Kiana, better known by his online alias Kyootbot, is a 24-year-old streamer whose satirical approach to speed dating is attracting thousands of fans on Twitch. He hosts a speed e-dating series called “Cuties,” where he invites women into his home studio to talk about themselves while he watches them flirt with potential suitors.
Kyootbot says he’s been playing around with different ways to attract people to his streams since he began streaming in 2012. His first idea was to make a game out of it, but he quickly realized that wasn’t working. So he turned to a more traditional form of entertainment: satire.
“I thought, ‘What could be funnier than talking to someone?’ And then I came up with the idea of speed dating,” he explains. “The whole concept is just making fun of how we date.”
He says he doesn’t want to change the way he interacts with his followers; he wants to keep things lighthearted. “We’re not trying to teach anyone anything,” he says. “We’re just having fun.”
But he does admit that some of his interactions do take place off camera. “Sometimes I’ll ask them questions that I know they won’t answer honestly,” he says. “They might say something like, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve had sex with five guys.’ Or, ‘Yeah, I’ve slept with three guys.'”
His goal isn’t to turn every viewer into a fan, though. “I don’t think there’s ever been a guy who hasn’t been offended by me,” he admits. “I try to be very respectful of everyone’s feelings, even if I disagree with them.”
And he says he’s always open to feedback. When one follower asked him why he didn’t wear pants on camera, he responded by saying that he wanted to look good for the ladies. “That’s a really common misconception,” he says. “People think that I’m wearing clothes underneath my skirt, but no, I’m wearing underwear.”
How Twitch Streamer Kaelena Uses Gaming for Good
Kaelena says Kyootbot never intended to turn her love of video games into a career. But after watching her husband struggle with depression, Kyootbot found herself drawn to helping others through gaming. She now streams every week, raising money for charities like World Vision, Habitat For Humanity, and Doctors Without Borders.
The idea came to her while playing Overwatch. Her team had just lost a match, and Kyootbot was feeling frustrated. Then it hit her: Why don’t we raise money for people who are struggling?
Kyootbot began fundraising for organizations like the American Red Cross and the Humane Society. And soon, she realized she could do much more.
“I thought about how many hours I spend playing video games,” Kyootbot says. “And I thought, ‘What if I could use those hours to make a difference?’ ”
What you need to know
Cheer Gurl is a photographer based out of Brooklyn, NY. Her work focuses on capturing moments that are meaningful to couples and families. She works hard to ensure she captures each moment as it happens, whether that means shooting a couple while they’re dancing, taking photos during a family vacation, or documenting a special occasion like a birthday party.
She loves being able to capture memories that people cherish for a lifetime. This passion drives her to continue learning about how to best capture those moments. She strives to give clients what they want, whether that’s candid shots of their loved ones or professional images that tell stories.
A Guide to Finding Outlets
Cheer says she didn’t always want to become famous; it just happened. She grew up in a small town in New Jersey and had no idea she’d eventually end up on MTV. But once she did, she found a way to make it work.
The Jersey Shore cast member says she doesn’t regret anything she’s done since joining the show in 2009. And while she admits there are plenty of people out there who wish she hadn’t gone public with her battle against leukemia, she says she wouldn’t change a thing.
Voice of Influence
Cheer, a 19-year-old college student, had been playing video games since she was 5 years old. Her interest peaked during high school where she played competitively. After graduating, she began watching YouTube videos about gaming and quickly became hooked. “I watched a lot of people play Fortnite,” she told me over Skype. “And I thought it looked really fun.”
She soon realized that there wasn’t much information online about how to actually start streaming. So, she decided to make one herself. “I didn’t know what I was doing, so I just did it,” she recalled. “My friends helped me figure things out along the way.”
Her first few streams went well, but she struggled to find anyone to watch her. “I felt like no one cared,” she said. “There weren’t many people streaming at the time.” But, she persisted. And, eventually, she found a niche audience.
“The most important thing for me was finding my tribe,” she said. “That’s why I joined the Discord server. People are always asking questions, and you don’t want to feel alone.”
In addition to being a great place to connect with others, the Discord server gave her access to some of the best advice. “Squid0044 was really helpful,” she said. “He taught me everything I needed to know about streaming.”
With his help, she built up her following and even got sponsored by a popular gaming brand. “They liked my personality and my style,” she said. “They wanted to work with someone who was funny and relatable.”
But, despite all the positive feedback, she still faced challenges. “I’m very shy and introverted,” she admitted. “So, I’d often struggle to talk to people.”