" hostid="261" sizebytes="270468"></div><p>This summer, after one former fan posted about how Ballinger went out of her way to <a href="https://twitter.com/noitsbecks/status/1667320682017955840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1667320682017955840%7Ctwgr%5E39e76c88b7a082f6ba5986b8504c92ddd123e2f1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vulture.com%2F2023%2F07%2Fcolleen-ballinger-miranda-sings-allegations-controversy.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">humiliate female fans</a> at her live shows, there's been a resurgence of accusations against her: Fans have alleged Ballinger fostered inappropriate relationships with her minor fans, overshared about her 2016 divorce, and nonconsensually shared nude photos of her fellow content creator <a href="https://www.insider.com/trisha-paytas-reacts-to-colleen-ballinger-onlyfans-allegations-2023-7">Trisha Paytas</a>.</p><p>Ballinger has yet to publicly respond to Paytas' allegations that she shared her nude photos, but soon after the allegations emerged Paytas announced a podcast the two had started together would end <a href="https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/1379478/trisha-paytas-announces-end-of-podcast-with-colleen-ballinger-amid-controversy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">after just three episodes</a>.</p><p>Ballinger did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.</p><p>And while the allegations against Ballinger had been public for a while, it was only in early June when they led to tangible career consequences.</p><p>A former fan, Kodee Tyler Dahl, made a since-deleted video titled "why I left the colleen ballinger fandom…," outlining Ballinger's alleged history of joking about race, weight, and sexual assault. They also said there was a Twitter group chat featuring minors and Ballinger herself, called "Colleeny's Weenies." <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/colleen-ballinger-miranda-sings-youtube-fans-allegations-1234774947/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rolling Stone reported</a> on screenshots of messages from Ballinger to the group in which she was said to have asked things like "Are you a virgin?" and "What's your fav position?" Swiftly, other former fans and detractors alike started <a href="https://www.insider.com/colleen-ballinger-responds-to-grooer-claims-in-ukulele-song-2023-6">accusing Ballinger of grooming</a> the minors who loved her YouTube channel and live shows.</p><p>Ballinger responded with her aforementioned ukulele non-apology. And the ramifications continue, weeks later — she appears to have no real friends in the YouTube space at the moment, her social-media accounts have been dormant since the ukulele apology, and the <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/colleen-ballinger-tour-canceled-allegations-1235369711/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remaining dates in her live tour</a> have been canceled. No allies, no videos, no touring, and no money.</p><p>It seems Ballinger was woefully unprepared for the inevitable: that her main audience in her prime — who were mostly kids and preteens — would one day grow up and no longer find her brand of humor to be funny, but creepy.</p><h2><strong>Lots of early YouTubers knew how to weaponize the hate watch </strong></h2><p>Ballinger's work can be interpreted as part of a larger YouTube trend of "cringe" content. </p><p>Millennials raised on early YouTubers know the vibe well: videos made by creators who know how to weaponize the hate watch, who expertly craft videos designed to make their viewers feel ill.</p><p>Nicholas Perry, a YouTuber with 3.6 million subscribers who's better known by his channel name, Nikocado Avocado, started as a YouTuber who simply ate vegan meals on camera. He now eats massive quantities of food, usually dripping with cheese sauce, and sometimes while crying or hitting himself on camera.