Colt Paulsen, of Cozad, will debut on ABC’S “Big Fan,” to air Jan. 16
COZAD—University of Nebraska at Omaha student Colt Paulsen’s dream of meeting Kim Kardashian came true and the televised proof is about to air.
Paulsen, a 2014 graduate of Cozad High School, was cast as a super fan on the new ABC show “Big Fan.” His episode, featuring Kim Kardashian and two super fans, will air Jan. 16 on ABC at 9 p.m. CST.
A big fan of Kardashian, Paulsen said he saw a Twitter posting where she encouraged fans to apply to be cast in a new game show about super fans.
The next thing he knew, Paulsen filmed an audition tape in which he talked about who he was and how big a fan he was.
Paulsen is no stranger to being in front of the camera. At CHS, the idea of having a talk show to talk about celebrity gossip and school happenings morphed into a broadcasting class now known as “Hay Haymakers.”
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As a UNO student, Paulsen did red carpet interviews during Omaha Fashion Week. He also can be seen on the fashion celebrity channel DevelopTV on Youtube. Paulsen is signed with the agency Develop Model Management in Omaha.
About two weeks after sending in his audition video, Paulsen said he received a phone call from Beverly Hills, Calif.
A casting assistant started the process of Paulsen being considered for the show. A talk with a casting producer and an interview followed.
A couple of weeks later, Paulsen received the news that he was cast.
Paulsen said he never thought he would get to meet Kardashian, but he realized his dream would become a reality after he was cast.
“I was shocked. I did not think it was real life. I was getting ready for finals week and was focusing a lot of my attention on the game show. After the phone call (telling him he was cast), I screamed,” he said.
At the end of April 2016, Paulsen flew to Los Angeles for one-full day of preparation and shooting for the show.
He described the process of getting ready to film as the “star treatment.”
“Casting made sure you felt normal and taken care of,” Paulsen said. “It was nice to have people do things for you.”
Each episode of Super Fan is based on the Jimmy Kimmel segment of his show titled “Who Knows,” with trivia questions asked about a celebrity, Paulsen said.
Other episodes of the show include Matthew Mc-Connaughey and some of his fans, Aaron Rodgers and fans and Kristen Bell and fans, he said.
Asked how it felt to meet his idol, Kardashian, Paulsen couldn’t find the words.
“It was . . . surreal is the closest word to it,” he said.
Getting to see a big television production was a fun experience, said Paulsen. And although he enjoys the behind-the-scenes atmosphere, he loves being in front of the camera even more.
When he was still a high school student, Paulsen said he did a lot of behind-the-scenes things, like video editing for his talk show and he enjoyed that.
Paulsen said text messages buzz his phone each day asking when the episode will air, but Paulsen is not at liberty per show rules to discuss what happens during his show. He simply encourages his friends and others to view the show Jan. 16 on ABC.
Paulsen said he is thankful for the people who encouraged him to follow his dream of being in front of the camera. He is happy to pay-it-forward by encouraging others with similar interests, he said.
“If someone else wants tips, I’m their number one go-to-person. This is a new experience for Nebraska people,” he said.
Not surprisingly, Paulsen’s career aspirations are focused on show business and big cities.
“I want to do an internship in Los Angeles or New York. I want to get an internship with Jimmy Kimmel. I had been to LA once before (the show). I love looking out the window of the plane, I dream about the day I’ll move there,” Paulsen said.
Courtesy photos
Cozad’s Colt Paulsen, center in photo above, was one of three of Kim Kardashian West’s millions of followers worldwide selected to compete for the title #1 Super Fan on the Big Fan television show.
