Filipino American: MTV gives social media star Bretman Rock his own reality show

Bretman Rock has his own reality show

A Filipino American Youtube vlogger is living the dream of every social media influencer: His social media success has earned Bretman Rock his own reality series ... and like the star's personality, it is a wild ride.

The Hawaii-based Rock, 22, is one of the biggest social media influencers in the world with  over 5 million followers on Twitter and over 15 million followers on Instagram. The social media star and beauty and fashion influencer is the central subject of a new series called “MTV’s Following: Bretman Rock.”

One thing for certain: his show will not be boring. "We can watch only so many reality shows filmed in L.A. It gets boring and repetitive. I don’t think anyone really knows what a content creator’s life is like when they’re away from all the L.A. bullsh*t and mainland stuff. I wanted to bring in more of who I really am and the business side of Bretman Rock onto the show."

The six episode series began this week and will air every Tuesday on MTV’s social platforms for the next several weeks. Rock will be more intimate by take people behind the scenes of his life as an influencer, living on a small Hawaiian island and his new business ventures. 

Rock, who is unabashedly queer, hopes the series will provide his fans with a more extensive look at who he is as a person and influencer. Not shy about sharing his flamboyant lifestyle, an MTV press release notes that the episodes will center on Rock as he balances a new business, the loss of his dad, being an Internet superstar, and his mom's move.

Taping of his show "was interesting because I didn’t think I’d be filming a reality show during the middle of a pandemic,” said Rock, in an interview with CBS Local’s DJ Sixsmith. “It was weird and really new. I think we filmed a great show, even though I don’t feel my nose anymore with all those cotton swabs that have been up there. I’m obviously used to my own cameras pointing towards my face, but I’m not used to other cameras pointing at me for such long periods of time.”

As an immigrant -- he came from the Philippines 15 years ago -- Rock told NBC the bigger goal in taking his talents to MTV was to provide representation — something he lacked growing up and constantly references his Filipino roots. 

Bretman Rock and his mother taping a cooking segment.

He often features his mother in episodes titled "Cooking With My Mom," in which the mother and son cook his Filipino dishes.

In the first episode, he talks to his tearful mother over dinner about her challenges bringing her family from the Philippines to Hawaii.

“I know I'm not the only kid that moved to America and had to live with 30 cousins in one house,” he said. “I kind of just wanted to be like ... other immigrant kids coming to America with nothing but a dream.”

Bretman Rock's series started Monday and will show new episodes  on MTV's YouTube channel every Monday, 4 p.m. EST, for the next five Mondays..