</p><p>Trisha Paytas — who has 5 million subscribers and is known for <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/scaachikoul/trisha-paytas-youtube-onlyfans-influencer-profile" target="_blank" rel="noopener">her own host of controversies</a> that require a dedicated encyclopedia — was the queen of oversharing to her own detriment online. She sat on the floor of her kitchen, eating chicken tenders and crying about her failed relationships, her health issues, and the constant, never-ending stream of harm of which she said she was the target. These days, Paytas has chilled out measurably and posts mostly about her daughter while creating ASMR videos on one of her secondary channels. She is no longer online, it seems, to make you sick. </p><p>YouTubers such as Ballinger, Paytas, and Perry profited handsomely off our disgust. Ballinger was once among the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/pictures/gjdm45ffed/9-colleen-ballinger/?sh=128489d712ce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 highest-paid creators</a> on YouTube, netting $5 million in 2015. Paytas, meanwhile, is <em>big</em> rich. When I profiled her in 2021, she claimed to be <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/scaachikoul/trisha-paytas-youtube-onlyfans-influencer-profile" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raking in $800,000 a month</a>. For a week that same year, she was responsible for <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/06/13/why-trisha-paytas-was-youtubes-most-disliked-personality-this-week/?sh=6a11dbe3570d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seven of the 10 most disliked videos</a> on YouTube.</p><p>On TikTok, a new well of cringe videos springs eternal with users acting out interactions with the worst — fictional — figures someone could make up. The goal of these TikToks is to generate attention, but, of course, sponsorships and brand deals have followed. </p><p>"To craft the perfect CringeTok video, creators mine the depths of the internet and their own experiences for traits they can exaggerate," <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/03/business/tiktok-cringe-creators-money.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> wrote in June. "Identifying behaviors that make us recoil, like self-absorption and obliviousness, requires an ironic amount of self-reflection."</p><p>You'll recognize the cringe archetypes that TikTokers are inventing: a shitty boyfriend asks you to make him lunch, a Karen bothers you at a store, a pick-me girl whines about not knowing how to do her makeup. But these new creators are working on a different level: They're <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@theslappablejerk?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inventing fake scenarios</a> to be cringe-worthy. They're not enacting any of these acts on unsuspecting participants. It's all fictionalized, perhaps because <em>actually</em> making people uncomfortable isn't as profitable — or acceptable — anymore. </p><h2><strong>Ballinger's now-adult fans can see the strangeness of the relationship they had with her</strong></h2><p>Ballinger's Miranda, on the other hand, is a character who purposefully misses social cues, pushes boundaries, and makes people uncomfortable with her nagging presence. The entire purpose behind her characterization is to be a creep.</p><p>And while most adults can hopefully differentiate between someone performing as a character and someone performing as themself, Ballinger's downfall came in that her act was meant for children who didn't necessarily know the difference between being cringe for comedy and someone performing disturbing acts and asking inappropriate questions. There's a fundamental difference between playing a character who makes adults uncomfortable and being an adult who makes minors uncomfortable.</p><p>It's no wonder that now, years later, after Ballinger's formerly enthusiastic underage fans have become adults, they are finally able to metabolize the strangeness of the relationship they had with her. What was once exciting — one's favorite creator responding to their DMs — has warped in an adult context.</p><p>These days, the <a href="https://www.insider.com/colleen-ballinger-bio-meet-the-woman-behind-miranda-sings-2020-5">Miranda Sings YouTube channel</a>, which still has 10.6 million followers, is riddled with comments from people realizing how weird her shtick for kids actually is. "Collen, just because you're playing as Miranda while doing inappropriate things to children, doesn't mean you're excused for your actions," one commenter wrote on one of her more recent Miranda Sings video. "Especially since you literally are Miranda." </p><p>Countless more wrote about feeling as if a piece of their childhood had been taken from them, learning more about the allegations against Ballinger. "I found solace and safety in this online group of people," a former fan of Ballinger, Johnny Silvestri, told <a href="http://rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/colleen-ballinger-miranda-sings-youtube-fans-allegations-1234774947/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rolling Stone</a>. "And these grown-ass adults abused it."