If you had told me ten years ago that one of my favorite ways that I would be getting my news is from a super hot half Puerto Rican gay man dressed as Jesus or the Devil I wouldn’t believe you, but Mr. Tell Williams’s hot takes on the political climate help me get through the day. A comedian with a heart of gold, Tell started his social media journey recanting stories from his teaching days and now educates the masses through his wholesome political and social commentary.

Some of my personal favorite videos of his are when he dresses as Jesus or the Devil, while they are cute and fun, I personally love his take on the characters and how they they might not be like what most Christians think they are, but actually a lot more like how I envision them. For example, maybe Jesus would be a fan of feeding kids school lunches and not killing lots of people, who knew?

Another wonderful thing about Tell is that he is a huge feminist and humanitarian. As a man who was raised by strong women he is often throwing his support for women and fighting for us to be treated well. In our current climate, it is so refreshing to see a guy standing up for women. And of course he doesn’t stop there. Tell also works with many LGBTQ+ organizations, mental heath (oh he is also a therapist!), the arts, and food banks. If you don’t already follow him, let our exclusive cover fashion editorial and interview, convince you to! And if you do, you are welcome, because there is nothing better than more Mr. Tell Williams.

Where are you based?
I am based in the Philly suburbs.

You hold many titles: teacher, therapist, comedian, and social media personality. How do you balance your many responsibilities within each of these roles?
I think it sounds more difficult than it is. I am no longer teaching. After Graduate school I transitioned to doing therapy full-time. Social Media and Comedy I definitely do on the side. It has never been a desire or dream to be an influencer or comedian. I am so privileged I get to do it, and that I get to do it on my own terms, but I definitely prioritize the work I do in mental health and in the office.

You are best known for your hilarious political social media videos! How did you get started making these videos? Did you have any idea it would turn into the empire you have now, with almost 2M followers on Instagram alone?
I had no idea it would snowball into all of this. I was encouraged to make a video on Tiktok by my siblings, retelling a funny incident that happened in the classroom. I didn’t have a profile photo or account name. I just posted the video and went to bed. I woke up to a about 30k followers, and within a few months hit a million. Now here we are five years later with over 3.5 million on TikTok and nearing 2 Million on Instagram. It’s all very wild to me.

What drew you to creating political themed content? Why do you feel it is important that you address it the way you do?
I blew up during COVID and during Trump’s first presidency. I felt defeated, and I could see so many others did too. I could also see people grappling with their politics and how to change their perspectives or learn to do and be better. I had been told in the past I was easily able to disarm people through comedy, and that is what I have been trying to do now. Bring humor into the conversation, so that it feels easier to start the conversation on politics.

We are obsessed with your hot Jesus and Devil takes on the issues. What inspired you to take on these characters?
I think it started when I saw so much of MAGA denying children access to food. SNAP benefits being cut, and free or reduced school lunches. I couldn’t help but think, if these people call themselves Christians, not only WTF but also WWJD. Just saying that wasn’t enough. So I thought, what if they saw someone playing Jesus, asking them questions like “Are you okay with denying children food”. After buying a loin cloth and wig I started making the videos.

With how divided the USA is these days are you ever worried about backlash? Have you experienced any hate for your content?
I regularly get backlash, death threats, or wind up in conservative/alt right podcast and newscasts. At first it was devastating. Again, I never sought out to do this, so getting such volatile push back was terrifying. I also have had a different experience than most influencers. I toured the US on a comedy tour and met THOUSANDS of people who liked my politics or didn’t like my politics, and I found that by in large, people are kinder than what we are led to believe. The loudest voices aren’t necessarily the majority.

We also love how supportive of women you are on your page. Why is this important to you? Do you think all women should just go into lavender marriages?
I was raised by women. My mom and my three sisters. I have learned women lead better, they are more nurturing, and they are what builds and keeps community. I have been supported, loved, and taken care of by women, and I think the LEAST I can do is use my privilege as a cis-male to give that support back. And listen, if that means being in a lavender marriage with a woman, I love it. ALL men should be supporting women, not just the queer ones.

What’s the story behind how you got into teaching? Are you still an active teacher? Do you pull from this experience when creating your content?
So I wish I could say it was because I had always wanted to be a teacher, and it was my calling. It wasn’t. I finished college and was going through a bad break up and moved back in with my Mom. After two weeks of sulking around and rewatching all of Sex and the City, she was was like “You have to get off my couch and do something”. She was a social worker for the Head Start Program, and got me an interview as a long-term substitute. I found I loved it and was good at it, eventually they offered me a full-time teaching position and I accepted it.

I don’t teach anymore, but definitely use all the experience I had both in the office when giving therapy to adults, and in my content creating. It has helped me reach a type of creativity I didn’t know I have but has allowed me a chance to learn how to reach people in different ways.

You once said “Teaching is a form of advocacy. So, every teacher out there is an advocate, and every teacher out there is political.” Can you expand on this a bit? What are some ways in which teachers can be more inclusive and advocate for their students?
Teaching is political because education is political. I 100% believe that. When we are educating and informing others, we are teaching them about themselves, about others, and how we can best show up. I think this is why the right is so scared of education.

