Olly Balgos - Video Creator

Bay Are video creator Olly Balgos was introduced to TikTok while on a date in 2019, and the rest is viral social media history! With the screen name Otakoyakisoba, Olly share posts about everyday life and shares the screen with his mom, Mama Lulu. The two share a beautiful mother and son relationship, with a dynamic so special and charming. Their honest and often hilarious interactions entertain, with popular videos like Name That Celebrity, silly pranks, TikTok trends, family cameos, and even creating their own vocabulary like "Pandanemic”. Olly shares, “one thing is for sure, is that whatever comes out of my Mom’s mouth, I have no idea what she’s going to say. I think that’s what people love about her and the videos. She has no filter and it creates for a genuine and funny interaction between us and the audience.” Their connection with others is special and Mama Lulu loves reading all the comments and messages. And they take their online presence and platform seriously. Olly has shared personal experiences and insecurities about homophobia, bullying, and depression, knowing that talking about acknowledging those experiences can help others. Olly also addresses current social justice issues, “we also cannot ignore the bigger issues this past year with Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, and the pandemic. Anyone with a huge online presence has an obligation to speak up and inform others. Silence is complicity. The hate that we are seeing that so many people of color are going through is not something new. This has been going on for hundreds of years and we need to continue to talk about these issues and shed a light to any injustice.. No platform is too small to do good.” Tiktok has creating and interactions have helped with confidence, and friends and Mama Lulu bring Olly support and growth. Mama Lulu and Olly share a very honest and loving relationship, they are open about everything and she is eager to learn about Olly’s life and the LGBTQ+ community. The two are indeed a power duo and have more coming including vlogs, cooking videos, Tiktoks outside (they’re both fully vaccinated!), and have more projects coming up!

tiktok.com/@otakoyakisoba
instagram.com/otakoyakisoba
youtube.com/c/otakoyakisobas

When and why did you start sharing videos of you and Mama Lulu on TikTok?
It’s such a funny story how we started. It was on November 2019, just before Thanksgiving. I haven’t gone out on a date for a long time, and when I finally did, this guy kept going on and on about this app called TikTok for the whole entire date and how great it was. During boba, he showed TikTok to me and I was obsessed!

The first video I actually shared was a video that I’ve had in my camera roll for over a year. It was me catching my Mom staring at the Korean actor Lee Min Ho on her phone screen. After that, the videos just kept coming.

On why I kept sharing videos of my Mom and I, it was honestly for fun at first. As time progressed, my Mom also started to enjoy it as well and joined me in the process of making the videos. I wanted to use this opportunity as a way to bond with her. We’ve always had a great mother and son relationship, but as I’ve gotten older, my interest changed, I started going out more, and I was always busy with work. We only get to be with the people we love for so long, so I use TikTok as a way to bond and to make even more memories with her.

How has the reception been for your TikToks?
It has been absolutely insane. But in a positive way! To this day my Mom and I cannot believe how much it resonated with so many people from around the world. I always knew how funny my Mom was and our interactions with each other, but to have millions of people, including celebrities say how much they love our videos is such an amazing feeling.

What are some favorite TikTok videos you’ve created?
All of them are pretty special in their own way. If I have to choose, my Mom and I love the Name That Celebrity videos. It’s what initially started everything for us and became such a viral hit. And the first video where my Mom got fully involved in making our TikToks. The videos showed the world how lovable and naturally funny my Mom was.

Do you come up with video ideas before hand, or do you just wing it?
It really depends on the videos. Videos like Name That Celebrity I think of ahead time. I usually come up of which celebrities I’m going to show my Mom as well as pull ideas from our followers who comment suggestions. Sometimes, when I’m just bored, I bother my Mom with random things I come up with or pranks that I see online. Other times, we do TikTok trends. But one thing is for sure, is that whatever comes out of my Mom’s mouth, I have no idea what she’s going to say. I think that’s what people love about her and the videos. She has no filter and it creates for a genuine and funny interaction between us and the audience.

