A Celebrity Sidekick Wants His Own Shine

Before Drew Desbordes appeared in a music video with Drake or lived with the N.F.L. star Odell Beckham Jr., his teary-eyed mother scolded him near the living room couch he had flipped upside down as a stage prop.

At that moment, he was not the comedian known by millions as Druski. He was a floundering college dropout with improbable hopes of social media stardom, recording goofy, aimless skits at his family’s home.

Along with the upturned furniture, Druski’s clothes were scattered in boxes at the home. His mother berated him for leaving school with a poorly defined plan.

“It was horrible,” Druski said. “It was a bad situation, and she had enough.”

In an era of seemingly infinite internet personalities, becoming a known commodity requires determination, strategy and more than a little luck. Druski said his mother’s criticism motivated him to further pursue mainstream success. He wrote down his goals, one of them being to refine his comedic voice.

Druski ultimately broke through with anthropological humor videos tinged with vulgarity. His popular characters, including an entitled fraternity brother, an agitated airport security agent and an adulterous warehouse worker, helped him amass millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok.

As people scrolling on their phones began noticing, so did celebrities. Professional athletes recite his sketches. Snoop Dogg made a song with him. Google and Nike hired him to anchor advertisements.