Carlie Chimenti is a popular influencer. Carlie will be a part of an audio dating show titled Don’t Get Ghosted. On this show, both men and women go on virtual blind dates to try and earn the affection of Carlie. YEM spoke with Carlie about how she got picked for Don’t Get Ghosted and working with Ben Stillwell. She also shared some recommendations for somebody who is trying to eat healthy consistently.
Young Entertainment Mag: What has been your favorite social media to connect with people? And how did you manage to gain followers there?
Carlie Chimenti: Definitely TikTok. And it’s so funny that before the pandemic, as a full time college student who played a sport and worked on campus, I never understood how people had so much time to be on TikTok. I started using the platform more, and once my first video blew up, I was hooked. I think TikTok is a great way to accumulate a following because in short videos I can really showcase who I am, my personality, my insane energy level, and so much more. That positive energy was not only needed, but it’s also infectious.
YEM: How will being the main contestant on Don’t Get Ghosted raise your influencer status to the next level?
Carlie: With the show being hosted on the first audio-based live streaming platform, Spoon, I love that I get to connect with new fans from all over the world. A majority of my dates are also creators on Spoon, and that has given me the chance to explore a new platform. Audio-based platforms like Spoon are vastly growing and I’m so excited to be part of that growth.
YEM: Can you tell us more about your role in Don’t Get Ghosted? How did you get picked for it?
Carlie: So I am the ‘Primary Contestant’ meaning that each week, I serve as the bachelorette going on blind dates with a live audience being able to jump in at any time to influence the date. The audience can ask insane questions, vote on who stays until the finals, and who gets ghosted. How I was picked is actually a funny story. I saw an email from an ‘executive producer’ and just thought “this has to be a joke right?” I deleted the email and thought nothing of it. Six hours later my phone rang, and it was Clint Sears, a very real executive producer from Spoon. He was absolutely hysterical and I just had to say yes. He’s been so much fun to work with and I’m so glad he chose me as the primary contestant.
YEM: When and how did you start content creating?
Carlie: So to be clear, up until I started making TikToks, I literally hated social media. I believe that so many people will try to make their life appear to be perfect, that nothing we see is even real. During the pandemic, like most people, I started spending a lot of time on my phone. And like most people, I was depressed, disconnected, and lonely. I was exploring new hobbies, desperate for something to do, and I remember on October 28th, 2020 my first video went ‘viral’ with 50 thousand views. I thought to myself, “wait what if I can actually do this? With the world on hold, if I try and fail I didn’t really lose anything right?” That was 9 months ago, and my TikTok family today is almost half a million strong.
YEM: What was the first Tik Tok or social media post that you think was the one that really kicked off your influencer career?
Carlie: I remember the exact date ! At this time the 2020 election was coming up (YIKES) and tensions were high. I had seen some discourse on TikTok about women ever being in the presidency. I had a video explaining that the hormone that makes women so “irrational on their period that would inhibit them from making presidential decisions” is just testosterone. Not only do men have this hormone every day of the month, but I also highlighted the fact that all US wars have been started by…men. My content has changed since then, but if there is anything my following can count on, is that I will always speak my mind.
YEM: You have a little over 9 million likes total on Tik Tok. What did it take to get to that? And what advice would you give to someone looking to get to that point?
Carlie: ● Be authentic ALWAYS. People are tired of seeing fake perfect, cringy flexing of material possessions, and unattainable lifestyles. People want to connect with someone they relate to.
● Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. I know this is so hard for some people, but you are never alone in the way you feel. I’ve talked about mental health, eating disorders, traumas and other deep topics on my platform. You can be the person who starts the conversation, or validates another person’s feelings by putting them to words, or inspires others to keep going.
● You’re not going to please everyone, AND THAT’S OKAY. There’s an old saying, “You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, but there is still going to be someone who just doesn’t like peaches.” Stay true to who YOU ARE not what makes it on the FYP, that way you attract the right people to your platform.
● Just start today! ANYONE can be a content creator, you just have to start creating content! Don’t wait for perfect, perfect doesn’t exist. You can do ANYTHING with time, practice, and consistency.
