It's Sunday and here’s a handpicked selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry.

But first, Colossal Biosciences hopes to resurrect the African Blue Antelope. The company caused quite the stir when it brought back the dire wolf. Now, it’s showing off its next “de-extinction” effort in a documentary that just dropped on YouTube.

CREATOR COMMOTION

John Taylor is setting his sights on the majors.

Creators are calling out “no influencer” signs and aiming for the MBA

The sports creator: A baseball equipment reviewer is one step from the majors. It wasn’t long ago that John Taylor was a struggling ballplayer who was best known for The Baseball Bat Bros, a channel he hosted alongside his brother. Now, after raking in the Texas Rangers’ farm system, Taylor is likely to earn an MLB call-up, bringing his success story from YouTube to the pros.

The controversy: Does a “no influencers” sign count as discrimination? Thats the argument Paige Lorenze made after a Nantucket business put up a tongue-in-cheek sign that expresses frustration with overeager creators. Lorenze, who is an influencer herself, critiqued the sign from a feminist standpoint by noting the contributions women have made to the creator economy. Then the beef hit the internet, and everyone seems to have an opinion.

The chef: For his day job, Kevin Ashton cooks meals for a sorority house and shares his recipes through short videos. Ashton, known online as Oldscoolkevmo, recently went above and beyond by preparing meals for hundreds of unhoused Angelenos as part of the Better Angels’ Resource Day.

The pink slip: The most famous Brandy Melville employee in New York has been laid off. Thanks to her gig at the retailer, Allegra Pinkowitz became a TikTok star. But apparently, internet fame doesn’t always pay the bills, because Pinkowitz was recently let go from her position. For a controversial fast fashion brand like Brandy Melville, will the uproar surrounding Pinkowitz’s firing move the needle?

THE BIZ

Logan Paul is honoring Oliver Tree with a limited-edition product.

Logan Paul is selling Slime and MrBeast is hiring “the best creative storytellers”

The Slime: Limited-edition “Slime” is Logan Paul’s tribute to Oliver Tree. In life, Tree was an eclectic singer-songwriter who befriended numerous creators. After his tragic death in a helicopter crash, Logan Paul has honored him by selling a Prime variant called Slime. Proceeds from the limited-edition item will support Tree’s foundation for young artists.

The job listing: Hey, creative strategists—MrBeast wants to hire you. On X, YouTube’s most-subscribed-to creator posted a job application for “the best creative storytellers on the planet.” A few days later, MrBeast noted that the posting has already received more than 1,000 applicants, but he promised that his team will review every submission.

The church campaign: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is spending big to help creators launch careers. From Mindy McKnight to The Piano Guys to Taylor Frankie Paul, there’s a long list of creators and influencers who are part of the LDS faith. A report in Bloomberg shows just how far the Mormon Church is going to break into the creator economy, and yes, that effort involves some direct financial support.

The microdrama: The Daily Show is in on the microdrama trend. With thinly-veiled references to American politics, Jon Stewart and co. will satirize the over-the-top plotlines that are associated with the growing crop of short-form microdramas. The Daily Show Presents: Two Billionaires Fight to Dominate the Country… And My Heart! may be a spoof, but it also shows that Comedy Central is still paying attention to the latest trends on social media.

MEDIA MAYHEM

Regulators are cracking down on TikTok. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images.)

This week in platform headlines…

The investigation: The U.K.’s Ofcom regulator is not too pleased with TikTok. After investigating the popular app, Ofcom concluded that TikTok is “not safe enough.” Regulators across the world have been arguing that social media platforms aren’t taking enough steps to protect their most vulnerable users, and the Ofcom report ensures that the tug-of-war will continue.

The mission statement: When it launched earlier this year, VSYN+ promised to put sign language front and center to create a new, inclusive form of streaming media. Now, VSYN+ is doubling down on that mission by appointing Deaf athletes and artists to its Board of Directors.

The FAST channel: Fairground got off to a hot start last year by paying out more than $100,000 to the AI artists and creators it partnered with. Now, its FAST channel filled with AI content will look to legitimize AI as an art form while continuing to support the creators who bring their work to Fairground’s gates.

WATCH THIS 👀

Politics are evolving in the American South.

A political docuseries positions the American South as a Long Play

The docuseries: Obama White House staffer Jen Palmieri has teamed up with Crooked Media and production company Left/Right to launch Long Play, a docuseries focused on the shifting electoral realities of the South.

You can catch the first episode—and all subsequent installments—on YouTube. This one is worth checking out before November arrives.

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