Rick and Griff Twombley-King are best known for their silly lip sync videos and thirst trappy photos on social media. Over 700 thousand followers tune into their adventures on Rick and The Griffopotamus where the loveable pair project the splendid wonder of a real-life, married gay couple. To capitalise on the show’s popularity, the guys have begun producing merchandise, available in their new online store, TwoKingsUnlimited. Paul Hutnick got to know them from their home in Atlanta.
For the benefit of those who have been living under a rock for the past year, who are Rick and Griff?
Rick: I am a retired professional dancer and acrobat. I performed on Broadway and Cirque du Soleil. I now own my own personal training company, Rick Twombley Fitness LLC and I am CEO of Two Kings Unlimited. I’m a Capricorn to my core.
Griff: I’m a stubborn Taurus, and a graphic artist and landscape/urban designer. I started my own graphic design company, Griff-iti Studio, and am co-owner of Two Kings Unlimited.
You call Atlanta home now but where are you originally from?
Rick: Nebraska.
Griff: Greenville, South Carolina.
When was the last time you were in London?
Rick: Griff hasn’t been to London yet, and the last time I was there was when I was touring with RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Violet Chachki. Unfortunately, I only had time to see my hotel room and the venue we performed in. We flew into London in the afternoon, rehearsed, performed and had to get back on a plane early the next morning.
Who is the person that inspires you the most?
Rick: Madonna. When I was a gay teen in Nebraska, she was one of the only stars standing up and speaking out for the LGBT community, and that was important for me to see.
Griff: I’ve been very inspired by Neil deGrasse Tyson. I really respond to his approach to solving climate change issues and taking science into the mainstream.
Have you used the quiet time in quarantine to work on anything new?
Rick: We closed on our new house and we’ve been decorating and making it into our perfect haven.
Griff: We’ve also been working on our merchandise. Currently we have a calendar, our erotic playing card deck, sex toys moulded from our own attributes, onesies and we’re finishing up on work on our coffee table book.
What do you enjoy most about modelling for photography?
Rick: The creativity of figuring out new and inventive ways to produce imagery that people enjoy looking at.
How do you both stay in such great shape?
Griff: Consistency at the gym and moderation with food.
What is your favourite pastime?
Rick: I’m a huge movie buff.
Griff: I like playing video games and drawing.
What is your favourite vacation getaway?
Griff: Palm Springs, California.
Rick: The Thai islands. They are so exotic and beautiful, it’s like travelling to another planet.
What is your biggest dream you have yet to achieve?
Rick: I’m a writer. I would love to get published.
Griff: I am in the process of writing a graphic novel and illustrating it.
How has the pandemic affected your personal and business lives?
Rick: We’ve been surprisingly blessed. We have each other and our close friends who we’ve been able to spend more quality time with over the last several months.
What is your current struggle?
Griff: Seeing the massive divisiveness that the pandemic and the political climate has caused, especially within the gay community. Everyone is becoming so extreme. We have forgotten what it means to communicate and meet in a middle ground.
What is your message to Boyz readers this Winter?
Rick: There’s no better advice to give than to be kind. Be understanding. Be compassionate. Spend less time lecturing people on the internet who have a different point of view than you, and more time listening.
To shop at the online store visit TwoKingsUnlimited.com.
Follow Rick and Griff on IG @rick_and_the_griffopotamus, Twitter @rickandgriff, and for more explicit content go to Onlyfans @rickandgriff.
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