From performing as characters at Disney World to reenacting Legally Blonde scenes for Reese Witherspoon herself - this TikTok duo has done it all.
Alex Maystrik and Pablo Hernandez, more prominently known as Durafest2, have amassed quite the following since their recent venture into the comedy world. Notably, being featured or mentioned by the likes of the NFL, Dallas Stars, ENews, Ellen Pompeo, and so many more.
The recent success of this hilariously funny and outrageously talented duo can be attributed partly to their longstanding friendship with each other, partly to their time spent perfecting their craft in comedy and improv clubs, and partly - to their infectious personalities that leave their viewers laughing with glee.
The Backstory
Maystrik and Hernandez met over 5 years ago while attending college at Texas A&M University. The differences between these two personalities meshed in a way that enacted an almost instantaneous friendship.
Alex Maystrik
Maystrik grew up in Katy, TX watching countless hours of Disney Channel and Saturday Night Live. Despite his love for the comedy and entertainment industry early on, it wasn't until years later that he would break out of his timid demeanor into the outgoing, energetic, and engaging performer that we now get to witness.
When asked about where his inspiration and love for performing came from, Maystrik responded with,
"Every year we would go and visit my family that lived in the Northeast. That was my favorite time of year because my aunts and uncles were incredible storytellers. They could captivate an entire crowd of people and I always aspired to tell stories like them."
Pablo Hernandez
On the other hand, Hernandez grew up in Dallas, TX in a first-generation household of over twenty people. He recalls countless memories with his relatives trying to perform and make their parents laugh by saying,
"We were a big family who loved watching Comedy Central. It was always fun for us as kids to try and make our parents laugh at the jokes we would tell or the performances we would give."
In high school, Hernandez would venture into the realm of performing arts by participating in presentations of West Side Story, Romeo and Juliet, and Aladdin Jr. This is where he first felt the desire to pursue comedy - it was only later that this duo would find each other at the perfect time in life to chase their dream - together.
The Build-Up
During their time in college, Maystrik and Hernandez would spend time participating in countless amounts of fun times together. Their life mainly revolved around the organizations they were involved with.
They took to the stage as Songfest Chairmen for their men's organization, One Army, and showed glimpses of stardom as they danced in front of a sold out crowd at Rudder Auditorium.
In addition to showcasing their performance skills on campus, the duo would also set their sights on a bigger stage - Disney World. Both Maystrik and Hernandez would experience the once-in-a-lifetime summer as a Disney intern and discover, again, their childhood sense of amazement.
A Defining Moment
As their time in college came to an end, they parted ways to start out in Corporate America.
Hernandez had moved to Austin after graduation and while working his 9-5, decided to start pursuing improv classes on the side. Unfortunately, just as he was getting back into the swing of things, the COVID-19 pandemic would send him heading back to Dallas to be with his family. It was a discouraging moment for the young performer who had to transition his way into online improv classes.
However, one day out of the blue in June of 2020, Hernandez recalls receiving a text message from Maystrik, whom he had not seen much at all since he'd graduated. The text message read,
"Hey, I need to talk to you about something super serious. Call me when you get a chance."
Shortly thereafter, Hernandez remembers dialing Maystrik's number and hearing him say,
"Dude...this is it. I want to pursue comedy."
Over the next few months the duo would spend time chatting back and forth about their aspirations of a life as performers. However, not much progress was made on these dreams until a few months later - when the duo reconnected - and the dream became a reality.
One weekend a mutual friend invited them over to his ranch for the weekend. Despite being in different cities, Maystrik decided to drive an hour out of his way to pick up his longtime friend.
During their road trip, the duo quickly got down to ironing out the plans of how they could really make their comedy dreams come true. Quickly, the conversations sparked a sense of passion within them that they had not been able to find since graduation - the duo was back together - and nothing was going to stop them.
Once arriving at the ranch, and a few cold ones into the night, Maystrik looked at Hernandez and said,
"We've got to do it. You've got to move to LA, and we've got to make this happen."
That spur of the moment road trip, that one beer too many conversation - is what would inspire the duo that we now know as Durafest.
The Process
The duo now lives in north Hollywood and spends the majority of their days writing out sketches to perform on TikTok for their loyal - and rapidly growing - following.
I would give you a follower count for their social media platforms, however, as I refresh each site, the follower count continues increasing - if I told you a number now, it could be vastly greater by the time you read this article.
When asked about the process of making their videos, they described how each video comes to fruition in a different way. Some videos are made while sitting down and brainstorming, some are sparked from a wild idea while taking a walk around Hollywood, and some are as simple as acting out a scene that a follower recommended in their comment section.
Regardless of the way in which the idea is thought of, acting out their hilarious videos take an immense amount of practice. As both Maystrik and Hernandez pride themselves on acting out their scenes with skillful and carefully rehearsed precision. Both noting,
"Sometimes it takes 10 minutes to get the video perfect, and sometimes it takes 4 hours - we won't post a video that we don't feel comfortable with. Especially our reenactments of famous scenes - the facial movements, the pauses, when we take a breath - it all has to be perfect."
This duo takes their craft seriously, and it shows through by how quickly they are growing.
What's Next
While they spend their weekdays working at jobs that they describe as just a means to an end, they are always spinning their wheels to think of the next big video.
Maystrik works with an agency to begin working on some acting gigs and Pablo works at a tech startup based in California. Their nights are spent testing out new material in front of fellow comedians at comedy clubs in the area.
Despite their current jobs, things are moving quickly for this up and coming duo. While they promised me there are big things in the work, we couldn't discuss everything just yet. I was ensured I wouldn't be disappointed by the big news they hope to release soon.
In addition, they have been contacted by some advertising companies who would like them to start showcasing their products and services to the duo's loyal following - the first of many people who want Durafest advertising on their behalf.
Maystrik and Hernandez mentioned that the TikTok duo is here to stay and they only plan to expand on their videos from here. They have high aspirations and say that being a sketch writing team could definitely be in their future. Their goal is to evolve into more sketch based routines, and mentioned some key inspirations such as Key and Peele and The Lonely Island.
Final Thoughts
These guys are a class act and deserve all the praise they've been receiving.
I hope that the next few months bring big changes for this comedic duo that allows their dreams to become a reality.
If you haven't been able to see their videos or content - a few notable videos are linked below, as well as the duo's social media links.
Popular Videos:
Socials:
1. TikTok
2. Instagram
I can't wait to see what is next for Maystrik and Hernandez and hope that this article has been able to shed some light behind the scenes with TikTok's newest stars.
Vin
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