That’s right. Unknown was the person throwing the party, who may or not have been present the whole night. The guests searched for Gossip Girl and asked strangers “Are You Deuxmoi?”
Nobody said yes.
Leah McSweeney, “Real Housewives of New York City”, with Ziwe Fumudoh, comedian at the Deuxmoi holiday celebration. Sansho Scott/BFA.com
What is Deuxmoi, then?
Deuxmoi is an Instagram account that posts savage celebrity gossip and slurred media. Some posts are anonymous — the details are disclosed but not the identities of the celebs — while others reveal full stories, but keep the identity of the submitter a secret. Sometimes it’s both.
The account went viral in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. It now has 1.3 million followers and has transformed celebrity news. Even Adele is concerned that her name might be featured in Deuxmoi’s black and white Instagram stories.
“Majority of people were shocked and applauded. You made it! Adele knows who your are!” I just laughed. In a telephone interview with TODAY, Deuxmoi’s creator shared that she loves everyone’s reaction more then mine.
“A part of me is like, oh that’s cool. But another part is like, God! I wish every celebrity knew about it.” It’s no secret society any more, the more I get to know celebrities who have read it.
The voice over the phone is a female — she confirmed that only. To protect her privacy and safety, she declined to confirm her identity. TODAY agreed to allow her anonymity. One can only imagine the life of someone who has all the secrets to Hollywood. It sounds like she might be in her 20s or 30s. She could be from Manhattan and grew up there. She is a down-to earth girl who loves to go to New York Fashion Week.
It’s all speculation. Deuxmoi, whatever her identity may be, is determined to keep her name secret.
You can’t put me on a blind date with f—! I was like “How is that going to work?” There will be paparazzi outside, and someone will call Deuxmoi (or whatever it’s called). It’s not happening.” — Adele, DeuxmoiAllen J. Schaben/ Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag
“The floodgates were opened”
In 2013, the Deuxmoi Instagram account was launched. It was originally linked to a blog with the same name. This means “two me” French. It was originally a lifestyle website that featured interviews with interesting people, gift guides, and inspiration boards for celeb fashion. Although the Instagram and blog had two administrators at one time, Deuxmoi, who now runs it, would not confirm that she was one of them nor explain how it became a one woman show. Deuxmoi began to engage with her 40,000 followers in new ways during the pandemic. She posted a simple request: “Send in any celebrity experiences.”
Deuxmoi explained that “it became what it is today by accident.” “Literally crowdsourcing from boredom. Although I didn’t know if anyone in the audience had ever met celebrities, I quickly learned that there are many people who have and will share their experiences. It was just anecdotes at that point. It was not current information because it couldn’t be, since everyone was locked at home.”
The famouses began to emerge from lockdown once the normals were out. They may have been hiding behind masks but sightings began to flood in and new encounters were reported, inspiring a new age for the account. Deuxmoi isn’t 100% certain, but she believes that the first celebrity sighting she saw was Hugh Jackman at Bleecker Street in New York. From there…
She said, “The floodgates were opened.” “I didn’t even say send celebrity sightings. It was an idea that one person had, and it quickly caught on.”
Many people submit tips via the Deuxmoi submission form. This allows them to remain anonymous and more private than Instagram.
Deuxmoi says that while this is something that happens frequently, it’s not always the person who has the most viral ideas. The power of community sourcing can inspire others to do the same and share their experiences.
She said that people now expect information to be up-to-date, including leaks and tips. They want to know the current state of affairs. They see it as news, but that wasn’t the intention. … It was created to help you get to know your favourite celebs better, not just from a PR perspective.
She receives hundreds of submissions per day via Instagram direct messages or through a website submission form. Information shared on an account can often be confirmed as true in news cycles days or even weeks later. It’s common to find juicy information first on Deuxmoi’s Facebook page, including the breaking up of Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, Harry Styles’ and Olivia Wilde’s dating, Kim and Kanye splitting up, and details about Taylor Swift’s new music video.
Deuxmoi announced the split between Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello shortly before it was officially announced. Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic
Deuxmoi’s language retains a certain level expertise when she speaks with her. It is like someone who works in public relations or media during the day. Although she admits that this is a false notion, she is completely okay with it. She said, “It’s flattering for people to think that I work in media, that I’m an editor, or that my job is at a magazine. I don’t have any formal training in this.” I’m just following my gut instincts. It’s not a compliment to say that I seem professional.
The Instagram account is verified by the social network and has been in the news a lot. Jennifer Aniston, for instance, knows a lot about her because Deuxmoi loves her new hair product LolaVie. InStyle magazine interviewed the star of “Friends” about the account. Since then, she has commented and tagged it.
“I must trust the person I’m talking to.”
Media scrutiny — maybe jealousy? Over the past two years, it has grown in number. The account has been profiled by numerous outlets, including The New York Times and Bustle. The attention has made it more difficult for the administrator to choose who she speaks to. She says she feels burned by some reporters.
She wrote via DM, “It’s because it’s because I understand what everything ‘works.'” “I must trust the person I’m talking to.”
How can one manage the growing pressure from a large following, especially when the media and stars are watching every move of her?
She said, “I don’t put pressure on my self, because that’s never what the account should be.” “I didn’t expect the experiences and stories I posted to be returned to celebrities.
“It was a place for people to connect and maybe not feel so isolated that their celebrity friend treated them like s— during their 2-second interaction. It’s amazing that things are returning to celebrities. I didn’t think that would happen in a million.
Even if a celeb requests a coffee date or phone call, she politely declines.
“If any celebrity sees this article, even though I love you, I don’t trust a celebrity for s Deuxmoi. I would not give up anonymity to have lunch at a celebrity. I have met people through Instagram who I consider so cool and I am like, ‘Damn! In real life, we would become friends.’ But it’s not worth the risk.
