Welcome to Created, the newsletter that’s more reliable than your camera’s autofocus. Here’s what we got today:
- Why more creators are hosting IRL events
- The TikToker who lied about cancer
- Best YouTube thumbnails of the week
The Rise of Creator Events, Explained
Imagine planning a major event in 4 days. Doing it in a city where everyone flakes. And telling your guests they can’t touch their phones.
Sounds crazy. But that’s exactly what Catherine Goetze (aka CatGPT) did.
It was a huge hit…and reveals a greater trend in the creator economy.
Wait, What Happened?
Over 700 people recently lined up outside a club for CatGPT‘s “no-phone” Y2K party.
Guests checked their phones at the door and partied like it was 2003.
It went so well that Cat’s fans are asking her to do it again. And beyond just LA.
The Offline Movement
Cat’s idea came from a stat that speaks volumes: only 4.1% of Americans go to a party on an average weekend.
So she tested something radical: a “no-phones-allowed” party, announced just four days before the event.
No phones. No livestreams. No distractions.
“I even saw…a girl give a guy her number by writing it on a napkin,” she said. “It literally felt like we went [through] a time machine.”
Now she’s doing it again this Friday with Offline LA before potentially taking the concept across the counry.
Our Take
For the first time in over a decade, people are spending less time online. Somewhere, Zuck is shaking in his boots.
But creators do what they do best: adapt. They’re meeting their communities offline.
CatGPT’s no-phone party might look nostalgic, but it’s part of a bigger shift:
- Alex Cooper turned her Call Her Daddy empire into a live spectacle with Unwell Vegas Weekend.
- Dude Perfect's Hero Tour brought 200,000 fans to arenas across the US.
- Sam and Colby hosted multiple IRL experiences, including an escape room.
In 2025, the most powerful kind of influence isn’t getting people to scroll, but getting them to show up.
TikToker Apologizes For Faking Cancer (Yes, Actually)
TikTok creator Brittany Miller (3.5M followers) apologized after admitting she lied about having cancer back in 2017.
Her fundraising page had raised around £150 before being shut down.
But is this a one-off incident? Or does this speak to a troubling trend of creators doing anything for views?
Taking It Too Far
Miller said she “didn’t take a penny,” claiming the page was made by a friend.
In an emotional TikTok she said: “I was depressed, suicidal, and lost. I didn’t do it for followers or likes. I did it out of desperation.”
Reactions are mixed — with some commenting “We listen and we judge,” and others appreciating that she’s owned up to her past.
Troubling Trend
We’ve seen creators follow the same playbook to get views:
- Jack Doherty crashed his supercar while streaming on the freeway.
- Vitaly was arrested after causing chaos in a mall, and now faces up to 3 years in prison.
- YouTubers have literally derailed trains in attempt to get more views.
Our Take
This is why it’s so important to diversify your income as a creator.
The more you solely rely on views, the more you’ll do anything to get them.
🎯 Weekly Roundup: Thumbnails
Why we love these YT thumbnails:
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- Wood table on the outside, paper on the inside? You can’t not click (Primal Space)
- Bold orange iPhone setup + “Only camera you need?” instantly grabs your attention (Peter McKinnon)
- The contrast between royal formality and nervous expression creates instant tension (Zac Alsop)
- Red line slicing across a massive mountain instantly teases risk and adventure (Red Bull)
🚀 Weekly Outlier
This video by Dabby has 375K views, which is 19.2 times higher than the channel’s average. Here’s why it took off:
- Clear Science: Translates complex biology into simple, vivid cause-and-effect examples.
- Tight Structure: Flows cleanly from macro to trace minerals with logical rhythm.
- Real Impact: Ties every fact to everyday effects, from energy to bone health.
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– Jon
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