A comedian turned his bullies into his biggest fans by making light of his rare genetic condition on social media.
Jovante Carter, from New Orleans, Louisiana, was born with Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia (HED), a genetic skin disease that affects the growth of teeth, hair and sweat glands, and is associated with distinctive facial features such as a prominent forehead, missing teeth, thick lips, and a flattened bridge of the nose.
As a child, Jovante was bullied for his appearance, making his life in difficult in New Orleans – a city he believes is ‘rough to grow up in as it is’.
Check out the comedian in action, joking about his looks, here:
The 19-year-old comedian went viral when he was just eight years old, when a photo of his face was shared far and wide. But it wasn’t until he was 16 he realised he could make a living off his looks.
Explaining how he learned to ‘take [his] negative and turn it into a positive’, Jovante said:
My first account was created when I was eight and I had a picture go viral. But when I was 16 one of my friends, who is now my business partner and manager, started to take it seriously.
With the help of my business partner I took all the attention I was receiving and capitalised. My life changed completely.
Jovante shares pictures, memes and videos of himself on his Instagram and YouTube accounts, poking fun at his own image and the attitudes of those around him.
Having built up a substantial fanbase, the comedian now earns between $2,000 and $3,000 per post, and suggests he earns around ‘six figures yearly’. His Instagram account has two million followers; some of whom are the same people who used to bully Jovante for his looks.
He explained:
I went from being bullied to being the cool guy that everyone wants to hang around.
The same people that bullied me, now follow me on social media. They are my biggest fans.
The 19-year-old has also made his TV debut, on the Zeus Network reality show The Real Dumbass World.
Jovante receives a lot of support on social media, with many people telling him he is an inspiration, though there are still people who leave cruel comments. Among the worst responses are ones apparently telling the comedian he should have ‘died at birth’.
Jovante refuses to entertain the trolls though, and takes the high road whenever he responds.
He said:
I’ll respond with positivity by liking one of their photos or the comment to show them I’m not swooping down to their level.
Jovante wants his accounts to be a source of positivity – places that prove ‘just because you might be different doesn’t mean that you [are] lesser’.
He added:
I would like to show people that anything is possible.
I want people to be inspired by me and hopefully spread self-confidence and self love.
In the future, the 19-year-old hopes to use his ‘clout and connections’ to branch out and open up his own businesses, including restaurants around New Orleans.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.