</p><p>Allegations of grooming an audience are not specific to Ballinger — they come up a lot among younger YouTubers, namely the ones who made their names when they were just barely out of adulthood themselves.</p><div type="image" title="James Charles sings at a Morphe store grand opening on December 1, 2018." height="1140" width="1521" msid="102857189" hostid="261" sizebytes="82360"></div><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/the-cancellations-of-james-charles-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-beauty-youtuber-2022-1">James Charles</a>, the makeup YouTuber best known for being cringey himself — but in his case, it's purely unintentional — was also accused of going after minors through his channel. In 2021, he was accused of <a href="https://www.thecut.com/article/james-charles-allegations-and-accusations-explained.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">messaging several minors</a> and flirting with teenage members of his audience when he was already an adult. Charles was 21 at the time, and the accusations against him stemmed from when he was 18 to 20. <a href="https://www.papermag.com/james-charles-sexting-allegations#rebelltitem11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles apologized</a> but also said the boys accusing him had lied about their ages. </p><p>It seems these YouTubers often think of their audiences — even when they're much younger than them — as their peers. And YouTube fame, though now firmly established in the pop-culture zeitgeist, is still unregulated. To an 18-year-old YouTuber who's only recently become famous, flirting with a 16-year-old fan may not feel ludicrous. Maybe the power dynamics at play aren't so evident, because you still think of yourself as the teenager making YouTube videos in your bedroom because you're bored.</p><p>"I was grateful that she was talking to me," Adam McIntyre, a YouTuber who's one of the people to bring allegations against Ballinger, <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/colleen-ballinger-miranda-sings-youtube-fans-allegations-1234774947/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Rolling Stone</a>. "As a content creator you can't control the baseline parasocial relationship that happens. However, you can feed into it and you can abuse it. That's when it becomes a problem. And that's what I believe Colleen does."</p><p>Besides, what is any teenager supposed to say when a 35-year-old famous person starts speaking to them like there isn't a clear power dysfunction. "Sometimes people make mistakes simply because they made a mistake," Ballinger said — or sang — in her video, which again, bears no real apology to anyone. "That mistake doesn't make them a terrible human. It just makes them human." </p><p>It's apt that Ballinger would address the controversy with a poorly conceived song: It's childish and speaks to the very young audience she thought adored her unconditionally.</p><h2>Ballinger will likely find an audience again</h2><p>Still, internet memories are short. Ballinger will, in all likelihood, return to some kind of public stage. She will still find an audience, whether on YouTube or another platform. There always seem to be new avenues for YouTubers to reestablish trust with their audiences after controversy. It would be foolish to think being accused of grooming underage fans means Ballinger's online career is dead.</p><p>Charles, years out from his own proto-cancellation, was recently the subject of a <a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a44535376/james-charles-interview-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">profile in Cosmopolitan</a> — a clear attempt at reputational rehabilitation. On TikTok, he continues to be an object of scorn and displeasure, but he also has 38 million followers. The frequently controversial Paytas has laundered her own reputation as well; she got married, she had a baby, and she took a step back from being online. It's all benefited her in the long run. She remains an internet mainstay: popular and wealthy but far less bombastic. </p><p>Regardless, Ballinger's ukulele non-apology laid bare how little she seems to think of her audience, still treating them young and malleable enough to be manipulated and merciful enough to accept, as she sings, that she's "not a groomer, just a loser."</p><p>Ballinger thought — or hoped — that all she had to do to lull her audience into a false sense of complacency was sing a little song. Children, after all, love songs. But what she forgot, as she has so many times, is that young, impressionable audiences always grow up.</p>

