TOGETHER WITH

It’s Monday and a new streaming service hopes to hook fans with an out-of-this-world reality show. The marketing strategy: giving Flat Earthers “$50,000 worth of resources” to argue their case in front of a panel of scientists.

MYTHICAL BEASTS

Rhett & Link’s Good Mythical Tour embodies 18 years of comedy gold

The tour: Good Mythical Morning fans never know quite what to expect from Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal—and that’s exactly why the comedians’ Good Mythical Tour is such a smashing success.

• On June 2, audience members at the Palace Theatre in Columbus, Ohio watched spellbound as Neal and McLaughlin played with knives, indulged in buckeye ice cream, and turned beans into avant-garde art.
  
  

• Attendees at the duo’s first nine tour stops experienced entirely different shows—because of all Neal and McLaughlin’s many talents, their knack for improvisation reigns supreme.

The context: Those comedy chops have carried the co-stars through eighteen years of YouTube stardom. Rhett & Link spent six years entertaining fans with comedy bits, sketches, and songs before landing on their live morning show format in 2012. Good Mythical Morning has since aired thousands of episodes on its hosts’ main channel, which now claims more than 9.4 billion lifetime views.

• Good Mythical Tour is both a natural extension of Neal and McLaughlin’s viral morning show and the three R-rated live performances they debuted last year. So far, the tour has proven to be a triumph: two more dates (one in Dallas and another in Houston) have already been added to its itinerary, which originally added up to a nine-city run.

The bigger picture: Those November shows are only the beginning of Rhett & Link’s plans for the future. From the launch of a creator investment program to the development of their own convention and media company, the costars’ varied career is a testament to the many strategies YouTubers can use to diversify their brands and create sustainable revenue streams.

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HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• A new in-app experience themed around Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour will give TikTok users a chance to access special features like a virtual “friendship bracelet” by completing weekly tasks. (Tubefilter)
  
  

• The United States Department of Justice plans to investigate TikTok’s child safety policy as part of a consumer protection lawsuit. (Tubefilter)
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• Livestreaming on X will soon be available only to Premium subscribers—despite the same feature being offered for free by all major competitors. (Endadget)
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• ChatGPT parent company OpenAI has made its first major acquisition with the purchase of an enterprise analytics startup called Rockset. (The Verge)

BOOK DEALS

Bindery plans to turn #BookTok titles into on-screen sensations

The startup: Bindery Books’ initial publishing slate is still in production, but the creator-fueled startup has already signed deals to adapt #BookTok-approved titles for the screen.

• That move comes mere months after the debut of Bindery’s first digital book clubs, which double as publishing imprints launched by the startup’s creator partners. Those influencers-turned-publishers include BookTok star Jaysen “Ezeekat” Headley (who released a “cozy fantasy” through his imprint) and literary TikToker Kathryn Budig, whose Inky Phoenix Press unveiled a gothic mystery.

The deal: Bindery’s recent agreement with Atlas Literary and Independent Artist Group (IAG) will propel projects like those into the world of on-screen entertainment.

• Both partners have the chops to make Hollywood-worthy adaptations. Atlas Literary is a subsidiary of Atlas Entertainment (which financed the 2017 blockbuster Wonder Woman and Best Picture winner Oppenheimer), while IAG had a hand in Amazon Studios’ upcoming adaptation of the BookTok-beloved ”romantasy” Fourth Wing.
  
  

• Add in a first-look agreement with the J.J. Abrams-founded studio Bad Robot, and Bindery could soon be a multimedia force to reckon with.

The trend: BookTok has become a major marketing force over the last few years. Its ability to boost sales has made it a talking point in quarterly earnings calls at book retailers like Indigo—and Bindery isn’t the only company seeking to harness that power.

• Last spring, TikTok’s parent company filed a trademark for “8th Note Press,” a publishing venture described an ecosystem where people can find, buy, read, review, and discuss books. A few months later, Simon & Schuster tapped former TikTok exec V Pappas—who served as the platform’s COO during the rise of BookTok—to join its board of directors.

WATCH THIS 📺

“Shoes” is still the ultimate YouTube bop after nearly two decades

The YouTube legend: Eighteen years ago, Liam Kyle Sullivan established himself as one of YouTube’s earliest stars with the upload of “Shoes,” a song performed by his valley girl alter ego, Kelly.

• That bop hasn’t lost its place in YouTube history. On June 9, Sullivan resumed the role of Kelly to perform his magnum opus at the L.A. Pride Parade.
  
  

• Check out that 2024 rendition of “Shoes” here, or join the 69 million viewers who have tuned into the original video.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen. Drew Baldwin helped edit, too. It's a team effort.eC