It's Sunday and here’s a handpicked selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry.

But first, don’t forget that streaming food deliveries could get you banned from Twitch. That’s what happened to Swifty, and although his permaban was soon reversed, we’re guessing the situation sent shivers down the spines of internet-savvy DoorDashers everywhere.

POLITICS AS USUAL

Creators and Big Tech are leaving their mark on U.S. politics

The creator candidate: Trisha Paytas is considering a run for Congress. The actress, singer, and drama magnet may seem like an unusual choice to represent Southern California in the U.S. Capitol, but Paytas is fed up with the current state of the country. She has a few months to get her name on the ballot if she actually intends to follow up on her latest bit of big talk.

The YouTube teacher: Ms. Rachel made it onto Zohran Mamdani’s inaugural committee. The new Mayor of New York City gave YouTube’s biggest children’s entertainer a nod as he moved into Gracie Mansion. Ms. Rachel and Mamdani’s shared solidarity for Palestine will earn them both friends and enemies, but the littlest New Yorkers will probably feel the best about this appointment.

The Congressional panel: Is Silicon Valley getting a bigger say on an influential Congressional panel? Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) is set to become the top Democrat on the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, a group that played a big role in recent TikTok dealings. Khanna’s district includes the HQs of several Big Tech firms. Will that fact affect his outlook on Chinese-owned social media companies?

CREATOR COMMOTION

MrBeast fans can look forward to a new docuseries (and maybe a Super Bowl ad)

The Super Bowl proposal: Salesforce told MrBeast that he can make the brand’s next Super Bowl commercial—but will he actually do it? The biggest YouTube creator on the planet openly mused about the great ideas he has for Super Bowl spots, leading Salesforce’s Marc Benioff to call his bluff. A DM conversation followed soon after, but we’ll have to wait until February to find out what Salesforce actually has planned.

The docuseries: Speaking of MrBeast, his Prime Video original series’ second season includes more behind-the-scenes footage than in the past. Jon Youshaei, a podcaster, creator economy expert, and personal friend of MrBeast launched a seven-episode docuseries about “the making of Beast Games.” Here’s hoping the production is a bit less dramatic than season one was.

The cast announcement: Kumail Nanjiani is the next American comic to join Taskmaster. We previously wrote about how the British TV hit has used YouTube to bring more Americans into its fanbase. That effort already led to Jason Mantzoukas’ role as a cast member, and Nanjiani is now accepting the same position. You can see him on season 21 of Taskmaster on the show’s YouTube channel.

The acknowledgments: After topping viewership charts in 2025, KIMPRO is saying ‘thank you’ to fans. The Korean channel run by cousins Kim Dong Joon and Yu Baek Hap is bigger than anything else on YouTube in terms of views. “We owe this entirely to you,” reads a post on the KIMPRO YouTube channel. “In 2026, we’ll keep improving and continue to deliver consistently good content. Thank you for being with us.”

PLATFORM POTPOURRI

This week in the digital media industry…

The delisting: Triller hasn’t quite lived up to the promise of its 2024. After reportedly missing multiple reporting deadlines, the one-time TikTok rival has been removed from Nasdaq listings. There have been rumors of financial instability at Triller for a while, and this latest report will add more fuel to that fire.

The purge: Kai Cenat took a hit in Twitch’s sudden emote purge. The streaming hub got rid of some of its emotes, and a few of the icons that got nixed had ties to creators. Say farewell to Ironmouse’s IronMouseLuv, Kai Cenat’s StreamerU, and Ibai’s King World Cup. We hardly knew ye.

The visas: Influencers and OnlyFans creators are taking advantage of O-1B visas. The visas are intended for “individuals with an extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in motion picture or television industry”.

The sports play: Speaking of OnlyFans…its stars have caught football fever. Models are wearing soccer jerseys to reel in sports fans who would otherwise be unaware of them. If you thought that the 2026 World Cup content boom was only going to apply to streamers and TikTokers, well, I have a kit to sell you.

WATCH THIS 👀

iShowSpeed beat a gold medal-winning sprinter in a race

The 100-meter dash: iShowSpeed is living up to his name. During his “Speed Does Africa” tour, the streamer went head-to-head with Botswanan Olympic gold medalist Letsile Tebogo—and won.

If we’re being fair, we have to acknowledge that Tebogo slipped coming out of the blocks in his 100-meter race against Speed. That doesn’t change the outcome, though, and Speed was quick to boast about his achievement.

Check out the creator’s journey through Botswana here to see him in action.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Drew Baldwin, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen.