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#1 Crush! HHandsome,andsome, humblehumble RRossoss “The“The Intern”Intern” MMathewsathews iiss tthehe bboyoy nnextext ddooroor mmadeade ggoodood by Jonathan Riggs photos by Peter Brown ex sells. And scandal? You bet your Lohan. But sweet? Nah. S Sincere? No way! See, there’s always an exception. And sometimes, it’s the small-town boy with the September 24th birthday sitting right in front of you. In person, Ross Mathews is cute, (newly) in shape and a charmingly funny/quirky/single young gay man. But where’s the dirt, kid? “Listen,” Ross says, leaning over his desk at NBC. “My life is so boring when I’m not at work. I have a dog and I walk her.” He looks at the giant framed photo of his beloved rescue pooch, Louise, sitting on his desk. “I have a few close friends, and we get dinner occasionally, but usually it’s me and my dog,” he says. “Wouldn’t it be a way juicier article if I was, like, club-hopping? That’s what the kids call it, right? “Well,” he laughs. “I’d better totally stop wearing underwear.”

A NNEWEW EEXPERIENCEXPERIENCE

Today, Mr. Mathews is scared. Now lest you get the wrong idea, Ross is a pretty brave guy. He’s jumped out of a plane on , shared table with Barbara, Joy and Elisabeth and allowed America to watch him shed more than 41 pounds on Celebrity Fit Club. (Plus, he’s eaten dessert at the same table as Perez Hilton and lived…without fork wounds to the eye.) But today’s adventure is something he’s never done before. “Hello, everybody,” he says in one of his Talky Blog videos. “I’m panicking! Because I’m running so late for a photo shoot…and it’s a big deal and it’s kind of fun. I have to get all dressed up, and it’s in the Hollywood Hills.” Ross’ eyes get wide with excitement and he pulls the camera in close. “Can you believe that?” he whispers. “I’m so “Nobody does!” Ross laughs. “I was just me in Chicas Picantes were actually his fi rst concert, nervous about it and have, like, anxiety tummy.” a small town, which wasn’t the easiest thing, but I and after buying a brand-new outfi t to wear to ! He grins, his eyes sparkling. didn’t know any other way to be.” see SpiceWorld, he heard the horrible news: the h “Seriously,” he says, as if he can’t believe it He sold berries by the side of the road, watched unbreakable Spice bond was, well, broken by s himself, “when did my life go from working hours of ice skating and was a total theater kid in Ginger. u at McDonald’s to having a photo shoot in the high school, winning Thespian of the Year, 1998 “She was my favorite, and then the bitch dropped Hollywood Hills? That’s ridiculous!” and double state champion in individual events out of the band!” he says. “I was devastated!” r in forensics. He even went to the senior prom as a He graduated college with a degree in C OONCENCE UPONUPON A TTIME…IME… freshman with the most popular girl in school. communications and moved to Los Angeles, where “My popularity was done by the end of the he landed an internship at The Tonight Show. Every good story has to have the right evening,” he laughs. “But for one night, I was “I just felt it in my soul that this was the beginning, and Ross’ is no exception. He grew totally it: capital I-T.” start,” he says. “Meanwhile, I was cleaning out up with a supportive family in a small town He worked at Lane Bryant in the mall, did his coffee machines, so nobody else saw this as the in Washington state called Mt. Vernon, which friends’ makeup with a burnt cork and stayed beginning of anything big.” exports more tulips than all of Holland. Did you after school in the debate room so he wouldn’t On his last day, the person who was supposed to know that? miss the Spice Girls appearing on Oprah. Las cover the Ocean’s Eleven premiere dropped k

SSPETEMBERPETEMBER 0077 INSTINCT | 51 out. Since he was known around the offi ce for his single mother in a downtown Los Angeles clever jokes, Ross stepped in and pulled it off. pipe. Luckily, all four dogs were rescued and He’s been a regular on The Tonight Show adopted out. ever since, doing everything from presenting “I got Louise shortly after my father died. I at the Country Music Television awards (“in a had been away from home since I was 18,” Ross bedazzled outfi t”) to co-hosting and producing says, “so I was used to being alone, but I felt even a behind-the-scenes webshow (The John And more so after he died. So having Louise in my Ross Show) and writing a weekly blog (.com/ life, taking care of her and having love in my face rossblog). every day was the best possible medicine.” “We’re almost up to a million hits a month Caring for Louise has caused Ross to develop now,” he says. “It started as nothing, but just parental feelings of his own. LLouise!ouise! by doing it every day and being very diligent, “When she whines, I lactate,” he giggles. “I’m I’ve turned it into something, which I’m so that into her.” proud of.” RROSS-ERCISEOSS-ERCISE SSPEAKING PEAKING OOFF PPROUD…ROUD… LIFE AT HOME It wasn’t until Celebrity Fit Club that our You can’t write a Ross story without mentioning man Mathews felt the heat of a higher wattage Ross’s family has always been supportive of Louise. His “paw-fect dog-ter” appears in almost spotlight…and the interest in his personal life him, and he and his mother are very close. They all of his Talky Blogs and his offi ce is plastered that comes with it. talk up to eight times a day and just got back with photos of her. (Oh, and if you want to sit “People ask me a lot, ‘Was it scary to let the from taking a Rosie cruise together. down, you have to move her stuffed Grinch toy.) nation know how much you weighed?’” Ross “I had never been on a cruise before, and when “I always had a dream of having a small dog,” says. “I had been fat my entire life, and I have a I got on, there was a karaoke bar called Dazzles,” Ross says. “My dad was a hunter, so we always had soft spot for people in that situation. It’s no secret he laughs. “Hello? Dazzles! I’m like, ‘There’s my big, big, big dogs, but I had never experienced the when you’re a big person, so no, I had no issue next week!’ I have the voice of an angel.” He love of a little belly falling asleep in your arms, getting on that scale.” pauses, then winks. “A little bit.” and I always wanted that.” Nudged to do the show by Rosie O’Donnell Although Ross and Rosie’s eat-your-heart- Sadly, Louise was unavailable for an interview (“She e-mailed me and said, ‘Go learn how to out-Elton John-and-George Michael duet of (she was getting her hair done), but she has a take care of your body. I’m 44 and I still don’t “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” hasn’t hit dramatic life story, pre-Ross: The pup and her know how.’), Ross was surprised by how much YouTube yet, it defi nitely left an impression. two brothers were raised by their homeless, people responded to him. “It was a moment,” he says. “So much so that “As I started losing the I would get up every day after and say, ‘Hey weight and being really everybody, thanks for coming to Dazzles tonight!’ honest about how diffi cult like I was hosting it.” it was on the blog, I got Guess what? Now he’s the offi cial karaoke host thousands of e-mails from for all the Rosie cruises. people who were inspired Sharing all of his success with his mom has by what I did—that came made his journey even more special. When as a complete shock-a-roo Ross was a guest host on The View, his mother for me,” he says. “It inspired took her fi rst trip east of Idaho to sit in the me to keep going, and it’s front row of the audience. After a little jab kept me accountable after from Joy Behar about Ross supposedly losing the show ended.” his testosterone along with his weight (to One wall of his offi ce which he quipped, “I never had any!”), Mama is completely covered in Mathews got the last word. letters just like those, and he “He’s the son you always wanted, right?” looks over at them all. Barbara Walters asked. “It was so unexpected,” he She answered immediately: “Yes.” says. “That me going to the gym or me eating healthy RROSIEOSIE OOH!H! would tell someone in the Midwest they could do it.” Rosie O’Donnell’s name has popped up several Later, on his blog, he times already, and for good reason. She’s Ross’ summed up his thoughts. hero and inspiration. “I went into the experience “Growing up, I connected with her, not even hoping for a lifestyle change,” knowing why,” he says. “As I started getting he writes. “I never thought into this business and whatnot, I met her that it would change my serendipitously. We have connected like I always whole life.” dreamed that we would. She is more than k

52 | INSTINCT SSEPTEMBEREPTEMBER 0077 ““It’sIt’s soso interestinginteresting toto bbee aann activeactive workwork iinn pprogress,rogress, yyouou kknow?”now?” Louise!

