If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then Yuri Lamasbella she is an undisputed queen of worship.
Reality fans and chronic social media scrollers are likely to instantly recognize the face and voice of the super-viral Mexican-American content creator, who pokes fun at the absurdity of reality TV in a lighthearted, hilarious way.
Lamasbella’s unique comedic approach has garnered millions of fans, brand partnerships and the attention of one of the world’s most popular families.
But her story doesn’t start there.
“I was always told I sounded like a ‘Valley Girl’ when I was in high school and college,” Lamasbella tells Refinery29 Somos. “Growing up, I saw how differently our culture was treated. And so I’ve always believed that I must speak so ‘correctly’ on the phone that no one can guess my race.”
Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, to Mexican parents, Lamasbella, 32, recounts how she noticed the obstacles immigrants often face when navigating a new life across countries and cultures.
“Growing up, I saw how differently our culture was treated. And so I’ve always believed that I should speak so ‘correctly’ on the phone that no one can guess my race.”
Yuri Lamasbella
“I remember always thinking that my voice had to sound so perfect to not face these barriers because I saw my parents treated differently because of their race or because they didn’t know the language,” she shares. “I saw my parents go through that a lot, with my grandparents, reading their letters, taking them to doctors and translating, things like that. These are things I always have with me.”
Lamasbella attended the University of South Florida, earning her bachelor’s degree in business administration. She started creating content in 2017, focusing on her passion.
“It was exclusively on YouTube — beauty reviews with makeup brands — that’s where I really wanted to start my content creator platform,” she recalls. “And back in 2017, when I was trying to become a beauty influencer, it was a really saturated market. Everyone wanted to do it.”
Although it gained some traction, it wasn’t enough to launch a full-time career. She ended up taking a more traditional office job to pay the bills. It didn’t go well.
“When Covid-19 happened, I was working in HR as an orientation/integration specialist and corporate life wasn’t for me,” he says, explaining that he quit after a few months. “I got a part-time job so I could focus on creating content, and of course TikTok was a huge platform to be on at the time.”
“I remember always thinking that my voice had to sound so perfect that I wouldn’t face these barriers because I saw my parents being treated differently.”
Yuri Lamasbella
Social media and tech pundits have been championing the rapid pace at which people have built their following on TikTok. Lamasbella was busy taking notes.
“I used to listen to Gary Vee a lot, and he always said, ‘For the most organic growth, you want to get on TikTok and LinkedIn,'” he says. “So I said, ‘Okay, why not?’ I’ve heard it enough, so just do it.”
It was November 2020. As is often the case with online virality, Lamasbella fell into her niche organically. She was an avid reality TV viewer for years, sometimes even juggling multiple shows at once.
“I remember when I was pregnant, I had seven shows that I watched back to back,” she says. “I would watch a lot of MTV, Jersey Shore, The Challenge, Real Housewives. Reality TV is my guilty pleasure — I love it.”
But there was one reality TV show – specifically, a family of reality TV shows – that resonated the most with Lamasbella.
“I’ve been watching the Kardashians since I knew it,” she says. “I’ve always loved them, watched every episode, but I didn’t know I could embody them the way I do in my skits.”
This turned out to be yet another organic discovery.
While attending a party, a friend remarked that the way Lamasbella spoke reminded them of the famous family and encouraged her to do an impersonation — right there, on the spot. “And that was the first time I tried to do a Kim Kardashian impression,” he recalls.
A few months later, he struck viral gold. “March 2021 is when I did my first Kardashian parody,” says Lamasbella.
At 54 second clipstars as both Kourtney and Kim as they discuss — or, more accurately, don’t discuss — their pending summer vacation plans.
“I had a few fans before I started doing parodies and it was quite comical content that went viral,” he says. “Then I took that approach, mixed up the Kardashians, and here we are today.”
Eventually, the Kardashians themselves took notice. Khloé Kardashian commented on a recent Lamasbella post in which she was the content creator shouting about her growing breast size during her current pregnancy.
“Congratulations on your pregnancy baby!!!!!!” Khloé, 40, wrote.
Lamasbella has taken social media by storm with her impressions of the Kardashian crew. However, she is really interested in using her content to mislead not only them, but the entire over-the-top genre she loves so much.
“I find the way they edit and the script of the show very comical,” he says. “It’s not just the Kardashians. it’s every reality TV show with the dramatic pauses and over-dramatic situations. That’s what I try to portray in my comedy sketches, that’s what I think is exciting — the background music, the way they cut into the scenes.”
Others clearly find it fascinating as well. To date, Lamasbella has 4.7 million followers on TikTok and 3 million followers on Instagram. Exactly her signed with the CAA and participated in the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, one of the largest advertising and communication events in the world.
“I want people to see that our culture will do whatever it takes. We are very smart. We are very strategic. I want to bring it [representation] into the spotlight and be a part of it.”
Yuri Lamasbella
Did she ever think that her “Valley Girl” knack for impressions and obsession with reality TV would lead to all this fanfare and recognition?
“Absolutely not,” he says. “I get really nice messages from people saying they were in dark places and my content helped them get up in the morning or was the only laugh they had that day. And those things make me really emotional – that’s a reaction I never thought I’d have.”
Aside from being a soothing source of comic relief for her fans, Lamasbella also hopes to highlight how much Mexican Americans have to offer in the entertainment industry and beyond.
“I want people to see that our culture will do whatever it takes,” he says. “We are very smart. We are very strategic. I want to bring it [representation] into the spotlight and be a part of it.”
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