TikTok Live’s Enigmatic Rising Star

Issue 71 | September 29, 2022

There’s one TikTok creator who has been creeping their way onto my feeds: Itzpsyiconic. It’s a welcome presence, as clips from his TikTok Live streams always crack me up.

The creator, whose real name is Kelon, amassed a sizable following with his cast of characters: the evangelical Christian southern belle Terri Joe, the goth Amethyst, and the BBL baddie Jeorgia Peach. Over the past year, Kelon has made a niche for himself baiting unwitting collaborators and going toe-to-toe with fellow trolls—including famous ones—on TikTok Live. From Twitter memes to viral TikToks, itzpsyiconic has become a staple in online culture, gifting us with iconic (no pun intended) one-liners, perfect reaction images, and, as Passionfruit contributor Kaiya Shunyata writes, unbridled queer joy. In their analysis of itzpsyiconic’s content, Shunyata explores why viewers love the creator and what makes him stand out in the TikTok landscape.

– Daysia Tolentino, Passionfruit Editor

TOKWATCH

‘Are you a hommasexyuh?’: Itzpsyiconic is TikTok Live’s hilarious and bizarre rising star

“It’s as if my life has meaning when I watch her.”

By Kaiya Shunyata, Passionfruit Contributor

→ READ THE FULL STORY

ONE GREAT TIP

“People are afraid of catering only to certain niches or alienating certain people… But you actually end up attracting more like-minded followers and fans. They’re glad that someone is finally saying the thing they’ve been feeling.”
—Maven co-founder Wes Kao on finding your audience. Read more in our May 2022 interview.

FROM THE INSIDE

Willa executive with "willa" logos on purple and yellow background Passionfruit Remix

Aron Levin, CMO and co-founder of payments company Willa, wants to make creators’ finances easier

“I really encourage people, find the tools that can save you the time.”

By Grace Stanley, Passionfruit Reporter

READ THE FULL STORY →

THE HIGHLIGHT

@saltandsagenutrition holding egg up and bowl of ingredients for meatballs on green to blue gradient background Passionfruit Remix

‘They should have to give credit where credit is due’: Blogger accuses food magazine of adapting her recipe without crediting her

“This is an issue in general with larger companies not giving smaller creators credit.”

By Grace Stanley, Passionfruit Reporter

READ THE FULL STORY →

IN THE BIZ

While Andrew Tate remains deplatformed from many social media sites, families say “alpha male” creators like Tate have already influenced their loved ones, who have adopted toxic, misogynist ideals. (via Buzzfeed News)
Podcast companies are buying millions of listens through autoplay features in mobile game ads. (via Bloomberg)
YouTube-based media company Jubilee has raised $1.1 million in funding and signed with WME. (via TubeFilter)
VidCon has announced its first east coast event, VidCon Baltimore, will be held on Sept. 29 through Oct. 1, 2023.
Instagram is testing a homepage without a shopping tab. (via the Verge)
TikTok is rolling out a dislike button for comments. (via TechCrunch)