If there’s one thing TikTok loves, it’s a great viral story. Whether it’s gossip from the Ultimate World Tour, stories from Close Friends, or the saga of Tabi’s shoe shiners, there’s nothing like an algorithm to take you back to part two or even part ten so you can find out what happens next What.
Following the creators' stories, reading their comments and discussing the details with other viewers is one of the many joys of The Five Year Plan, especially if you're a nosy gossip who enjoys nothing more than watching the chaos unfold. Popcorn. (Hint: That’s me.)
Currently, the hot gossip comes from creator @reesamteesa, who posted over 50 videos of her toxic ex in a matter of days, a perfect example of how TikTok is getting invested.
Her first video, posted on Valentine's Day, describing how she met her ex, immediately racked up more than 14 million views and thousands of comments seeking more information.
In response, one of her commenters said, "I just canceled my Hulu subscription," while others joked that they were starting their first video and didn't want any spoilers. Another person wrote, "I am SAT," while someone else said, "This feels like an HBO Infinite series!!!" The TikTok saga has taken the internet by storm in the past, but this one is truly shaking up the internet. In total, her stories have received more than 122 million views.
Who is Reesa Teesa? Why is she popular?
Reesa Teesa made a video asking everyone to tell their most "f*****g" story about their ex, and it went viral.
In the footage, she talks about her ex-husband, who reportedly lied to her about every aspect of his life, including his family members, his job, his finances, and even the phone calls he made every day. "In the end," she claimed, "the only thing that was real was his name and date of birth."
This expanded into a series called "Who Did I Marry TF?" And, like a true hero to busybodies everywhere, she includes every juicy detail you could ask for.
Highlights of the story
According to Reesa Teesa, she met her ex online in early March 2020. When they first spoke on the phone, he talked nonstop about his accomplishments, his new job and his recent move to Georgia. Eventually, they decided to meet at the Cheesecake Factory.
When Reesa Teesa gets a flat tire on the way to the restaurant, he rushes to her rescue, pays for the repairs, and they have a wonderful evening that includes talking about marriage. A few weeks later, when the coronavirus hit, their relationship became strained and they decided to quarantine together in her apartment.
At this point, she was feeling good about the relationship, and they started talking about buying a house together. When they contacted the real estate agent, her ex-husband claimed he had been approved for a $700,000 mortgage, and he even said he could pay cash due to his career as an arena football player — here's Reesa A sport Teesa had never heard of before.
When their contract lapses, she wonders if something strange is going on, but he immediately offers a believable explanation. She was also distracted by her pregnancy and miscarriage at the time, which led her to cover up some questionable details.
The couple continued to search for a home on and off. Meanwhile, her ex-husband also started talking about buying a car, but that promise also fell through. By this time, Raisa Tisha was even more certain that something was wrong.
They continued to live together and got married a year later in January 2021. While the two of them lived a fairly normal life, Reesa Teesa noticed her husband talking to his brother on the phone every morning. She never met the brother, nor her husband's other siblings, because every time they tried to get together, problems inevitably arose.
Despite this, her ex-husband appears to have a close-knit family, a rich social life, lots of money, and a good job. Ressa Tissa saw his work documents and bank statements, which all seemed legitimate, so despite her alarm bells ringing, she assumed her partner was telling the truth.
As Risa Tisha's relationship with the two deepened, more strange things continued to happen. For example, on her birthday, she went to a spa, and when she left, her ex-boyfriend claimed that an old boyfriend of hers had been there. However, when she checked the security cameras, no one was there.
This pattern continued for several months. A planned trip to London never materialized, every family gathering ran into trouble, and Reesa Tissa claims she eventually caught her partner cheating. When she asked questions, though, she said he would lie or gaslight her to stay. To solve this problem, they decided to go to marriage counseling.
Meanwhile, Reesa Tisa applied for a new job. As part of the process, she must conduct background checks on herself and her spouse. He gave her a Social Security number she didn't recognize, which prompted her to do some digging.
According to her, his Social Security number, bank accounts and college experience were fabricated or faked. She also claims he lied about the deaths of family members, his ex-wife and others. Eventually, they divorced, and that's when Ressa Tisa says she discovered more details.
The series of videos became an outlet for Reesa Teesa, who also noted that she wanted to share her story as a cautionary tale about dating, red flags, and lies.
"Who did I marry?" phenomenon
When TikTok takes off like this one, there's a good chance the creator will share the first part of their story and then ask you to like and follow for more content. Or they'll disappear for days and then come back with part two.
Reesa Teesa acknowledged how painful this can be, so she immediately posted the second part of her story. Then she kept walking, and walking...and walking.
One commenter said, "Yeah, 52 parts!?! Let me get the charger," and another said, "I canceled my Netflix subscription and gave my kids a box of Froot Loops. Until They're fine around Tuesday!"
For those who didn't have time to watch Reesa Teesa's story, countless creators came to the rescue with detailed recap videos complete with bullet points and commentary, while others even went live on TikTok to host watch parties and show their support.
Meanwhile, others are fully committed. One person walked into the shower with his iPad and continued watching, not wanting to take his eyes off the story, while another suggested listening to the saga while working out at the gym. Like a good book, the world has found this story impossible to put down.
Algorithms can always bring you back
TikTok's algorithm seems to prefer viral stories, especially when a creator posts all their stories in quick succession, like Reesa Teesa. Once a video starts trending and everyone starts tagging, stitching, and commenting, it's only a matter of time before it slips back into your annual schedule and eventually takes over your life.
When this happens, it feels like a minor miracle of social media, especially when you're looking for some entertainment. Whether you're a self-identified nosy person or not, it's always nice to connect with the creators and find out how their stories end. Did the girl get her Tabis back? Will people leave Ultimate World Cruises? It feels like you're as invested as the people involved.
These viral stories also bring the internet together in a way that's hard to explain to your parents. Will your mom or dad completely understand why you care about the girl who stole her roommate’s boyfriend’s hoodie, or why Reesa Teesa went viral? Probably not. But that’s okay – the comments section is here to help.
