I'm talking about none other than celebrity blogger, Micah Jesse!
If you don't know the name, you should. At only 23, Micah has interviewed the top celebrities of our time: Elton John, Beyonce, Rihanna, Heidi Klum, Kanye West, Gladys Knight, Kelly Ripa, Cuba Gooding Jr. and more! But he's a star in his own right. Besides sharing his talents with Us Weekly and OK! Magazine, he manages a wildly popular blog, MicahJesse.com, which is one of the only sources of positive celebrity news on the web. And he's adorable!
Micah Jesse cracks me up, and I told him as much when I finally met him backstage at the Heart Truth Red Dress Collection fashion show. We've been fans of each others ever since.
Yesterday, I caught up with the superstar, fresh from an appointment at the Ricardo Rojas salon, to chat about everything from tips for making it in the entertainment biz, to boys we love, to Rihanna's special nickname for him, to Adrienne Bailon's beauty secrets. Read on!
Coutura: Okay, can I just say I looove your new look! What made you go platinum blonde?
Micah Jesse: I was getting my nails did because the publicist for this salon was like, "Come in, and get your nails Mynxed from Beyonce's manicurist [Lisa Logan]." And I was like OMG, I would die. So after I got it done, I was talking to the hairstylist [Richard Rojas] and he was like "With those eyebrows, you can look like Jean Paul Gaultier with bleached blonde hair." I was like I've never done it in my life but at the end of the day, change is good. [Editor's Note: Check out Micah Jesse's Youtube video and read his 'Blonde Ambition' post here.]
Coutura: Ohhh I love Lisa Logan, she's done my Mynx before too. Leopard print Mynx for my birthday. Oww! So how important is your look to making it in the entertainment industry?
Micah Jesse: I have a big personality so I need a look to match my personality. Things like Mynx nails and a new blonde look are attention grabbing. They get people to start talking. I never expected my site to blow up the way it has. I'm just a small town guy from Georgia who moved to New York with a dream and now, I have all these opportunities and meet these new people. I think a lot of that stems from being unique and having a unique look.
Coutura: So cool that you're from a small town in Georgia and moved to the city and now you're a huge, famous, red-carpet blogger.
MJ: Thanks. Atlanta was hard for me. I was still in the closet. I had dreams of moving to NYC. Even when I was young, I was always onstage. As soon as I got out of the car, I'd do cartwheels. I was a huge showman. I did plays too. But that didn't do it for me. My heart wasn't complete until I moved to New York for college. And at Hoftstra, I was like a local celeb. My site first became popular there.
Coutura: Your site is huge!
MJ: Thanks! I do everything myself. Blogging, video editing, graphics, everything. And tweet. And facebook.
Coutura: Whoa. You must be super busy. Walk us through a typical workday.
MJ: There is no such thing! And that's what I love about it. I go out every night so there's no set time that I wake up. I have lunch meetings with execs. At nighttime, I hit the streets hard.
Coutura: How important are these events? Because a lot of time, when people aren't in this business, they look at us like 'Why are you partying? On a Tuesday?' They don't get that it's for work.
Coutura: Speaking of not drinking, I always sideeye the person acting a drunken fool at industry events. What are three common mistakes up-and-comers make in the entertainment biz?
MJ: First, trying too hard. Begging for Twitter followers. Mass spamming magazines like People, Us Weekly. They're not going to write about you if you do that! Or trying so hard to get your picture taken. Even if you do make it on a photo agency site, a mag editor isn't going to say "Who's that?" and google you. They're going to say "Who's that?" and keep it moving. Number 2, not working hard enough. Success is not handed to you. Number 3 is like you said, getting drunk at events. If you're trying to make a name for yourself, be very careful about your image because everybody is watching you.
Coutura: People think you have the coolest job, but what was your most un-cool, embarassing red-carpet moment?
MJ: OMG. It just happened a month ago. I interviewed Gabourey Sidibe, who is Oscar nominated for her incredible role in Precious. I was so enamored by her. My final question to her was something along the lines of "How are you going to celebrate all your success?" And she said, "Well, I just got two tickets to Mariah Carey's show at Madison Square Garden, I couldn't be more excited." And being so enamored by her, I said: "OMG, are you going to meet her?" And everyone in the room started hysterically laughing because Mariah was in Precious. (laughs) But now, we're really close. We message back and forth and that dumb comment was the start of a great friendship.
