*Kalen (Allen) first caught Ellen DeGeneres’ eye with his hilarious “Kalen Reacts” viral videos where he gives colorful and witty commentary on culinary concoctions online.
After inviting Kalen to her show in 2018, Ellen knew she found someone special and offered him an opportunity to collaborate and produce content for her digital platforms.
Today, Kalen holds a regular guest spot on “Ellen” and his very own weekly digital news series, “OMKalen,” where he gives his one-of-a-kind commentary on hot topics and trending stories of the week. His reach includes 487+ million views across all Ellen platforms, 3.5M followers on Facebook, 1.2M followers on Instagram, and 186K followers on Twitter.
Yours truly, EURweb correspondent, Monique Loveless sat down to have a one on one with the energetic Kansas City native.
Q: What was it like growing up in Kansas?
Kalen: I grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. Which is actually the same hometown of Janelle Monae. She actually went to high school right up from my house so we grew up in that area around the same time practically.
It is a very artsy kind of town, it’s very big on arts and culture. I did theater all the time in Kansas City at multiple theaters around the city. It was from that when I decided I wanted to move to New York and do the whole broadway thing. That’s when I decided to move to Philadelphia because I wanted to have something that would ease me into New York. I studied theater and film.
Q: What made you want to react to food videos?
Kalen: There was no plan it literally just happened. It was just a feeling I had needed to film myself reacting to this video and the next morning I woke up and it was viral.
The video was actually a sponsored ad on my Facebook page and I was just like mmmm cornbread and I was like let me watch this video. I was watching it and I could hear myself talk during the video and I was like you know what? I should record myself.
Q: When you got to the Ellen Show did you know you were getting a job? And How did you feel at that moment?
Kalen: No, I thought I was going to get a cute little check and going about my business. That’s what I thought because that’s usually what happens.
I think it was very surreal, it was almost like I didn’t hear what she said. I was like Ok cool and the original job I was just supposed to move to Philadelphia. I made the decision to move to LA because I knew that would make me more accessible and more available.
Q: I saw your tweet about going celibate, how serious are you about this and do you have a time frame?
Kalen: I am dead serious! I think it’s when I find someone I am ready to settle down with.
Let me explain! Because I work so much I don’t feel the need to be dating fifty million people just to be dating because to me that’s not fun. I am ready to take something more serious and is willing to build with someone in this world rather than having people coming in and out of my life.
Q: Let us know what’s coming up for you in 2020?
Kalen: It’s a new decade so I am excited. The new movie with Seth Rogan is coming out called American Pickle.
I’m interested in finding new streams of income in 2020. I’m like what else can I do? Can I do a book, can I do a seasoning line. How can I start to tap into all the things people know about me and expand on it.
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