Jonathan Cheban
Jonathan Cheban | |
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![]() Cheban in 2010. | |
Born | 1974 (age 49–50) |
Education | Fort Lee High School |
Alma mater | Hofstra University |
Occupations |
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Television |
Jonathan Cheban (born 1974)[1][2] the self-proclaimed Foodgod,[3] is an American reality television personality, entrepreneur and former publicist. He has made appearances on the show Keeping Up with the Kardashians and its spinoffs.
Early life
Cheban was born in the Moldova, Soviet Union in 1974,[1] the only child of a real-estate agent mother and a diamond-dealer father[4] who died in 2011.[2] He grew up in Fort Lee, New Jersey and attended Fort Lee High School before graduating from Hofstra University with a communications degree in 1995.[4][1] Cheban is of Russian Jewish background.[5]
Career
Publicist
After graduation, Cheban began working for publicist Peggy Siegal at her firm in New York.[4] At one point, music manager Benny Medina called Siegal to work on Sean Combs' 29th birthday party. When Siegal rejected the offer despite Cheban's urging, Cheban accepted the job himself. Cheban left Siegal and formed his own public-relations firm with two other publicists. He left that company in 2001, and went on to found his own firm, CommandPR.[4]
Reality television
Cheban first gained public attention with his appearance on the reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, appearing as a friend of the Kardashian sisters.[6] He subsequently appeared in several episodes of the show's spin-offs, Kourtney and Kim Take New York, Kourtney and Kim Take Miami and Kourtney and Khloé Take The Hamptons.
In 2010, Cheban starred in his own reality show, The Spin Crowd, chronicling the lives of Cheban, Simon Huck and their employees at his firm.[6] The series' executive producer was reality-TV star Kim Kardashian. It was canceled after one season due to poor ratings.[7]
Cheban's relationship with Kardashian has remained in the public spotlight. In 2012, Cheban made a short video spoofing himself as someone living in the shadow of Kardashian's fame.[8]
In January 2016, Cheban entered the Celebrity Big Brother house in the U.K., to compete as a housemate on its 17th season. He voluntarily left the show within days.[9]
In 2017, Cheban appeared on the second season of U.K.'s "Celebs Go Dating".[citation needed]
Other ventures
In 2008, Cheban launched his own clothing line, Kritik.[10] Cheban also has designed jewelry for RichRocks.[11] In late 2012, Cheban opened Sushi MiKasa, a restaurant in Miami.[12] On November 24, 2013, Cheban also co-hosted Coca-Cola Red Carpet Live!, a pre-show to the 2013 American Music Awards.[13] In January 2014, Cheban launched a product called Glam Screen, which is both a protective cover for a smart phone, as well as a mirror.[14]
In 2014, Cheban launched TheDishh, an entertainment and life-style website that features what Cheban and his team consider to be the highest-quality foods, gadgets and entertainment.[15]
In February 2015, Cheban opened the fast food restaurant Burger Bandit in Lynbrook, New York, on Long Island.[16]
In late 2019 Cheban launched the podcast Foodgod: OMFG![17]
Personal life
In late 2012, Cheban began dating stylist Anat Popovsky after meeting her while filming Kourtney and Kim Take Miami.[18][19] Cheban signed on as a single man on the second episode of the seventh season of Millionaire Matchmaker, which aired on December 12, 2013 on Bravo.[20]
In October 2019, he said he had changed his legal name to his social media handle, Foodgod, after starting the process in January.[3]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | By Any Means | Phil Cohen |
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2009–present | Keeping Up with the Kardashians | 27 episodes |
2009–2013 | Kourtney and Kim Take Miami | 9 episodes |
2010 | The Spin Crowd | 8 episodes |
2011–2012 | Kourtney and Kim Take New York | 6 episodes |
2016 | Celebrity Big Brother | Walked; 15th place |
2017 | Celebs Go Dating | 7 episodes |
2018 | The Only Way Is Essex | Episode: "Episode #23.7" |
2018 | Food God | 5 episodes |
2018 | Celebrity Family Feud | Episode: "The Kardashians vs. The West Family and Jana Kramer vs. Gary Busey" |
2019 | Gemma Collins: Diva Forever | Recurring role |
References
- ^ a b c Stein, Joshua David (September 16, 2016). "Dinner at TAO with the 'FoodGod' Jonathan Cheban". GQ. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
Cheban was born in Russia [sic] in 1974 but grew up across the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
- ^ a b Lee, Esther (December 19, 2013). "Jonathan Cheban, Kim Kardashian's Friend, on Millionaire Matchmaker". Us Weekly. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
...the reality star, 39.... [M]y dad passed away two years ago.
- ^ a b Lewis, Isobel (October 27, 2019). "Kim Kardashian's BFF Jonathan Cheban legally changes name to Foodgod". Metro. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Hancock, Noelle (January 18, 2013). "The Art of the Schmooze". New York Observer. Archived from the original on December 2, 2011. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ^ Efrem, Maia (May 21, 2014). "5 Jewish Things About Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's Wedding". The Forward. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ a b Murphy, Lauren M. "Jonathan Cheban: PR King". Los Angeles Confidential. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
- ^ "Spin Crowd, The (E!)". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ^ "Jonathan Cheban: I'm Kim Kardashian's BEST Friend!". Funny or Die. July 19, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ^ "Jonathan Cheban Leaves U.K. Celebrity Big Brother, Citing Concerns for His 'Mental Stability'". People. January 11, 2016. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
- ^ "Jonathan Cheban Launches Kritik Clothing |". Fashionwashere.net. April 11, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ^ "Jonathan Cheban Teams Up With RichRocks To Launch His First Jewelry Collection!". Hollywood Life. June 13, 2011. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ^ "Jonathan Cheban to Open Sushi MiKasa at Shelborne - Fall Tracking - Eater Miami". Miami.eater.com. November 6, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ^ "Presenters Announced for the "2013 American Music Awards" Airing Live Sunday, November 24th At 8 PM ET/PT on ABC" (Press release). Dick Clark Productions. November 21, 2013. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
- ^ "Meet Glam Screen, the smartphone cover that doubles as a mirror". Yahoo. January 23, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
- ^ Horgan, Richard. "Jonathan Cheban Builds Out The Dishh". Media Bistro. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ^ Marcus, ERIC (February 23, 2015). "Burger Bandit opens in Lynbrook". Newsday. New York City / Long Island. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
- ^ https://people.com/tv/jonathan-cheban-opens-up-about-podcast-kim-kardashian/
- ^ "Jonathan Cheban Date Night — Reality Star Spotted Out With Girlfriend". Hollywood Life. June 18, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ^ "Jonathan Cheban and Girlfriend Anat Popovsky's European Getaway Brought Them Even Closer Together". E! News UK. September 9, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ^ Johnson, Zach (November 18, 2013). "Jonathan Cheban Looks for Love on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker". E! Online. Retrieved June 15, 2014.