CT Jones
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Braden Peters, known as Clavicular, in Tempe, Arizona, on Feb. 7, 2026. Cassidy Araiza/The New York Times/Redux Looksmaxxing, the idea of dedicating yourself to becoming as physically attractive as possible, might be a broad internet term recognized by Merriam-Webster, but its popularity is inextricably linked to the rise of one influencer: Clavicular.
Born Braden Eric Peters, the 20-year-old Kick streamer has had a meteoric rise in the public sphere in the past six months, skyrocketing to 1 million followers across platforms, modelling in New York Fashion Week, and being interviewed by mainstream outlets like The New York Times, GQ, and 60 Minutes Australia. (He walked out of an interview with the latter after correspondent Adam Hegarty asked if he identified as an involuntary celibate, a manosphere subculture defined by its links to misogyny.)
Much of Peters’ content revolves around looksmaxxing advice, where he details to the thousands of people who tune into his livestreams how he prioritizes physical attractiveness. He’s said during multiple streams and interviews that he hits his face with a hammer to make his jaw sharper. He also details heavy drug use, including taking methamphetamines, testosterone, steroid injections, and supplements in order to stay thin and become more physically attractive. And there’s also his use of the maxxing lingo, an amalgamation of internet speech that reframes everything from having sex (slaymaxxing) to having fun (jestermaxxing) in terms of ascension to greatness.
While Peters has denied being involved in misogynistic internet subcultures like the manosphere and incels, much of the rhetoric he uses in his streams mirrors the same language of disenfranchisement. This includes saying men who are physically unattractive have no hope of having sex with women unless they take control of their lives. (Representatives for Peters did not respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment.) In a 2026 interview with the New York Times, Peters denied that looksmaxxing was right-wing. “At the end of the day, I have such an influence over the movement that I could bring it in any direction I want.”
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He might be one of the fastest rising stars in the streaming world, but that hasn’t stopped Peters from being mired in controversy. Here’s a look at some of the streamer’s biggest public missteps.
Dancing with controversial men’s rights activists
While Peters has maintained a general apathy toward political thought, that hasn’t kept him from cozying up to some of the most controversial figures in the manosphere. In January, Peters was filmed at a Miami Beach nightclub with Andrew Tate, streamer Sneako, and Nick Fuentes, among others.
Fuentes is a white-nationalist influencer and streamer most notable for his constant Holocaust denial and his statements saying Hitler was “cool,” and “awesome.” Tate, alongside his brother Tristan Tate, is currently under investigation in Romania for allegations of human trafficking and has been charged with rape, human trafficking, and bodily harm. (Tate has denied all of the allegations.)
The four were dancing to Ye’s controversial song “Heil Hitler.” Peters never apologized for the incident, but according to the New York Times, he met with multiple Jewish club owners and wrote on Instagram, “No more politics, just mogging.”
A Florida stream ends in a battery accusation
In February, police responded to reports of a fight at an Airbnb near Orlando, Florida. There they found Peters, his girlfriend Violet Lentz, 24, and an unnamed 19-year-old. The 19-year-old alleged that she and Lentz got into a fight that included “shouting, shoving and pummeling,” but she accused Peters of instigating the altercation further and filming the entire fight.
“Neither Peters nor Lentz came out of the residence to speak to deputies about the incident when they arrived at the house to investigate,” the Osceola Sheriff’s Office said in a statement to NBC Miami. “Detectives from the Osceola Sheriff’s Office completed their investigation after reviewing videos and talking with witnesses.”
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Following an investigation, police released a statement allegeding Peters “instigated the fight and posted it on social media to exploit the two women,” according to CNN. On March 26, he was arrested for misdemeanor battery and criminal conspiracy to commit battery and later released, according to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. As of publicaiton, he has not been charged in connection to this case. Representatives for Peters did not respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment.
A suspected overdose caught on camera
In April, the influencer was streaming at a Miami nightclub when he began to slur his words, telling his companions he was “fucking destroyed.” The stream ended abruptly, but not before cameras captured Peters’ eyes seemingly rolling back in his head and his body swaying. Videos of the surrounding chaos later posted to social media captured Peters’ friends carrying him out of the club and the arrival of an ambulance. According to ABC, he was hospitalized after the incident. After he was released, he posted on social media that he wanted to take a break from substances, but continued to party on stream.
“Just got home, that was brutal,” he wrote on X. “All of the substances are just a cope trying to feel neurotypical while being in public, but obviously that isn’t a real solution. The worst part of tonight was my face descending from the life support mask.” After his release from the hospital, Peters’ publicist Mitchell Jackson announced he would no longer represent the streamer unless he put himself in treatment.
Alleged sexual assault of a fellow streamer
On April 28, Aleksandra Mendoza, a streamer known online as Alorah, filed a lawsuit against Peters accusing him of battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and fraud. According to the lawsuit, Mendoza was hired by Peters when she was 16-years-old “to be the female face for looksmaxxing.”
But according to Mendoza, the relationship quickly grew unbalanced. She claimed in the suit that in addition to being served alcohol while she was underage, Peters had unconsensual sex with her at least twice while she was under the influence. Mendoza also has alleged that during a stream, Peters injected her in the face with the fat dissolving medication Aqualyx while she was underage, meaning she could not legally consent. According to Medoza, Peters also implied that the vial of medication, which is not approved by the FDA, also included a blend of drugs, including methamphetamine.
Clavicular‘s attorney, Steve Kramer, denied the claims in a statement to Rolling Stone. “We are aware of the complaint recently filed against Mr. Peters,” Kramer says. “These are allegations only and remain unproven. Mr. Peters denies the claims and disputes the characterization of events. He will respond through the appropriate legal channels and intends to vigorously defend himself. We will not comment further at this time.”
