{"id":151043,"date":"2025-02-19T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/19\/benito-skinner-has-nothing-to-hide\/"},"modified":"2025-02-19T13:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T13:00:00","slug":"benito-skinner-has-nothing-to-hide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/19\/benito-skinner-has-nothing-to-hide\/","title":{"rendered":"Benito Skinner Has Nothing to Hide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"has-dropcap\">B<strong>enito Skinner knows<\/strong> his way around a disguise. As his online alter ego, Benny Drama, he got famous for spoofing celebrities like Lana Del Rey and Kourtney Kardashian while also creating original characters like Kooper the Gen Z intern. Skinner\u2019s sharp but never cruel content was rewarded with a massive audience on YouTube and Instagram.<\/p>\n<p>When he began, Skinner was a Georgetown undergrad who\u2019d grown used to wearing a different type of camouflage. Raised in Boise, Idaho, he spent much of his time and energy worrying that the whole world might discover he was gay. \u201cI just remember the sense of doom anywhere I went,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<div class=\"GroupCalloutWrapper-bPWknp fqzDZm callout callout--group callout--group-2\" data-testid=\"GroupCalloutWrapper\">\n<figure class=\"AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed callout--group-item callout--group-item-1\">\n<div class=\"AssetEmbedAssetContainer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-container\"><span class=\"SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB responsive-asset AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset\"><picture class=\"ResponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset responsive-image\">\n<div data-testid=\"aspect-ratio-container\" class=\"AspectRatioContainer-bJHpJz fJUYvT\">\n<div class=\"aspect-ratio--overlay-container\"><noscript><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb52ab90477cea5255\/master\/w_120,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-02.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb52ab90477cea5255\/master\/w_240,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-02.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb52ab90477cea5255\/master\/w_320,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-02.jpg 320w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb52ab90477cea5255\/master\/w_640,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-02.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb52ab90477cea5255\/4:3\/w_120,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-02.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb52ab90477cea5255\/4:3\/w_240,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-02.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb52ab90477cea5255\/4:3\/w_320,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-02.jpg 320w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb52ab90477cea5255\/4:3\/w_640,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-02.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb52ab90477cea5255\/4:3\/w_960,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-02.jpg 960w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb52ab90477cea5255\/4:3\/w_1280,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-02.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb52ab90477cea5255\/4:3\/w_1600,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-02.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionText-bHjzlu iUEiRd jSwmTa iXWezO caption__text\">Jacket and tie by <strong>Gucci;<\/strong> shirt by <strong>Polo Ralph Lauren.<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionCredit-ejegDm iUEiRd cvffOM fNaHcW caption__credit\">Photograph by Luke Gilford; styled by Jake Sammis.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed callout--group-item callout--group-item-2\">\n<div class=\"AssetEmbedAssetContainer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-container\"><span class=\"SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB responsive-asset AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset\"><picture class=\"ResponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset responsive-image\">\n<div data-testid=\"aspect-ratio-container\" class=\"AspectRatioContainer-bJHpJz gaPSTR\">\n<div class=\"aspect-ratio--overlay-container\"><noscript><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/master\/w_120,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/master\/w_240,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/master\/w_320,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg 320w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/master\/w_640,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/4:3\/w_120,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/4:3\/w_240,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/4:3\/w_320,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg 320w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/4:3\/w_640,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/4:3\/w_960,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg 960w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/4:3\/w_1280,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/4:3\/w_1600,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Benito Skinner in trousers by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello.\" class=\"ResponsiveImageContainer-eybHBd fptoWY responsive-image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c26\/4:3\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-03.jpg\"\/><\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionText-bHjzlu iUEiRd jSwmTa iXWezO caption__text\">Trousers by <strong>Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello.<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionCredit-ejegDm iUEiRd cvffOM fNaHcW caption__credit\">Photograph by Luke Gilford; styled by Jake Sammis.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paywall\">But at 31, all of Skinner\u2019s masks are finally off. His new Prime Video show, <em>Overcompensating,<\/em> centers on a former high school football player who is desperately trying to fit in while struggling to accept his sexuality. Skinner didn\u2019t just create and write the series; he\u2019s also its star. \u201cI really wanted queer people to see their experience and the complicatedness of that experience,\u201d he says. \u201cNot that I don\u2019t think that exists, but I just feel like every time it was so much more complicated to come out than I\u2019ve seen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Skinner attended Catholic school, where he realized that his love of choreographing dance routines to \u201cOops!\u2026I Did It Again\u201d and his obsession with Pocahontas would not be welcomed. So he buried his interest in the arts\u2014and signed up for football instead. \u201cYou\u2019re in third grade, and they\u2019re talking about sodomites being stoned to death,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m like, I think I\u2019m a little young for this, but I know that if I like men, I\u2019m going to hell.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed\">\n<div class=\"AssetEmbedAssetContainer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-container\"><span class=\"SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB responsive-asset AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset\"><picture class=\"ResponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset responsive-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Benito Skinner in jacket and tie by Gucci shirt by Polo Ralph Lauren.