What Pearlmania500 and other Philly-area influencers are doing at the DNC

Alex Pearlman explained in a video on TikTok last summer that traffic isn’t so bad in Philadelphia, except for the fact that the highway wasn’t there anymore.

“Don’t go to Philadelphia,” he said, the day I-95 collapsed. “Honestly, that’s life advice. That’s life advice right there. Just don’t go to Philadelphia.”

The comedian’s TikTok video caught the eye of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s digital-savvy team as the governor spearheaded an impressively swift repair. Pearlman, known online as pearlmania500, soon found himself at news conferences for the governor, and then another with President Joe Biden, while still working a day job.

“They let anybody in here!” Shapiro joked before embracing Pearlman at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on Tuesday.

Pearlman, 40, who lives in the Philadelphia suburbs, now works full time as a content creator and has 2.7 million followers on TikTok. The comedian is known for talking — or yelling — about politics in videos online.

Pearlman was one of several Pennsylvania-based content creators who are taking part in the DNC’s first cohort of influencers covering the convention. The convention credentialed 200 content creators in an effort to reach more voters who increasingly rely on social media to engage with political news.

» READ MORE: The DNC invited Pennsylvania influencers. Some say it’s too expensive to go

Pearlman initially turned down opportunities to cover the DNC because he didn’t want to align himself with some of President Joe Biden’s policies, particularly Biden’s handling of Gaza. He felt pessimistic, anticipating what he saw as a doomed country under former President Donald Trump.

“I was like, if this is going to be the last good summer in American history, that I wanted to spend it with my baby in the backyard in the kiddie pool,” he said in an interview. “I didn’t want to spend it necessarily over here.”

But after Biden’s fumbled debate, Pearlman got an inkling that big change was coming to the party, and accepted a DNC invitation on July 11 to essentially reserve a spot for himself just in case. Then Biden dropped out later that month and he felt an overwhelming sense of hope.

“The vibe changed, but also the content and the conversations around what is possible has changed,” he said. “Joe Biden was a very consequential president, and is still continuing to be, but he’s an 81-year-old man, you know?”

Along with the video of his reunion with Shapiro, Pearlman has posted various moments of his time at the DNC — such as sharing a photo of a couch that had a sign on it reading “Property of J.D. Vance” (in reference to a popular but baseless meme attacking Vance), or panning the camera across the arena as former President Barack Obama addressed the room.

» READ MORE: Alex Pearlman's viral TikToks have scored him invites to President Joe Biden and Gov. Josh Shapiro’s media events.

Tell Williams, a Chester County therapist and teacher known online as mrwilliamsprek, posted a “get ready with me” video on TikTok starting in his underwear, showing the process of picking out an outfit for the convention.

He later told his 2.8 million followers in a video from his hotel room that he had “never felt more connected to a group of people” than when he was surrounded by people scarfing down hot dogs and “sobbing into their nachos and cheese” while watching Michelle Obama speak at the DNC.

“It’s easier to get people to listen when you are talking about something serious but are taking it from the lens of comedy,” he said in an interview. “I think it unarms people and allows them to listen and maybe question some of their biases as well.”

Creators have gotten exclusive access that wasn’t afforded to journalists, as well as well-catered lounges and suites to film content in. Meanwhile, reporters have scrambled for limited seating and outlets for chargers. Some journalists have complained that they’ve received noticeably less access and space than previous conventions, Wired reported.

Some Pennsylvania creators were invited but couldn’t attend due to the high cost of travel and time commitment of attending the convention.

Kory Aversa, a Philly-based content creator and public relations specialist known as phillypublicist, decided that footing his own bill was worth it. Meanwhile, some Pennsylvania creators had help with their expenses.

Pearlman’s flight and hotel were paid for by an advocacy group called Trending Up. Williams and Dara Starr Tucker, 49, a singer-songwriter and political creator based in Philadelphia, had their flights and hotel covered by Vocal Media, an advocacy group.

Johnny Palmadessa, a Harrisburg-based creator who previously managed Shapiro’s social media, said in an interview that his expenses were paid by his supporters who raised money for him on GoFundMe.

» READ MORE: Inside Josh Shapiro's social media machine

Pearlman said the DNC has been particularly helpful for networking with other creators. In one example, he introduced Shapiro and Tucker, who moved to Philadelphia two years ago from New Jersey and has 1.1 million followers on TikTok. Tucker said in an interview that she typically focuses on national topics in her content, but now that she’s connected with Shapiro’s team, she wants to get more involved in local and state-level politics.

“I have been so hyper-focused on presidential politics that I haven’t taken very much time at all to examine what’s going on in my home state other than just viewing a ton of negative political ads,” said Tucker, who said she hasn’t experienced the ad blizzard that comes with living in a swing states before.

“I’m trying to kind of come out of the closet a little bit more as a Pennsylvania resident,” she added.

The Pennsylvania pride at the DNC extended beyond meetings with the governor. Creators have attended breakfasts with the state’s delegation and interviewed elected officials, like Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D., Philadelphia).

Palmadessa, 24, who previously managed Shapiro’s social media and now works in his general services department while creating political content of his own, posted a video waving his Eagles jersey toward members of the Kansas delegation wearing Kansas City Chiefs gear on the convention floor.

They’ve also taken in how important Pennsylvania is in the election this year.

» READ MORE: Who better fits Kamala Harris’ digital prowess: Josh Shapiro or Tim Walz?

The DNC welcomed influencers with open arms. Some still faced logistical challenges — Pearlman had issues getting his credentials on the first day alongside other influencers, standing in long lines instead of running to events.

“There was a huge credentialing problem on day one. We’re a test case this year,” he said. “It’s also the first convention in eight years. Like I have to keep reminding myself, this is the first time that delegates on a national level have come together, physically, in eight years.”

But the DNC has been viewed as rolling out the red carpet for content creators — Nabela Noor, a lifestyle creator with 7.6 million TikTok followers who lives in York County, was one of a handful of influencers who gave a speech on the coveted convention floor, speaking about her experience with fertility issues.

When it comes to coverage, Aversa believes influencers can complement the work of journalists by getting viewers excited about topics so they want to seek out news stories about them.

“I want people to see my video and feel all the feels, but then I want them to want to know more about it,” he said.