Good morning. Druski is rumored to be the first creator host of SNL, according to Puck reporter Matthew Belloni.
But many fans have pointed out that previous hosts Issa Rae and Quinta Brunson also had their start online, once again begging the question, “Who even is a creator anymore?”
Who do you think the real creator SNL host is? Hit reply and let us know.
Today’s lineup:
YouTube reveals the biggest struggles of EU creators
Meet Smosh’s new cast
How this creator wants to end doomscrolling
Three Challenges Facing EU YouTubers
For a YouTube survey, Leila Gharani (left) and Gaspard G (right) share their concerns as creators in the EU / XelPlus, Wikimedia Commons/CC0
Earlier this week, YouTube released its Creative Capital report, drawing on survey responses from over 20K creators across all 27 European Union countries. According to the platform, it’s the first consultation of its kind to capture the challenges facing creators in the EU.
The tension: In 2025, the YouTube ecosystem contributed €8.4B to the EU’s GDP, but the majority of European creators say they struggle to gain industry recognition, access to funding, and influence over political decisions that affect their businesses.
Here are three learnings that stood out →
Creators still fight to be called creators. “In Austria, I don’t even think the word ‘creator’ is a thing,” tech YouTuber Leila Gharani said in the report. “I don’t think anyone sees this as an official business. Being a creator is probably more recognised in the UK and the US than it is in Austria.”
Funding remains a struggle. 65% of respondents said that creators don’t have enough access to funds and grants geared toward their businesses. The result? Relying heavily on platform revenue to fund new projects, which—as we know from speaking with our community—can be inconsistent.
Government intervention could threaten creator discovery. Proposed EU regulations could require streaming platforms like YouTube to prioritize certain "government-picked" content over independent creators. YouTube argues this could make it harder for creators to reach audiences organically.
“It would be a shame to lose editorial freedom and the right of the people to have access to alternative voices,” French political commentary creator Gaspard G said in the report. “We have to protect that.”
Big picture: While the survey focuses on European YouTubers, the challenges extend worldwide. Industry recognition, diversifying revenue streams, and government intervention affect all creators regardless of geographical region.
Meet Smosh’s New Cast Members
(From left) Courtney Theophin, Emily Wirth, Eli Gonzalez, and Tatyana Guchi join the cast of Smosh / Smosh
Last week, Smosh introduced four new cast members: Tatyana Guchi, Emily Wirth, Courtney Theophin, and Eli Gonzalez. Each new hire brings improv, sketch, and stand-up experience to the 20-year-old YouTube channel.
Meet the cast →
Tatyana Guchi: With 500K+ followers cross-platform, Guchi has the largest social following of Smosh's new cast members. Beyond her work as a comedy creator, she’s an actor, musician, and stand-up comic, whose sets have aired on SiriusXM’s Netflix Is a Joke Radio station.
Courtney Theophin: A full-time NPR staff member, Theophin has spent the last five years making comedic explainer videos about economic concepts. A Smosh casting executive noticed him through his improv and sketch comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB).
Emily Wirth: Wirth came up in the New York comedy scene and guest hosts for Are You Okay? by NowThis. She currently has a series in development at Funny or Die.
Eli Gonzalez: Gonzalez’s on-screen credits include the NBC sitcom St. Denis Medical and Bosch: Legacy on Prime Video. Like Theophin, he also has UCB improv training.
Zoom out: SNL added two new creator-first cast members this season. Smosh took a different approach, recruiting talent from LA and New York's live comedy scenes. With a combined 45.4M YouTube subscribers, Smosh offers emerging comedians like Theophin, Wirth, and Gonzalez an opportunity to build audiences of their own.
“Smosh has a very loyal and vocal fan base,” Theophin told us. “If I ever do leave Smosh, I know I have people coming with me to support me on my next thing.”
This Creator Wants to End Doomscrolling
Logan Twyman performs social stunts on college campuses to encourage students to stop doomscrolling / y2logan
A masked vigilante dressed as Dr. Doom has been spotted on LA college campuses with one mission: stop students from doomscrolling.
We spoke with Logan Twyman, former social video lead at Riot Games and the creator behind the Dr. Doom stunt, to learn more →
The thesis: Media literacy is declining among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, according to Twyman. His short-form series uses Dr. Doom to comment on doomscrolling while encouraging audiences to put down their phones and connect in person. His first event, a Duck Duck Goose tournament with a $600 prize, is an initial step toward that goal.
“A lot of people are taught to behave a certain way on social media and show the highlight reel of their life, which is really unhealthy,” Twyman told us. “For me, the antithesis to that is unleashing a spectacle that carries a message.”
He’s building a team, too. Twyman said he’s bringing together strategists, creators, and operators to challenge how people engage with internet culture. So far, he’s recruited former MrBeast strategist Sam Ross and former Riot Games head of influencers Kelly Kiewel to the cause.
Trend watch: As content becomes more abundant and AI slop floods social feeds, creators and audiences are experimenting with ways to spend less time scrolling. That includes IRL events, buying devices that limit phone access, or making series about changing their screen habits. Through this series, Twyman joins the growing wave of anti-content content.
🔥 Press Worthy
Slushy Noobz release a line of Canadian flag hoodies.
Comedy creator Sammie Mayti launches a talk show, Things Are Always Happening.
Advertising podcast Breaking and Entering announces a live show for its 100th episode.
Pinterest reports that 63% of Gen Z adults intentionally try to disconnect from their phones.
Musical comedy creator Kyle Gordon debuts on Billboard’s comedy chart.
Netflix gains exclusive rights to broadcast the 2030 World Cup.
