Dear Gossips,
Up until just over a week ago, TNT has been the show we’ve all been watching together for the last six months. What’s the opposite of TNT, at least in narrative direction? That would be the new show we’re all watching together: Who TF Did I Marry, starring Reesa Teesa, all 50 parts available to binge on TikTok.
In telling her story of deception, betrayal, and heartbreak, in painstaking and compelling detail, Reesa has now gained over a million and a half followers, and counting, and has become a viral phenomenon. Which means, just like Aziah King with her Twitter thread, ultimately resulting in the film Zola, Reesa’s ordeal will probably get the Hollywood treatment.
Reesa is a born storyteller – like, it’s not just that what she experienced is bonkers, and yes, the details are wild, but it’s the way she delivers the information, it’s how she’s meticulously walking us through the chaos; as Duana texted yesterday, “every word is riveting”. And perhaps what’s most amazing about this is that nobody watching is out here all, get to the point! On the contrary, and this is why Reesa’s case is so fascinating, people seem to like this pace. You don’t produce 50 – FIFTY! – mega viral videos if people are in a hurry for it to end. And when you consider that some of those TikToks are ten minutes long, it’s that much more remarkable.
Because we hear this over and over from people who are chasing digital success – to keep videos under 30 seconds, to never post more than once a day; I can’t tell you how many meetings I’ve been in or heard about where the “experts” keep repeating “shorter!” across the board, in written and visual and audio content. But here comes Reesa with her 50-part series, defying the algorithm, and nobody is complaining about the length, nobody is swiping through. People are seated!
Is Reesa an anomaly? Is she an exception? Or is she a sign?
It’s true, attention spans have been shrinking in some cases and one of the reasons they keep recommending shorter form content is that for young people, in particular, the only way to maintain their engagement is by giving them quick hits in larger quantities. And that’s the audience that so many of these marketers seem to be chasing.
The people who’ve been following Reesa’s story, though, are not children. I’d like to see the stats but if I had to guess, there’s probably little crossover between Reesa’s audience and Mr Beast’s. If there is crossover, it would be a parent on one device watching Reesa tell her tale while their child sits next to them on another device watching Mr Beast’s latest video for the 40th time. But, even if there are people under 20 who have been glued to Reesa’s story, that in itself should be a note for the experts out there who are constantly trying to game social media: don’t underestimate one segment and also don’t overlook the other. Teenagers aren’t just interested in 15 second videos and adults are craving more than just 15 seconds. There is still and should continue to be space for longer videos, podcasts, and online articles.
As for Reesa? Another smart move, because it sounds like now that she’s wrapped up her breakout story, she’s pivoting to another. Reesa is on the move to London and Paris and she’s already promised that she’ll be sharing details from her trip. A quick scan of the comments – her followers seem to be really happy for her, that out of that f-cking mess of a marriage, she’s found a way to go on to bigger and better. Which means that some, if not most, of them are staying for the next chapter.
@reesamteesa Help me plan!! #reesateesa #reesaineurope #london #paris #fyp
♬ original sound - ReesaTeesa
Yours in gossip,
Lainey
