Taryn Southern

Taryn Southern

Taryn Southern Streamy Awards 2010
Born July 16, 1986
Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
Occupation Actress, singer, writer, comedian, producer
Years active 2004–present
Website
www.tarynsouthern.com

Taryn Southern (born July 16, 1986) is an American singer, actress and comedian. She was part of American Idol season three's Top 50. Southern gained national attention with her video Hot4Hill during the 2008 Presidential race. She later went on to star in and executive produce DirecTV's first original series, Project My World.

Early life

Southern grew up in Wichita, Kansas to a Russian and Italian family, and landed her first starring role in a pre-broadway theatrical production at the age of 10.[1] As a teenager, she co-hosted a regional talk show for WB Kansas that addressed controversial teen issues like sex and drugs.[2] She graduated from Wichita East High School in 2003.[3]

At the age of 20, Southern graduated two years early from the University of Miami, earning both a B.S. in Anthropology and a B.A. in Journalism. While in school she received a grant to travel to Peru to study the shamanic use of ayahuasca among rainforest communities.[4]

Career

Taryn Southern is a singer, actress, and writer. Her YouTube channel, TarynSouthern, is updated weekly musical and comedic content.[5]

In 2004, at 17, she appeared on third season of American Idol, making it to Hollywood week and the Top 50.[6]

After graduating from college, Taryn worked briefly at NBC and Morgan Stanley in Miami before moving to Los Angeles in 2006. She sold and produced a travel show, Project MyWorld, for DirecTV, which followed her and her two friends as they traveled the world and met their MySpace friends.[7]

On July 2, 2007, she released a comedic YouTube video called Hott4Hill in support of the presidential campaign of U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton. The video, which she wrote and performed, shows her singing and dancing in a jokingly suggestive manner about her personal admiration of Clinton and how much she would like to see Clinton win the election.[8] That same year, Southern starred in the first WB online series, Sorority Forever, alongside best friend and lonelygirl15 star, Jessica Rose.[9]

In November 2008, Southern and Jessica Rose, launched Webutantes, a new media studio.[10] Also in 2008, Southern wrote/produced her first comedic musical web series, Private High Musical, which was released across various media platforms, and later sold to MTV as a half-hour comedy pilot, with David Zuckerman (Family Guy) as co-writer/executive producer.[11]

In 2009, she starred with Scott Baio in DJ Lubel's video, "Wrong Hole",[12] humorously retelling the story of an inadvertent adventure.

In 2010, she had a recurring role in the 5th season of the CBS comedy series Rules of Engagement, as well as a part in the movie Battle: Los Angeles as a reporter.

Also in 2010, she released the first video, "Keep it in Your Pants," from her upcoming comedy album, On My Face, on YouTube. The album reached #20 on the iTunes comedy chart.[13] Southern released a variety of other music videos on her YouTube Channel, TarynSouthern.

In the fall of 2011, Taryn hosted the pre-show for the US version of The X Factor.[14] She also provided voice over for the character Judy on the Fred animated series on YouTube.

In 2012, she appeared as a guest star on New Girl, American Dad, The League, and Guys with Kids.[15]

During Shark Week 2013 on Discovery Channel, Taryn was the social media co-host on Shark After Dark Live, which earned the #1 ratings spot in their time slot all week.[16]

In 2013, she released the song Crush, which made it to the Top 100 in radio play in August.[17]

In 2014,Southern's YouTube Channel was listed on New Media Rockstars Top 100 Channels, ranked at #52.[18]

Videography

Filmography

Year   Title   Role   Notes
2006–2007 Project My World Taryn Nine episode documentary
2007 Hot 4 Hill Hot4Hill Digital short featured on Fox, CNN, MSNBC and other news outlets
2007–2008 The Heavy Show Various characters
2008 Senior Skip Day Isha movie
2008 Sorority Forever Taryn Monaghan 31 episodes
2008 Private High Musical Sandra Smith In addition to starring also wrote and produced
2009 Single Black Female Jennifer movie
2009 Woke Up Dead Debbie
2010 The Frankenstein Brothers Joy movie
2010 Pound of Flesh Dyonesia Cosa movie
2010 Rules of Engagement Allison 4 episodes
2010 The Temp Life Nancy Roder 8 episodes
2010 Battle Los Angeles Reporter on beach movie
2011 ElfQuest: A Fan Imagining Timmain Digital short
2012 New Girl Megan Guest appearance in Season 2, Episode 3 "Fluffer"
2013 Guys with Kids Erica Guest appearance in Season 1, Episode 12 "Marny's Dad"
2014 Last Man Standing Rachel Guest appearance in Season 3, Episode 15 "Tasers"

