
The Create Unknown
The Create Unknown interviews the most successful online creators to reveal how they got started and how they keep going. iDubbbz. Vsauce. Casey Neistat. iJustine. PsychicPebbles. We talk to the YouTubers, artists, and streamers who exemplify our mantra of “Make Something. Mean Something.” Part high-level analysis, part hopelessly stupid, Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor from Vsauce2 dissect the complex business, the unpredictable drama, and the uncertain future of creating online. We’ll see you in The Create Unknown, Space Cowboys.For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com We wanna make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4 Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/us/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy
Latest episodes

Dec 6, 2023 • 1h 16min
YouTubers Are Hitting The Wall
Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknownIf you fall into the trap of kicking the can down the road on your ideas (like most people do), this week’s episode might be a bit of a rude awakening for you. Why’s that, you might ask? Because TIME IS RUNNING OUT, and “the wall” of creativity is approaching faster than you think.But before we spell out your IMPENDING DOOM, we kick off the episode with a huge shoutout to TCU alum Andrew Bowser for the release of his new movie “Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls.” If you’re looking for an example of making something and meaning something, go listen to our episode with Andrew and snag yourself a copy of the movie. You won’t regret it.(Check out our episode with Andrew here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoJAfgmi07M&ab_channel=TheCreateUnknown)After the well-deserved round of congratulations, Kevin drops this week’s bomb: the creative wall. He kicks it off with a conversation he had with Adventure Time producer Fred Seibert, who likened the creatives of the world to a burning fuse. A lot of people have a hot, burning passion for their projects in their twenties – not many people can keep that passion going.Then Kevin compares that idea to his own YouTube career, as well as the careers of the creators he’s worked with for years now. Matt draws a pretty clear sports comparison, and we make it pretty clear that this is all much more motivational than it is cautionary.After that, Matt steers the conversation in a pretty important direction. Sure, the wall is inevitable. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the END. We talk about the necessity of changing your trajectory as your life does. From professional athletes to successful novelists, and even our very own producer Ben – this happens everywhere.We finish out the episode with a pretty hard pivot to the new Squid Game show on Netflix, and the controversy surrounding it. There’s been a lot of discussion about the real meaning behind the original series, and the seemingly ironic spin Netflix has put on the new game show version, but it looks like most people across the board are getting the wrong takeaway.Thanks to everyone who tuned in live this week, and a huge shout out to our supportive patrons who make this show possible. We’ll see you all again next week!You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcuApple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownAppleSpotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotifyGoogle Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcastsCREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Produced and Edited by Ben Webster"Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 1, 2023 • 1h 21min
Stop Dreaming, Start Doing
The podcast explores the distinction between dreamers and doers, emphasizing the importance of taking action. It discusses the significance of small details in achieving excellence and addresses the complexities of food distribution and the concept of grind culture. The hosts also share their struggles with hiring and rejection, and discuss the disconnect between online complaints and reality. The episode concludes with gratitude to their supporters.

Nov 17, 2023 • 1h 5min
Do One Thing A Day
The hosts discuss the interesting topics of diarrhea, the importance of taking action on unwanted tasks, the mystery of missing light switch covers, the accumulation of small tasks, the importance of starting small, and unpredictability in problem solving.

Nov 10, 2023 • 1h 44min
Invest in Useless Stuff
Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknownWhen you watched the latest Vsauce2 video, did you notice something a little out of the ordinary in the intro? Maybe the Vietnam War-era BOMB? How did we get our hands on something so useless? Why do we have something like that in the first place? Well, that’s exactly what we’re here to tell you this week.Matt kicks off the episode with the surprisingly eventful story of how he got his hands on the old deactivated bomb in the first place. Public radio, political intrigue, a daring escape – it has all the makings of a lackluster Bond movie. Then he tells us about how the bomb sat dormant for 19 years, and all the failed plans he had for it.Then Kevin talks about the difficulty of implementing it in the latest video. First of all, it’s huge. Like 3-4 feet. So fitting it in frame was a hurdle in itself. Then he talks about the challenges that came with attaching a fuse to the bomb, which leads to a shocking discovery that I promise you’re not ready for.So, what does Matt’s old scrap metal sarcophagus have to do with anything? It might seem like it was a useless acquisition, and that’s because it was up until this video – but that’s the point. From there, we dive into a discussion about the critical importance of doing USELESS THINGS, because you really never know when they could turn out to be incredibly useful.Kevin leads the discussion with a classic comparison to The Karate Kid, and the profound wisdom of