The Streamy Awards are promising big moments at their 13th annual ceremony on Sunday, including performances from Swedish duo Icona Pop to a reunion of Smosh comedy creators Ian and Anthony. But for presenter, drag star and podcast host Shea Couleé, the onstage moment she is most excited about is the appearance of TikToker Dylan Mulvaney.
Mulvaney is set to join Couleé, Tana Mongeau and WWE superstars Xavier Woods and Zelina Vega at the event. The social media star endured bigoted attacks after Bud Light tapped her for a branded social media post, sparking backlash and a boycott of the brand that generated headlines earlier this year.
“I’m really excited for Dylan. One thing that I really, really enjoy and love about her is her ability to remain so unbelievably positive,” Couleé told The Hollywood Reporter. “And throughout all the adversity that she’s faced, I think that she’s a really great example of what queer joy looks like, and we just want to see more of it. This is a big moment for her.”
The Streamys, marking their 13th year, celebrate the best and brightest creators from social media, podcasting and more. For host MatPat, the Streamys will be familiar territory.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to attend a lot of these award shows in the past, we’ve won a fair number of them at this point,” the gaming personality, who has won seven Streamys, said in a THR interview. “So, to be up onstage and in a position to help shape and be part of a show to honor people in this industry, it’s incredibly validating for me.”
For Couleé, she is just happy to share the stage with her fellow creators.
“I’m really excited to be a part of the Streamy Awards because I have grown up in an age where I’ve watched such an amazing cultural shift into streaming platforms,” Couleé said. “It is just so incredible, seeing like these really broad communities that have been able to hatch through technology and just how many connections are made through social media.”
MrBeast is currently leading the pack with five nominations including Creator of the Year; he also took home the award last year. MatPat credits MrBeast for showing that social media creators can produce top-notch content that rivals traditional media.
“I think that the level of respect and the level of elevation of YouTube content that he’s brought to the table has been really fundamentally game-changing, so all the accolades and attention are very, very well deserved because he’s always pushing the industry forward,” he said.
MatPat also lauded MrBeast for his philanthropic efforts, which led him to be nominated for Creator for Social Good as well, alongside DrLupo, Invisible People, Jacksepticeye and MrBallen.
“There are so many YouTubers and digital video stars who have been able to pay it back or pay it forward to, you know, various charity events and things like that are so incredibly valuable,” said MatPat. “We are so lucky to have the jobs and platforms that we have, a lot of us have lucked into this world, or have been fortunate enough to. We started this not expecting it to grow and be as profitable and as high earning as it’s become.”
He continued, “So, for us to be able to not just pay it forward and do good deeds to other content creators or to other charitable efforts, but to inspire a next generation of creators to take the reins and say, ‘Hey, this is what it means to have a platform and to use your voice for good and to try and spread goodwill out into the world.’”
The awards will stream Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET from Los Angeles on streamys.watch. The Streamy Awards are produced by Tubefilter and Dick Clark Productions, the latter of which is run by Penske Media Eldridge, a subsidiary of The Hollywood Reporter’s parent company PMC.
