The White House has teamed up with instagram and tiktok comedian Benny Drama in a bid to get more Americans vaccinated. Ironically, the partnership has caused drama – offending conservative commentators.
Benny Drama, aka Benito Skinner, is a TikTok sensation with over 16.2 million likes on his videos. He is known for his flamboyant and his darkly funny satircial viral videos, often featuring original characters and hilarious celebrity impressions.
To give you a sense of who Drama is, one of his most recent videos is titled ‘Me As A Parent’. It featured Drama in kaftans and giant hats telling his ‘child’ that, “Daddy, can’t go out in the sun, he just got his bussy lasered.”
The TikTok racked up 4.7 million views.
@bennydrama7 TIGHTER!!!!!!! #parentsoftiktok #summervibes #foryoupage
Given his internet stardom, he was invited by the White House to create a vaccine campaign. Drama created a Tiktok that feaured him as a White House intern, who wants everyone to get vaxxed, but also would like his boss, press secretary, Jen Psaki, to get her nails done.
The clip includes Drama modelling White House coffee and calling Psaki “queen”.
It has already racked up over 3 million views.
https://twitter.com/BennyDRAMA7/status/1424834745079193600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1424834745079193600%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-7241597663852917659.ampproject.net%2F2107302322001%2Fframe.html
The collab is clearly the White House’s attempt at connecting with a younger audience, but it has also done an excellent job of upsetting conservatives. Namely, Donald Trump Jr took to Twitter to share his very dramatic thoughts.
Next they're going to waterboard you till you get vaccinated, though there's no way that would be worse than watching this!!! https://t.co/dliVqejHNF
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 9, 2021
Important to note, here at B&T, we don’t believe Donald Trump Jr has ever been waterboarded, so we are not sure how he can accurately compare.
Other conservatives also weighed in, though less dramatically.
Our tax dollars helped make this video for @WhiteHouse @JoeBiden and @PressSec. Our country looks insane to anyone with an iota of common sense. pic.twitter.com/oIGQMksWfj
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 9, 2021
The odea that this person is considered an “influencer” tells u exactly whats wrong with society.
— Detroit 2 Destin 🇺🇸 (@LariatNLakeLife) August 9, 2021
However it wasn’t all criticism, Drama also received a lot of support.
i love the benny drama white house vid 🤫
— nick reit (@TheNickAttack) August 10, 2021
do republicans really think Benny Drama is a white house intern 😭😭 https://t.co/MHSvu4jss8
— lexxx dreams (@lexigg_) August 10, 2021
https://twitter.com/TaylorLorenz/status/1424862656771485709
Drama’s White House collaboration has been making headlines and arguably that already makes it a success. Love him or hate him, Drama got everyone talking about vaccines again!
