The Rise Of Creators Profiting From Reaction Videos

ASHLEY IPPOLITO

YouTube: @urinternetmomash

Subscriber count: 838K

Why do you think people watch reaction videos? 

We are the most connected we have ever been, yet also lonelier and more disengaged than ever. It’s so easy to get stuck doomscrolling or seeing countless opinions on topics that don’t even need to be addressed, and in those situations, we find comfort in the media that makes us happy. Whether it’s because you don’t know anyone close who likes the same thing as you or you want to know what a TV show is about without the commitment of watching all 10 episodes, the reaction space provides all of that.  

Is content creation your main source of income?

Right now, YouTube is my main source of income. My mom supported me financially and emotionally when my regular retail job was going out of business. I was trying to build up my YouTube career with only $200 a month paychecks. I’m so happy I took the risk and went for something I wanted.  Fun fact, reaction content does not make as much money as the average YouTuber does. I could have the same subscribers or engagement as someone who does lifestyle content, but they are more lucrative to brands and the algorithm. 

Which video did you get the most backlash from?

When I reacted to the show Yellowjackets. I said that the soccer coach was hot–which he was! Suddenly, I was accused of diminishing the sapphic relationships in the show and undermining everything that it stood for. The backlash was enough that I never finished the show, but maybe one day.

What is the toughest part of your job?

Staying current. My audience jokes that I am three months late to everything, but it’s not always entirely my fault. An audience member can sit down and watch an entire show in 6-10 hours, but that amount of time for me could only be used to edit maybe one or two episodes out of the series. In addition to the runtime of what I’m reacting to, making sure I follow copyright fair use laws adds to the final production time of a video. With the way media is consumed now, by the time I can get to something, I feel like everybody has already moved on to the next thing. 

What’s your favorite internet rabbit hole?

Anything to do with feuds or accidents that happened on movie sets and, of course, cat videos. 

How do you celebrate hitting follower milestones? 

I did have a drink and a night of relaxation when I hit 800k on tour, but I have started celebrating other milestones in my life more so than the numbers, like getting my new place, my cat’s first birthday, and my sister’s graduation. 

What’s one thing you refuse to react to?

Usually, I’d say no if I couldn’t put it on YouTube without getting in trouble. But honestly, I still try to find a way around that. Euphoria? Anora? Heated Rivalry? They’re all up on the channel with heavy edits and blurring. I do have to be strategic about what I post. There is a lot more planning and involvement than people think, especially once you have sponsors that want to have a say on what type of video their ad is placed on. That’s a whole other ballpark.

Has a celebrity noticed your videos before? 

When I attended Sabrina Carpenter’s Q&A session during her Emails I Can’t Send tour, the girl I was standing next to—who I became friends with that day—had the chance to ask Sabrina a question. When Sabrina saw me standing next to her, she said, “Oh my God, I watch your videos all the time. I had no idea you would be here.” Naturally, I blacked out in the moment.

A message to your haters?

I would be mad too if I saw someone thriving by doing something you do every Friday night on your couch for free. If anyone can do this and it’s so easy, pick up the camera! The internet is so vast and there is so much out there, don’t bother yourself with what I’m doing. 

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ANTHONY FANTANO

YouTube: @theneedledrop

Subscriber count: 3.08M

Why do you think people watch reaction videos? 

I think there’s a lot of isolation and atomization going on in modern society currently, and as a result, experiences that you might be having together with a larger community are just no longer part of people’s routines. Watching another person who you sort of trust like a close friend, is kind of the closest we get back to that. I also think reactions and streaming in general are much quicker than turning in more formal content that’s methodically edited and combed over.

Is streaming your main source of income? 

No, it’s just kind of one of many irons in the fire that I have going on. Between Twitch, YouTube, Patreon, TikTok and ads, it all kind of comes together.

Which video did you get the most backlash from?

Probably my My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy review. Though, I’m still quite proud of having the position on that record and I have doubled or even tripled down on it multiple times.

What is the toughest part of your job?

Keeping my finger on the pulse of what’s happening. There’s so much music out there right now, and there’s so much happening all over the music world all at once that it’s kind of difficult to keep up with all of it.

What’s your favorite internet rabbit hole?

