With over a million subscribers on YouTube, Sloan Hooks is one of the most well-known content creators for celebrity news. His work is unique in that it gives a more raw and honest look into the lives of many stars. What makes him so popular is his realistic conversations that most certainly strike a chord, especially with many Gen Z viewers.
We are in an era where being a celebrity is different and the whole perfect-person image we once thought about famous people is being deconstructed. His content shows the unglamorous side of it all, which makes for interesting discussions. Hooks is not afraid to dive into more serious topics such as the Free Britney movement and the abuse that many child actors have faced in Hollywood. His videos ultimately provide a human outlook on many of our favorite stars.
Hooks does not shy away from revealing things about artists that other entertainment outlets usually stay away from, making viewers see their favorite stars from a different perspective. Recently, he has been expanding his content creation and started a podcast called “Let’s Get Into It.” This will allow fans to enjoy more in-depth conversations and be immersed even more into the unfiltered side of Hollywood. On his podcast, he also does some intriguing interviews with public figures who may have had a bit more of a controversial time in the public eye.
When did you get interested in pop culture?
SH: Growing up we would have magazines like US Weekly all over the house and that is how I started to become interested in pop culture. A lot of articles in those helped me to realize it was more than just entertainment, it is a reflection of our society. I then started to see I wanted to be a part of that in sharing things and uncovering truth for other people to learn things about Hollywood.
Which journalists or media personalities helped to inspire the work you do now?
SH: Wendy Williams and Andy Cohen are two major ones that have shaped me into the content creator I am today. They have all been able to create their own path within entertainment. They are not necessarily actors but they all have been able to become celebrity journalists with each of their unique personas. Like Wendy has blunt takes and this huge personality. Then Andy Cohen has this warm and friendly vibe which is just so nice. The ability to just connect with the audience on an authentic level is something I aspire to have.
So recently you did a video about Katy Perry and some messy behavior she has had. Do you think she will ever be able to have a comeback in the streaming era?
SH: I think that Katy has that staple effect where she has ingrained herself in the music industry. I do think her reputation is at risk because of her relationship with Dr. Luke. I do believe Katy has the ability to be back in it but with social media allowing us to communicate so easily, there is no way she is going to get away with working with a producer like Dr. Luke who is so tragic.
You have several videos about Britney Spears. I would love to talk with you about the Free Britney movement.
SH: I love talking about this. It is one of those moments in history where we had mental illness, celebrity and a legal process all wrapped into one. In 2019 her manager actually sent me information that no one had yet about the legal issues she was going through and I started to put that out. We started to see how Britney was being taken advantage of and how there were so many human rights violations that were happening that were just horrible.
What are some challenges you have had to overcome in your career?
SH: Right now on social media, content creation is so oversaturated. I mean there are a ton of people doing it so you have to have something special about you and an authenticity. So building that true connection and honest fan base can be a challenge. Also, with being an investigative journalist it is hard some times cause certain things you’re digging up can result into threats of legal actions being taken. I just had the Jersey Shore star Angelina send me a fake cease and desist letter last week so stuff like that can be frustrating.
The streaming era has changed the film/TV industry. Do you think there are more pros or cons to where Hollywood is in the streaming era?
SH: Right now content creation is where to be. Essentially this is an industry that has not [been] monopolized yet so a lot of the power is still in the creators’ hands. That is why I think social media and some streaming content is so popular. Now, there is so much attention being taken away from traditional TV, which in many ways is a good thing. Many people in the old-school TV and film are so underpaid and now with social media creation they have not found a way to take all the money from the creators yet. Big corporations in Hollywood should be worried cause we are seeing more YouTubers create elaborate content now. Even I am at a place where I am pitching documentaries.
How were you able to grow your channel to one million subscribers?
SH: I have only been doing this for a couple years, but definitely the consistency is part of it. I post a video at least every day, sometimes I have even posted multiple ones in a day. Also, the deep coverage about these topics is something I think was really lacking on social media and people have really liked seeing that. Creating videos that are informative and teach the audience something played a part in the success of the channel as well.
You now have a new podcast called Let’s Get Into It. Why did you decide it was time to make this now?
SH: I thought it would be cool to have an opportunity to explore different formats. Like deeper conversations, interviews and some more niche topics that I would not cover on the main channel. I also wanted this new platform to do interviews with controversial people. To sit in the room with someone like Perez Hilton that is like so offensive would be interesting to see what they are truly about. I am at a place in my career where I am looking to add more and more things so I thought this podcast was a great idea for a new adventure to take on.
Paris Hilton and Julia Fox follow you on social media! What was it like to receive those notifications?
SH: It was awesome. I mean Julia Fox always advocated on her take when dating Kanye West. I always admired her and really loved her book and everything she overcame. So when she followed me I was excited cause I know she really likes the tea and gossip. Of course, Paris Hilton had watched my video about her experience at a troubled teen camp where she was abused. It was really cool cause when I was [filming] these videos alone in my room, I never think about the person I am making it about viewing.
What is next for you?
SH: I used to work for the government and had a normal job and then when COVID-19 happened I just started creating this and I did not really know what I was doing but I got to help with the New York Times Free Britney documentary and helped with the Quiet on Set one as well but now I am working on my own documentary. It is a lot of work but it is really cool and I am excited to share it. Then I got a variety show coming out later this year with another creator that does similar content to me. We will be announcing more details about that very soon.