Photo Assistant JASON DEIBEL Stylist JOE EXCLUSIVE @ CRYSTALAGENCY.COM Groomer UZMEE “BIANCA” KRAKOVSKI @ CRYSTALAGENCY.COM Location & Pets provided by RANDY FURHMAN belongs to multiple Oscar-predictor websites RROSSOSS OON…N… and forums and wakes up at 5:30 in the morning to hear the Oscar nominations (“Not because His Fit Club “Showmance” I’m expecting one myself!”). With Maureen McCormick “If they gave out awards for Best Haircut,” he “We’re still in touch! We would says, “I’d watch. I’m a fanatic!” call each other every morning He remains dedicated to continuing his work and say, ‘What’d you have for with The Tonight Show and is grateful for the way breakfast?’ and ‘Are you going they’ve allowed him to grow and to follow his to go to the gym today?’ And own humor. Ross’ role on the show has evolved we’d make each other do it. Even now, the two of us have from red carpet interviewer to “extreme Ross” kept it up really well.” (“Demolition derbies, skydiving—basically, just trying to kill me!”) to focusing more on his own The Paranormal life. A dream of his is coming true as well—he “I don’t have a radio in my has a holding deal with Rosie’s company for the basement that I use to two of them to work together—but he’s not communicate with aliens, but sharing any secrets…yet! I love interesting people. I love when people call in to radio TTHEHE BBEGINNINGEGINNING shows and say, ‘I seen a Bigfoot!’” Well, there may not have been a scandalous Who’s That Girl? skeleton in Ross’ closet, but we did end up making Washington “Oh, please. Who doesn’t love him scream on the shoot. A parrot named Big “I have yet to fi nd a state that I love more Who’s That Girl? It’s funny, though, how than Washington. When you go there, it’s the idea of who I thought was Bird gave his arm a love bite—but what’s a little an instant facial. It’s so clean and pristine when I was a kid is so diff erent from who I nibbly beak action for an up-and-comer like and dewy.” think she is now.” Mr. Mathews? “My photo shoot was so so so much fun! I felt His Weirdest Interview His Favorite Movie like a prince,” he writes the day after on his blog. “I was covering Spring Break in somewhere, “Waiting for Guff man. When I saw it, I was “But not like one of those snooty princes. More Florida, and we went to the Girls Gone writing a musical with my high school like one of those common folk who don’t fi nd out Wild party. They were so drunk they were theater kids, and we were taking it really they’re a prince until later in life. Like, very ABC grinding on me, showing me boobies and seriously. I watched that movie and Family movie/Anne Hathaway sorta thing.” things, and at one point, I just said, ‘Honey, was like, fi rst of all, it was so hysterical. The one constant in this prince-of-a-guy’s you are barking up the wrong tree!’” Secondly, I was like, ‘Uh-oh! That’s me!’” life—and the secret to his success—has always been his sense of humor. I ever thought she would be, and I had high moving. That was one of those moments when I “Humor has been my pot of gold. Not that I’m standards to begin with.” was so grateful to be there.” chasing it,” he says, thinking. “You know how He smiles as he speaks, not hiding his sometimes a bucket of fries can be bottomless? excitement. LLOVE,OVE, AAMERICANMERICAN SSTYLETYLE That’s what it’s been like for me. But translate “She sees in me what people saw in her,” he that to gold. And humor. Because I’ve gone there says. “And that blows my mind.” With all his success, dating is still the one area and taken something from every aspect of my La O’Donnell invited Ross to attend a Vegas Ross hasn’t quite fi gured out. life, through the good times and the horribly performance of the True Colors tour this year, “I don’t think I’m good at it,” he says. “I’ve been tragic times.” leading to a day he’ll never forget. He and Rosie so focused on working and making it up as I “I’ve found comfort in it,” he says, smiling that were walking backstage before the show went go that I feel that I’ve lost the ability to interact megawatt smile of his. “It’s the biggest gift I’ve up, when he heard someone singing the song personally. I’m not good at playing anything been given.” “True Colors.” cool. If there’s rules to the game, nobody ever As he turns 28 this month, Ross owes his “I realized it was Cyndi Lauper, in her dressing taught me.” impressive accomplishments to his charm, his room on the fl oor, candles burning, with the He shrugs and makes a joke about sharing a wit and his pluck—and most of all, to how Indigo Girls and Erasure, all singing with her. box of wine with Louise in his backyard, almost comfortable he is in his own skin. I walked in with Rosie and we started singing under his breath. “It’s so interesting to be an active work in along, too, and everybody started crying,” he “It would be nice to be swept off my feet,” he progress, you know?” he writes in another blog says. “I was like, ‘Now this is a moment.’” says. “I want to cut through all the rest: the ones entry. “I may not yet be fi nished with the journey For once, Ross has to search to fi nd just the that don’t work out. I’m waiting for the one.” (I don’t know if we ever are), but I’m further right words. So is he a romantic? along than I’ve ever been before.” “Rosie always says, when she started her show, “I’m totally romantic,” he says, then laughs. “Or Guess there is a market for a sweet and there was no Will & Grace, there was no Queer not. I don’t know.” sincere small-town boy with the September 24 Eye,” he says. “So now, just to see this beautiful While he may be single, he’s defi nitely not birthday. thing, out and proud and loud, was fantastic and bored. Ross is obsessed with awards season. He Happy birthday, Ross.

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