DEEP DIVE

In TikTok #Storytime videos, narrators spill tea, throw shade, and drag their nemeses – all in a matter of seconds.

Storytime videos are a genre of online content that existed before TikTok. The concept is simple: someone tells a supposedly true story or anecdote about their life. The more outrageous the story is, the more likely it is to get views and likes. Storytime is generally a women-dominated video genre but men participate as well. YouTubers including Tana Mongeau and Trisha Paytas are known for their juicy (and sometimes unbelievable) storytime confessionals.

Videos tagged #Storytime have been viewed over 430 million times on TikTok. They usually consist of someone speaking directly to their phone camera. Many videos start with the exclamation “storytime!” Narrators often speak quickly in order to keep viewers engaged and to tell a complete story within TikTok’s 60-second limit.

Storytime topics include random daily happenings, best friend beef, wild party stories, and, of course, dating drama. Others consist of tidbits, fun facts, and reenactments of scenarios.

Some storytime videos are so iconic that they’ve become well-known memes like the “Here’s The MF Tea” video.

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