When Brittany Tomlinson, better known as Brittany Broski, first grimaced at a bottle of kombucha back in 2019, the internet was never the same. But as time went on, it wasn’t hard for the Texas native to distance herself from the meme template she had birthed. Brittany’s wit, style and completely original yet internet-saturated humor provided a beacon of hope for the web.
On May 16, 2023, Brittany came out with her podcast “The Broski Report.” Branching off from her main YouTube channel, “The Broski Report” is its own platform adjacent to the creator’s other profiles across social media. Brittany’s podcast is her, alone, against a bedazzled retro news set in her home, talking about anything she wants. There’s screaming, there’s crying, there’s laughing and she’s completely alone doing it.
Which is what has made “The Broski Report” so influential. It’s a real-life example of what it means to be one’s utmost self. We all do weird things when no one’s looking, but Brittany does weird things when millions of people are looking. And that has been revolutionary.
Those in and out of the spotlight label Brittany as bold, opinionated, funny, brash, but overall just Brittany. She fits no box that the internet has placed in front of viewers before, and because of that Brittany has created a fan base loyal and appreciative to her craft.
Brittany, who has admittedly immersed herself in the internet since the Tumblr days, takes the internet realm in which we have all lived juxtaposed lives to our real ones, and places it in the forefront of her conversations. A history buff, music fanatic, art lover and just overall cultural appreciator, Brittany’s podcast transverses topics seamlessly, each anecdote sewed together by her inexplicable humor and genuinely intelligent insights.
Which places the spotlight on the idea that young people are more culturally diverse than ever. The internet has provided outlets for users to become versed in topics ranging from Punjabi rap music to Renaissance art. Not only does she leave space for an embracing of all topics of interest, but Brittany also places equal importance on “girly,” “less serious” media like Sarah J. Maas novels and One Direction to interests held in higher regard like art history and classic literature.
When used properly, social media and the web as a whole can be incredibly influential to our general understanding and retention of the world around us. Like other podcasters intent on getting to the crux of what it means to be a modern person, Brittany understands that to traverse our current world we must appreciate our past one by using the internet as the worldly tool it should have been.
Steering away from social media’s path of prim and proper perfection, Brittany instead chooses to emphasize through her platform that this is all fake. Her job is to be silly online, to take photos with and talk to important people — she’s an influencer, and she’s keen on pointing out how ridiculous it all is. Refreshing considering the influencer life is marketed to be ‘The Life’ by more serious creators. Aesthetics are always on point as we scroll, simultaneously making us feel bad about our reality while showcasing that there is not a speck of reality on social media — but some can be found on Brittany Broski’s podcast.
While she does have an eye for aesthetics, Brittany allows herself range, demonstrating a rejection of conformity and her devotion to guiding viewers away from this comparative, cutthroat mindset our culture has adopted. She is herself, even if it isn’t perfect. She handles herself with an air of unserious self-respect. Honoring who she is without ostentation. In doing so she has inspired so many to do the same, ushering in a generation of women, or anyone, unapologetically existing as individuals capable of so much more than appeasement.
A “love yourself” narrative that isn’t so blunt, I find that Brittany has redefined what it means to be a woman of this generation. She focuses on uplifting all that contributes to the betterment of her life. Advocating for women to commit our lives to our truest, most outlandish selves, and believe deeply that other women are not competition.
On “The Broski Report” especially but across all profiles, Brittany is open about her own struggles adopting this mindset. Going against the grain is bound to feel weird, but she’s never short of emphasizing the importance of doing it anyway.
Jostling the influencer industry as we know it, Brittany Broski has created a portal to reality on social media. One that in all its polished nonsensicality took over the internet, giving light to For You Pages desperate for grounded relatability.
Brittany has just made the internet fun again. Her being silly on highly influential platforms evokes the vibes of when an app first starts. When users would post whatever they wanted to because a decorum had not yet been set in place. Rejecting the decorum, Brittany has provided an outlet for so many, paving the way for an internet culture that has positively changed the web forever with no telling of where it can go.
