Good morning. Next Friday from 9am–11am PT, we’re hosting the September edition of Coffee With Creators in Venice, CA. 

We’re thrilled to be joined by Zach Kornfeld and Keith Habersberger from The Try Guys, who will lead an expert session following a morning of coffee and community building. 

— Hannah Doyle & Syd Cohen

Today’s lineup:

Creators are no strangers to the Emmys red carpet, but at this year’s Primetime ceremony, their role expanded. They hosted official coverage, attended with platforms including YouTube and, in Kareem Rahma’s case, competed for a trophy. 

Here’s how creators spent TV’s biggest night → 

On the carpet: Trisha Paytas and Nicky Campbell hosted NBC’s official red-carpet pre-show live on TikTok. It marked the return of creator-led coverage to NBC’s TikTok after four years. Warner Bailey covered the carpet for his entertainment media company, Assistants vs. Agents, while TV review creator Hope Sloop reported for Decider.com.

With platforms: YouTube hosted the creators it backed through this year’s For Your Consideration campaigns, including Sean Evans, Michelle Khare, Brittany Broski, and Julian Shapiro-Barnum. Film, fashion, and pop culture creators like Mina Le and Haley Baylee attended as guests of YouTube as well. 

Outside the ceremony: Substack sponsored livestreams from writers and creators including Hunter Harris and Emily Kirkpatrick, extending Emmy commentary beyond traditional entertainment outlets.

On the ballot: Kareem Rahma earned his first Primetime Emmy nomination for Subway Takes in the Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series category. He didn’t win, but the nomination put a creator-first show in direct competition for one of television’s top honors. 

Despite the increased creator presence, Bailey told us that the night didn’t feel overrun by them. That may have been the point. 

“I think the Emmys did a really good job making sure the right creators—whose audiences care about the event—were there,” Bailey told us.

Creators have previously faced criticism for encroaching on traditional Hollywood spaces without a clear connection to the event. At this year’s Emmys, their presence felt more deliberate, reflecting a stronger match between who was invited, the role they played, and why their audiences would care.

Last week Answer In Progress (AIP), the longtime education channel run by Sabrina Cruz, Melissa Fernandez, and Taha Khan, launched Corner Piece—their first podcast after six years on YouTube. 

Created with nonprofit media organization TED, the show is part of a 30-month project funded by a $4.37 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The funding covers six seasons, 54 episodes, and several video and social extensions. 

Why a grant? “It unlocks the capacity to thoroughly pursue a dream project without sacrificing focus on our YouTube channel,” AIP creator Sabrina Cruz told us. “Our ultimate goal is to make Corner Piece self-sufficient, but this funding runway gives us time to find our footing and audience.”

Behind the show: 

Zoom out: Grants can give creators the resources to pursue projects that may not immediately attract sponsors or perform on existing channels, but the money comes with tradeoffs: a lengthy application process, and keeping track of expenses to maintain funding, Cruz said. 

“Don’t underestimate the amount of work it takes,” Cruz said. “But it’s an amazing way to get your work supported and continue working independently.”

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Hi everyone, Syd here. This week, my timeline has been inundated with clips from “The Video With No Plan,” where Martin Andrijasevic and Hamzah Al-Emad from Slushy Noobz try to cross Toronto in a hailstorm. Or at least, I think that’s what happened. My screen was blurry because I was crying with laughter.

And since I’m not one to gatekeep, here’s what you need to know about my current favorite duo on the internet:

Why it works: Slushy Noobz doesn’t rely on one signature format, thumbnail style, or specific premise for the channel. The constant is Andrijasevic and Al-Emad themselves, who bring an unmatched level of earnestness and chemistry with each other. 

The result is an audience that engages with the lore and clicks on any video, even if there’s no plan. For creators, it’s a reminder that the repeatable hook doesn’t always have to be the format. Sometimes, it’s the relationship at the center of it.