I think advocacy starts for teachers by the communities we build in our classroom. We should make spaces where everyone feels a sense of belonging, safety, and cared for. That goes for the parents as well. A lot of times when I see parents that are up in arms or upset over a topic or book, I invite them into the conversation, explain why we are having the conversation, and most of all, give them to autonomy whether they want to continue that conversation at home.

Your child is having a difficult time learning to tie their shoes, I am absolutely not trying to indoctrinate them. All I want my students to know is that if Billy has two mom’s or Barabara is raised by a single father, all of that is okay.

As policies become more restrictive, why is it important we support educators?
Teachers are experts in education, and we need to treat them as experts and professionals. They aren’t glorified babysitters, and they don’t just work for ONE family, they work for ALL families. I think trusting their expertise and their years of training and education on how to best reach children is wildly important.

What do diversity and inclusion mean to you? What are some ways in which you weave them into your teaching?
I could go on and on about this. It’s such a huge topic. I don’t want to oversimplify such a huge topic, but I think we can view it like this. Look around at the different faces and families in your classroom. Now look around at your materials, lessons, books, classroom decorations, and activities. Are you representing and celebrating everyone in your classroom? Are you welcoming and supporting each identity in there? Are children seeing images that look like them? Days that celebrate their traditions? Language that they can understand? Children are spending more waking hours in the classroom than they are at home, I want this space to feel safe and comfortable for them.

What inspired your want to become a therapist and pursue a degree in macro social work?
So my focus in school was clinical social work. The program I was in made sure we were well rounded and trained in Micro/Mezzo/Macro social work. I will be so honest, I had NO desire to do Macro Social Work- but social media had other plans for me. When I realized how many people I could reach through advocating, and how my program educated me and gave me the tools to practice at a more global scale, I latched onto it.

I saw my mom do social work growing up, and I admired the work she did. After 10+ years of teaching children, and seeing what happens to them when traumatic events occur, or their social and emotional needs aren’t being met, I wanted to figure out how to help guide that healing to them as adults. So I made the transition from teaching children, to giving therapy to adults.

Why is having easy access to therapy so important, especially for children?
Because trauma completely changes our brain. So many things can happen that we may not understand, and I think that having a therapist help not only the child, but the family, through hard to understand life events is so important.

You are also a huge advocate of the LGBTQ+ community. We love that you have performed comedy shows to fundraise for the LGBT Equality Alliance. Can you tell us a bit about them and why they are so important to you?
I grew up in northern Indiana. I had 0 information on any LGBTQIA+ communities or resources. When I moved to the Philly suburbs, a friend was working with LGBT Equality Alliance, and it was the first time I had seen and experienced an organization specifically for Queer people. I have done several events for them, and try to platform them as much as I can. I think they are a fantastic organization.

You are also a big advocate of the William Way LGBT community center. Can you tell us a bit about them and why you like to advocate for them?
I learned about William Way a few years ago, and the health and mental heath resources they offer people. I learned about them in my graduate program. I haven’t done a lot of work with them, but I try and talk about them as much as possible because I have friends who have worked with them, or get services from them.

What advice do you have for queer individuals who may be afraid to fully be themselves because of the current political climate in the U.S.?
In a perfect/naïve world I’d say ‘always be yourself’. That isn’t everyone’s reality. There are spaces people have to choose between being themselves or having safety. I think the best advice I have is, find community. Find moments where you can be safe enough to let your guard down and celebrate you. Find people who will support, uplift, and love you for exactly who you are.

You also work with Chester County Food Bank, Salt Performing Arts, and SEIU Philadelphia. Can you tell us a little bit about your work with these organizations and why they are important to you?
I did a fundraiser for Chester County Food bank when SNAP benefits were being withheld in the fall. I had food insecurities growing up, and my parents were on food stamps. No child should ever have to wonder where they are getting their next meals, and no parents working their ass off should feel like a failure cause they can’t make ends meet to feed their families.

I have always done theatre. When I moved to the Philly area from Indiana, I knew as an adult it would be hard to make friends, so I turned to theatre again to create a community. I found my was to SALT Performing Arts pretty quickly, and they welcomed me with open arms. As they’ve expanded and grown as an organization, I wanted to help payback what they’ve given me by donating and fundraising for them.

SEIU is a fantastic union. Union workers are vital and have done SO much for this country. They reached out a few years ago asking if I would door knock with them during the election. Since then I have worked alongside them and have loved ever minute of it. The members I have met of this union are exceptional.

Are there any upcoming projects you are currently working on that we should be on the lookout for?
I always have something up my sleeve. Who knows. Maybe a book, maybe a tour. *wink wink*

It has been a crazy few years, and we expect at least three more. How have you been staying positive?
I truly believe there are more good and kind people out there, than what we are led to believe. I have seen it and experienced it. As Mr. Rogers says to do “look for the helpers”. That is how I get through this. Not only look for the helpers but seeing how many people are becoming helpers. It’s encouraging.

What is your motto in life?
“I’ll look back on this and laugh”. For some of the most painful and difficulty things I have been through, I have still been able to look back and chuckle.

To learn more about Tell Williams, please check out the links below:
Instagram: mrwilliamsprek
TikTok: mrwilliamsprek

Team Credits:
Photographer: Kira Bucca
Stylist: Chad Groom
Groomer: Asha Smith
Photo Assistant: Michael Newman
Stylist Assistant: Julian Guiffre

COVER - Mr. Tell Williams - Disarming People Through Comedy