During CBS’s September 29 broadcast of the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers, announcer Jim Nantz referenced an impression of broadcasting partner Tony Romo that had gone viral on TikTok. Romo responded by doing an impression of that person doing an impression of him, which, to be fair, didn’t sound all that different from the real him.
Tony Romo doing an impression of Frank Caliendo’s impression of Tony Romo #romoception pic.twitter.com/v3AW6pF6lu
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 29, 2024
While that 0urboros (Romoborous?) was an appreciation of comedian Frank Caliendo’s impression of the broadcaster, a different TikTok impressionist was getting inundated with messages from people saying his videos had been referenced on the broadcast. In grand social media fashion, that TikToker made a video explaining that it was not, in fact, his impression of Tony Romo being referenced, but someone else’s. That video has since garnered over 800,000 views and probably generated at least $800.
Not a bad day’s work as a Tony Romo impressionist discussing someone else’s Tony Romo impression that was discussed by Tony Romo himself.
That’s life for Henry Marken, TikTok’s go-to Tony Romo (and Cris Collinsworth) impressionist.
“The whole thing of Romo is all about [pained noises]. You know he’s got something to say. Even if you said nothing, the best Romo impression, even if you said nothing at all, is [pained noises],” says Marken, explaining his Romo impression process. “Imagine someone’s pinching you in the lower back, but you have to tell them whatever they want to hear. Imagine you’re a hostage. You’ve got to tell them where the money is, but at the same time, you know you shouldn’t tell them, but they’re pinching you. So you’re in pain, but you also want to tell them something, but you can’t. So really nothing comes out.”
@hsmarken Romo, Mahomes, and the refs… what a game! #tonyromo #nflmemes #chiefskingdom #bengalsfootball #impressions #henrymarken ♬ original sound – HENRY MARKEN
Marken is far from the only person doing impressions of NFL broadcasters on TikTok and other social media platforms. Caliendo has his impression. Comedian Joey Mulinaro has one as well. TikToker Püzz found his niche by combining an NSFW Romo impression with gameplay footage from Madden.
However, the 25-year-old has carved out a career for himself off of impressions of Romo, Collinsworth, and other sports personalities thanks to his brand of consistency, comical situations, and a generous TikTok Creator Fund.
@hsmarken Now here’s a guy who won’t talk! #nflmemes #impressions #criscollinsworth #patrickmahomes ♬ original sound – HENRY MARKEN
It’s not coincidental that Marken found his niche in emulating sports broadcasters. After calling high school football games, he intended to make a career out of announcing.
“I think broadcasting is an art,” he said. “You can watch a game but how the broadcaster calls it is how you experience the game. It’s how you remember the game.”
He enrolled at Indiana University intending to major in broadcasting but, after the pandemic, those jobs dried up. Instead, Marken moved back home to California to pursue his second love: Sketch comedy. Unsurprisingly, there wasn’t much money in making sketch comedy videos, so he took several day jobs in the corporate world until reaching out to former MLB Network analyst and No Filter Network co-founder Eric Byrnes. While Marken highlighted his skills as a video editor and broadcaster, his ability to do impressions caught Byrnes’ attention.
“He was like, ‘What do you mean impressions?’ I was like, ‘Well, I can do an impression of you.’ He’s got this raspy Romo-esque voice, but that’s where Romo began, was actually doing impressions of Byrnes,” said Marken, “I did it in front of him many times, and he loved it.”
Meanwhile, Marken continued building his brand online and honing his impressions, attempting to find his footing on the many social media platforms but never quite getting anywhere. That’s when TikTok came along.
“I never was really sold on the idea of making videos for TikTok because I was like, I don’t know, TikTok is a lot of dance, and I’m not really a dancer,” he said. “I like the idea of just doing comedy and just screwing around. They’re like, ‘Oh, no, you can make money on TikTok. You just get paid per views like YouTube. I never really found success on YouTube. But then once those big [TikTok videos] happened, they would get 500,000-600,000 views. It was like $500 a video.
“Whenever those take off, you’re like, ‘Okay that’s more than rent money. Hang on, let’s reevaluate my time here.”
And so, Marken put his Tony Romo and Cris Collinsworth impressions to work. His bread and butter became videos where the NFL broadcasters discuss their favorite players or get caught up in an absurd situation. In doing so, he created something of a Tony Romo-Cris Collinsworth Cinematic Universe (TRCCCU).
