Who's Keith Lee? TikTok star wins Creator of the Year
What's the story
Social media sensation Keith Lee has been named the Creator of the Year at the inaugural US TikTok Awards. The event, held in Hollywood on Thursday, was a star-studded affair with skits and viral moment reenactments. It was live-streamed on TikTok and Tubi and hosted by lifestyle influencer LaLa Anthony.
Acceptance speech
Lee's emotional acceptance speech and philanthropic efforts
Lee, who is known for his family and small business-focused content on TikTok and has a whopping 17 million followers on the platform, delivered an emotional acceptance speech. "TikTok provided me a platform to be able to show small businesses around the country," he said. "It's hard to do something for myself because I always put other people in front of me but this is for me." He also thanked his wife, Ronni, for her support.
Additional honors
Other winners and special awards at the ceremony
The US TikTok Awards also honored DJ Paris Hilton as Muse of the Year for inspiring others. Jeremiah Brown, a former Love Island USA contestant, was named Rising Star of the Year. The For Good award went to Zach and Pat Valentine, creators who spotlight Down syndrome and promote inclusion through their content. Grammy-winning pop star Ciara closed the show with a medley of her biggest hits, including Goodies and Level Up.
Corporate developments
TikTok's US awards and ByteDance's major deal
The ceremony marked a major milestone for TikTok, with its Chinese parent ByteDance announcing a binding deal to sell over 80% of its US assets to three major investors. This move is aimed at avoiding a potential ban by the US government due to national security concerns. The deal marks a significant step in resolving years of uncertainty about the short video app's future in the US.