Controversial YouTuber Colleen Ballinger built a young fan base with her antics. Now that they're older, some can see through her act.

<p><em>Hi, this is Amanda Perelli and welcome back to Insider <keyword id="1112328" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Influencers">Influencers</keyword>, our weekly rundown on the influencer and creator economy. <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/influencerdashboard">Sign up for the newsletter here.</a></em></p><p>When <keyword id="819905" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword> first came out with a <keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword> copycat feature, it got mixed reviews, with some <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/12/technology/personaltech/tested-facebook-reels-tiktok-clone-dud.html">calling Reels</a><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/12/technology/personaltech/tested-facebook-reels-tiktok-clone-dud.html"> a "dud."</a></p><p>Creators weren't exactly going wild for the short-form video feature.</p><p>But since posting Reels regularly, many creators have said the feature has become a secret weapon to supercharge their growth and engagement. </p><p>This has become an enormous incentive for creators to continue using the feature and shows how much Instagram is prioritizing it.</p><p>My colleague Sydney Bradley spoke with creators who explained how Reels has bolstered growth on Instagram:</p><ul><li><p>Influencer Lissette Calveiro said her following increased by 3.6% and her total reach increased by 555% within a month of posting Reels. </p></li><li><p>Being active on both TikTok and Instagram has been a key strategy for creators to grow, industry insiders said.</p></li><li><p>Lifestyle influencer Chandler DeHart said the ratio of followers that a really good Reel video will generate, as opposed to a regular static post, was "three to four times the amount."</p></li></ul><p>"When I started going more viral and having my Reels get picked up, I started growing a couple hundred and I was like, 'Oh, this is cool. I'm finally growing again,'" said influencer Christine Tran Ferguson. </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-creators-growing-followers-engagement-using-reels-short-form-video-2021-1">Read the full post on Instagram Reels here.</a></p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-text-messaging-helps-influencers-media-brands-reach-fans-customers-2021-1">Startups bet on text messaging as a way for influencers to reach fans and make money</a></h2><div type="image" title="text marketing rise 2021 4x3" height="2500" width="3334" msid="80388697" hostid="261"></div><p>Many influencers are starting to use text messaging to interact with fans and earn money.</p><p>My colleague Dan Whateley wrote about the new text messaging startups that have emerged to help build out this market.</p><p>Executives in the text-marketing industry broke down why creators are blasting out texts:</p><ul><li><p>Companies like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ceo-of-cameo-interview-on-global-expansion-funding-raise-politicians-2019-7">Cameo</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pearpop-pays-tiktok-creators-collabs-duets-with-fans-and-brands-2020-11">PearPop</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/this-substack-cofounder-explains-what-makes-a-compelling-newsletter-2020-8">Substack</a>, and OnlyFans allow creators to connect with users more intimately.</p></li><li><p>Texting is another extension of this trend, which has driven sales for influencers and <keyword id="6354777" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Media">media</keyword> brands.</p></li><li><p>TikTok creator Addison Rae Easterling uses the startup Community to send automated messages to her followers. Other startups in the space are Subtext, SimpleTexting, and Chatitive.</p></li></ul><p>AwesomenessTV used text marketing to promote the release of its recent influencer-focused reality show and was impressed by the results.</p><p>"It definitely allowed me and my team to pivot in real time in terms of how we were talking to our audience as well," an AwesomenessTV exec said.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-text-messaging-helps-influencers-media-brands-reach-fans-customers-2021-1">Read more on text marketing here.</a></p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/advertisements-emerge-on-substacks-ad-free-newsletter-ecosystem-2021-1">Startups have begun helping newsletters find advertisers </a></h2><div type="image" title="Jake Singer" height="1225" width="1634" msid="80388700" hostid="261"></div><p>Substack is a famously ad-free newsletter platform, but some of its top writers have begun to incorporate <keyword id="35666" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="advertising">advertising</keyword> into their newsletters.</p><p>Substack makes money off of subscriptions, but some startups have sprung up to help small newsletters sell ads. They include Swapstack, Upstart.me, and Letterwell.</p><p>"Our goal is just to make it easy for people to do something that they are already doing," Swapstack cofounder Jake Singer said.</p><p>But the rise of ads in Substack newsletters could become a problem for the company, my colleague Mark Stenberg wrote.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/advertisements-emerge-on-substacks-ad-free-newsletter-ecosystem-2021-1">Read more on the startups helping monetize newsletters here.