Michael Weist

Michael Weist
Born25 July 1996 
Alma mater
OccupationProducer and actor
WorksJawline
Websitewww.michaelweist.com 

Michael Gordon Weist III is an American talent manager, producer, actor, and entrepreneur known for his work in managing social media influencers and his involvement in several high-profile digital media projects.[1] Weist gained significant attention for organizing TanaCon and for his appearance in the Hulu documentary Jawline, which played at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

Weist's television and movie work includes guest appearances on The Grammy Awards, The Kids Choice Awards, Amazon Prime, and Vice.[8]

Weist has worked with clients such as Kings of Leon, Bryce Hall, Tana Mongeau, Larray, Chris Hansen, and others.[1][9]

Early life

Michael Weist was born in Nashville, Tennessee. By the age of 16, he had worked as a DJ for the band Kings of Leon.[1]

Projects and career

TanaCon

At 17, Weist founded Good Times Entertainment, a talent management company that worked with digital content creators and influencers. The company quickly became known for its innovative approach to managing online personalities. Weist also created Good Times TV, a video streaming platform aimed at showcasing content from his managed talent.[10]

However, Weist's most notable project under Good Times Entertainment was the organization of TanaCon in 2018, a convention created in collaboration with YouTuber Tana Mongeau as an alternative to VidCon. The event, which featured guests like Shane Dawson, Bella Thorne, Casey Neistat, and David Dobrik, was canceled within hours due to overcrowding and safety concerns. The fallout from TanaCon was widely covered in the media, and Weist later filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and dissolved his company Good Times Entertainment, claiming a loss of $700,000 due to the event.[11]

SwerV records

In 2014, Weist launched SwerV Records, a record label designed to promote music created by social media influencers. One of the label's most successful projects was the release of tracks by influencer Larray, including "First Place" and "Last Place." "First Place" became particularly popular, spending 42 weeks on Billboard’s Comedy Digital Tracks chart and gaining over 55 million views on YouTube; ranking at number 13 on the 2018 year-end chart.[12][13][14][15]

Juice Krate Media Group

In 2019, Weist founded Juice Krate Media Group, where he served as president and CEO. Juice Krate focused on the management, monetization, and branding of influencers, providing services that included merchandise and event planning. The company played a significant role in shaping the careers of several digital content creators and further established Weist's influence in the entertainment industry.[8][16][17][18]

Personal life

Weist is gay.[19]

In 2017 Weist filed a defamation lawsuit against former clients, Bryce Hall and Mikey Barone, which was briefly depicted in the documentary Jawline. The case settled in 2018.[20]

References

  1. ^ a b c Kaufman, Amy (August 23, 2019). "How the 23-year-old talent manager behind TanaCon bounced back from bankruptcy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  2. ^ Sorren, Martha (August 23, 2019). "Why Michael Weist From Hulu's New Documentary Jawline May Sound Familiar". Refinery29.com. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  3. ^ Berman, Judy (August 14, 2019). "'Jawline' Is an Empathetic Exploration of Influencer Culture". Time. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  4. ^ MTV News Staff. "Jawline Documentary Follows The Fleeting Fame Of Teenage Social Media Success". MTV. Archived from the original on February 5, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  5. ^ Nicholson, Amy (January 29, 2019). "Sundance Film Review: 'Jawline'". Variety. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  6. ^ Kirkl, Justin (August 24, 2019). "'Jawline' is an Unnerving Meditation on Generation Z and Fleeting Fame". Esquire. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  7. ^ Fienberg, Daniel (January 28, 2019). "'Jawline': Film Review | Sundance 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  8. ^ a b "Hulu's Jawline Tells the Story of Austyn Tester, Would-Be Social Media Star". Vogue. August 23, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  9. ^ "Michael Weist and director Liza Mandelup on Jawline's power dynamics". Film. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  10. ^ Fratella, Danny (August 17, 2018). "TanaCon founder to pivot into content production, launches OTT platform". Social Blade. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  11. ^ "'Jawline' on Hulu: Yes, That's Michael Weist of TanaCon". August 23, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  12. ^ "Industry Ink: AristoWorks, UMPG, SwerVRecords, Capitol CMG Publishing". MusicRow.com. September 5, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  13. ^ First Place – Larray | Credits | AllMusic, retrieved April 15, 2023
  14. ^ The Race (Remix) – First Place / Larray (Official Music Video), retrieved April 15, 2023
  15. ^ "Comedy Digital Track Sales – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  16. ^ "After 'Jawline', Austyn Tester Plans to Return to Social Media With "More Mainstream Stuff"". Decider. August 23, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  17. ^ Sorren, Martha. "Why Michael Weist From Hulu's New Documentary Jawline May Sound Familiar". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  18. ^ "Update · TanaCon: The Toxicity of the Internet · Manhattan College Omeka". omeka-pilot.manhattan.edu. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  19. ^ "Being an Influencer Is Harder Than It Looks". GQ. August 22, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  20. ^ Chen, Joyce. "How The Lawsuit From Hulu Documentary Jawline Turned Out". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
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