What Is Fonzworth Bentley's Net Worth?
Fonzworth Bentley is an American musician and author who has a net worth of $2 million. Fonzworth Bentley rose to fame as P. Diddy's flawlessly dressed personal valet and assistant, who was first seen as a member of Diddy's crew in the TV series "Making the Band 2" (2002–2004). Between 2008 and 2009, Fonzworth hosted the MTV show "From G's to Gents." In 2007, he released the etiquette book "Advance Your Swagger: How to Use Manners, Confidence and Style to Get Ahead." The book was a "New York Times" best seller.
Early Life
Fonzworth Bentley was born Derek Watkins on February 13, 1974, in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended middle and high school in Atlanta before enrolling at Morehouse College, from where he graduated. Throughout his youth, he played the violin.
Career
Fonzworth was hired by rapper Sean "P. Diddy" Combs in the early 2000s to act as his valet and personal assistant. Bentley had a unique sense of style and appearance, often dressing in suits and bowties, which appealed to Combs as he was trying to alter his image after being acquitted of a gun possession and bribery charge. He assumed the name Farnsworth Bentley after being inspired by the character Bootney Lee Farnsworth from the 1975 film "Let's Do It Again."
Bentley first appeared on-screen as Diddy's assistant on MTV's "Making the Band 2" in 2002. He often carried an umbrella for Diddy and dressed in a very dapper style that made an impression on audiences. As time went on, he slowly grew in fame as fans and other rappers were impressed with his style and sophistication.
Bentley was able to begin landing small parts on albums and in films. In 2002, he could be heard rapping on Da Band's album "Too Hot for TV" on the track "Cheers to Me, Mr. Bentley (Interlude)." The following year, he was featured on the "Good Day, Good Sir" skit on OutKast's "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below." He also had a small role in the film "Honey" in 2003 as a barber. In 2004, He appeared as a salesman in the film "Fat Albert." He also had a role in the television show "Fade to Black."
Bentley's professional collaboration with Kanye West also began in 2004. He made a cameo appearance in the music video for "The New Workout Plan." He was also later credited as a songwriter on a number of "Yeezus" tracks, including "On Sight," "Black Skinhead," "I Am A God," and "Hold My Liquor." Additionally, he is credited as a producer on West's "Ultralight Beam." He also has writing credits on "Life of Pablo," another Kanye West album.
Getty Images
In 2005, Bentley appeared in or was otherwise involved in a number of television projects. He acted as the executive producer for "Borrow My Crew," a reality series in which one teenager was allowed to borrow the entourage of P. Diddy for two days. He also was involved in "Before, During and After the Sunset," "Caleta Condor, Chile," " P. Diddy Presents the Bad Boys of Comedy," and "All Shades of Fine: 25 Hottest Women of the Past 25 Years."
In 2006, Fonzworth appeared in "VH1 Fashion Rocks" and "Confessions of a Celebrity Assistant," which premiered on the E! Channel. He also had a role in the film "Idlewild," voicing the character of Flask. In 2007, he published an etiquette book entitled "Advance Your Swagger: How to Use Manners, Confidence and Style to Get Ahead." In 2008, he was granted his own reality show called "From G's to Gents." The show ran for two seasons and follows Bentley as he guides young men into becoming gentlemen. A total of 20 episodes aired on MTV from 2008 to 2009. He also appeared on the show "Top Ten Gentlemen's Club" in 2008 and was featured in the "Yes We Can" music video playing the violin in support of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.
In 2009, Bentley made a cameo appearance in "We Were Once a Fairytale." He also hosted one of the afterparties following the White House Correspondent's Dinner in Washington, D.C. He began working on his debut album, "C.O.L.O.U.R.S.," around this time. The album was released via iTunes in April 2011. In 2014, he appeared in "Think Like A Man Too." Additionally, Bentley has also written and produced songs for the show "Black-ish," the ABC comedy series.
Personal Life
In July 2010, Bentley married Faune Chambers. They have two children together, Zoie and Daniel. Fonzworth has been involved a various public service projects. In 2007, he contributed to the KnowHow2Go campaign by creating a radio public service announcement and participating in the 2007 YMCA Black and Hispanic Achievers Teen Leadership Summit in Florida. He also sang as a member of the chorus for "We Are The World," a remake of the original track, for relief for Haiti in February 2010.