</a></p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-not-yet-happy-with-reels-looks-to-add-features-2021-1">Instagram's lead, Adam Mosseri, is "not yet happy" with Reels</a></h2><div type="image" title="Adam Mosseri Instagram Next" height="1584" width="2112" msid="80388702" hostid="261"></div><p>Instagram's lead, Adam Mosseri, is "not yet happy" with Reels. </p><p>Sydney wrote that Mosseri discussed Reels, TikTok, and how creators could make money on Instagram on a recent podcast.</p><p>Here are some key takeaways and a look at what 2021 has in store for creators: </p><ul><li><p>Mosseri said TikTok was ahead of Instagram with filters and augmented-reality effects.</p></li><li><p>The three main ways to monetize on Instagram are: commerce, "user-pay" products, and revenue share. </p></li><li><p>Commerce is how the majority of career content creators earn a living through Instagram today, but the company wants to expand other avenues of making money.</p></li></ul><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-not-yet-happy-with-reels-looks-to-add-features-2021-1">Read more on what 2021 has in store for creators on Instagram.</a></p><h2>More creator industry coverage from Insider:</h2><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-a-job-at-instagram-2020-9">How to land a job at Instagram, from getting a referral to nailing the interview</a> (Sydney Bradley) </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-is-top-branding-platform-to-reach-young-people-survey-2021-1">Survey: TikTok is the top app for making young people aware of your brand</a> (Dan Whateley) </p></li></ul><h2>This week from Insider's digital culture team:</h2><div type="image" title="gab qanon quote tweet" height="756" width="1009" msid="80388703" hostid="261"></div><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/social-media-company-gab-posts-qanon-quotes-on-twitter-2021-1">Gab, the social-media platform booming on the far-right, has posted direct QAnon quotes on Twitter</a></h2><p>Gab, a social-media platform that's similar to Facebook, has become popular on the far-right. </p><p>Insider reporter Rachel E. Greenspan wrote that the company recently quoted a message from QAnon, a baseless far-right conspiracy theory, on its Twitter page.</p><p>"DARK TO LIGHT. BLACKOUT NECESSARY," Gab said in the tweet, which has become a popular QAnon phrase.</p><p>Gab has become the platform of choice for QAnon followers, as the movement has been widely banned from mainstream platforms. </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/social-media-company-gab-posts-qanon-quotes-on-twitter-2021-1">Read the full story here.</a></p><h2><strong>More on digital culture: </strong></h2><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/shane-dawson-trisha-paytas-jeffree-star-drama-frenemies-2021-1?utmSource=twitter&amp;utmContent=referral&amp;utmTerm=topbar&amp;referrer=twitterrrer=twitter">Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson privately plotted to cut ties with each other</a> (Kat Tenbarge)</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/who-is-youtube-star-nikocado-avocado-2020-1">Inside the rise of Nikocado Avocado, the extreme-eating YouTuber</a> (Moises Mendez II)</p></li></ul><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/sea-shanty-tiktok-wellerman-social-media-nathan-evans-2021-1">Sea shanties are going viral on TikTok</a> (Palmer Haasch)</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/youtube-removes-onision-from-partner-program-after-abuse-accusations-2021-1?utmSource=twitter&amp;utmContent=referral&amp;utmTerm=topbar&amp;referrer=twitterrrer=twitter">YouTube suspended a creator known as Onision from monetizing his videos</a> (Lindsay Dodgson)</p></li></ul><div type="image" title="TikTok logo" height="4013" width="5351" msid="80388706" hostid="261"></div><h2>Here's what else we're reading: </h2><ul><li><p><a href="https://influence.co/nofilter/how-to-cleanse-twitter-feed-after-trump">How to cleanse your social media feed</a> (Kate Lindsay, from No Filter)</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/business/qanon-maga-merchandise-amazon-etsy-shopify.html?smid=tw-nytimesbusiness&amp;smtyp=cur=cur">Merchandise promoting the Capitol riot is still available </a><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/business/qanon-maga-merchandise-amazon-etsy-shopify.html?smid=tw-nytimesbusiness&amp;smtyp=cur=cur">on major e-commerce sites</a><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/business/qanon-maga-merchandise-amazon-etsy-shopify.html?smid=tw-nytimesbusiness&amp;smtyp=cur=cur"></a> (Sapna Maheshwari and Taylor Lorenz, from The New York Times)</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-told-uk-china-ambassador-confidential-2021-1?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">TikTok was told the 'confidential identity' of the UK's next ambassador to China</a> (Chris Stokel-Walker, from Business Insider)</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2021/01/it-s-not-just-you-why-current-lockdown-having-extreme-effect-mental-health">Why the current lockdown is having an effect on mental health</a> (Sarah Manavis, from New Statesman)</p></li></ul><p><em>Thanks for reading! Send me your tips, comments, or questions: aperelli@businessinsider.com</em></p><h2><a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/influencerdashboard"><strong>Subscribe to the newsletter here</strong></a><strong>.</strong></h2>

