You probably remember the first time you saw it. Maybe you were scrolling through Twitter or catching up on YouTube in 2018 when a very specific, very polished video popped up featuring Antoni Porowski. It wasn't his usual Queer Eye routine of slicing avocados or teaching someone how to make a basic grapefruit salad. Instead, it was something much darker.
People started calling it the Antoni Porowski Netflix Psycho video almost immediately.
It was a riff on the 2000 cult classic American Psycho, specifically that chilling opening monologue where Christian Bale’s Patrick Bateman walks you through his morning routine. But instead of a Wall Street serial killer, we got Antoni. It was weird. It was sleek. Honestly, it was a stroke of genius from the Netflix marketing team that most people still don't fully give enough credit to for how well it blurred the lines between celebrity persona and high-concept parody.
The Anatomy of a Viral Parody
Netflix dropped this as a promotional piece for Queer Eye Season 2. They didn't have to go that hard. Usually, promo clips for reality shows are just "best of" reels or heart-tugging interviews. But this? This was a cinematic, shot-for-shot homage.
If you watch them side-by-side, the attention to detail is actually kind of insane. You have Antoni wearing the translucent face mask. You have the precise, rhythmic application of eye cream. You have the narration delivered in that same cold, detached, yet strangely soothing cadence. "I can't remember the last time I ate a carb," he says while staring into a mirror. It's funny because it pokes fun at the exact thing people teased him for during the first season: being almost too perfect, too groomed, and perhaps a little too obsessed with "clean" living.
Marketing is weird these days. You can't just tell people to watch a show; you have to give them a meme. Netflix understood that the internet was already making jokes about Antoni's intense energy. By leaning into the "Psycho" aesthetic, they essentially said, "Yeah, we see the tweets. We're in on the joke."
Why the Patrick Bateman Comparison Stuck
There is a specific reason why the Antoni Porowski Netflix Psycho vibe worked so well. Patrick Bateman is the ultimate avatar of vanity. He’s a guy who is so obsessed with his external presentation—his business cards, his skin, his core strength—that he has completely lost his soul.
Antoni, on the other hand, is the heart of Queer Eye. He’s the guy who cries when a veteran talks about his family. The contrast is what makes the parody bite. When Antoni says, "I believe in taking care of myself," while meticulously prepping a kitchen, it triggers that "uncanny valley" feeling.
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Is he just a guy who likes yogurt? Or is there something more?
It’s that "something more" that kept the video circulating for years. It touched on a specific cultural moment where we were all starting to feel a little exhausted by influencer culture and "perfect" morning routines. By mimicking Bateman, Antoni was basically skewering the very industry he belongs to.
More Than Just a Face Mask
Let’s talk about the production value for a second. This wasn't some handheld iPhone video. Netflix hired professionals who understood the lighting of the original film. The cold blues, the sterile whites of the kitchen, the way the camera lingers on the textures of the food. It looks expensive.
- The face mask peeling scene.
- The ritualistic preparation of the morning smoothie.
- The intense, direct eye contact with the camera.
Honestly, it’s one of the few times a brand has successfully used "cringe" as a weapon. They knew people would find it slightly uncomfortable. That discomfort leads to shares. Shares lead to views. Views lead to people remembering that Season 2 is dropping on Friday.
The video also helped solidify Antoni's "brand" outside of just being the food guy. It showed he had range. It showed he could act—or at least, he could play a heightened, terrifying version of himself with a straight face.
The Cultural Impact of the Netflix Psycho Bit
You still see the screenshots. Every time Antoni posts a workout photo or a picture of a particularly intricate meal, someone in the comments is going to reference the "Psycho" video. It’s become part of his lore.
It’s also a masterclass in how to handle "the haters." When Queer Eye first premiered, some critics were skeptical of Antoni's culinary skills. They thought he was just a pretty face who liked avocados. Instead of getting defensive or posting a 20-minute video of himself making a five-course meal to prove his worth, he leaned into the "pretty face" trope. He turned the criticism into a character.
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That’s a move most celebrities are too afraid to make. They want to be taken seriously at all times. Antoni (and the Netflix creative team) realized that being a little bit "psycho" is much more interesting than being perfectly earnest.
The Real Genius Behind the Strategy
We have to look at the timeline. In 2018, the "Fab Five" were everywhere. They were on every talk show, every magazine cover. Saturation is a real danger for reality stars. People get bored.
The Antoni Porowski Netflix Psycho video acted as a "pattern interrupt." It was so tonally different from the show that it forced people to pay attention again. It wasn't "wholesome." It was dark. It was a bit "alt."
It also appealed to a different demographic. While your mom might watch Queer Eye for the home renovations, the "Psycho" parody appealed to the cinephiles and the irony-poisoned internet dwellers. It broadened the net. It made the show "cool" in a way that standard lifestyle content just can't.
Fact-Checking the "Psychopath" Rumors
Just to be absolutely clear—because the internet is a strange place—Antoni Porowski is not a psychopath.
It’s wild that this actually has to be said, but the video was so effective that some people genuinely wondered if he was that intense in real life. In interviews afterward, Antoni was quick to point out that he’s actually quite clumsy and far less organized than the Patrick Bateman version of himself. He’s gone on record saying the shoot was one of the most fun things he’s done because it was so ridiculous.
The "Psycho" label is purely a marketing construct. A very, very successful one.
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What We Can Learn From the Antoni Porowski Netflix Psycho Moment
If you're in marketing, or even if you're just someone trying to build a personal brand, there are actual lessons here. It’s not just about a funny video.
- Own the narrative. If people are making fun of you for something, beat them to the punch.
- High quality matters. A low-budget parody would have been forgotten in an hour. The cinematic quality made it "art."
- Contrast is king. Taking a "sweet" character and putting them in a "dark" setting is a classic storytelling trope that never fails to get a reaction.
The video serves as a reminder of a time when Netflix marketing was arguably at its peak. They weren't just throwing trailers at the wall; they were creating cultural moments.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Creators
If you’re looking to dive deeper into this specific intersection of pop culture and marketing, there are a few things you should actually do.
First, go back and watch the original American Psycho opening. Then watch the Antoni version. Notice the pacing. Notice how the music shifts. It’s a lesson in editing.
Second, look at how other Netflix shows have tried (and often failed) to replicate this. There’s a fine line between a clever parody and a forced meme. The Antoni video worked because it felt like it was born from actual internet discourse.
Finally, recognize the power of the "un-brand." Sometimes the best way to promote something is to do the exact opposite of what people expect. Antoni Porowski didn't need another cooking demo. He needed a translucent face mask and a cold, dead stare. And honestly? We’re still talking about it years later, so it clearly worked.
If you're ever feeling like your online presence is getting a bit stale, maybe you don't need a new filter. Maybe you need a complete tonal shift. Just, you know, maybe leave the actual Patrick Bateman stuff to the professionals.
To really understand the impact, look at the engagement metrics on that specific video compared to standard Queer Eye trailers. The "Psycho" bit outperformed almost everything else from that season’s press cycle. It proves that being "weird" is often more valuable than being "perfect."
Next time you see Antoni on your screen, you’ll probably think of that eye cream. You’ll think of the mask. And you’ll definitely think of the avocado. That is the power of a perfectly executed, slightly unhinged marketing campaign. It lives rent-free in our heads because it dared to be a little bit "psycho."