My Interview with Steven He is going a little bit viral on YouTube.

So this isn’t exactly NEWS per-se, but it is extremely fun to have a video take off for something you worked super hard on. Last year, as some of you know we filmed 8 episodes for Driven Podcast (live on all streaming platforms) and I had the privilege of interviewing Steven He, YouTube legend with 13.8M subs.

Anyway - people are starting to notice, this episode is going viral with nearly 1M views. Now, to be fair, Steven was an incredibly guest to interview with a crazy amount of knowledge and insights to share on building a great YouTube channel and business, but I thought it was worth sharing a nice little win on social with our community here!

Now on to the latest in the creator economy this week!

Markiplier’s $21M Box Office Debut

Markiplier’s self-financed film Iron Lung debuted to $21.7 million globally this weekend, landing No. 2 at the North American box office with $17.8 million from just over 3,000 theaters.

Not bad for a movie made outside the studio system, produced for roughly $3 million, and distributed without a major Hollywood backer.

Markiplier wrote, directed, starred in, financed, and self-distributed the film, initially planning for a 50-theater run before exhibitors expanded it nationwide.

With a near 50-50 revenue split between theaters and filmmaker, the model flips the usual studio math and leaves room for real upside, including bonuses for the crew.

Translation: this is not just a box office win, it’s a proof-of-concept.

A creator with a built-in audience, direct distribution, and ownership over the IP just ran a theatrical playbook that Hollywood has long claimed was impossible without studio infrastructure.

The First Streamer Grammy Nominee

The “first streamer Grammy nominee” debate got loud fast.

After PlaqueBoyMax celebrated his Grammy Awards nomination by calling himself the first streamer ever to earn the honor, Soulja Boy jumped in with a blunt correction.

“Cap,” he wrote, pointing back to his own 2008 Grammy nomination for Crank That (Soulja Boy), long before “streamer” was even a category.

Technically, both can be right.

Soulja Boy wasn’t a streamer at the time of his nomination, but he was a digital-native artist who built momentum online before the industry fully caught up.

PlaqueBoyMax, meanwhile, earned a 2026 nomination for Victory Lap in Best Dance/Electronic Recording, placing a modern livestream-first creator directly inside the awards ecosystem, even if the win went to Tame Impala.

What this means for creators

• Creators blur the line between internet fame and industry legitimacy

• Community-first distribution now competes with labels when it comes to visibility and cultural impact

• The definition of “artist” is expanding fast, and creators who own their audience have leverage older systems cannot ignore

Whether you call it streaming, internet-native, or community-powered, the Grammys are officially dealing with talent that didn’t come up through labels, radio, or traditional artist development.

Super Bowl Week for the Creator Economy

For decades, Super Bowl week belonged to networks, leagues, and glossy brand activations.

In 2026, that monopoly is gone.

Creators are now live on Radio Row, cutting real-time highlights, hosting watch-alongs, and driving the conversation across YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, and Instagram before, during, and after Super Bowl weekend.

Livestreams have become the second screen, short-form clips now outrun broadcast highlights, and brands are spreading spend across creator-led activations instead of relying solely on a single 30-second TV spot.

The result is an always-on Super Bowl experience that lasts the entire week, not just four quarters.

Super Bowl week is still about football, but the attention economy around it now belongs to creators.

🔥 Hot Opportunities

Check out some of the hottest opportunities on our job board below, and if you’re a brand looking for awesome creators to work with - you can recruit for your campaign for FREE. Just fill out this form or click below (takes 2 minutes), most jobs receive their first qualified candidates within 2-3 days of going live.

Dealsync Ambassador Program Free Product + Referral Rewards

Dealsync is recruiting ambassadors for their pre-launch campaign.

Dealsync is a tool that automatically sorts creators' brand deal emails, highlights real opportunities, and saves hours each week. Ambassadors receive free product access at launch, extended free months based on performance, and affiliate commissions.

CREATEIT Seeks Multi-Passionate Creators for AI Agent Collaboration (Gifted Products Valued $333–$7,000+)

CREATEIT is looking for creators who are passionate about wellness, wealth, marketing, business, and travel to collaborate using their Creator AI Agents.

You'll receive a free test drive of the AI tools (no post required), and for collaborations, you can earn the full version of AI Agents or access to Creator School—valued from $333 to $7,000+. Perfect for creators who are already monetizing and love sharing tools that help them work smarter.

Sweet Dill Seeks Product Recommendation Creators for Paid Partnership ($200-$1,000)

Sweet Dill is seeking content creators who use affiliate links in their product recommendation videos.

Join a paid partnership program designed to help you unlock the full earning power of your audience through advanced affiliate link protection technology. Limited spots available for creators who want to maximize their affiliate revenue this December.

_{Content We Referenced Today}

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👋 Happy Networking!

~ Brian F.

1. _{‘Iron Lung’ Director Markiplier Cries After Self-Financed Movie Debuts to $21 Million Globally: ‘A Hero’s Moment to Show Indie Filmmaking Is Possible’ - https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/markiplier-cries-iron-lung-indie-film-global-box-office-debut-1236649636/}

2. _{Soulja Boy Calls 'Cap' on PlaqueBoyMax Claiming to Be 'First Streamer' With Grammy Nomination - https://www.complex.com/music/a/markelibert/soulja-boy-calls-cap-plaqueboymax-first-streamer-grammy}

3. _{From livestreams to highlights: How creators are changing Super Bowl Week - https://en.as.com/nfl/from-livestreams-to-highlights-how-creators-are-changing-super-bowl-week-f202602-n/}