● Always remember, people’s negativity toward you, has nothing to do with you. Not only from randoms on the internet that are ‘so tough’ behind the screen, but even those in your “real life” as well. I don’t care if people ‘don’t get’ my choice to be a content creator. It’s liberating.
YEM: Now that you’re going to be on a Spoon, does that open up any other career path ideas that you might want to pursue?
Carlie: YES!! I have wanted to get into podcasting for so long and had no idea how to get started. After Don’t Get Ghosted on Spoon comes to a close, I’ll be interviewing other creators, professionals, influencers and experts in the health and wellness space on the platform. Being able to talk to interesting people with the same drive and passion as me would be a dream. I love that Spoon offers users a way to connect and have intimate conversations with like-minded people that feels organic and authentic.
YEM: Will this be your first time working with Ben Stillwell? What are you most excited about working with him in this upcoming show?
Carlie: Yes it is!! I’m actually most excited to learn from him, as he has a background in entertainment that has really brought the show to life. He’s been really easy and fun to work with, and he always encourages me to just be myself.
YEM: With your background in studying nutrition, how do you contribute to your social media presence with your knowledge?
Carlie: So nutrition is one of those fields where there is just so much misinformation out there that I want to use my platform to set the record straight in a science based, non-toxic, loving way. I myself have fallen victim to toxic diet culture that has contributed to my own battles with mental health, body dysmorphia and disordered eating. The more I come to peace with those within myself, the more I can educate and help other people do the same. That in itself, is my passion.
YEM: What would you recommend to somebody who is trying to eat healthy consistently?
Carlie: ● ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY. THE DAY YOU PLANT THE SEED IS NOT THE DAY YOU EAT THE FRUIT. Meaning: the most important aspects of success with any lifestyle are patience, consistency, practice and time.
● ‘Eating Healthy’ is not an all or nothing way of life, and foods have ZERO moral value. There are no “good” or “bad” foods, just ones that are more nutritious, and less nutritious. But at the end of the day, all food gives us energy. The quality of what you eat, determines the quality of that energy.
● It’s not that most people don’t like vegetables, they probably just haven’t found a way to prepare them. Get creative in your kitchen! Pinterest is excellent for this.
● Start with small, incremental changes. Throwing away everything in your fridge and eating just spinach and egg whites is not sustainable in any capacity. Instead, try drinking one more bottle of water than usual, adding a fruit at breakfast, eat a salad before you have dinner etc.
● Added bonus: if you really like to eat (like me) start some weight training! Food is fuel, and if your body is building muscle, it needs more fuel. Simply put: you get to eat more.
YEM: Who has been your biggest inspiration when it comes to content creating or health and why?
Carlie: As insane as this is about to sound…myself. At 17, a traumatic event changed the entire trajectory of my life. For the next 5 years my life was a blur, numbed out by shame driven perfectionism, toxic productivity, awful relationships, and partying in any gaps so I never had time to feel. When life shut down in the pandemic, It was the first I really had to truly see myself. I was tired of being numb, scared, unhealthy and unhappy. I started putting myself out there and creating content, and as I started picking up traction, I asked myself who I really wanted to be. The only answer I had was, “be the woman you needed to look up to when you were 17.” Everything I do is for that girl.
YEM: How do you incorporate promoting body positivity through your content?
Carlie: I think body positivity, for me, is so much deeper than accepting and loving your body regardless of size, shape, or physical disability. I incorporate my love for nutrition into that by speaking about the incredible things our bodies do for us. Knowing how hard my body works for me has allowed me to appreciate her in a different way, and I’d like to think that way of thinking has allowed other people to appreciate their own bodies more as well.
YEM: What audience do you hope to influence the most with your content?
Carlie: Honestly, other people like me. When people think of a “health” influencer, they probably picture a conventionally attractive, tall, tan blonde who wakes up every day to run at 6am. I want to show health and wellness to the average person who wants to live a happier and healthier life. I want to educate and help others in a way that allows them to love their bodies, not hate them.
