Creators Banned from The Met?

May 8, 2025

Welcome to Created, the newsletter that’s trendier than bathroom selfies at the Met. Gala. Here’s what we got today:

Decline of Creators at Met Gala: Inside Look

The Met Gala has become the event of the year. Those invited to walk the carpet represent the biggest names in culture.

In past years, many creators were invited including: Addison Rae, MKBHD, Mark Rober, Dixie D’Amelio, and Emma Chamberlain.

This year? Only 3 got invited: Chamberlain, Khaby Lame, and Quinta Brunson (that is, if you still consider the ex-BuzzFeed employee turned Emmy winner a creator).

Sure, many creators still covered the event from the sidelines.

But the decline in invites is especially odd as Hollywood and the creator economy get closer together.

So what’s the deal? And does this represent a bigger trend?

Influencers Were Banned, Right?

No, no. Put your tin foil hat down.

A TikTok went viral last year claiming that A-list celebrities threatened to boycott The Met due to how many influencers attended in past years.

But that’s not true. It’s more about the money – namely, the brands paying for tables at The Met and deciding who to invite on their behalf.

Spending $350,000 For A Table

Tables cost $350,000. Individual tickets? $75,000. And everyone has to be approved by Vogue Editor-In-Chief Anna Wintour.

Last year, TikTok bought a table — and invited creators like Wisdom Kaye.

“The only reason I went last year was because TikTok literally bought a table,” Kaye explained. “I don’t think they even want social media people there.”

TikTok isn’t the only platform that ponied up. Instagram bought a table in 2022 and invited their creators.

This year? TikTok didn’t buy a table. So fewer TikTokers.

Marketing, Marketing, Marketing

Platforms are hungry to find their rags-to-riches stories and celebrate the shit out of them so younger creators flock for a chance to do the same.

But now, that narrative is well understood: TikTok has “graduated” many of its creators into superstardom. As have YouTube and Instagram.

So the pressure to pay for them to appear at The Met isn’t as needed as before.

Take it from someone who worked on the inside.

Platforms are hungry to find their rags-to-riches stories and celebrate the shit out of them so younger creators flock for a chance to do the same.

But now, that narrative is well understood: TikTok has “graduated” many of its creators into superstardom. As have YouTube and Instagram.

So the pressure to pay for them to appear at The Met isn’t as needed as before.

There's More To The Story

Some creators were invited like Kai Cenat but declined.

Why? Because he didn’t want to represent the brand who invited him. See what we mean? Money and marketing play an untold role here.

That said, many creators were active on covering The Met, pulling in bigger numbers than traditional press.

Even Kai went to Pharrell’s afterparty and live streamed the experience instead.

The Return of Creators?

Pendulums swing from one extreme to another.

This year, The Met returned to its roots: A-listers and fashion icons.

But expect the pendulum to swing back to creators next year with one big exception: it’ll be more “platform agonistic” creators like Chamberlain and Brunson who started on social but are doing much more.

She Streamed Her Life 24/7…For 3 Years. Will She Ever Stop?

EmilyCC has been live on Twitch for 1,137 days straight. No vacations. No sex. No time off.

Her viewers have seen her sleep, cry, eat delivery, pick up dog poop, and celebrate three birthdays — all on stream.

What started as a subathon has become her life.

And now, she’s scared to stop

Backstory

2021: Emily launched a subathon…and never stopped. She moved to Austin, broke up with her boyfriend, and built her entire life around streaming.
2024: Kai Cenat joined her stream, called her accomplishment “insane,” and brought a surge of subscribers. She peaked at 22,000 subs. That validation kept her going.
Now: She's down to 6,000 — earning ~$5,000/month before Twitch’s 30–40% cut. And still: no break.

The Cost of Never Logging Off

Emily hasn’t gone on a date in seven years. She’s missed every wedding invite. Her mom doesn’t get the job. Her dad forgot her birthday.

Streaming is her full-time job — and her only social life.

She no longer shares “true sadness” on stream because it makes viewers uncomfortable. When she breaks down, she hides in the bathroom.

Some fans complain she sleeps too late, showers too long, and doesn’t have enough fun. As she told The Washington Post: “They are expecting more all the time.”

Now, she fears stopping would be “career suicide.”

Our Take

Twitch has over 100 million monthly viewers. Nearly 1 in 5 American teens use it. But unlike TV or YouTube, Twitch doesn’t run on seasons or production cycles.

There’s no off button. No break.

Emily’s story is extreme — but not unique:

All of them keep going and are left to decide how much of themselves to give.

The problem? Platforms reward constant output. Audiences crave more. And creators are stuck in the middle — trying to live a life and stream it at the same time.

For many, the stream becomes the only life.

And when your life becomes content, how much is enough?

🎯 Weekly Roundup: Thumbnails

Here’s why we love these YT thumbnails. Hopefully, they inspire your next one.

1. ‘ABANDONED’ text on a beautiful island makes you wonder what happened (neo)
2. Flaming sword against dark background instantly catches attention (Mike Shake)
3. Before-and-after contrast makes the problem-solution format clear and compelling (Andrew Millison)
4. Hyper-real ear + raindrop visuals tap into satisfying ASMR (asmr zeitgeist)

🚀 Weekly Outlier

This video by JaisonBuilds has 2.3M views, which is 29,000 times higher than the channel’s average. Here’s why it took off:

Relatable Problem, Clever Solution: Everyone’s struggled with flimsy Chipotle lids. Jaison shows a simple, satisfying fix — and makes it fun.
Real-World Reactions: Testing with actual Chipotle employees adds authenticity, surprise, and social proof.
Inventor's Journey: The video is a story of prototyping, problem-solving, and hustle, making you root for it to succeed.

💰 Job Board

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