It started with Tereasa “Reesa Teesa” Johnson sharing what had been weighing so heavily on her chest. Her 50-part TikTok series, Who TF Did I Marry? detailed her relationship with a man who she says built their marriage on a web of lies. Her ability to tell a compelling story, paired with the engine of social media, became one of the most significant moments of internet culture in recent history.
Who TF Did I Marry? broke engagement records: totaling roughly eight hours, the internet-based series received over 400 million views, and unintentionally set a new long-form standard for content creators. Deal opportunities came quickly, opening a whole new world of opportunities for Johnson, from content to IRL visibility and a new book, What TF Do I Do Now?: Reclaiming Myself, One Piece At A Time, which dropped August 18.
Talking with EBONY, Johnson shared that she started by simply telling her story, but made it clear that What TF Do I Do Now? is not a retelling of the 50-part series that landed her here. Instead, it’s an up-close look at her life before, during, and after, a collection of nuanced details that go beyond what we think we know about the author and the story that stole our attention two years ago. And she isn’t holding back.
“This book is telling you what led to that and what I am trying to do to rebuild and recover afterward,” she revealed.
Rather than pursuing publishers herself, Johnson found that publishing houses came to her, but was candid about what got her into those rooms in the first place. “I really don’t think I would have had a book without the 50 parts,” she stated.
After signing with CAA, representatives from the agency’s various divisions came together to discuss what opportunities could come from her newfound visibility. Publishing immediately stood out. “The book was the number one thing I wanted,” Johnson said. “I’ve always wanted to be a published writer.”
But a notable social media presence didn’t mean she could simply transfer her internet success onto the page. The publishing world required a different kind of work and substance. For Johnson, that meant approaching the book with an honesty that extended beyond the salacious details that initially captivated the internet. She wanted to tell her story fully while maintaining a distinction between authenticity and simply exposing other people.
That same vulnerability informs her reflection on what happened after the series went viral. What began as a cathartic experience of finally telling her story became complicated when millions of people began treating it as entertainment. Before the brand deals and publishing opportunities came, Johnson experienced intense criticism and says she went through a period of serious depression. “I felt like going viral had come at a price,” she confessed, “and it was a price I wasn’t prepared for.”
Still, these opportunities eventually allowed Johnson to see beyond the backlash. TikTok may have been her ticket into the publishing world, but writing What TF Do I Do Now? required her to prove there was more to her story than what made her a viral sensation. “I will tell you, writing a book is much more difficult than doing a video on social media,” she declared.
If nothing else, Johnson’s experience has served as a testament to the untraditional route in which opportunities may arise for influencers. This situation contradicts what we’d normally expect, and the fact that it’s happening to a Black woman makes it all the more unusual. Every day we’re seeing what was once thought impossible happen for content creators and influencers, and seeing this kind of opportunity extended to Black women in that category is even more unexpected.
What makes Johnson’s experience unique is the extent of her opportunities across television and now publishing. Witnessing the opportunities she is receiving has been reassuring, to say the least, but it’s also opened a conversation about how untraditional routes are becoming more appealing in the age of social media.
But in today’s climate of influence and social media, any dream is possible for anyone audacious enough to pursue it, as Johnson did by sharing her story on TikTok in 2024, which led to her unconventional success. Over the past two years since the series’ debut, she has made appearances on talk shows like Tamron Hall and has a scripted series in development.
From TikTok virality to a hard copy on shelves, Johnson’s book reclaims her narrative, not simply about what happened to her, but about who she is becoming after it. And Johnson has established a new blueprint for how creators can show up to the film and publishing sectors and cross over into the traditional landscape — making Johnson the one who shook up the system.