Influencers say Instagram Reels is fueling growth and new followers

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Since starting his YouTube channel in 2007, when he was still an 18-year-old college student, <keyword id="2199383" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tyler-Oakley">Tyler Oakley</keyword> has become a global internet sensation, a bestselling author, an LGBT activist, and now a <keyword id="18974" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="fitness">fitness</keyword> guru.</li><li>Oakley told Insider he developed a passion for fitness after training for and appearing on a <keyword id="6355064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Celebrity">celebrity</keyword> season of "The Amazing Race," and he later returned to compete again on the reality series. </li><li>Now, in addition to continuing to make YouTube videos like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5jMWLctlVY">stoned (on marijuana) wig hauls</a>, Oakley is turning his Instagram thirst traps into a quarantine-friendly <keyword id="6640038" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="IGTV">IGTV</keyword> series called "Get Fit with Tyler Oakley."</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>If you still associate Tyler Oakley with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rXha4P8yBk">his Troye Sivan collaborations</a> or the 2010s era of YouTube challenges, the Oakley of today may surprise you. For one, he looks a lot different, and his audience definitely noticed the changes.</p><p>"As time went on, more and more people were commenting asking for workout routines or what I do at the gym," Oakley told Insider over the phone. "I grew up with body image issues and not feeling good about myself and not necessarily liking who I was and feeling societal pressure. I can definitely see that if I were to go back in my earlier videos, it's like a different person."</p><p>In between making weekly YouTube videos for 13 years, starting as an 18-year-old college student up to today's uploads as a 31-year-old with an impressive list of accomplishments – he's a New York Times bestseller, he hosted a show on EllenTube, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0ZCb4tPJqM">he interviewed</a> First Lady Michelle Obama – Oakley has experienced a full evolution as a creator and person.</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/B92h_-JAFVL" 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">happy st. patrick’s day!! we honor those lost on this day in history: patron saint of ireland (385–461) &amp; my virginity (1989-2008). RIP!! . don’t worry about wearing green... nobody can pinch you if you’re self contained!!  hope y’all are feeling healthy, &amp; that your loved ones are taking this seriously!! we’re gonna need more than luck, we gotta all do our part. ☘️</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  tyler oakley (@tyleroakley) on Mar 17, 2020 at 3:47pm PDT<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2020-03-17T22:47:22+00:00">Mar 17, 2020 at 3:47pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><h2> </h2><h2>One career highlight sent him spinning in an entirely new direction.</h2><p>Oakley says that part of his transformation is due to the experience he had preparing for and competing on "The Amazing Race" in 2016 with his best friend Korey Kuhl. The duo placed third in a special season of social media stars, and they returned for Season 31 in 2019 to place second. </p><p>"It was a lot more athletic than anything I ever thought I would ever do would be. I'd never been an athlete, I was never a jock in high school, none of that," Oakley said. "It was something that pushed me physically and mentally and I got <keyword id="6363870" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="home">home</keyword> and it was like 'Wow, I don't really want to stop.'"</p><p>Starting his day by getting up earlier to work out became routine for Oakley, and when fans started commenting about his body transformation, he realized he could make fitness a part of his content. </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/B_fsmHjnnaj" 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">GET FIT: Ep4: Home Shoulder Workout - being stuck at home is the perfect time to get your workout in! this week we’re gonna build up those shoulder boulders, with some help from my fitness expert buddy @j_gonzy1 note: this series was created prior to social distancing &amp; when self quarantines were suggested, &amp; the exercises have been updated with modifications you can do at home. make sure to come back EVERY monday at 12PM PT for a new workout you can try. ALSO! save this video to do later &amp; use #GETFITwithTyler to share your progress on your story so i can see &amp; repost!!</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  tyler oakley (@tyleroakley) on Apr 27, 2020 at 12:00pm PDT<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2020-04-27T19:00:39+00:00">Apr 27, 2020 at 12:00pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><p>"I think content resonates most when you can tell the creator genuinely loves what they're making," he said. "The things that I save most in my own [Instagram] account are people's workouts, and I always go back to them when I'm at the gym wandering around like 'Oh, what am I supposed to do now.'"</p><p>"The ones that I follow are a lot of professional, full-time athletes. It's a really intense workout. If somebody were to find that and they've never gone to the gym, they'd be like 'I don't even know, that's so intimidating.' So I wanted to make something that doesn't necessarily exist on the platform that I've found, which is an approachable format."