TikTok may get “banned” but the comedy created on the app will prevail
So yeah… everything kinda sucks right now.
Buuut I found some TikTok creators that not only DON’T SUCK, will make you laugh AND – in the instance the app does get banned (which I still think unlikely) – will continue to succeed inside and outside the digital space: Ryan George, Kueppers, and Preston Garcia.
*Info about the TikTok ban has been moved to the bottom of the article (Spoiler: my anxiety about the ban is BACK and STRONGER THAN EVER!! AHHHH!!)
Ryan George • 1M followers (@theryangeorge)
@theryangeorge The First Guy To Ever Get Ripped
Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Website
Ryan George’s one-man sketch comedy videos are already enjoyed by his huge audience on YouTube, but when made the jump to TikTok, he quickly grew a following that nearly DOUBLES his YouTube following (nice!). His videos are hilarious, weird, and timeless; his videos will remain funny and influential decades beyond their initial creation.
3 Funny TikToks from Ryan George:
The First Guy To Ever Have A Home
The First Guy To Ever Play Tag
Kueppers • 22.1K Followers (@twirlyenough)
@twirlyenough #POV I am the mom from that gender reveal party that started a wildfire
Kueppers is the perfect lead for a near-future truly inclusive TV show. Their mostly one-take skits are hilarious, topical, and seamlessly uses humor to point out LGBTQ+ discrimination and underrepresentation. In a world where the majority of content is still made by straight white men, Kueppers’ inclusive is refreshing, innovative, necessary, and funny.
3 Funny TikToks from Kueppers:
Preston Garcia • 965K followers (@notprestongarcia)
@notprestongarcia Chic-Fil-A Managers when you don’t say “My Pleasure” #comedy #comedyskit
If Gen Z had a sitcom, Preston Garcia would be the head writer, and the show would have multiple Emmys. His videos (typically) start off as normal everyday situations featuring “normal” people that quickly (and comically) get blown out of proportion. Though his characters are dramatic AF, you’ll find solace in these emotional performances because his characters so accurately satirize that people you hate in your daily life that you’ll watch these videos and go “HAHA, THIS CHARACTER IS JUST LIKE ______. I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAD TO DEAL WITH SOMEONE THIS STUPID, BUT IF PRESTON GARCIA MADE A VIDEO ABOUT IT, IT MEANS MORE PEOPLE LIKE _____ EXIST – WHICH SUCKS – BUT AT LEAST THAT MEANS OTHER PEOPLE UNDERSTAND MY EXPERIENCE.”
3 Funny TikToks from Preston Garcia:
Managers when Customers ask to talk to them…
Why Karen ACTUALLY asks for the Manager…
TIKTOK BAN UPDATE
So yeah… I hate to say it, but the TikTok Ban may technically happen. Previously, Microsoft + Walmart and Oracle were the frontrunners to buy ByteDance (the company that owns TikTok). HOWEVER, no one has made the purchase, the deadline for the TikTok Ban is still set for September 20th, AND Trump refuses to extend that deadline. GAH!
The reason the sale hasn’t gone through? It could be one (or all) of the following:
- ByteDance is valued at $78 billion – that’s a hefty price tag for any potential buyer to meet (or try to come close to). Plus, it doesn’t help Trump made an (potentially illegal) executive order that required the acquisition from ByteDance to a US company to happen in 90 days. Who wants to be rushed into a sale!? (especially when it’s a multi-billion dollar price tag!?)
- In August, Beijing introduced export restrictions on artificial intelligence technology, which included the algorithm that TikTok uses to determine which videos to show each user. (This means ByteDance would have to obtain a license to export any restricted technologies to a foreign company – which means it’s another roadblock hindering potential buyers from acquiring ByteDance)
- ByteDance is now fighting to keep a small amount of ownership in the company… which I totally get (and agree with – I’d be pissed if I built something as big as TikTok and a walking orange toddler suddenly told me I had to sell it and retain no ownership). However, this factor doesn’t make the potential acquisition any easier.
HOWEVER – if a sale between ByteDance and a US company doesn’t happen – that doesn’t mean TikTok will disappear on September 20th. TikTok is currently suing the Trump Administration because the ban is likely unconstitutional since Trump has ZERO evidence that TikTok is actually a national security threat (AND it has been PROVEN TikTok takes about the same amount of data as any other social media app). So this buys TikTok time more time to find a buyer, rule the ban as unconstitutional, or find another way to avoid having TikTok be totally banned.
So TikTok will still be around… but its future is still unsure.
ARTICLES REGARDING THE TIKTOK BAN
There is still no proof TikTok is spying on you for China (Business Insider)
TikTok sale to American company may not happen in time to avoid US ban (New York Post)
TikTok Sues U.S. Government Over Trump Ban
ABOUT TIKTOK SPOTLIGHT
Like my TikTok recommendations? Cool. Got better ones? Awesome! If there’s a TikTok account you think FOD should feature, send it my way: kat@funnyordie.com
Follow FOD on TikTok! https://vm.tiktok.com/J2NGVMq/
Also… follow me (the author – hi!) on TikTok! https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJhJse89/