Today we’d like to introduce you to Alanna Noel
Hi Alanna, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story begins like many others: Boy meets Girl, they fall in love, and Girl makes a TikTok video about said love that garners over 9 million views.
The “TL;DR version” is I am a community college dropout who got lucky. But allow me start from the beginning:
My first stroke of luck came in Miami Beach, working as a bottle server while paying my way through community college. I remember working a pool party at Fifty at the Viceroy, although I’m not sure if it’s still there! I was a screen writer, but I needed to break into the industry. One day, while slinging shots of tequila and bottles of Ciroc, a reality show came into the club to film. I was starstruck, not by whoever they were filming, but by the crew. Dressed in my uniform—a white bikini and heels—I approached the camera guy, “Are you guys hiring?” I was hired—as an unpaid intern. With hindsight, maybe it wasn’t “luck” on this occasion.
During school, I “interned” for Marco Mall at Florida Film House. Then, I landed a job as a production assistant for the show “Kim and Kourtney Take Miami.” It was demanding, and I had to decide whether to continue with school or focus on my job. I picked the show. As (my) luck would have it, the Kardashian’s talent assistants kept getting canned. I seemed normal enough, so they moved me into the role. Suddenly, I was Kim and Kourtney’s assistant, driving Kim Kardashian’s Rolls-Royce through Miami Beach to Dolce and Gabbana. It was surreal. But that’s a story for another time. Let me focus on how I started.
The Kardashians and the production company offered me a full-time job, prompting my move to Los Angeles. Throughout my reality television career, luck has had a recurring role. I once missed an opportunity with the Kardashians, but I wouldn’t let luck slip through my fingers again.
At the end of my tenure in reality TV, I was a producer on The Bachelor. Cue the introduction of aforementioned “Boy.” I never intended to orchestrate drama among reality TV contestants. I am a writer, a dreamer, and an artist, for Christ’s sake! In December 2022, I realized I needed to prioritize my real goals. I want to write books and make movies. But who will read my work? I’m nobody! Just a washed-up reality TV producer.
I realized I needed to build a following to support my endeavors. I posted on TikTok daily, hoping to go viral, but nothing worked. My views were low, and I started to think the universe was playing some sort of sick joke on me.
One night, around 3 am, I had an idea: I would pack my boyfriend’s lunch. I was excited about this. I went ahead and ordered a cute lunchbox from Amazon and planned to pen a funny note like, “Don’t worry, I didn’t poison you.”
Then, my mind got the best of me… “What if I write my boyfriend that note and somebody does, in fact, poison him? No, I can’t write that! My humor gets me in trouble. And you know what? Someone at work could see this and think, ‘This is my chance. This is my big opportunity. I poison him. He dies. The girlfriend implicated herself.’ I don’t know what vendettas he has! No, forget it.” It occurred to me that this is my next video. To my utter shock and disbelief, it went viral. Over 6 million views in 48 hours. The idea combined two things I loved: cooking and blasting my thoughts onto unsuspecting victims. It was perfect.
From there, I posted my rants alongside cooking videos for the world to see. Now, it’s my full-time job, along with my podcast, Recipe for Crazy.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? It’s been sandpaper. Nothing has been easy. For some unholy reason, I believed once I went viral, I’d be rich — that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s hard work. But struggles? I’ll name a few.
A few months into my new life as a content creator, I discovered “Boy” was cheating. Our relationship was public with hundreds of thousands of viewers invested in our story. Not only was he cheating, but he relapsed. He went to rehab, and I struggled to post that month because I didn’t want to lie to my audience and I wasn’t ready to disclose the truth. While he was in rehab, my mother was rushed to the hospital and ultimately diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The party didn’t stop there; as I grappled with my mother’s impending death and the love of my life returning from rehab, I found a pair of underwear in my dryer that did not belong to me. I ended up uncovering a mess of lies from my boyfriend, including the fact that he cheated on me with Bachelor contestants, which I documented all on my podcast, Recipe for Crazy. The tea was hot, but it was a nightmare.
By late 2023, I put everything in storage and relocated from Los Angeles back to Florida to spend time with my mom. She has since passed.
Most of my struggles have been in my personal life. Sharing so much of my life online has not made it easy. I’ve made several mistakes, which I continue to learn from.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What do I do? I am a content creator, which I suppose is the technical term, and a podcaster and writer. I am best known for cooking delicious food (sometimes) and offering a (not so) insightful takeaway or a story as you watch. What sets me apart from others is that I do not hold back. I let my freak flag fly! I’m sure many people say that, but I genuinely mean it. I tell stories most would take to the grave.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Ha, I believe I mentioned luck in the first question. It’s funny that this came up. Luck has played a significant role, but just because luck has been a factor doesn’t mean I have always been fortunate. I’ve missed many opportunities because I have been my own worst enemy. The common thread is that I’ve experienced both good and bad luck. These days, I am learning how to make the most of it when it comes my way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alannanoel.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lannanoel/
- TikTok: tiktok.com/@lannanoel
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@lannanoel?si=2QxCj2CwkkKpsybW
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recipe-for-crazy/id1707942166
