The Viral Phenomenon: 5 Reasons Ben Platt’s 'Diet Pepsi' Cover Became A Cultural Obsession
The internet has a new, unexpected, and intensely theatrical cultural touchstone, and it all revolves around a soft drink and a Broadway titan. As of December 10, 2025, the conversation surrounding Ben Platt’s heartfelt, acoustic, and utterly viral cover of Addison Rae’s pop track "Diet Pepsi" continues to dominate social media, music, and pop culture commentary. What started as a seemingly random performance at an awards show has exploded into a significant cultural moment, complete with an official release that fans had demanded.
This deep dive explores the full context of the "Diet Pepsi" phenomenon, from its surprising origin at the Las Culturistas Culture Awards to its cementing as a major meme in the LGBTQ+ community, and why this particular piece of performance art—a Broadway star covering a TikTok hit—has resonated so profoundly with a generation hungry for high-art irony.
Ben Platt: A Brief Biography and Career Profile
Before becoming the face of a viral soft drink anthem, Benjamin Schiff Platt had already established himself as one of the most accomplished actors and singers of his generation. Born on September 24, 1993, in Los Angeles, California, Platt was immersed in the performing arts from an early age, displaying a prodigious talent that would quickly lead him to the biggest stages in the world.
- Full Name: Benjamin Schiff Platt
- Born: September 24, 1993 (Age 32 as of late 2025)
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Major Career Milestones:
- Film Debut: Played the role of Benji Applebaum in the hit musical-comedy film Pitch Perfect (2012) and its sequel (2015).
- Broadway Star: Originated the title role in the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, a performance that earned him widespread critical acclaim.
- Awards: He won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for Dear Evan Hansen, making him one of the youngest winners in the category's history.
- Television: Starred as Payton Hobart in the Netflix comedy-drama series The Politician.
- Music Career: A successful recording artist with multiple studio albums, including *Reverie* and *Honeymind*.
Platt's career is marked by a unique blend of Broadway theatricality and mainstream Hollywood presence, setting the perfect stage for the high-camp, high-stakes performance that would forever link him to a can of diet soda.
The Unexpected Origin: Las Culturistas and the 'Diet Pepsi' Bit
The moment that launched a thousand memes occurred at the 2025 Las Culturistas Culture Awards. The awards show, hosted by comedians and cultural commentators Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers, is known for its blend of genuine celebrity celebration and deeply ironic, in-the-know pop culture humor.
The performance was not a random choice. It was a perfectly executed "bit" that landed with seismic force. Platt took the stage to perform a cover of TikTok star Addison Rae's 2024 single, "Diet Pepsi." The original song is a breezy, lo-fi pop track, but Platt’s rendition was anything but.
He transformed the song into a dramatic, emotionally charged ballad, delivering the lyrics—such as "My boy's a winner, he loves the game / My lips reflect off his cross gold chain"—with the profound, soul-baring intensity of a Tony Award-winning Broadway performer.
Co-host Bowen Yang later explained the phenomenon, noting that "Diet Pepsi was this thing we all locked in on as a culture." The genius of the moment, as conceived by Rogers, was the juxtaposition: a highly serious, acclaimed artist giving a full, orchestral, and acoustic treatment to a song that is, by its nature, light and ephemeral.
The clip of the performance immediately went viral across all social media platforms, with fans labeling it everything from "camp" to the "song of the summer."
The Cultural Significance: Why 'Diet Pepsi' Became an LGBTQ+ Meme
The "Ben Platt Diet Pepsi" cover quickly transcended a simple viral video to become a significant cultural marker, particularly within LGBTQ+ and "gay spaces." This is due to several intersecting factors that speak to the heart of contemporary queer pop culture consumption.
The Art of High-Camp Reinterpretation
The cover is a masterclass in camp, a style defined by an appreciation of exaggerated, theatrical, or artificial elements. Platt’s performance took a simple pop song and elevated it to the level of high drama, which is a core element of camp sensibility. The sheer earnestness with which he sang about "cross gold chains" and "Diet Pepsi" created a layer of irony that was instantly understood and celebrated by a queer audience.
The Broadway/Pop Culture Clash
Ben Platt, a celebrated figure in the Broadway world, covering Addison Rae, a figure synonymous with TikTok and mainstream Gen Z pop, created a collision of high and low culture. This contrast is deeply amusing and relatable to a community that often finds its cultural references spanning from classic musicals to the latest internet trends.
The Las Culturistas Context
The Las Culturistas Culture Awards itself is a celebration of niche, hyper-specific pop culture moments, often championed by the Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers fanbase. The show's audience is heavily invested in this brand of ironic, self-aware cultural commentary, making it the perfect incubator for the meme to launch and gain immediate topical authority.
From Viral Moment to Official Release: Addison Rae's Reaction
The demand for an official, studio-quality version of the cover was immediate and overwhelming. Fans flooded social media, turning the viral clip into a full-blown cultural phenomenon that required an official response.
In a major update, Ben Platt officially released the cover, titled "Diet Pepsi - Live from 2025 Las Culturistas Culture Awards," solidifying the performance's place in his discography and acknowledging the power of the fan-driven moment.
The reaction from the original artist, Addison Rae, was equally positive and contributed to the story's "full circle" narrative. Rae, in interviews, expressed her appreciation for Platt's rendition. She called the cover a "full circle moment," recognizing the power of a fellow artist reinterpreting her work and validating its journey from a pop track to a viral meme.
The entire event—from the initial performance at the Culture Awards to the official release and the positive Addison Rae response—serves as a perfect case study in modern celebrity and internet culture. It highlights how a single, perfectly executed moment of high-concept irony can capture the zeitgeist, blend disparate cultural worlds, and ultimately provide a fresh, joyful meme for the masses. The Ben Platt "Diet Pepsi" cover is not just a song; it's a testament to the enduring power of camp and the chaotic brilliance of the internet.
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