Michael Weist

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]

Michael Weist
Born	25 July 1996
Alma mater	Belmont University
Occupation	Producer and actor
Works	Jawline
Website	www.michaelweist.com

Weist is a voting member of The Recording Academy.^[6]

Weist's television and movie work includes guest appearances on Dr. Phil, The Grammy Awards, The Kids Choice Awards, and appearances in Hulu's Jawline, Amazon Prime, and Vice.^[7][8][9]

Weist has worked with clients such as Will Ferrell, Kings of Leon, Bryce Hall, Tana Mongeau, Larray, Chris Hansen, and others.^{[10][1][11][12]}

Early life

Michael Weist was born in Nashville, Tennessee. By the age of 16, Weist was already making a name for himself as a DJ, working with Grammy Award-winning artists like Kings of Leon.^[1]

Projects and career

Good Times Entertainment

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.^{[13][14][15][16]}

TanaCon

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.^[17][18]

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.^{[19][20][21][22]}

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.^{[7][23][24][25]}

Will Ferrell

On October 19th, 2023, Weist hosted an event benefiting the charity Smile Train. The event featured appearances from actor Will Ferrell and Ferrell's family, as well as performances by artists including Reese Witherspoon’s and Ryan Phillippe’s son, Deacon Phillippe.^{[26][27][28][29]}

Personal life

Weist is openly gay.^[30][31]

Controversies and legal issues

In 2017 Weist filed a defamation lawsuit against former clients, Bryce Hall and Mikey Barone, which was briefly depicted in the Hulu documentary Jawline. The case settled in 2018; Hall posted a statement via Twitter: "I made some harsh statements about Michael and regret making those statements, including any suggestion of sexual assault. I am sorry for what happened and I am glad it's over."^[32][33][34]

After an interview with Chris Hansen, host of the reality television series To Catch a Predator, Weist filed a lawsuit against TikToker and former client Danielle Cohn and her boyfriend Mason in June 2022.^[35][36]

On June 1, 2022, Weist posted a statement via Twitter in which he stated he filed a lawsuit against the social media platform TikTok; stating: "[TikTok] has a responsibility to its users and creators; the banning and suspension of creator accounts without cause must stop. This pattern of behavior & treatment of creators across TikTok has got to be stopped. Imagine if TikTok is a creator's primary income… It's time creators stand up and assert their rights; this is not ok."^[37]