# Kalen Allen
**Kalen Allen** is an American actor, producer, singer-songwriter, and television personality who rose to prominence in late 2017 through his "Kalen Reacts" videos, in which he gave colorful, witty commentary on unusual recipes found on the internet[1](https://30under30.temple.edu/past-recipients/2019-award-recipients/media-entertainment-visionary-kalen-allen). A viral reaction video caught the attention of [Ellen DeGeneres](https://www.edgepedia.org/ellen-degeneres), leading to a four-year regular guest role on *The Ellen DeGeneres Show*, and he has since built a career spanning acting, music, food television, and podcasting[2](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/kalen-allen-signs-with-wme-exclusive-1235225371/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Breakthrough | A November 2017 reaction video to a 7-Up salad went viral with over 5.6 million views[3](https://www.buzzfeed.com/terrycarter/kalen-allen-black-history-month-interview) |
| Ellen connection | Hired in January 2018 to create videos for *The Ellen DeGeneres Show*; held a regular guest spot for four years[3](https://www.buzzfeed.com/terrycarter/kalen-allen-black-history-month-interview) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/) |
| Audience scale | More than 430 million video views by late 2018; billions of views across platforms since[5](https://apnews.com/general-news-movies-8493019c202f401abfd5d5e28e499243) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/) |
| Acting debut | *An American Pickle* (2020), a Seth Rogen comedy for HBO Max[2](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/kalen-allen-signs-with-wme-exclusive-1235225371/) |
| Music | Top 10 holiday album *For Christmas Sake!* (2020), with tracks featuring MJ Rodriguez and Alex Newell[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/) |
| Awards | 2020 Webby Award for the weekly digital series OMKalen; Best YouTube Comedian nominee at the 2019 Shorty Awards[2](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/kalen-allen-signs-with-wme-exclusive-1235225371/) |
| Education | Temple University, BA in Theatre and BFA in Film; later a master's in Journalism at NYU and a Juilliard Extension Program certificate[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/) • [6](https://tfma.temple.edu/directory/kalen-allen) |
## Early life and education
Allen is a [Kansas City, Kansas](https://www.edgepedia.org/kansas-city-kansas) native and a graduate of Sumner Academy[5](https://apnews.com/general-news-movies-8493019c202f401abfd5d5e28e499243). IMDb places his origins in [Kansas City, Missouri](https://www.edgepedia.org/kansas-city-missouri) instead[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/).
He attended [Temple University](https://www.edgepedia.org/temple-university) in Philadelphia, graduating with a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) in Theatre and a BFA in Film[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/). While earning those degrees he acted in live productions including *Hit the Wall* and *Free Man of Color*[1](https://30under30.temple.edu/past-recipients/2019-award-recipients/media-entertainment-visionary-kalen-allen). A year before his rise to fame, he was finishing his Temple studies, preparing for a Juilliard audition, and juggling five jobs to make ends meet[5](https://apnews.com/general-news-movies-8493019c202f401abfd5d5e28e499243). In recent years he has returned to formal training, pursuing a master's degree in [Journalism](https://www.edgepedia.org/journalism) at New York University and a Juilliard Extension Program certificate[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/) • [6](https://tfma.temple.edu/directory/kalen-allen).
## Viral breakthrough and reaction videos
Allen began filming reaction videos in late 2017 while a Temple senior[1](https://30under30.temple.edu/past-recipients/2019-award-recipients/media-entertainment-visionary-kalen-allen). In November 2017, his reaction to a 7-Up salad went viral, attracting over 5.6 million views[3](https://www.buzzfeed.com/terrycarter/kalen-allen-black-history-month-interview). Temple's account also highlights a reaction to a cornbread-focused cooking video that comedian [Seth Rogen](https://www.edgepedia.org/seth-rogen) helped cast into virality[1](https://30under30.temple.edu/past-recipients/2019-award-recipients/media-entertainment-visionary-kalen-allen). His journey also ran through a viral video on Twitter, which led to his YouTube channel, "The KalenAllen," featuring the series "Kalen Reacts"[6](https://tfma.temple.edu/directory/kalen-allen).
The format was commentary on internet cooking videos, delivered with what Temple's profile calls "speaking truth to cooking-video power"[1](https://30under30.temple.edu/past-recipients/2019-award-recipients/media-entertainment-visionary-kalen-allen). Allen has explained the resonance of his early videos in cultural terms: he was reacting to dishes rooted in African American culture, such as cornbread, potato salad, and sweet potato pie[3](https://www.buzzfeed.com/terrycarter/kalen-allen-black-history-month-interview). He has since stopped making food reaction videos, describing his comedy as avoiding punching down at people, and frames his career as paving the way for future Black queer creators[3](https://www.buzzfeed.com/terrycarter/kalen-allen-black-history-month-interview).