Music Videos

Year   Title   Director   Notes  
2010 "Keep It In Your Pants"[19] Bob McKeon
2011 "Remarkable Vagina"[20] Kyle Morrison
"Coffee Makes Me Poo"[21] Taryn Southern
"Touch Your Boobies (I Touch Mine)"[22] Taryn Southern Donation drive for Susan G. Komen
"Where Is My Goat?"[23] Michael Livingston
2012 "Cuz We The X-Factor Digital"[24] Marc Scarpa Promoting X-Factor pre-shows
"I Think I Farted"[25] Jackson Adams
"Guys They Just Wanna $%*# You"[26] Taryn Southern
"Wrong Hole (The Untold Story)"[27] Michael Alan Hoy
"Just Google That S**t"[28] Jackson Adams
"Single Girls"[29] Taryn Southern
Jarrett McGovern
Justin Safaei
"Bad Sex"[30] Brad Etter
2013 "Really Blurred Lines" With Julia Price
"Crush"[31] Taryn Southern Featuring Chester See
"Royals Cover"[31] Derrel D'Itri With Julia Price

Discography

References

  1. ↑ Trussel, Robert (December 1995). Could 'Jane Eyre' actors be Broadway bound?, Kansas City Star ("10 year old Jane Eyre played by Taryn Southern")
  2. ↑ "'Rules' Lands Wichitan a Shot at Lasting Fame". October 31, 2010.
  3. ↑ (15 April 2003). CHANNEL 33 LAUNCHES A LOCAL FORUM FOR TEENAGERS TONIGHT, Wichita Eagle ("As teen cohost Taryn Southern a senior at Wichita East High says at the end of tonight's first show...")
  4. ↑ Draw My Life. Taryn Southern. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  5. ↑ "Taryn Southern is Betting Big on an Emerging YouTube Brand: Her Own". VideoInk. 2013-06-04. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  6. ↑ Ottawa Citizen (July 14, 2007). "Lusty Online Ode Amuses, Enrages Viewers". Retrieved September 10, 2008.
  7. ↑ DirecTV's New Original Series. September 26, 2006. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  8. ↑ Hott 4 Hill counters Obama Girl. July 11, 2007. Retrieved July 15, 2008.
  9. ↑ Hustvedt, Marc (October 31, 2008). "Sorority Forever Finale Arrives'". Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  10. ↑ Hustvedt, Marc (November 18, 2008). "Jessica Rose and Taryn Southern Team Up As ‘Webutantes’". Tubefilter. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
  11. ↑ MTV Plans Spoof of High School Musical'. March 11, 2009. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  12. ↑ 'Wrong Hole starring DJ Lubel, Scott Baio, and Taryn Southern. October 1, 2012. Retrieved October 1, 1012.
  13. ↑ McNaughton, Mathieas (November 18, 2010). "Taryn Southern Wants You to 'Keep it in Your Pants'". Tubefilter. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
  14. ↑ Wallenstein, Andrew (November 17, 2011). "X Factor Expands Digital Domain". Variety. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
  15. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2342543/
  16. ↑ "'Shark After Dark' Devours Cable Talk Rivals For 2nd Night; Discovery Tops Cable In Demo". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  17. ↑ "Bubbling Under: YouTube Star Taryn Southern Heads to Radio With 'Crush'". Billboard. 2013-07-19. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  18. ↑ "The NMR Top 100 YouTube Channels: 75-51!". New Media Rockstars. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  19. ↑ "Keep It In Your Pants". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  20. ↑ "Remarkable Vagina". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  21. ↑ "Coffee Makes Me Poo". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  22. ↑ "Touch Your Boobies (I Touch Mine)". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  23. ↑ "Where Is My Goat?". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  24. ↑ "'Cuz We The X-Factor Digital". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  25. ↑ "I Think I Farted". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  26. ↑ "Guys They Just Wanna $%*# You". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  27. ↑ "Wrong Hole (The Untold Story)". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  28. ↑ "Just Google That S**t". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  29. ↑ "Single Girls". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  30. ↑ "Bad Sex". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 "Crush". Taryn Southern. Retrieved 4 August 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Taryn Southern.