\" class=\"ResponsiveImageContainer-eybHBd fptoWY responsive-image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c24\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-04.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c24\/master\/w_120,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-04.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c24\/master\/w_240,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-04.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c24\/master\/w_320,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-04.jpg 320w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c24\/master\/w_640,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-04.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c24\/master\/w_960,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-04.jpg 960w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c24\/master\/w_1280,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-04.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb7ef52f66d67b0c24\/master\/w_1600,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-04.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><\/noscript><\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionText-bHjzlu iUEiRd jSwmTa iXWezO caption__text\">Jacket and tie by <strong>Gucci;<\/strong> shirt by <strong>Polo Ralph Lauren.<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionCredit-ejegDm iUEiRd cvffOM fNaHcW caption__credit\">Photograph by Luke Gilford; styled by Jake Sammis.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall\">While studying film at Georgetown, Skinner began to embrace performing (and making his first videos). In 2018 he hosted his first live show during the New York Comedy Festival and began performing comedy in front of audiences instead of just on the internet. He also started to write a script based on his coming-out journey and his relationship with his best friends. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen that relationship being very high comedy,\u201d he says, \u201cbut I feel like these women saved my life and allowed me to finally discover who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">While making the latest version of <em>Overcompensating,<\/em> now being produced by A24 and Amazon MGM Studios, Skinner scaled back on social media videos. Being an internet star wasn\u2019t always an easy gig, especially when it meant facing comments. \u201cIt\u2019s so easy to take a critique personally,\u201d he says. \u201cSomebody commented once that I had super-dry butthole lips, and I was like, \u2018Well, that will now plague me for the rest of my life.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed\">\n<div class=\"AssetEmbedAssetContainer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-container\"><span class=\"SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB responsive-asset AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset\"><picture class=\"ResponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset responsive-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Benito Skinner in jacket shorts and tie by Gucci shirt by Polo Ralph Lauren.\" class=\"ResponsiveImageContainer-eybHBd fptoWY responsive-image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb973bac98893bc861\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-05.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb973bac98893bc861\/master\/w_120,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-05.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb973bac98893bc861\/master\/w_240,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-05.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb973bac98893bc861\/master\/w_320,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-05.jpg 320w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb973bac98893bc861\/master\/w_640,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-05.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb973bac98893bc861\/master\/w_960,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-05.jpg 960w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb973bac98893bc861\/master\/w_1280,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-05.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.vanityfair.com\/photos\/67ae3ceb973bac98893bc861\/master\/w_1600,c_limit\/VF0325-VF-March-Benito-Skinner-05.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><\/noscript><\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionText-bHjzlu iUEiRd jSwmTa iXWezO caption__text\">Jacket, shorts, and tie by <strong>Gucci;<\/strong> shirt by <strong>Polo Ralph Lauren.<\/strong> Throughout: hair products by <strong>Bumble and Bumble;<\/strong> grooming products by <strong>Kat Burki.<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionCredit-ejegDm iUEiRd cvffOM fNaHcW caption__credit\">Photograph by Luke Gilford; styled by Jake Sammis.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Making <em>Overcompensating<\/em> allowed Skinner to create without all the extra noise. And while the show is centered on a queer journey, it also captures the universal desire to be accepted and loved. \u201cI feel like the villain of the show in a lot of ways is this addiction to masculinity,\u201d he says. \u201cI think that everyone feels that, not just queer people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Now based in LA, where he lives with his boyfriend of eight years, Skinner hopes to continue making the show\u2014he says he\u2019s got at least four seasons in his head\u2014but also to act in work by other creators. \u201cI have a few things I\u2019d love to do,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019d love to play just full-on straight. Can you imagine?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\"><em>Hair, Kristen Shaw; grooming, Loftjet; tailor, Yelena Travkina. Produced on location by Petty Cash. For details, go to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/credits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VF.com\/credits<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/hollywood\/story\/benito-skinner-has-nothing-to-hide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Benito Skinner knows his way around a disguise. As his online alter ego, Benny Drama, he got famous for spoofing celebrities like Lana Del Rey and Kourtney Kardashian while also creating original characters like Kooper the Gen Z intern. Skinner\u2019s sharp but never cruel content was rewarded with a massive audience on YouTube and Instagram. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":151044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1792,10619],"class_list":{"0":"post-151043","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-celebrity","8":"tag-from-the-magazine","9":"tag-vanities-opener"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151043","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=151043"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151043\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/151044"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=151043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=151043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=151043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}