Any music-based rabbit hole. But my most recent favorite was Marcus the Worm from VRChat. 

How do you celebrate hitting follower milestones?

These days, I celebrate the length at which I’ve been able to continue to do this rather than the size of it. I never thought I’d get out of my basement doing this. I thought I would top out at a hundred thousand viewers and that’s it, but I’ve somehow garnered more than that. There are people who have had channels much larger than mine, but their career has only lasted half as mine.

What’s one thing you refuse to react to?

Pressure.

Has a celebrity noticed your videos before?

Yeah, Drake. He’s a big fan. He’s a really huge fan of what I do. He loves my reviews. He loves my stuff. He watches all my videos. He comments on all of them too.

A message to your haters?

I don’t know what I could say to the haters or what the haters could say to me that I haven’t heard a million times for the past 10+ years. They’re like, “You’re the worst thing. You’re wrong. You’re terrible. You’re an idiot. You got the worst taste in music.” And I’m just like, “Okay, I’m just going to keep making videos. Bye.”

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TRIN LOVELL

YouTube: @lovelltrin

Subscriber count: 728k

Why do you think people watch reaction videos? 

I believe that people watch reaction videos for the same reason I started creating them: Community, and shared interests in things that people in your life may not know about. Commentary videos also serve as this shared experience of watching together, similarly to mukbangs. The act of watching a movie with someone can bring comfort to many people. 

Is content creation your main source of income? 

Yes.

Which video did you get the most backlash from? 

Recently, Heated Rivalry.

What is the toughest part of your job? 

Probably working in a vacuum. I film, edit, and come up with most video concepts alone, and sometimes I feel like an echo chamber of myself. In those times, I need to put the laptop down and speak to some real people. 

What’s your favorite internet rabbit hole? 

Censorship laws within movies, and how the rating system was created and has evolved over time. I know, it’s thrilling. 

How do you celebrate hitting follower milestones? 

Honestly, just posting and celebrating with the audience. Sometimes, my parents would send me flowers, which is always so sweet.

What’s one thing you refuse to react to? 

Fifty Shades of Grey. I made it a rule when I was under 18 due to many people requesting it. Now that I’m older, I just carry on the rule for no reason other than because I said it on camera when I was 17. 

Has a celebrity noticed your videos before? 

Yes! I’m really lucky to have a friend in Rachel Zegler. We became friends before she made her film debut in West Side Story. She said that she found my Bring It On videos and then DMed me! So surreal, I can’t believe that happened.

A message to your haters? 

If I have the right to criticize and discuss movies and TV shows, they also have the right to criticize me.

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HAMILTON TROY HAYES

YouTube: @hthaze

Subscriber count: 1.06M

Why do you think people watch reaction videos? 

Ever since COVID, I think people have become really lonely. I think people crave a kind of friendship where you used to be able to sit down and listen to an album or watch a movie with someone. It might be the feeling like you’re spending time with someone who is invested in the same thing as you.

Is streaming your main source of income? 

Streaming is not my main source of income. We actually donate every dollar from streaming to a different charity every month, along with funds from the Patreon too. But overall, we are solely funded by our Patreon community, The HT Hotties! I recommend Patreon to any creator with copyright issues like the ones I run into, because 99% of my YouTube videos on the channel are demonetized, and I’m still trying to have a career with something I love doing.

Which video did you get the most backlash from? 

Any Taylor Swift video is where you are going to find the most. But I don’t see backlash as a bad thing when we do get it; it is a necessary part of commentary! As long as comments aren’t attacking my character I say it’s fine.

What is the toughest part of your job? 

I’m a pretty emotional guy, so regulating my emotions and being a blank canvas for whatever we need to listen to that day is usually my first hurdle. Also, deciding between reacting to what is viral versus what I genuinely am interested in listening to can be tough. Though, being a YouTuber is genuinely pretty easy in the big scheme of it all.

What’s your favorite internet rabbit hole? 

Fire-arm safety! I’m really passionate about that right now. And D20. I’ve been binging all the Dropout shows, I’d love to be a guest someday.

How do you celebrate hitting follower milestones? 

When the channel hit a million subscribers, we had a little party with some friends and a cake. But now, I feel like hitting milestones should have some real-life thing behind it. Sometimes, a number is just a number. Seeing how my impact can affect our community positively is the “milestone” I try to hit nowadays.

