You may remember Mario Adrion's performance last year when he wore Speedos to audition in front of Katie Perry, Luke Bryant and Lionel Richie. It's a witty exterior that brings out the former model's comedic performance. The Funny Guy, born in Germany and now based in Los Angeles, told the Daily Mail about his early fashion career, why he knew comedy was his masterpiece, and revealed the serious side of his modeling career being sexually assaulted.
How did you get into modeling?
I come from a small town in southern Germany with about 700 people. I did milk when I was younger. A modeling agent saw me in a Facebook group called Hot German Male Models and beat me up. One of my wedding photographers in Germany posted my photos there. A scout from New York City held out his hand to me and said I should be a model. I've never been to the United States, and I don't know anyone but this guy. I went to Harlem and stayed in his apartment. Then I met some agencies and signed up in New York.
What are some of your most memorable shows?
I did a Tommy Hilfiger event in Asia. I've done a few things for Gucci, Hudson Jeans, and in New York, I've worked a lot with Banana Republic and Bloomingdale's. This is a wide range. I also make a lot of underwear stuff!
You don't say! Now you're doing comedy. Were you funny as a kid?
One of the things I've always loved is making kids laugh at school. In Germany, I can't let it go. I come from a family of lumberjacks. My uncle owns a Christmas tree business. They cut down trees. It's a masculine environment. This is not where you think you can pursue comedy. No one in my hometown does anything artistic.
What makes you think you can do this in the United States?
I started modeling and thought it was my way, but soon I realized there was only one way to express myself, and that was your blue steel appearance. I want something else. I started a YouTube channel where I made a vlog about New York models. Those vlogs turned into comedies. I went to Los Angeles and took an impromptu comedy class. I told the story of how I was circumcised when I was 19. I fell in love with the art form of stand-up comedy!
What's so funny about being circumcised at 19?
At first I thought I was going to be a cool kid in Germany because no one there had been circumcised. Now I've moved to Los Angeles and Los Angeles, and everyone in America has been circumcised, so now I'm just sheep. Part of the reason I was circumcised was because of a Muslim girl I was dating. Her father hinted that if I wanted to marry her, circumcision was the first choice.
Good! You auditioned for American Idol last year, and the video was viewed more than 1 million times on YouTube. What made you decide to give this show a try?
I met this guy in front of a comedy open microphone who joked about a boy band in Germany, so I wrote a comedy song with him. He's now a casting director for American Idol, so he said I should try. Although it's clear I can't sing, I think it's a great opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and have fun. It's so much fun to do something I can't control editing. I want to make Speedos great again! From all the models I've made, sexiness is a part of me. Let's share it with the United States!
Are you nervous in front of Katy Perry and the other judges?
I was nervous before I walked out, but what I learned in modeling was to put teasing first. That's how I handle every model casting and performance audition. As soon as I walked in, I realized how ridiculous It was that Katy Perry was looking at me. I just had a great time! I'm afraid they'll think I'm an asshole trying to show off his muscles. This is a bold move! They love it.
How did you react? Has your Instagram following gone up?
I think [gaining] a social media following would be bigger. It legitimized me as a comedian. I was on TV and did improv comedy — that's how I watched it. The clip of me dancing with Katy Perry was viewed 12 million times on YouTube. It took a while for it to get a lot of attention.
Do your peers in the comedy world resent you for being good looking and funny?
Yes! It happens a lot. I'm trying to get the audience to like me. When I first came on stage, they saw a guy who didn't look like a typical comedian, so I had to do better than everyone else and be very self-deprecating. A lot of my material is about being a model, but when I say it kills the audience. I had to win their support by making fun of myself. A lot of comedians later told me they didn't want to like me!
Do you chat with people?
A community is a group of people who want to see explicit content. There is a huge shame around OnlyFans. They're doing a lot of work to make it a more versatile platform for connecting with your audience. I've opened my heart to talking about being sexually assaulted.
When was you first sexually assaulted publicly in your fashion career?
It happened when I was 21 or 22 years old, and I didn't really talk to anyone about it until I was 26. I told my best friend Travis Bryant in the car. He told me about his experience as a model. Then I told my story of sexual assault and when I said it out loud, I started crying. I don't know how I feel about it. I never talked about it. When I realize how much emotion there is, I feel like it's almost my responsibility to talk about this because there are a lot of people who can benefit from this message. Even a young model hears the message that they can turn it down if they encounter a potential abuser. I was traumatized from this experience. I feel like because I'm a man, I can't have any emotions about it. I made a spontaneous video on YouTube to share my story.
Have you ever heard people say what this responsibility looks like?
It's overwhelming. So many people commented, and someone else messaged me. One man sent me a letter exposing the abuse she had suffered from a friend of her father's. She never told anyone but me. It feels good to open a conversation, but in some cases I'm overwhelmed because I don't know how to respond. It's tough.
Tap... I read that you said you were vanilla. What does a typical Saturday night look like for you?
I don't really go out or party. When I was in New York, I did it to build a network. I love interacting with people and watching movies. I like to get up early. When everything was quiet, I woke up. I do my morning yoga routine and mediate before bedtime. I'm not a crazy party animal. I was cold.
How did you stay in such good shape?
I do yoga every morning. I ate a lot of carrots. That's my spiritual plant. I love them. When I'm modeling in New York, I always carry carrots with me. My diet is very disciplined. I really don't eat sweets. Once a week, I would eat a desert like bread pudding.
I see a lot of Brad Pitt in you!
People say so. I recently made some TikTok videos and commented that I look like a young Derek from Euphoria.
These guys are pretty nice people!
I like it! I also got Josh Hartnett.
Do you feel like you're now responsible for the journey of creating content using all these digital platforms?
I am very grateful for my experience as a model: I have traveled all over the world and met some of my best friends through modeling. But what I don't like is that other people are always in control. I always had to please the casting director. With social media, I have to please not one person, but a million people, but I can control my own destiny. Through social media, I can share my information, which is very beneficial.