@hsmarken Now here are some guys who are trying to save humanity #interstellar #nflmemes #tonyromo #patrickmahomes #greenscreen ♬ No Time for Caution – Hans Zimmer
In a short amount of time, those impressions effectively became his livelihood. A steady diet of videos consistently garners anywhere from low five-figure to half a million views, with several crossing the million-view mark. These videos generate a consistent income base, though that’s only the beginning.
Like any content creator worth their salt, he’s parlayed that success into partnerships with brands such as HelloFresh, Dr. Squatch Soap Co., and Max. He’s also on Cameo, churning out personalized “Now here’s a guy” videos for birthdays. He also has a podcast, breaks out impressions at comedy shows, and says he even had the chance to audition for Saturday Night Live. One of his audition pieces? Nurse Cris Collinsworth gives patient Tony Romo a colonoscopy.
“I just do media full-time,” says Marken. “That’s how I say it. It’s just so much easier that way.”
@hsmarken Now here’s a guy who doesn’t think it will happen (but if it does, follow me everywhere — hsmarken) #nflmemes #nflplayoffs #patrickmahomes #impressions ♬ original sound – HENRY MARKEN
Speaking of, few aspects of Tony Romo’s broadcasting style stand out quite as much as the ‘I don’t know, Jim’ catchphrase, which Marken assigns to the former quarterback’s politeness. But there’s more to a good Romo impression than simply repeating ‘Jim’ in a pained voice over and over.
“For me, you never know where the finish point is going to be from where he starts and what that journey is going to look like from point A to point B,” says Mulinaro, who initially went viral for his impressions of people like Nick Saban, Ed Orgeron, and Colin Cowherd. “That’s the most important part… the absolute most scenic route from point A to point B, and then the sped-up process of how he’s talking.”
Mulinaro, who is much further along in his comedy career, doesn’t lean on the impressions in the same way from a business standpoint but sees how they are catalysts for other opportunities to grow his brand.
“I did an event this past summer for the Dana Open LPGA event. Jim Nantz was the headliner and I was the opener. So I got to hang out with Jim and meet him and chat with him backstage, which was super cool and very surreal,” he said. “The people who ran that event reached out to my representation and wanted me to come perform there because of the videos they’ve seen online. Opportunity came from that. It’s all tied in a way.”
@joeymulinaro At least 2 Hangover references #fyp ♬ original sound – Joeymulinaro
While every Romo impressionist turns the volume up or down on certain characteristics, including the Patrick Mahomes references, one thing they tend to share is an appreciation for the CBS broadcaster they’re parodying.
“I never try to take jabs at these people. I always just try to put them in a light, put them in a funny situation, and have fun with it,” said Mulinaro. “I know it may look like I’m taking shots at Romo, but it’s all in good fun. With any of the people that I impersonate, most of the time, it’s because I’m such a big fan and I respect them so much, and I just like to have fun with it.”
@joeymulinaro Dream guest #fyp ♬ original sound – Joeymulinaro
So how far can Tony Romo and Cris Collinsworth impressions take you? The potential TikTok ban almost threw a wrench in Marken’s grand plans, and the future remains a bit unknown on that front.
“I’d obviously love to see it stay, as I’ve built a great following full of awesome fans there, but I’m fortunate enough that TikTok has given me a platform and opportunities that do not solely depend on TikTok,” said Marken. “I was more worried that the TikTok ban was just the start of a chain reaction involving other bans and censorships of creative expression.”
@hsmarken Now here’s a wholesome chat #nflmemes #billsmafia #joshallen #patrickmahomes #impressions ♬ original sound – HENRY MARKEN
In the meantime, he’s hoping that videos of Tony Romo and Cris Collinsworth getting into screwball antics might lead to bigger opportunities. The idea of carving a living out of making comedy videos about NFL broadcasters seemed ludicrous not too long ago. Who’s to say it can’t be a stepping stone to something more?
“I really do hope that there is someone out there that’s like, ‘I’m looking for this one dude [who] meets X and Y criteria,” said Marken, “They’re just at a hotel or they’re at the airport, they’re about to catch their flight. They see me do something, and they’re just like, ‘We got him. That’s our guy.’ That’s why I’m doing this.”
In other words, Marken wants someone to say “Now here’s THE guy.”