What’s one thing you refuse to react to? 

Artists who are pedophiles or abusers and A.I. music. 

Has a celebrity noticed your videos before? 

Yes! Just to name a few, we have Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, Lizzy McAlpine, PinkPantheress, 5 Seconds of Summer, Role Model, Troye Sivan, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Lorde, Zara Larsson, Conan Gray, and Noah Kahan. The Tik Tok is very popular–shoutout to Leah, my assistant, who runs it.

A message to your haters? 

Smooches.

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JON DENTON

YouTube: @jondenton

Subscriber count: 518K

Why do you think people watch reaction videos? 

There’s something innately human about watching someone react to something and connect with it. It’s essentially how we learn and evolve as a species, and these videos capture some of that human essence. If you think about it, so much reality TV focuses on reactions. Think of the judges and audience shots in American Idol. This is just an extension of that, dialed into very specific moments that people love or hate.

Is content creation your main source of income? 

It is. I’m very grateful that I’ve been able to do this full time since 2020. Before that, I was a video game reviewer and consultant, so I’ve been creating content in some manner for over 20 years.

Which video did you get the most backlash from? 

During the Kendrick [Lamar] and Drake rap beef in 2024, I had a lot of backlash from Drake fans, which continues to this day! It’s all good though, I like the energy. 

What is the toughest part of your job? 

Keeping a level head when a video underperforms or overperforms.

What’s your favorite internet rabbit hole?

Recently, conspiracy theories. Although I’d much rather just watch TheBurntPeanut clips. 

How do you celebrate hitting follower milestones?

I should really celebrate these things more. It’s important to take a breath and feel grateful for everything.

What’s one thing you refuse to react to?

I don’t refuse, but I don’t enjoy reacting to mediocre music. 

Has a celebrity noticed your videos before?

Many, and most famously, The Weeknd himself. It’s amazing what can happen when you put yourself out there! 

A message to your haters? 

I don’t care about them. 

———

GREGORY ALBA

YouTube: @thereelrejects

Subscriber count: 1.45M

Why do you think people watch reaction videos?

Reaction videos tend to attract people who are already fans of the property because they want to see others experience certain moments. At the end of the day, these movies and shows always boil down to the emotional experience. I believe that a reactor’s job is not only to affirm a general consensus, but also to get in touch with their emotions and let it out, even if you happen to not like it. 

What is the toughest part of your job? 

I didn’t set out to start a business. I was just making videos hoping to get into the newspaper as a movie critic. It wasn’t until a year in when I learned you can make money doing this. Naturally, it became a job, and turning it off is the hardest part. The creator studio app is a business app but it’s more addictive than any social media app because it carries everything in one–views, business, and hell, even validation. From the second I wake up until I go to sleep, I’m usually doing some type of work for the channel. 

Is content creation your main source of income? 

Absolutely.

Which video did you get the most backlash from? 

We loved the first Wicked–it was our biggest movie reaction, and I was obsessed with it. Then, we did a reaction to Wicked: For Good, and we weren’t really fans of it. But like I said earlier, we’d mainly be attracting people who already loved the movie, and oh boy, our video was disliked. At the end of the day, we can’t let that stop us from being honest about our experience because it’s subjective. This idea that movies and shows can have an objective take is ridiculous. 

What’s your favorite internet rabbit hole? 

Watching people do drama videos about comedian podcasts. Outside of that, my usuals are movie essays, movie reviews, personal development videos, a lot of Conan O’Brien, and The Weekly Planet.

How do you celebrate hitting follower milestones? 

Honestly, we don’t really celebrate hitting follower milestones, but we should. We hit a million subscribers a couple years ago, and I still haven’t received our YouTube placard. I haven’t received an email about getting it either.

What’s one thing you refuse to react to? 

The Human Centipede 2. After watching the first one, which actually performed well for us, I just can’t sit through something even worse than that.

A message to your haters?

I hope you find ways to make your time more useful. My favorite haters are the ones who leave a mean comment on my YouTube video and then find my Instagram to send a message. Like, you gotta be the biggest loser with zero productive time to do that. Just leave it in the comments section.