Netflix’s “Hype House” and What it Reveals About TikTok Fame

“Imagine a fraternity filled with people who have millions of followers, dollars, and a ring light.”

The vaulted doors to the infamous $5 million Los Angeles mansion have been swung wide open to indulge our Netflix cravings on 7 January.

We’re referring, of course, to the social media collective/living space/cult—the Hype House.

If you’re a regular TikTok user, you’ll be familiar with names like Chase Hudson, Thomas Petrou and Nikita Dragun. If you’re not, this would all sound absolutely foreign to you.

And there’s a reason why this is creating all sorts of good and bad buzz. We’ve broken down how this new series reflects a super weird time in the history of what it means to be a celebrity, media personality, or whatever you wanna call it.

Hype House represents one in a long string of ‘social media collectives’ that are increasingly popular.

We’ve seen a couple of large, youthful, antic-fuelled groups emerge in the past few years, including ones all existing under the same roof.

In 2016, Jake Paul and his cronies launched ‘Team 10’—an influencer ‘incubator’, including successful YouTubers like Alissa Violet and twins, Lucas and Marcus Dobre. This was before TikTok was even a thing.

And, of course, there’s David Dobrik’s Vlog Squad, formed in 2015.

The Hype House is part of the TikTok era, founded by e-boy and musician, Chase Hudson and Youtube star, Thomas Petrou. The aim is to produce content with popular social media creators living in the same space.

No one in human history has experienced fame quite like these TikTokers.

As beauty influencer, Nikita Dragun says in the Hype House series trailer, “Imagine a fraternity filled with people who have millions of followers—and dollars—and like, a ring light.”

Perhaps the most bizarre part is the way social media is so entwined with the lives of the Hype House members.

Their days revolve around endless content creation, and a mere tweet can send their fanbases into a frenzy. Love and heartbreak is broadcast online, with Charli D’Amelio leaving the house after a public breakup with Chase Hudson.

Their livelihoods literally depend on their public reputation.

According to Variety, who have had early access to the series, various personalities describe the impact of ‘cancel culture’ on their lives.

One influencer says, “you’re subjecting yourself to literal harm” by being a public person. You could lose followers and brand deals at the slightest misstep.

A sequence reported by Variety says it all when one TikToker gets mad at another for showing up at a party while knowingly COVID-positive… not because it's a threat to everyone's health, but because it's a threat to their reputation.

Now, before you say that you’re just going to hate-watch the show, Hype House cast member Alex Waren had something to say to Bustle.

“To the people saying they’re going to hate-watch the show, I 100% indulge you to.”

Twist my arm, Alex Waren.

Header image: Netflix.