Who Is Clavicular? Inside the Controversial 'Looksmaxxing' Influencer’s Rise and Legal Troubles

The name Braden Peters may not sound familiar to most, but the Florida native has become infamous on streaming platforms like TikTok and Kick under the name “Clavicular.”

He's a controversial figure who helped popularize an extreme form of self-improvement called "looksmaxxing," and he has recently made headlines involving drugs, fights, shooting alligators and hitting oneself in the face with a hammer. He also collapsed in April 2026 from a suspected overdose on his livestream, and at 20, he's not even legally old enough to drink in the U.S. 

So, who is Clavicular? How did he get this way? Did he really shoot an alligator?

Clavicular was just 14 when he started injecting himself with mail-order testosterone. While his parents eventually found and threw away his stash, he was undeterred. “Clav,” as some of his fans call him, says he started taking more drugs, including crystal meth to keep himself “lean.” It's all part of the internet movement that he's become known for promoting: looksmaxxing. 

Looksmaxxing is about doing everything possible to be as physically attractive as possible, mostly to attract women. Physical ideals include chiseled jaw lines, sharp cheekbones and tan skin.

The concept has been around for over a decade, but influencers like Clavicular have exposed it to more mainstream audiences. Its most extreme form, known as “hardmaxxing,” involves hard drugs, plastic surgery, experimental procedures and “bonesmashing”—the act of literally hitting your face with a hammer in an attempt to chisel your bones into new shapes, even though there's no scientific evidence supporting the tactic's efficacy. 

In looksmaxxing, anyone ugly is deemed to be "subhuman," and any woman they find unattractive is a "foid." Attractive men are "Chads," and Chads brag about “framemogging” (asserting dominance by having a larger, more attractive frame). Even non-looksmaxxers can add the word "maxxing" to the end of something you're really dedicated to or perhaps obsessed with achieving. Maxxing trends have included nonna-maxxing (trying to live life like an Italian grandmother), protein-maxxing (trying to consume as much protein as possible) and even books-maxxing (reading a lot of books). The New York Times refers to maxxing as a term that means to "ruthlessly optimize" everything in life, including life itself. 

Saturday Night Live parodied looksmaxxing in a sketch with Finn Wolfhard and also introduced a Clavicular parody named Chad Maxxington, played by Sarah Sherman. The real Clavicular was not thrilled and reacted with a slew of insults about millennials having bad humor. 

Clavicular has been in trouble with the law multiple times for myriad reasons, and most of the alleged crimes had one thing in common: They were filmed. He even posted most of the footage. 

February 7, 2026: Clavicular was detained in Arizona for entering a bar with a fake ID and possession of prescription pills. He was also seen on a livestream asking for Adderall, but charges ended up being dismissed because the county attorney believed a conviction wasn't likely. Court documents said, "It should be noted that the defendant is a well-known live streamer on live streaming platform Kick.com, earning over a reported $100,000 in January 2026." 

March 27, 2026: He was arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on battery charges that stemmed from an incident on February 2 at a lavish Airbnb rented by Clavicular. A 19-year-old woman reported that she was battered by a 24-year-old woman at the rented home, saying that Clavicular, who posted a video of the fight on social media, was the instigator. The case is still ongoing. 

April 29, 2026: Clavicular was sued by influencer Alorah Ziva in Miami for "battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, fraud and unauthorized publication of name and likeness." She claimed that in 2025, when she was 16, Clavicular hired her to film some videos and become "the female face of looksmaxxing." She alleged that she was sexually assaulted while intoxicated and that Clavicular injected her face with a fat-dissolving compound called Aqualyx among other offenses. Clavicular's lawyer, Steve Kramer, said in a statement, "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." The case is also still ongoing. 

May 6, 2026: After appearing to shoot an alligator he thought appeared dead in the Everglades in a viral video, Clavicular and two other internet personalities were charged with unlawfully discharging a firearm at a wildlife sanctuary. On May 15, he was given a plea deal with six months of probation and the opportunity to get the charge removed from his record if he completes firearm and wildlife safety classes. He was also sentenced to 20 hours of community service that he cannot stream or monetize. Another lawyer for Clavicular, Jeffrey Neiman, said in a statement that his client has "accepted responsibility for his conduct" and "reached a resolution that appropriately reflects the circumstances of this incident."

On April 14, 2026, Clavicular collapsed while livestreaming after suffering a suspected overdose. He was seen slurring his words and saying he was "destroyed" before he appeared to lose consciousness and the stream stopped. He explained the incident in an X post, saying, "Just got home, that was brutal. All of the substances are just a cope trying to feel neurotypical while being in public, but obviously that isn’t a real solution." 

Just two days before the overdose, on April 12, Clavicular walked off an interview with 60 Minutes Australia when he was asked if he identifies as an incel. Two days after his overdose, he appeared on the red carpet at the opening of Bacara, his new club in Miami. 

In May, he said he has remained sober after the overdose.

After a controversial few months, Clavicular is back to his looksmaxxing, livestreaming ways. On June 3, 2026, he livestreamed all five hours of his rhinoplasty, and a few days later, he revealed he had already sold all of his ownership shares in Bacara. He teased a "big announcement" that he would reveal soon, promising to "mog hard as f--- on Wednesday.”

And indeed, on June 9, Clavicular revealed his new nose.