I ADORE Amelia Dimoldenberg.
Under the username “Amelia Dimz” on all social media, Dimoldenberg feeds into the awkwardness of interviews.
But many will wonder, “who is she?”
She is a journalist turned internet personality who doubles down on the cringy moments of talk show hosts hitting on guests. Instead, Dimoldenberg takes guests out on a date filled with awkward and sarcastic humor, and an often deadpan response to the guests.
Dimoldenberg and her guest will go on a chicken shop date, in different fried chicken spots across England. There she will hit them with ridiculous questions while keeping the same dead-pan face. “Chicken Shop Date” has been going strong for nine years on Dimoldenberg’s youtube where she has 1.81 million followers.
Her most recent interview was with Shania Twain, where she even asked the signer if she will pass along her number to Harry Styles.
Dimoldenberg has reached more fame recently through TikTok, including a viral sound over the summer. Yes, you read that right. It’s because of Dimoldenberg and her chicken shop dates that TikTokers were dancing along to, “My money don’t jiggle jiggle, it folds.”
Dimoldenberg has recently been conducting interviews on the red carpet including this viral one with Andrew Garfield leading fans clamoring for a reunion. Garfield didn’t talk to her on the Oscar’s carpet but here’s hoping for a “Chicken Shop Date” ASAP.
Dimoldenberg came up with the idea for the dates back in 2011 as a column for the Cut where she was working at 17. She had never even been on a date before, probably where the nervousness came from and luckily worked for her.
Instead of the generic questions about the relationship between co-workers, Dimoldenberg jumps right into the unexpected. She’ll ask her dates about dating fans or when saying she can’t cook, she will instead offer her skills such as “making a dragon with her fingers” and leave her guest in shock and confusion. They’ll learn to expect the unexpected and their real personalities are allowed to show.
They both enter in character, and keep breaking it down until the end.
Dimoldenberg also has her own cooking show on YouTube called “Amelia’s Cooking Show” and features on Pro: Direct Soccer’s “FAKE NEWS” show.
No matter what show she’s on, she holds the power in the conversation and uses awkwardness as a charm. Sure, it is part of a larger character, but as she has said, it is only half a character.
So maybe claiming she is a hero for awkward girls can be a stretch, but she is succeeding through highlighting typical vulnerabilities. She doesn’t create a highlight reel like social media typically is, she plays off of her real life and personality.
Oftentimes, people believe that they are more awkward than they actually are because they are judging themselves more harshly than anyone else would. I thought I was one of the most awkward people ever until I tell my friends and family I think that and they quickly shut me down, sometime that has greatly changed my outlook in the last few months.
So if Dimoldenberg can thrive off of the exaggerated awkwardness, everyone can thrive off of and survive their awkward moments too.