Selena Gomez and Chris Evans, Maneskin, and the DuoLingo Owl vs. Mr. Peanut

TikTok is a platform populated primarily by teenagers, a demographic that can smell inauthenticity a mile away. So as it becomes more mainstream, how can brands gain traction on it? This week on Don't Let This Flop, cohosts Brittany Spanos and Ej Dickson spoke to the TikTok voice behind the DuoLingo owl itself, Zaria Parvez, the social media coordinator for DuoLingo, asking such burning questions as how brands can thrive on TikTok, whether she's ever gotten in trouble for making the owl too horny, and if the DuoLingo owl has ever taken a human life (she claims it has not.) Other subjects discussed this week are the Italian band Mäneskin, which went viral after winning the Eurovision competition earlier this year; conspiracy theories about Selena Gomez and Chris Evans boinking based on his Instagram stories; hot movers, and Mr. Peanut's butt.

Don’t Let This Flop is a weekly podcast from Rolling Stone, centered around a roundup of this week in TikTok trends and memes, from dances to recipes to makeup challenges to creepy viral videos to celebrity videos to grassroots campaigns intended to raise awareness of social issues. Join hosts Brittany Spanos and EJ Dickson as they unpack their significance, with a special guests to break down the latest trends in TikTok. Some of these stories will be silly; some will be more serious. All will have wider implications outside the world of TikTok.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices