2022 Rewind: Buff Mario Adrion Wants to Make You Laugh
EDGE is looking back at 2022 and we're resharing some of our favorite stories of the year.
Model and YouTuber Mario Adrion made quite a splash when he auditioned for "American Idol" in 2021 while wearing red-and-white striped Speedo and sang an original song about himself. While his vocals didn't impress the judges, his cocky charm did. And his interplay with the judges was priceless, including him telling judge Luke Bryan he'd look great in a Speedo.
"They got that I wasn't some arrogant douchebag model that was trying to show off his pecs. They understood I was being playful while also spreading a message of body positivity and self-love," he said about his audition.
He followed his appearance with a YouTube video where he explained how the audition came about. (It took place in Ohio and was completely spontaneous on Adrion's part.) He even promised at the end of the video that "you're going to see the whole thing. I am not talking about my penis. I am talking about the whole audition of 'American Idol.' You're going to see it."
Then he teased, "Maybe at the end of this video you're going to see my penis."
Such are examples of Adrion's cheeky humor, which is in ample display on his YouTube channel where he posts his comedy videos. Amongst the funniest are his "Social Experiment" videos in which he interviews people on the LA streets on various topics, such as asking, "How GAY are you?" He also uses the channel to chronicle his day-to-day as a model, social influencer and comic.
Adrion has come a long way from a small town in Germany of just 800 people where he was raised. A chance pic he took with a local photographer caught the eye of a New York casting director who persuaded him to come to New York. He took a chance and his modeling career was born. Since then he has worked on campaigns in Asia for Tommy Hilfiger, Puma and Gucci, and worked with Banana Republic and Bloomingdales in New York.
In the past few years, Adrion has turned to social media to express his snarky humor, which included a video of himself and his friend Jeff Kasser crashing Milan Fashion Week and getting arrested. He also posted a racier video of himself and Jeff experimenting with being boyfriends for 24-hours.
EDGE spoke to Adrion recently about his modeling career, "American Idol," comedy, his social experiment videos, and how he defines sexuality.
EDGE: How did you get into modeling?
Mario Adrion: I'm from a small town (the Black Forest) in Germany, it's a town of like 600 people. There is no modeling industry there, but I shot some shirtless photos with a wedding photographer and he uploaded them on a Facebook group called "Hot German Male Models." He did it without my consent, but a NYC casting director was a member of the group and he sent me a message telling me I should be a model. He told me to come to New York and stay with him at his apartment in Harlem. He said he was going to make me a star. It does sounds very sketchy and probably not the best move to go to see a stranger in New York, but I did it. I spent all the money I had in my bank account on the flight and flew to New York. Luckily, it turned out great. I was signed and then started modeling all over the world.
EDGE: Why was it time to trade the runaway for stand-up comedy?
Mario Adrion: I loved modeling. I had some great experiences, but also had my share of bad experiences. What I didn't like about modeling is the fact that I'm never in control of my own narrative and my future. At the end of the day, all I am is a model with good looks and amazing abs. What I like so much about stand-up comedy is that I am in control, and I get to express who I really am as a person. It's the same with social media I control the videos and post. I like being in control of my own fate instead of in the hands of a casting director or photographer.
EDGE: Let's talk about your "American Idol" audition. Was that a stint to test the waters of comedy?
Mario Adrion: I know that I'm not the best singer, but I thought maybe I could convince the judges that I had some other great qualities. I really just wanted to have some fun, plus I do look good in a Speedo. I knew that my singing was not going to get me a spot-on "American Idol," but my Speedo would. I just wanted to have a fun moment. I love getting out of my comfort zone and doing things that are bold. I think we all should do things that scare us. Honestly, I just wanted to share the message that we need to make Speedos great again.
EDGE: Where is the Speedo? Have you considered selling it? You could probably make some big bucks.
Mario Adrion: Actually, I've never thought about that. You are right, I probably could make some money off it. My friend actually just launched a website called Dirty Merch. It was designed so content creators can sell their used intimate and exclusive merchandise to their fans.
EDGE: You have a lot of great videos on your YouTube channel. What are you trying to achieve with it?
Mario Adrion: The reasons have shifted so much over the years. At first, it was a form of self-expression, but also a place to remember all the crazy experiences I had as a model. Now I am trying to create more videos about more serious stuff. Recently, I just made a video talking about the sexual assault I experienced. It's really just to teach and inspire people. I want everyone to make fun the priority and make bold choices. Basically, like what I did on "American Idol." That is now a big part of my identity. I am more than just a model. My goal was to be a successful model at one point in my life, but that has shifted. I am now at a point in my life where I am happy and that happiness is not based off others, but happiness I created for myself.
EDGE: Your social experiment videos are great fun. Which one was your favorite?
Mario Adrion: There's are so many. I just filmed three more last week. The one that always comes to mind is when I was in Milan, and we tried to sneak into Fashion week wearing a Borat costume. We walked around and spoke to strangers until the police arrested and detained us. The whole day was just absolutely crazy. I had the time of my life. I met a lot of people, including some celebrities, and then we ended the night by attending a Fashion Week party. These are the experiences I'll remember, and I will tell my grandkids someday about it. Sharing my life experience with my YouTube viewers is great and I hope I make them laugh and give them something to think about.
EDGE: Have you always been sexually open?
Mario Adrion: Yes, but it has taken a while to get there. I feel like growing up in Germany, stereotypically, is not the most open place. Berlin is a little different than the rest of the country. I grew up in a small town and I come from a family of lumberjacks. My family has a Christmas tree business. Being close to other man is something that's frowned upon, and I'm not talking sexually, but emotionally. It is just not the normal.
For me, it all changed once I started modeling, and I moved to New York. The fashion industry does have a lot of gay men and some of them became my best friends. I could identify so much more with the queer community. The freedom of self-expression and being true to yourself are all things that resonated a lot more with me than I did with the straight community. I realized how nice it feels to have some intimacy and love from a man and I don't mean sexually. It took a while to break down my boundaries. Physical touching was not very normal for me. As a German, it's just not something I grew up doing and especially with men.
Being a model, it is something that I had too then be more open to. It's made my life so much better, especially with my friend Travis Bryant and Jeff Kasser. They are both a big part of my journey. Travis is the first guy like I would say we had sort of like a relationship and it's very unconventional one. He's a gay man and I am not openly gay or bi. I do dislike labels, but it was so real. Our relationship gave me just the same love and fulfillment that you would get from a traditional straight relationship.
EDGE: Everyone needs a best friend like Jeff Kasser. How did you two meet?
Mario Adrion: Jeff was a model and was also making YouTube videos that I was following. Once he got to LA, we hit each other up and met outside a Dunkin Donuts and the rest is history. I have a great relationship with Jeff. He is my adventure buddy. I love both of these relationships that I have with Travis and Jeff. They are both so unconventional, but to have the most support from both of them in my life is definitely the best thing I could ever ask for.
EDGE: What's the importance of the big bulge?
Mario Adrion: The big bulge it is essential, especially in modeling. I've done a lot of underwear modeling and I've had photographers, ask respectfully, adjust myself to help create a great picture. You have heard of fluffing, right? Where you step away for a second to just enhance the appearance of your bulge.
EDGE: Where do you go from here?
Mario Adrion: I am working on a huge rebranding on YouTube. I just want to have fun and make some really great content. With the pandemic, I couldn't do any social experiments, so my content creation shifted a lot. I really want to make create stuff that is in line with my message of "saying yes to things and making fun the priority." I am also working on doing more comedic videos. I want to be doing my own stand-up comedy tour and I want a Netflix special where I do stand-up routine in a Speedo.
For more Mario info, visit his YouTube Channel and his Instagram page.