Influencer

Smosh Appoints Former Paramount Exec Cory Midgarden as Its First-Ever Chief Content Officer

Published on May 13, 2026

Smosh, the sketch comedy brand founded in 2005 by Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox, has named Cory Midgarden as its first Chief Content Officer.

Midgarden brings nearly 20 years of experience across digital, streaming, cable, and social media. He spent 14 years at Paramount, most recently as Vice President of Digital, Social, and Streaming Content at MTV Entertainment Studios. In that role, he led creative efforts supporting franchise properties including the Video Music Awards, Wild ‘N Out, and RuPaul’s Drag Race. He also developed creator-led programming with Liza Koshy, Bretman Rock, and Tana Mongeau, and produced music content with artists including Lady Gaga and Shawn Mendes.

In his new role, Midgarden will oversee content strategy and development, talent and casting, brand and marketing, and partnerships across Smosh’s YouTube channels and broader content ecosystem. His responsibilities include series, tentpole events, and live shows, with an emphasis on audience-first programming. He will also lead the development of original formats and talent-driven concepts intended to grow into long-running franchises across multiple platforms.

“My goal is to build on that with content that keeps audiences coming back and finding new ways to show up for fans wherever they are, keeping the heart of what’s always made Smosh work, while creating bigger opportunities for the stories we tell,” Midgarden said.

Company Context

Smosh currently counts more than 45 million YouTube subscribers, 31 million social followers, and over 20 billion lifetime video views. Its programming slate includes “Bit City,” “Smosh Reads Reddit Stories,” “Culinary Crimes,” “Smosh Mouth,” “URL,” “Assumptions,” and “Board AF,” among others. The company has also expanded into live productions, including “We’re All Gonna Die,” “Smosh: The Live Sitcom,” and “Smosh Hospital.”

To support its programming expansion, Smosh is scaling its operational infrastructure, including a new, larger production facility.

“To get there, we’re elevating our offerings across the board and bringing Cory on is a critical investment to delivering on our vision,” said CEO Alessandra Catanese.

Co-founders Padilla and Hecox noted that Midgarden’s hire is intended to bring “a level of structure and ambition needed to help us grow more intentionally and take bigger swings.”