</p><h2>Oakley launched an IGTV workout tutorial series, and luckily most of the exercises can be done at home during quarantine</h2><p>At the beginning of April, once stay-at-home orders were already in place for many of his followers, Oakley launched an IGTV series called "Get Fit with Tyler Oakley." Each episode is under five minutes and focuses on a different type of training. His co-host is Oakley's own friend and personal trainer, Jared Gonzales.</p><p>"I'm ready to turn these shoulders into boulders," Oakley says in the introduction of his fourth episode. He then uses dumbbells, weight plates, and a cable to demonstrate an overhead press, a front raise, a side raise, and a shrug, as he and Gonzales explain the correct posture for each exercise and offer tips and advice.</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/B_IUJATAkyZ" 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 will not not be tan! ☀️</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  tyler oakley (@tyleroakley) on Apr 18, 2020 at 10:04am PDT<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2020-04-18T17:04:00+00:00">Apr 18, 2020 at 10:04am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><p>"By the time we had our shoot, the coronavirus stuff was bubbling up and it was like 'Oh, I wonder what this is going to turn into.' In my head it wasn't even a thought that it was going to get to the point where it is today," Oakley said. "It was totally coincidental that a lot of those workouts that we created were approachable for anyone, depending on whether or not they have a gym membership or have equipment or have ever worked out."</p><p>It's his first venture into IGTV content, the long-form video accompaniment to Instagram that launched in 2018. Aside from YouTube, Oakley has diversified his content, and he co-hosts his popular "Psychobabble" gossip podcast with his "Amazing Race" partner Kuhl. The same year he started training for the reality competition series, he also published his New York Times bestselling autobiography "Binge."</p><p>"It challenged me to create in a much more vulnerable and permanent way, where every word was so deliberate," Oakley said. "When you make a YouTube video you just chirp, chirp, chat, chat. It was a challenge and it was a really fun one. It was something I was so proud of, and hopefully every time I make something I want to look back at it and think 'Holy s---,' I put it all on the line and I'm so proud of what it turned out to be."</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/B-a2bdNg4YV" 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">NEW VIDEO: i got stoned &amp; attempted a Bob Ross painting tutorial... it was a MESS... LINK IN BIO!! also, if you’re reading this, add a happy little tree to the comments!! ✨</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  tyler oakley (@tyleroakley) on Mar 31, 2020 at 6:18pm PDT<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2020-04-01T01:18:33+00:00">Mar 31, 2020 at 6:18pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><p>His YouTube content has always been engaging, which is what made him an A-lister on the platform in the first place, with over 7 million subscribers. But what used to veer more toward family-friendly antics (he was invited to President Barack Obama's White House) has also taken a bit of a turn in recent years.</p><p>Oakley has done several videos in the past year where he's gotten high and done activities like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5jMWLctlVY">trying on wigs</a> from his ever-growing collection and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__QzEN3kEAY">following along</a> with a Bob Ross painting tutorial. </p><p>"Yes, I want to be an idiot on the internet and make dumb, stupid videos where I try on wigs and whatever, but I also want to use my platform for good," he told Insider. "When I see creators nowadays really push the envelope or challenge what it means to be a creator, that challenges me to push myself out of the box and makes me re-evaluate what I'm doing with my platform and whether it's worthwhile and still good."</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/ksi-new-rap-music-poppin-youtuber-boxing-jake-logan-paul-2020-4">KSI conquered YouTube and boxing. Now, he wants to break the mold of 'YouTuber music,' and blow 'trash' musicians like the Paul brothers out of the water.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/who-is-youtube-star-nikocado-avocado-2020-1">Inside the rise of Nikocado Avocado, the extreme-eating YouTuber whose meltdown rocked an online community</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/what-david-dobrik-parents-thought-of-his-youtube-career-2020-4">David Dobrik's parents were worried his YouTube career was just a 'fluke'</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/patrick-starrr-daily-makeup-routine-video-call-zoom-wfh-2020-4">YouTube beauty guru Patrick Starrr shares his makeup routine for video calls and working from home</a></li></ul>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/tyler-oakley-instagram-interview-get-fit-workouts-at-home-exercises-2020-4">Insider</a>

You Searched For "nikocado avocado" and got 6 results

Why some YouTubers are destined to become supervillains

Lindsay Dodgson

Inside the rise of Nikocado Avocado, the extreme-eating YouTuber whose meltdown rocked an online community

Margot Harris

Extreme-eating YouTuber Nikocado Avocado calls himself 'Jesus' and cries in a new video, leading many viewers to express concern

Margot Harris

Controversial YouTuber Colleen Ballinger built a young fan base with her antics. Now that they're older, some can see through her act.

Scaachi Koul

Influencers say Instagram Reels is fueling growth and new followers

Amanda Perelli

YouTube royalty Tyler Oakley says reality TV took him in a completely new direction, leading to a body transformation and a new IGTV show

Kat Tenbarge