Society & Culture and Leisure

Official website: https://art19.com/shows/niche-to-meet-you

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In this special Earth Day tribute from Niche to Meet You, you'll head into wilds of Instagram with us as to explore one of the internet’s most unexpectedly wholesome communities: Stick Nation. What started with a single stick and a simple review became a global phenomenon, now with over 3 million followers united by their love of nature’s simplest artifact. You'll hear from the founders of @officialstickreviews, Logan and Boone, about how their playful videos turned into viral content and why sticks—yes, literal sticks—hold such power in our stories, imaginations, and daily lives. Along the way, host Leslie finds a stick of her own, puts it through the rigorous Stick Review process, and even recruits her three-year-old daughter for a neighborhood stick hunt. Plus, New York Times columnist Margaret Renkl joins to reflect on why this niche matters more than we might think.

© 2025 Leslie Thompson