Photo: Stevie Television
For almost six years, Stevie Ryan, 25, has been uploading hilariously wonky pop culture impressions to YouTube, amassing a cult following that can now tune into her new show, Stevie Tv, premiering on VH1 this Sunday at 11 pm. Ryan brings all her go-to, lampoon-prepared characters to table, such as Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, and even a Actual Housewife or two. Beneath, she breaks down their pop culture essence.
ELLE: What does it take to turn into Kim Kardashian?
Stevie Ryan: White, bedazzled dresses, sculpting powder, contouring makeup, highlighter, and bronzer. But I do not actually really feel the character until I place on my 3 butts. I'm not lying—it's literally 3 butts stuffed with padding. And when I put on those on and put on my long 22-inch dark wig, I genuinely really feel like a Kardashian.
ELLE: Break down the Biebs for us.
SR: We in fact bind down my boobs with ACE bandage, and it gets so tight and hurts so a lot that I get actually poor heartburn from it. Then we put a sock in my underwear—you know, to get the true effect. It's…awkward. Then of course I often have to have a hoodie, a baseball cap, and some thing purple. For Justin, I constantly need some thing purple.
ELLE: It is a fairly uncanny likeness.
SR: It gets weird! I get ladies hitting on me like crazy—older women particularly can't get sufficient of me. A couple of actresses that I worked with whilst playing Justin Bieber really asked for my quantity afterwards. I do not believe they realized that I'm a girl. And then boys that know I'm a girl are like, I don't know what it is, but you are really hot as Justin Bieber. The point is: dude, everyone wants Justin Bieber.
ELLE: You play a mean Kim Richards, whose has a signature altercation style with her sister Kyle on The Genuine Housewives of Beverly Hills—the angry finger point. How do you master that?
SR: A great Kim Richards point is all about being in sync with her sister Kyle's point. I feel like Kyle is the leader, so the trick is to just going along with Kyle. It is like a dance class—you're searching at the dancers around you and finding into a flow.
ELLE: So it is basically ballet.
SR: Basically.
Watch the show's extended trailer, below.
ELLE Dispatch
