If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then Yuri Lamasbella is an undisputed queen of adulation.
Reality TV enthusiasts 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 television in a light-hearted, hilariously accurate manner.
Lamasbella’s unique comedic approach has garnered millions of followers, brand partnerships, and the attention of one of the most publicized families in the world.
But that’s not where her story begins.
“I was always told I sounded like a ‘Valley Girl’ growing up 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 always thought I have to speak so ‘proper’ on the phone that nobody can guess my race.”
Born and raised in Tampa, FL, to Mexican parents, Lamasbella, 32, recounts how she observed the barriers that immigrants often experience when navigating a new life across countries and cultures.
“Growing up, I saw how differently our culture was treated. And so I always thought I have to speak so ‘proper’ on the phone that nobody can guess my race.”
Yuri Lamasbella
“I remember always thinking my voice needed to sound so perfect just so I didn’t face those barriers, because I did see my parents being 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 too, with my grandparents, reading their letters, taking them to doctors and translating, stuff like that. Those are things I always carry with me.”
Lamasbella attended the University of South Florida, earning her bachelor’s degree in business management. She began creating content in 2017, focusing on her passion.
“It was solely on YouTube — beauty reviews with makeup brands — that’s really where I wanted to launch my content creator platform,” she recalls. “And back in 2017 when I was trying to be a beauty influencer, it was a really saturated market. Everybody wanted to do that.”
Though she gained some traction, it wasn’t enough to launch a full-time career. She ended up in 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/onboarding specialist, and the corporate life just wasn’t for me,” she says, explaining that she quit after a few months. “I took a part-time job, so I could focus on making content and, of course, TikTok was a huge platform to be on at the time.”
“I remember always thinking my voice needed to sound so perfect just so I didn’t face those barriers, because I did see my parents being treated differently.”
Yuri Lamasbella
Social media and tech experts were championing the rapid-fire rate at which people were building their TikTok followings. Lamasbella was busy taking notes.
“I was listening to a lot of Gary Vee and he would always say, ‘For the most organic growth, you want to get on TikTok and LinkedIn,’” she says. “So I was like, ‘Okay, why not?’ I had heard it enough, so just do it.”
That was November 2020. As is so often the case with online virality, Lamasbella stumbled upon her niche organically. She had been an avid reality TV viewer for years, sometimes even juggling multiple shows at once.
“I remember when I was pregnant, I had seven shows just back to back that I was watching,” 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, one reality TV family — that resonated with Lamasbella the most.
“I’ve watched the Kardashians’ show since I’ve known about it,” she says. “I’ve always loved them, watched every single episode, but didn’t know I could embody them in the way that I do in my parodies.”
That 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 had ever tried to do an impression of Kim Kardashian,” she recalls.
A few months later, she struck viral gold. “March 2021 is when I made my first Kardashian parody,” Lamasbella says.
In the 54-second clip, she plays both Kourtney and Kim as they discuss — or, more accurately, not discuss — their pending summer vacation plans.
“I had a small following before I started the parodies, and it was pretty comical content that went viral,” she says. “Then I took that approach, mixed the Kardashians in, and here we are today.”
Eventually, the Kardashians themselves took notice. Khloé Kardashian commented on a recent post from Lamasbella in which the content creator was ranting about her growing breast size during her current pregnancy.
“Congratulations on your pregnancy babe!!!!!!” Khloé, 40, wrote.
Lamasbella has built social media acclaim with her spot-on impressions of the Kardashian crew. However, she’s really interested in using her content to spoof not just them, but the entire over-the-top genre she loves so much.
“I find the way they edit and script the show very comical,” she says. “It’s not just the Kardashians; it’s any reality TV show with the dramatic pauses and the overly dramatic situations. That’s what I try to portray in my comedic skits, that’s what I think is captivating — the background music, the way they cut to the scenes.”
Others clearly find it captivating as well. To date, Lamasbella has 4.7 million followers on TikTok and 3 million followers on Instagram. She just signed with CAA and was a panelist at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, one of the largest advertising and communications events in the world.
“I want people to see that our culture will do whatever it takes. We’re very smart. We’re very strategic. I want to bring that [representation] to the limelight and be a part of that.”
Yuri Lamasbella
Did she ever think a knack for “Valley Girl” impressions and a reality TV show obsession would lead to all this fanfare and recognition?
“Absolutely not,” she 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 it was their only laugh that day. And those things get me really emotional — that’s a reaction I never thought I would’ve gotten.”
Besides being a soothing source of comic relief for her followers, Lamasbella is also hoping to put a spotlight on just 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,” she says. “We’re very smart. We’re very strategic. I want to bring that [representation] to the limelight and be a part of that.”
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