Coutura: That's so cute. And it happens to the best of us. I've definitely had moments like that.
MJ: Yeah, it was cool. And she's the sweetest thing. Put that in your article. I just adore her.
Coutura: What was it like interviewing Rihanna on top of the Empire State Building?
MJ: I'm glad you asked that. I'll never forget that. She's so young, people forget that, and such an amazing person. I was working at OK! Magazine at that time...as an intern! I was such a superstar intern that they sent me on a job to interview this pop star. Rihanna loved my Cristina V. necklace so much that she calls me "Necklace Boy," whenever I see her. Which goes back to what you said about looks. Celebs love fashion and are so enamored by my style, they forget that I'm an interviewer and we start chatting like friends.
Coutura: Who is your celebrity crush?
MJ: Adam Lambert. We're pretty much married, he's doesn't know it yet. Just kidding. I've met him quite a few times. Last time I saw him was at a Z100 concert. And he told me, "I like your studs," because I was wearing a studded jacket. And I was like, "I like you stud."
Coutura: Hahaha, smooth! I love it! Adam Lambert is so cute! What would the public be surprised to know about you?
MJ: That I'm also quite introverted. Vibrant and red-carpet ready when I'm out on the scene. But when I'm in, I'm IN. Right now, I'm wearing undies, a t-shirt and no makeup. Very introverted.
Coutura: Really?! Could never imagine you being introverted.
MJ: Yeah, I'm a Cancer in the truest form. Also, I'm very sensitive.
Coutura: Oh, I'm dating a Cancer now. He's great.
MJ: Aren't they the best?
Coutura: Oh, he's amazing. Speaking of amazing, Give us some Micah-isms.
Coutura: (laughs) But everyone knows it's yours! I was going to say, your positive spin on celebrity news puts you on the other end of the spectrum in relation to what Perez and others do. I'm sure celebs appreciate that you don't slander them. So, we're going to play a positive name game. I'm going to say a celeb's name and you say the first thing that comes to mind.
Coutura: Lady Gaga.
MJ: Trendsetter.
Coutura: Khloe Kardashian.
MJ: The new Nicole Ritchie.
Coutura: True! Lindsay Lohan.
MJ: Troubled. Being honest. She's an incredible actress but if her parents were more involved, and out for her best interest as a human being, rather than a celebrity, she'd be better off.
Coutura: Preach! Adam Lambert.
MJ: Hubba, hubba, hubby.
Coutura: Hahaha. Angie and Brad.
MJ: The epitome of Hollywood.
Coutura: Definitely. People don't realize you have talents outside of the celebrity world. Like makeup.
MJ: (laughs) There's a lot of things people don't know I can do. Like I also sing.
Coutura: Shut the front door!
MJ: Have you heard my song with Aubrey O'Day? Go to YouTube and type in Micah Jesse Fashion Week. [Editor's note: Check out the song below]. I've never taken classes but I love to sing. Also, for makeup, when I was in high school, I'd have my girlfriends over for a sleepover and do their makeup. And I've been doing it ever since. I started experimenting on myself. I'd put on makeup and club in Atlanta. Not a lot. A little bit of eyeliner. And would rub it off as much as I could before I got home to my somewhat conservative parents.
Coutura: In New York, so many guys wear makeup. And even straight guys do now, like Pete Wentz. What makeup tips can you share with us?
MJ: Bronze skin always makes you look skinnier. If you're against tanning, try spray tanning. They've perfected it so people don't look orange. Also, use color that compliments your eyes, whether green or blue or brown. And lastly, I recommend falsies, fake eyelashes. Adrienne Bailon wears them and she has the most beautiful eyes. They always make her eyes pop.
Coutura: Yes! She has the most gorgeous eyes! I need some falsies. Well, thanks so much for sharing your secrets with us.
MJ: Sure!
Coutura: And enjoy your new blonde hair!
Check out Micah Jesse's transformation here:
And check out his song "Fashion Week" with Aubrey O'Day and O'Neal McKnight:
Kisses,
Coutura