Mr. Miyagi’s tutelage. Matt talks about the necessity of useless stuff to actually deal with anything at a high level, Kevin highlights the REAL failure of the US education system, and we get into how all this fits into just talking to people in general.We round out the episode by talking about critical thinking, and according to Matt, it’s a total MYTH. We talk about the necessity for seemingly unrelated knowledge, the mind games of poker, and we even touch on human consciousness.Thanks to everyone who tuned in live this week, and a special shout out to our Patrons. This show couldn’t happen without you. We’ll see you all again next week!You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcuApple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownAppleSpotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotifyGoogle Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcastsCREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Produced and Edited by Ben Webster"Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 3, 2023 • 1h 41min
Why We Disappeared
Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknownAfter an unprecedented month-long hiatus, we are BACK, and this week we’re here to tell you exactly why we took a break. Sometimes life gets in the way, and lately Kevin has had to do some serious chainsaw juggling to get his affairs in order, but luckily there’s a big lesson to be learned in all of this.So – why were we gone? Well, the short answer is that Kevin moved, and he’s got a fancy new studio to go along with it. But the new pad isn’t the only thing on Kevin’s plate, and we dive deep into how vitally important it is to get your life in order when it comes to doing ANYTHING creative.We talk about the importance of having a stable life foundation if you want to truly make something and mean something. Matt talks about the necessity of having as much freedom from problems as possible. You can be an absent, cluttered, Hemingway-type alcoholic all you want – just as long as you’ve got your life TOGETHER.Then Kevin tells us about what, to him, has been a surprising lack of understanding about all this. Turns out, most people just don’t understand how crucial it is to just get things done before you get to what you REALLY want. He also gives us an inside look into his life as a “clean creator,” and we talk about how important having a good, consistent setup has been to that lifestyle.After that, Matt talks about the importance of creating the right conditions for yourself to be able to create at all. Sure, we can talk about thumbnails and CTR all day, but none of that matters if the rest of your life isn’t set up to support that. Good habits go an unbelievably long way, and if you’re not in control of yourself, you’re not in control of anything at all.We round out the episode with a story from Matt about his recent forays into hiring, and how his criteria have shifted dramatically toward completely non-technical attributes. We talk about the qualities of a person that go mistakenly overlooked, and we also develop a much more dicey tagline for the show.Thanks to everyone who tuned in live after our much-needed break, and thanks especially to the patrons who continue to support us through it all. You guys are really the best. We’ll see you all again next week!You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcuApple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownAppleSpotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotifyGoogle Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcastsCREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Produced and Edited by Ben Webster"Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 22, 2023 • 1h 48min
Why Experience Matters
Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknownThe Create Unknown is a podcast BY creatives FOR creatives, so it’s probably no shock that the process of coming up with an idea is on our minds pretty often. This week, we’re getting to the root of that process, and diving into the undeniable value of EXPERIENCE.Matt kicks off the episode with some discussion on literacy, and the deceptively simple similarity that can be drawn to idea generation. You might not think about it much, but just having some real world experience is incredibly crucial to just being able to understand whatever it is you’re reading. Knowing the difference between “basketball” and “pickleball” gets substantially easier as you age.Then Kevin ties it into our bigger theme of IDEAS. Much like reading, it’s a whole lot easier to come up with ideas if you have a pool of experience to draw from. Matt and Kevin get into the experiences that put them out of their comfort zone, including Kevin’s surprise Christmas Eve eviction, and we dissect the value that came from each of those endeavors.After that, we circle back around to a topic that spanned multiple episodes this past summer – the risk aversion of Gen Z. Kevin tells us about a thread he saw dissuading kids from riding the bus to school, and we talk about the importance of new experiences, especially in the formative years of a person’s life.We close out the episode with some more experiences that shaped Matt and Kevin. We talk about the simplicity of log splitting, the benefits of eating dinner with another family at a sleepover, and ARMING THE YOUTH.Thanks to everyone who joined the live show this week, and a huge shout out to all of our patrons. You really make this show happen. We’ll see you again next week!You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcuApple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownAppleSpotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotifyGoogle Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcastsCREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Produced and Edited by Ben Webster"Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 15, 2023 • 1h 32min
Do People Like Things Anymore?
Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknownThis week we’re addressing a seemingly simple question: do people like anything anymore? You might think you have the answer, but there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye.We kick off the episode with a discussion about Twitter/X, and how it relates to this supposed lack of enjoyment everyone seems to be feeling. We talk about the effect your interactions have on a platform like Twitter, and Kevin gives us a guide to achieving perfectly curated content like his.Then Kevin tells us a bit about what HE enjoys. He talks about the sheer joy things like the NFL and UFC bring him, and the surprisingly hilarious community that those sports foster. He also talks a bit about his love for gaming, and the unfortunate circumstances that led him to distance himself from gaming content online.If you’re not really interested in anything, though, it might not be your fault. The more we think about it, the more we realize that things may just not be as interesting as they used to. Tech is becoming less groundbreaking, movies are bombing at the box office, and even bowling is starting to lose Matt. But why is that? And what do we do about any of it?Then Matt drops some hard, introspective knowledge, because as it turns out, the problem might just be you. It may have been easier to enjoy things in the past, but that doesn’t make it impossible to enjoy things now. We finish out the episode by talking about the changing responsibilities in navigating these issues, how to actually seek out your interests, and the shockingly crucial role that self confidence plays in all of this.Thanks to everyone who tuned in live this week, and thanks especially to our patrons. You really make this show happen. We’ll be back again next week, see you then!You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcuApple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownAppleSpotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotifyGoogle Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcastsCREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Produced and Edited by Ben Webster"Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 8, 2023 • 1h 10min
Why YouTube Videos Are Getting Longer
The podcast discusses the shift towards longer YouTube videos and the challenges it presents for creators. They also explore the importance of adapting in the restaurant industry and discuss the prevalence of sardonic and cringe-worthy writing in Marvel movies and video games. Additionally, they talk about the surprising popularity of boring video content and share anecdotes about stolen wedding gifts and encounters with people eating raw corn.

Aug 25, 2023 • 1h 13min
Remembering Cripp Daddy
Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknownA few days ago, we unfortunately lost our dear friend, ultra-talented comedian, and TCU alumnus Donavan, a.k.a. “Cripp Daddy.” This week, we’re celebrating his life the way he would have wanted. By joking about Eric Clapton’s son.Donavan absolutely exemplified the TCU mission of “make something, mean something.” We highlight all of his truly amazing accomplishments over the past few years – from building a twitter empire to touring the country performing his comedy, and still working on killer collaborations with other creators in the process, Donavan truly did it all.Kevin also shares a story about his trip to the dump in his Donavan x Ricky Berwick “Disabled and Violent” shirt, and the hilarious interaction that ensued. We also dive into Donavan’s iconic “Clapton” jokes, and we can only imagine the kind of fun he’s having with them right now.Then we get into the insane level of difficulty that comes with doing stand up comedy, and Matt shares some stories of his days attending open mic nights. That kind of comedy is tough to break into, let alone be good at that, but Donavan really did crush it. There’s no clear reason at all to do stand up comedy, but when somebody like him chooses to do it anyway and knocks it out of the park, it stands as an inspiring testament to overcoming that self-doubt that we all have.Thanks to everyone who joined us live this week to celebrate Donavan. He was a friend to many in the TCUniverse, and without a doubt one of the funniest people out there. Check out his episode with us here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0LRX3vHpSo&ab_channel=TheCreateUnknown You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcuApple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownAppleSpotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotifyGoogle Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcastsCREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Produced and Edited by Ben Webster"Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 18, 2023 • 1h 4min
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Dystopia
Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknownWe’ve done a pretty substantial number of these solo episodes now, with topics ranging from AI, to NPCs, and we’ve even imparted out patented TCU “rules for success.” But there is one topic we haven’t touched on yet, and it’s ironically the one that Matt and Kevin discuss the most – food. We kick off the conversation by highlighting a new disturbing phenomenon in the culinary world that is the Cinnamon Toast Crunch craze. If you can think of a way to eat CTC, odds are pretty good that it already exists. We talk about the cost that comes with consuming these products, the apparent disappearance of monitoring food intake, and the willpower required to overcome it all.After that, we dive into the diversification of the food market at large. Matt brings us back to the old days of eating like rabbits, and how that compares to the McDonald’s salads of today. Kevin highlights the duality of junk food decisions, and we get pretty honest about some of the food-related misinformation that exists out there.You may be wondering, “what does this have to do with anything at all?” Well, it turns out the answer is EVERYTHING. We talk about the enormous impact your diet has on everyday things like productivity, your general health – even your ability to just be creative, and all of this only gets more true as time marches on.Look, all of this seems pretty bad, and it’s only getting harder by the day. But there’s a pretty massive silver lining here that almost makes it all worthwhile, and Kevin outlines exactly that. We finish out the episode with some serious positives for being conscious of these issues that go so much deeper than just vanity itself.Thanks to everyone who tuned in live this week, and a special shout out to all of our patrons. You really make this show happen. We’ll see you all again next week!You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcuApple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownAppleSpotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotifyGoogle Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcastsCREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Produced and Edited by Ben Webster"Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices