With over 24 million followers on TikTok alone, Laro Benz is a creator who knows how to make compelling lifestyle content. But even though he’s been a successful family-focused creator for the past six years, Benz was interested in expanding beyond his social followings.
“I was willing to try anything at that moment in time other than just straight social media,” Benz told TheWrap. So when his manager, RJ Thorpe at Sixteenth, reached out to Benz with an opportunity to host a new Tubi game show, the creator was eager to say yes.
“It was definitely something out of my comfort zone, but it was something I was willing to to try. It was it was an exciting opportunity that I didn’t want to miss out on,” Benz said.
The resulting series is “House Rules,” a show that pits two couples against each other and asks them to compete in a series of chaotic and domestic-themed challenges like putting on a diaper without using their hands. The series comes from Wall of Entertainment, the production company founded by Joivan Wade and Percelle Ascott. Benz, Wade, Ascott and Jonny Paterson serve as executive producers on the series with Wade and Ascott co-directing.
“At Tubi, we’re always looking for creators who are really passionate, who can fit into our world of Tubi fandom, which we’re trying to deepen,” Kudzi Chikumbu, vice president of creator partnerships at Tubi, told TheWrap, noting that the Tubi audience especially loves shows and movies in the comedy and family categories. “Laro’s content is exactly that. Whether you watch on shortform or longform, it’s just very engaging, so we thought he’d be perfect for the Tubi audience.”
“Laro represents exactly the kind of talent Wall of Entertainment was built to work with. He’s not just a creator with great reach, he’s a strong performer, with instinct, comedic timing and the presence to lead a show,” Joivan Wade, CEO and co-founder of Wall of Entertainment, told TheWrap. “That’s what translates from shortform into premium longform entertainment, and that’s what makes ‘House Rules’ so special. Our job as a studio is to give creators like Laro the production infrastructure, the format and the platform to become the next generation of true entertainers.”
For Benz, “House Rules” also gave him the opportunity to show off a different side of himself to his fans. Benz’s audience knows the creator as a husband, father and family man. But “House Rules” shows who Benz is as a performer outside of his family.
“I don’t have to worry about doing videos with my wife or my kids or my friends. It’s me. That’s what excites me is that I get to push me out more,” Benz said.
Benz is no stranger to being in front of a camera. But when the team filmed the first episode of “House Rules,” he became nervous. It’s a feeling many independent creators who make the jump from their own content to bigger productions from larger studios likely understand.
“Just seeing the whole film crew and having a makeup artist, seeing the meetings, producers and everything — it was definitely a wake up call to like, ‘Oh, there’s there’s levels to this.’ It’s different than just waking up, picking up your phone and making a video or doing a trend,” Benz said.
Thanks to the guidance of Wade, Ascott and Paterson, Benz quickly found his footing. The trio advised Benz to be himself and act like he does when he’s making his content. By his second episode ever hosting a game show, Benz felt comfortable with the experience. As the production continued, experienced crew members even asked him how many years he’s hosted television and encouraged him, saying that he could have a career doing this. Benz joked that hosting “House Rules” felt like a “side quest.”
“It was a whole different experience for me, but it was something that I could get used to and would love to continue doing,” Benz said. “Like if I had to choose to just wake up and go do that, I would do that. I really would. But, obviously, I love making content because I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my supporters. So it’s a win-win.”
“Going from digital to streaming is definitely a leap for some creators, just given the nature of the level of production that’s expected. But I do find as long as there is deep passion from the creator to bring their vision to life, they’re able to do that,” Chikumbu said.
“The next era of successful TV formats will be hosted by creators, and Laro is proving what’s possible when you give a creator of that calibre the right vehicle,” Wade said.
“House Rules” was such a positive experience for Benz that he and his manager are now looking at new opportunities. That could mean starring in scripted or unscripted shows.
“We definitely want to keep going and keep trying different things,” Benz said. “I know we have the platform and the supporters and everyone to back that up … If there are opportunities to do scripted and scripted, that is definitely something that we’re gonna go for.”
