On Oct. 27, content creator Anthony Potero, known as Anthpo on social media, hosted the first-ever Timothée Chalamet Lookalike Competition in Washington Square Park. Promoted by only a few paper flyers posted around the city a few weeks prior, the event attracted thousands of New Yorkers eager to witness a sea of curly brown-haired men, and even Chalamet himself.
“There’s not many big, fun, free things in New York City. Things are either expensive or far or they have a catch or are sponsored,” Anthpo said in an interview with WSN. “So being able to provide something cool and wholesome is even better if people enjoy it.”
Content creation is nothing new to Anthpo, who began making YouTube videos in high school and continued throughout his time at Rutgers University. He’s also no stranger to contests: Earlier this year, Anthpo dressed up as “Cheeseball Man” and ate an entire jar of Utz Cheese Balls in front of hundreds of spectators. Thanks to these antics, Anthpo — who began his career by running through his high school halls dressed up as Perry the Platypus — has developed a high-engagement, high-effort model of content creation, garnering millions of views from all over the world.
“I hope I inspire people to do creative things for sure, and pursue art and spend meaningful time and make things,” Anthpo said.
While Anthpo briefly retired from content creation after graduating college, his stints this year suggest that he won’t stop again anytime soon. He has always set a high bar for himself in his content, especially as he shifted from vlog-style content in college to public pop-up events.
The legitimacy of content creation as a career has always been a point of controversy. Fellow Rutgers alum and Twitch streamer Hasan Piker previously received criticism for discussing how being a streamer is draining in ways a typical job might not be. Anthpo sees some truth in this.
“The stress it takes on you, physically and mentally — I know Hasan Piker got some flack for complaining,” Anthpo said.
Still, he acknowledged that for people like Piker, who earns six figures per month, content creation isn’t necessarily the hardest job.
“This is not a career path I would advise,” Anthpo said. “I think working a corporate nine-to-five job and just having your passions is probably the healthiest way to the most realistic way to live life.”
Following the Chalamet contest, Anthpo was fined $500 for an “unpermitted event that significantly interfered with ordinary park use.” But organizing events like the lookalike competition alone costs more than the legal fees. There were around a dozen cast and crew members including a lead producer, cast of judges, cameramen and assistants. According to Anthpo, a bodyguard stalled the police while the organizers found a new location for the event.
“Sunday was particularly annoying, because the event was going to happen with or without us and law enforcement wouldn’t cooperate with us,” Anthpo said. “That being said, I’ll take a hundred $500 fines because you’re going to have to deter me a bit more.”
Anthpo recognizes that he is lucky to be successful and has already begun planning his next endeavor: a sanctioned boxing match between his Cheeseball Man persona and another character named Cornhead. He clearly cares about going all out with his content — evident in the eccentric nature of his videos, but also in the way he has brought New Yorkers together. While he might not be hosting similar contests anytime soon, other creators will be hosting Jeremy Allen White and Zayn Malik lookalike contests in Washington Square Park later this month.
Contact Jason Alpert-Wisnia at [email protected].
