The Dark Secret of Industry Plants

I taught Critical Thinking at the high school and college levels for about a decade. I took multiple logic classes during my studies over the years as I pursued multiple degrees. I consider myself a clear communicator and clear thinker. I'm very lucky. Most people aren't. Most people have noise in their heads and anxiety and fear dominate their thinking process. Therefore, many decisions are based on emotional logic and not intellectual logic. This is why we have "guy math" and "girl math." Men will think, "If I invest in crypto, I will become a billionaire because cool kickboxers I admire do as well, and then they'll accept me and other men will think I'm cool too." Women will conclude "If I buy $300 shoes that are on sale for $250, I am saving $50, even though I'm using a credit card that with interest will eventually cost me more after missing payments."

Did I poke the bear yet? I have a reason for this. And it's really simple. Not every success is equal, and not very successful person is legitimate. They are known as industry plants, people pushed into the public spotlight by agents, social media platforms, and other outside forces to create narratives to keep less successful people on their platforms and believing in our capitalistic market. So if you're not where you want to be in online followings, it's okay. But if you think social media is going to save you - give up now, because it won't. It's time to be a critical thinker and not just a critic. 

The Three Amigos Go Viral 
Recently, within the last year we've had three major players go viral with no exceptional talent or abilities. First, last summer's Oliver Anthony went viral with "Rich Men North of Richmond," a southern bluegrass Appalachian tune about the evils of Washington politicians and the plight of the working man. This bearded, heavy set, young man grabbed a guitar and played outdoors, causing a stir, and within weeks he's on Fox News and Joe Rogan talking about his simple down south life while making millions off one song sang with no professional equipment.

A few months ago, Megan Boni quit her job and joined a circus of DJ's after her TikTok hikau "Looking for a man in finance" went viral, spurring multiple covers of the lyrics into club music beats. Within a few days she was sent on a world tour with a gimmick. How long will this last? I'm assuming she's find her man in finance, 6'5", blue eyes, with a trust fund before she has anything else pop. 

The most current viral success is Haliey "Hawk Tuah" Welch, a Tennessee hillbilly who did a man-on-the-street interview that blew up the internet. When asked  "What’s one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?" she responded with, "You gotta give 'em that 'hawk tuah' and spit on that thang." And like that, her advice on oral gratification allowed her to quit her job, get an agency behind her, and she was a guest on Bill Maher's Club Random Podcast. Keep in mind, Bill has had Bill Burr, Jay Leno, Stephen A. Smith, Quentin Tarantino, Mark Cuban, Jordan Peterson, James Carville, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Oliver Stone as guests. To say she doesn't exactly fit the bill, is an understatement. Watching Maher try to find anything to talk about was painful.   

They've all created tours, merch, and social media followings, but why them and not others? 

Going Viral Doesn't Usually Do Anything 
Ironically, many think that if they have a viral video or tweet they'll build a fan base or get the fame they were looking for. That is just not the case. I know plenty of comics with millions of views on a few videos, sketches, etc. and they can't even get monetized on the platforms they're succeeding on. 
I know comics who've been on Joe Rogan, Adam Corolla, and other huge platforms, and they got no bump in their career. Comics with The Tonight Show and Conan credits are still trying to get passed by the big clubs in LA, but I'm pretty sure Haliey "Hawk Tuah" Welch could get a prime spot at most clubs tonight if her agent called in a favor.   

This story is as old as time. But it's not a real story. It's a mythological tale used to make people think these select few are ordained by the gods, while we sit back and grind for our crumbs. Films like "A Star Is Born" push the lie that some famous person will pluck you from the crowd and you'll sing into the hearts of America - it's a myth to keep you going. If I hear one more comic or content creator say "It just might be the next show where I'm discovered..." I don't know what I'll do, but it might involve me just hugging them out of empathy.     

This is the satirical equivalency of Jack Horner finding Dirk Diggler (Eddie Adams of Torrance) because he thinks Eddie has a bulge waiting to come out.  

The Simpsons Did It First 
Even The Simpsons played around with this story when Bart knocked down Krusty's TV studio set and said, "I didn't do it" to roars of laughter, prompting him into instant stardom as the "I Didn't Do It" Boy. There were shirts, songs, and TV appearances for Bart, just like these plants today.  Keep in mind, this was before social media, so clearly we've had flash in the pan "overnight" success stories. It just seems more calculated now. 

In the 1980's we had Pauley Shore and he died out within five years. A relatively unknown comic became the face of MTV, but by 1995 he couldn't get a movie to make a buck and he was gone. Megan Fox had a good run, but eventually found herself on every producer's do not hire list. Dane Cook had a few great years as a pretty boy comic, but after Hollywood realized his movies were unwatchable, everything spiraled and he was banned from LA clubs. Carlos Mencia watched his rise and fall come and go faster than expected. Say what you want about his joke stealing, that's irrelevant to fame. He just wasn't the next Paul Rodriguez or George Lopez, and Hollywood gave up. 
The difference now, is that these new viral stars aren't really "talented" or exceptionally sexy in the way we would view the others mentioned. But like Bart, they had their moment and faded away.         

Why Would Entertainment Need Industry Plants?
The real reason? Because entertainment, whether it's music, comedy, acting, etc. needs plucked from the stars celebrities so you'll keep watching. That's why we have American Idol, AGT, and other similar shows. We all want to be a part of the journey. People love saying "I was listening to them before they were famous..." and these new stars feed a Hollywood narrative and need for those following a dream. Like bringer shows, Hollywood is selling a dream. They need people to feed the machine. Products need new influencers. TikTok and Instagram needs new stars. These plants provide delusional hope that you're just one post away from popping. 

Isn't that the story every time? Matt Rife has been spewing this story that his buddy told him to post one more clip. He did, and now he's on his second Netflix special. Do you really believe that? If so, I have a lot of beach front property in Arizona to sell you. What actually happened is Matt Rife was already a pretty successful reality star, got a PR group behind him, and suddenly a few clips went viral through better analytics, and the media decided to put the highly attractive young man on full display. There are plenty of clips that get those numbers, so why did he get the agent and pay check? Because the algorithm trifecta of agencies, platforms, and Hollywood illuminati made it happen. It's not that you aren't "as good," but you aren't "as chosen." 

Final Thoughts 
I could go into all metaphysical concepts of free will and how effort and desire don't really equate results, but unless you are willing to embrace my cynical "Fight Club" theology worldview on the possibility that the algorithm just doesn't like you, then you will continue to post and post and hustle, feeding into a machine that already knows what it wants. Do you think its a coincidence the two girls are mid-looking blondes in their early twenties and the guy is a January 6 clone? They look like the people watching.  

​What I will say is this. Just produce clips, sketches, and content because you love it. Make art because you want to. If you chase the algorithm for selfish reasons, for fame, for money, nothing will really feel good. Your vision board isn't to manifest prosperity. Your vision board should be what you want to put out into the world. And if you're doing that, you might not get plucked from the heavens for 15 minutes of fame, but you will build a legacy that lasts a lifetime.