Good morning. A decade ago, MTV’s reality show The Jersey Shore made everyone obsessed with Italian-Americans living on the New Jersey coast. The 2023 version of just that? Joey Sacco.

The TikTok creator has gone viral multiple times for funny videos he makes working at his family's sandwich shop near the pier in Ocean City, NJ. Tan? Check. Accent? Check. Odd job? Check. Entertainment? Double check.

— Hannah Doyle & Nate Graber-Lipperman

Case Study: How Does YouTube Video Production Compare to TV?

Earlier this week, English comedy creator Max Fosh pointed out on Twitter (ahem, X) the striking similarities—and differences—between a video he released in May and an August episode of the UK television show Rob & Romesh Vs. 

Both videos took on the challenge of performing with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, peppering comedic takes throughout the process. The two projects were in production at the same time, too.

The result? A small case study illustrating the differences in input and output between a YouTube video and a TV episode covering a similar subject.

The breakdown:

• Fosh’s video: took six weeks to produce with a team of three // has amassed 1 million views in three months

• Rob & Romesh Vs. episode: took six months to produce with a production crew of undisclosed size (on average, TV shows can have upwards of 50 staff) // viewership numbers aren’t currently public, but Fosh said a similar show by the same network averaged around 400,000 views per episode

It’s worth noting: Given differences in distribution models, run times, and means of production, comparing YouTube and television 1:1 is tough. But as Fosh pointed out on Twitter, “The days of gatekeeping by producers who decide what gets shown is over and due to bureaucracy they can’t produce fast enough to keep up with trends.”

“I think TV is still very important in our cultural ecosystem, but if you are in looking to break into the comedy world and want to show your art to the world,” Fosh said. “Just press publish.”

FYI: YouTube continues to outpace traditional television—the platform accounts for nearly 10% of American TV viewership, according to a recent Nielsen study.

Real Engineering Spins Out Animation Studio for Startups

YouTube channel Real Engineering is spinning out its in-house animation studio to help startups communicate technical concepts more simply—an opportunity that arose after the channel published a documentary on nuclear fusion company Helion last year.

Impressed by the finished product, Helion hired the creators to make original animations for them, Real Engineering founder Brian McManus told us.

• Context: McManus, who has a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering, started his channel in 2016 after quitting his job and learning animation software programs like After Effects and Blender.

• Over the years, he’s become known to his over 4 million subscribers for tackling complicated topics (such as rocket engines and deep sea mining) and explaining them visually, building out a production team in the process.

Looking ahead: McManus told us that many non-software startups have struggled with hiring engineers in recent years, and he believes that Real Engineering’s animation services will fit naturally with a B2B job recruitment agency that his team is developing on the side.

“[Startups] see us as one of the only places on the internet that’s talking about engineering in a positive, exciting way,” he said.

Charli D’Amelio is Back on the FYP

Charli D’Amelio posted to TikTok four times in the last day, sharing facts about herself and dance routines. She’s also appeared on users’ For You Pages in what some are calling the first time in “forever.”

Context: D’Amelio never went fully dark on TikTok, but she’s only posted a handful of times over the last few months—mostly to share brand deals or promote her shoe brand and perfume.

Zoom out: D’Amelio, who’s the second most-followed creator on TikTok, was the face of the platform’s meteoric rise in 2020. Since then both she and the platform have changed dramatically—so a visit to her account is, for some, borderline nostalgic.

🔥 Press Worthy

• Moist Critikal starts streaming on YouTube.

• Alix Earle collaborates with makeup brand Benefit.

• Short-form video platform FreshCut (started by Twitch vets) reaches 2 million visitors in 5 months.

• This AI tool helps you write better YouTube titles.*

• OnlyFans creator Mariah “Lavaxgrll” Casillas launches a fundraiser for Maui wildfire victims.

• Linus Tech Tips responds to criticism over ethical concerns and accuracy in their content.

• Reporters Jacob Wolf and Mikhail Klimentov start a Patreon.

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