How does it feel to have people connect and resonate with your videos? And how does Mama Lulu feel about her fame?
It makes my heart filled to see so many people connect with our videos. It creates a sense of belonging to see other Filipino children my age and younger, and kids of immigrant parents in America and other parts of the world find comfort and happiness through them.

More importantly, it makes me even more happy to see my Mom smile. That is the best thing about all of this. She constantly looks at the comments on our videos and her own Instagram to see how much support and love she’s been getting from so many people around the world. She sees messages of how inspiring she is, that they remind her of their mom or grandmother, or how she makes them laugh every single day. Her heart is filled with gratitude, and if my Mom is happy, so am I.

You have a big online presence, how do you use your platform for good?
Using your platform for good has so many layers and aspects to it. Whether it’s messaging a follower having a tough time personally, or just a random person who wants a simple reply to make their day or even helping out a local small business and sharing their creations online can help make a positive impact. Sharing my personal experiences about image insecurities, battling homophobia, depression and bullying can reach others who share the same experiences and may inspire them personally. Even by simply addressing and acknowledging relevant social issues will help continue conversation to so many people who look up to us and love our videos.

But most importantly, we also cannot ignore the bigger issues this past year with Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, and the pandemic. Anyone with a huge online presence has an obligation to speak up and inform others. Silence is complicity. The hate that we are seeing that so many people of color are going through is not something new. This has been going on for hundreds of years and we need to continue to talk about these issues and shed a light to any injustice.

Besides donating ourselves to organizations that support causes that we believe in as well as signing petitions. I created a story highlight on my Instagram profile to sites where people can donate, sign petitions, or even inform themselves regarding BLM and Stop Hate Asian Movements. As well just other messages about speaking out against racism or discrimination or calling out others who spread hate.

No platform is too small to do good. We all reach people in our lives. The information and goodness we put out can inspire your family or friends and it can change people’s mind and shed a light on so many issues. That’s what I tell our followers every time I post on my Instagram stories or someone reaches out to me on private messages or comments. No help is too little. Every voice counts!

What is special about your mother/son relationship?
How open we are to one another. I can speak to my Mom about anything. No limits. Growing up, just like any other Filipino Mom, she was strict, but once I grew up, got my own job, she treated me like an adult. Sure, there is still that parent-child boundary, but she doesn’t treat me like I’m still a little kid. While others might feel embarrassed about talking to their parents about certain topics, my Mom is all ears and ready to listen.

What I commend my Mom the most is her eagerness to learn and be open minded. She loves learning and asking me about social issues, especially about the LGBTQ+ community. As a 63-year old woman, she doesn’t have to learn about anything, but being an openly gay man myself, and having another sister who’s a lesbian, she continues to educate herself because she wants us to feel as loved as possible.

Who/what has been instrumental in your personal and creative growth?
My Mom. My friends. I have tight knit family and small group of friends that I pull from in times of trouble both personally and creatively. I’m the kind of person who loves to talk and have a conversations about anything, and I think hearing advice and comfort from people I love and trust the most has made me grow as a person. I think overcoming personal struggles can bleed into creative growth. Sometimes what stops us from growing creatively are the personal struggles we cannot overcome.

I also think TikTok has helped immensely. I think being able to come up with videos and seeing how much people love them helped my confidence. Also, as someone who has struggled with depression. Having a creatively outlet to express myself is something that’s very therapeutic.

Also, being single. I love it.

Do you have anything coming up that you’re excited about?
By the time this interview goes up, my Mom and I will be fully vaccinated. That’s very exciting. We might finally do TikToks outside the house, and even travel. Maybe even start posting vlogs on our YouTube or cooking videos. We also have more ongoing projects that’s in the works in the coming months. We can’t talk about it, but just keep your eyes posted on our TikTok, Instagram and Youtube!

Photos courtesy of Olly Balgos