Amelia Dimoldenberg might not be the best interviewer per classic journalistic standards. (That title would more likely go to someone like Barbara Walters, Oprah, Jon Stewart or David Letterman.) But if we’re talking about the most interesting interviewer — or most awkward! — then Amelia’s your girl.
The British Jewish comedian has risen to stardom over the last few years thanks to her wildly popular internet show “Chicken Shop Date.” From Paul Mescal to Phoebe Bridgers to Daniel Kaluuya, Dimoldenberg has interviewed a wide swath of celebrities at a variety of British chicken shops in her signature deadpan style, and gained 2.22 million subscribers on YouTube along the way.
In honor of that, here are 18 things to know about Amelia Dimoldenberg.
1. Amelia was born on Jan. 30, 1994 in London to a Jewish family.
2. She’s an Aquarius!
3. Her father Paul is on the West Minister City Council and is a member of the Labour Party.
4. Amelia attended St. Marleybone School, gaining her A-levels in English, art, politics and IT. She then got a BA in Fashion Communication from Central Saint Martins.
“I was always on the outskirts of the ultra-fashionable scene and left the party-going to those who had the stamina, and the invite,” she said of her university experience.
5. “Chicken Shop Date” started as a column Amelia wrote in a magazine called “Cut.” Then, Amelia made the first episode in 2014 with British rapper Ghetts.
6. While Amelia can be deadpan and awkward in real-life, what you see on “Chicken Shop Date” is an exaggeration of just one part of her personality.
“I wanted to be the antithesis of a bubbly presenter because I was bored of seeing that. The average TV presenter was very good at being non-stop chatty and bubbly; I wanted to be the opposite of that, and make that my thing,” she told Complex.
7. In her opinion, the best way to eat chicken is via nugget.
8. Amelia and fellow Jewish Brit Andrew Garfield have some serious vibes going on.
Ironically, Andrew has yet to go on “Chicken Shop Date.” When asked when he would, Amelia responded, “Who knows when. And he’d better do it before I end the bloody show. Maybe he won’t, and he’s missed his chance.”
9. She once saw a “Friends” kippah at the Berlin Jewish Museum!
10. Amelia is also known for doing celebrity red carpet interviews.
11. Here’s her advice on flirting:
“Maybe it’s the Britishness of me, but part of flirting is taking someone down a peg. Sort of pointing out things that you think they love about themselves or think they’re the best at, and then you’re sort of poking fun at them in a sweet way. Flirting, to me, is making fun of boys,” Amelia said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
12. Amelia’s been on “Hot Ones,” of course.
13. She has used her platform to speak out against antisemitism.
Solidarity with all my fellow Jewish people that are having to witness and be the subject of such vile anti-semitism, not just today but on a daily basis. It is unacceptable hate speech.
— Amelia Dimoldenberg (@ameliadimz) July 25, 2020
14. She’s competed on an episode of the UK show “Taskmaster.”
15. If her Jewish grandma saw this bagel, she would cry!
16. Please enjoy this compilation of some of the best of “Chicken Shop Date”:
17. As of the end of 2023, she is still single!
@ameliadimz I present to you my 2023 dating wrapped. There have been highs and lows, and many more dates to come 💕
18. Amelia plans to one day end “Chicken Shop Date” and have Drake on as her final guest.
“My ambitions are much larger than [“Chicken Shop Date”] and I need to ensure that it’s not going to go on forever. The shop must close down at some point,” she told GQ.
