A TikTok creator is making a killing with videos making fun of the grimmest parts of California.
Diana Regan (@citiesbydiana), a content creator based in Oakland, has amassed 130,000 followers and 6.2 million by posting satirical videos mocking American cities, particularly those located in the Golden State.
By splicing together Google Earth imagery, personal footage, and AI-generated narration, Regan creates uncanny versions of California cities.
After getting laid off from her job as an Account Executive in the SEO industry last year, she found way to turn her creative outlet into a revenue stream.
She told SFGATE that she makes around $1,400 per month, not including her sponsored content which generates between $500 and $1,500 each.
Diana Regan (@ citiesbydiana ), a content creator based in Oakland, has amassed 130,000 followers and 6.2 million by posting satirical videos mocking American cities, particularly those located in the Golden State
After getting laid off from her job as an Account Executive in the SEO industry last year, she found way to turn her creative outlet into a revenue stream
'I decided to take that format and flip it on its head,' she told DailyMail.com, adding that she writes and edits all of her own content.
'It's generally silly parodies of the absurdity of urban design in the USA, in particular how car-dependent many cities are, and I often throw in fun facts about interesting and positive things about the places as well.'
At first, her videos were not making her enough money to become a full-time content creator, so she had to live of her savings to help her get by.
'But when I was first monetized I only expected to make maybe $50-$100 a month max,' she told DailyMail.com. 'I definitely don't make anywhere near I did with my full time job, but I've been able to make ends meet with a combination of platform ad revenue, some fan donations, merch sales, sponsorships, savings and doing various odd jobs.'
Her success has garnered the attention of politicians and state officials who have not only reshared her videos, but taken notes on what they could do better.
'Tired of being cucked by big transit? Does living in a walkable city keep you feeling miserable? If you're an oil piled pavement princess like me, checkout San Jose, California,' she jeered in one of her TikTok videos .
'Are environmentalists shaming you into buying an electric car? Do you love Texas but still wanna get an abortion once in awhile? Come fuel your rocket in Bakersfield, California,' she said in another.
Regan doesn't just mock AI-generated content; she embodies it. By cosplaying as a 'typical American conservative,' she satirizes the nation's infrastructure obsession.
By splicing together Google Earth imagery, personal footage, and AI-generated narration, Regan creates uncanny versions of California cities
Two of her Instagram reels, mocking 'true freedom' with Bay Area traffic jams, have collectively amassed nearly two million views.
'I had no idea so many of these would resonate with anyone at all,' Regan told SFGATE. 'I just started making content for fun on the side, and it's really taken off.'
These types of videos are what got her sponsored by Hedra, a website that helps people make videos using AI. Even though she's offered dozens of ads, she said she turns down 90% of them because they either don't pay enough or would not resonate with her audience.
Also, these videos making fun of how local politicians understand public infrastructure have caught the attention of people with influence, such as Assembly member Alex Lee, who represents California's 24th District, and South Lake Tahoe City Council member Scott Robbins have shared her videos.
'Her pointed satire of our 'one more lane will fix traffic forever' car-centric development paradigm should be a must-follow for anyone working in state and local government — especially here in California,' Robbins told SFGATE.
Robbins noted that Regan's satirical 'Lane Man' character, obsessed with solving traffic by adding more lanes, is alarmingly similar to real-world solutions.
Algorithms are constantly changing, making video success unpredictable, she said.
Creators are pressured to replicate viral hits, while platforms like TikTok slash revenue without explanation, and growing focus on commercial and inoffensive content is plaguing content creators' creative endeavors.
I'll be honest that part DOES stifle my creativity a LOT,' Regan told DailyMail.com. 'On Instagram, I can pretty much post anything I want and be successful, but TikTok with every video it's like starting from square one.
'Although on TikTok when you hit a viral trend of a format that works, the algorithm incentivizes you to do that over and over again until people get tired of it. So I'm always trying to find that balance between content people know and have come to expect while trying new things.'
'They are pushing creators to become salespeople for products instead of authentically sharing their passion with viewers,' Regan said.
'Luckily, I've been able to make up for a lot of this due to the unexpected success I've seen on Instagram lately, but it has not been easy.'
These days, she makes about $1,400 per month on both Instagram and TikTok, and she does a mix of content creation and odd jobs to get by.
But she's still keeping busy, posting multiple videos per week about the latest trending topics. Her end goal, she said, is to eventually grow her organic reach so much so that she no longer forced to create content she knows the algorithm will boost.
'The goal is mostly just to make people laugh and maybe think about the absurdity of the environment we live in,' Regan said, 'but also explore the inner conflict a lot of us have — where we love our cars, we enjoy the convenience, but we also know the way we plan our cities is harmful in the long run.'
