TikTok Awards Make Hollywood Debut Despite Technical Issues

First TikTok Awards face screen problems at Hollywood Palladium

The first TikTok Awards were held Thursday night at the Hollywood Palladium and streamed live on TikTok and Tubi. The event marked the platform’s first major awards show in Hollywood but faced technical problems during the presentation.

The show began nearly an hour late after LED screens on the Palladium stage malfunctioned. As a result, presenters were unable to show video clips of nominees inside the venue. Audio from the clips was played, while the full videos continued to run normally on the live stream.

Despite the issues, the ceremony moved forward with traditional award presentations. La La Anthony hosted the event, joined by several well-known TikTok creators as presenters and nominees.

Paris Hilton was honored as Muse of the Year at the inaugural TikTok Awards 2025, celebrating the creators and cultural moments that defined the platform in Los Angeles.

Her win highlighted her enduring influence across fashion, entertainment, and digital culture at the… pic.twitter.com/2MeRFoTpk4

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We're on the ground at the #TikTokAwardsUS

Stay locked to Mashable and our socials for everything about the show!

And read along to see who dances with us on the red carpet in our live blog ???? https://t.co/ScOHchBASJ pic.twitter.com/iKWPGhJrCN

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TikTok personality Ashby made a guest appearance alongside Rei Ami, a voice star from “K-pop Demon Hunters.” The two launched plush toys into the seated audience using what was described as a “Labubu cannon.” Ashby joked with the crowd before firing the toys.

Paris Hilton was among the night’s winners, receiving the Muse of the Year award. She accepted a trophy shaped like the TikTok logo and thanked her followers, referring to them as “all my little Hiltons.” Addressing the audience of creators and influencers, Hilton encouraged them to stay confident and creative.

About an hour into the show, the large video screen briefly resumed displaying visuals, showing the TikTok Awards logo set to Coldplay’s song “Yellow.” However, the screen still could not play nominee clips.

Audience reaction remained positive throughout the night. Cheers and applause continued from different sections of the crowd, despite the ongoing technical difficulties.