Jokes, Joy, and the Quiet Work of Making People Feel Less Alone

Caleb Del Buono and Andrea Mannella have a successful career as content creators with millions of followers spanning multiple streaming sites and big brand sponsorships because of a viral video called “Watch My Boyfriend For Me.” In it, Andrea asks the audience to do what the title suggests, leaving her phone on the table aimed at Caleb while she darts off.

“It was Caleb eating his pretzels staring at the screen awkwardly,” Andrea explains.

The audience loved the video, and it was shared on several major meme sites. In the aftermath, the comedy duo watched their content “take off” and become a sensation.

Now Caleb and Andrea work full-time on content creation, providing comedy skits to their followers looking for a bright spot in their hectic days.

The couple's journey to streaming stardom started with Caleb making videos about his personal life and his Nonna. Caleb and Andrea were already dating, so it was a natural progression for him to ask her to join him. They had both just graduated from college and weren’t particularly thrilled working at corporate jobs.

They wanted to follow their passion. They made a great comedy duo, and their skits about life as a couple appealed to a large audience. As their popularity grew, Caleb and Andrea dedicated a lot of time to creating videos and posting them.

“We would work our 9-5 jobs, then from 5-9 we would create content together from one of our parents' homes. We were dedicated and motivated to keep going,” the couple explains.

After the “Watch My Boyfriend For Me” video hit big in 2024, the couple was able to quit their jobs and become full-time content creators on TikTok.

For Caleb and Andrea, it only felt natural to do comedy together. They made each other laugh all the time, so it was easy for them to transition that humor into the videos they share with others. Andrea’s pranks on Caleb and his reactions come across as hilarious and authentic, and viewers love that. The couple’s interactions remind their audience of their own relationships while also making them laugh.

“We’ve built a platform around showing the fun, messy, and relatable sides of relationships that people don’t always see on social media,” the couple says.

That relatability is why Caleb and Andrea have garnered such a big audience. Their videos continue to gain in popularity, drawing in more followers. In 2024, their TikTok gained 1.1 million followers while their Instagram grew from 50,000 to 230,000. In January of 2024, Caleb and Andrea received their first YouTube plaque for 100,000 subscribers, something that creators on the platform strive for. The couple’s channel is now close to half a million subscribers.

As the couple continues to create content and expand their audience, they’re also finding the balance between being partners in life and their business. They’ve come a long way from those early days when they didn’t know when to “turn off” work mode and now have a better routine to keep boundaries.

Among their goals for the future is to have their own pretzel brand. Caleb is well-known for his love of pretzels, as seen in their viral video.

Meanwhile, they’ll continue to make videos.

“We’ve had so many followers tell us things like, ‘I was going through a really tough time, and your videos were the one thing that made me laugh each day.’ Hearing that our silly, lighthearted content could lift someone’s mood or help with their mental health has been one of the most meaningful parts of this journey,” Andrea says.