TikTok star’s viral series gives millions a peek into New York strangers’ apartments
Knock knock — it’s Caleb Simpson from TikTok. You’ve never met him before, but he wants to visit your apartment — and so do millions of people watching his videos online.
Simpson’s viral TikTok series centers around strangers on the streets of New York and their homes. His extroverted ventures have led him to apartments of strangers with stripper poles, closet-sized bedrooms and paint-spattered floors.
Some of his “apartment tours” aren’t apartments at all, like one New Yorker who lives in an ambulance.
The series isn’t just a fun look into random apartments, though — it’s also a reality check for viewers on how much your dollar is worth when it comes to New York real estate.
Some renters pay as little as $600, while celebrities shell out tens of thousands for condos. Regardless, Simpson’s interactions always start off the same, “How much do you pay for rent?” then, “Will you give me a tour of your apartment?”
Despite the growing popularity of the series, Simpson still faces an abundance of “No’s,” but says it doesn’t dissuade him.
“For every no you get one step closer to yes,” he wrote on one of his “Fail” videos.
Some of Simpson’s videos come from word of mouth of eager participants or friends though, he told The Guardian. The system helps him keep a constant stream of content for his channel.
“I will spend one day a week walking around asking people on the street, then I get inbounds from the Google form, but I still consider all those people strangers, because I’m literally meeting them for the first time at their homes,” Simpson told The Guardian. “I try to treat every situation like this is my best friend and I’ve known them for 10 years.”
Not every passerby is convinced.
“There is no way I’m letting a dude I don’t know coming to my house, watched too many serial killer series to be aware it’s too dangerous,” one person commented.
“I’d honestly need 1-2 business days before I let someone in to record,” another joked.
Simpson stays relentless and lighthearted in his quest to shed light on different lives in New York, and as of Nov. 23, more, hundreds of millions of viewers are along for the ride.
This story was originally published November 23, 2022 at 5:26 PM with the headline "TikTok star’s viral series gives millions a peek into New York strangers’ apartments."