## Television and hosting career
By January 2018, the Kansas City native was hired to create videos for *The Ellen DeGeneres Show*[3](https://www.buzzfeed.com/terrycarter/kalen-allen-black-history-month-interview). DeGeneres continually mentioned Allen to her 76 million Twitter followers and had him guest-host her show, which was then the No. 2 rated talk show in America behind Dr. Phil[5](https://apnews.com/general-news-movies-8493019c202f401abfd5d5e28e499243). For the next four years, Allen held a regular guest spot on the show, often appearing at high-profile events such as the [Billboard Music Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/billboard-music-awards) and the [MTV Video Music Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/mtv-video-music-awards) as Ellen's correspondent[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/). Before graduating from Temple, he had moved to Los Angeles and taken a job with DeGeneres' EllenTube, where his "OMKalen" video series expanded his success[1](https://30under30.temple.edu/past-recipients/2019-award-recipients/media-entertainment-visionary-kalen-allen).
**Food television and podcasts.** Allen has been a judge on [Food Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/food-network)'s *Cakealikes* and *Supermarket Stakeout*, and he hosted *Buddy vs Duff*[2](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/kalen-allen-signs-with-wme-exclusive-1235225371/). He won a 2020 Webby Award for his weekly digital series OMKalen and was nominated for Best YouTube Comedian at the 2019 [Shorty Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/shorty-awards)[2](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/kalen-allen-signs-with-wme-exclusive-1235225371/). He also co-hosts the Raised by Ricki Lake Podcast[6](https://tfma.temple.edu/directory/kalen-allen).
## Acting roles
Allen made his feature acting debut in Seth Rogen's 2020 film *An American Pickle* for HBO Max; Rogen was one of the earliest fans of the food reaction videos that launched Allen's career[2](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/kalen-allen-signs-with-wme-exclusive-1235225371/) • [5](https://apnews.com/general-news-movies-8493019c202f401abfd5d5e28e499243). His television credits include [Amazon Prime](https://www.edgepedia.org/amazon-prime)'s *With Love* and season three of HBO's *[A Black Lady Sketch Show](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-black-lady-sketch-show)*[2](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/kalen-allen-signs-with-wme-exclusive-1235225371/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/). He also stars in Netflix's holiday film *Meet Me Next Christmas*[7](https://www.ebony.com/kalen-allen-is-centering-joy-at-all-fronts-interview/).
## Music career
Allen's music debut came with his holiday album *For Christmas Sake!*, released in 2020 and described by IMDb as a Top 10 holiday album, featuring tracks with MJ Rodriguez (*Pose*) and [Alex Newell](https://www.edgepedia.org/alex-newell) (*[Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist](https://www.edgepedia.org/zoeys-extraordinary-playlist)*)[2](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/kalen-allen-signs-with-wme-exclusive-1235225371/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/). He describes himself as a singer-songwriter, and Ebony reports him staking his claim in that field alongside his screen and hosting work[7](https://www.ebony.com/kalen-allen-is-centering-joy-at-all-fronts-interview/).
## By the numbers
Since November 2017, Allen rose from obscurity to what the Associated Press called omnipresence within roughly a year[5](https://apnews.com/general-news-movies-8493019c202f401abfd5d5e28e499243). By late 2018 his videos had accumulated more than 430 million views[5](https://apnews.com/general-news-movies-8493019c202f401abfd5d5e28e499243). The single video that started it, the 7-Up salad reaction, drew over 5.6 million views on its own[3](https://www.buzzfeed.com/terrycarter/kalen-allen-black-history-month-interview). IMDb reports that his videos have since garnered billions of views across all platforms and continue to grow[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/).
## Recent career developments
Several career moves mark Allen's recent years. He signed with the talent agency WME[2](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/kalen-allen-signs-with-wme-exclusive-1235225371/). He stars in Netflix's holiday film *Meet Me Next Christmas* and has appeared in Amazon Prime's *With Love*, while hosting various digital series and podcasts[7](https://www.ebony.com/kalen-allen-is-centering-joy-at-all-fronts-interview/). He is pursuing a master's in Journalism at NYU and a Juilliard Extension Program certificate, and has been involved with the Food Network, a Netflix movie, and the Raised by Ricki Lake Podcast[6](https://tfma.temple.edu/directory/kalen-allen).
## References
1. [Media and Entertainment Visionary: Kalen Allen, Temple 30 Under 30](https://30under30.temple.edu/past-recipients/2019-award-recipients/media-entertainment-visionary-kalen-allen)
2. [Kalen Allen Signs with WME (Exclusive), The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/kalen-allen-signs-with-wme-exclusive-1235225371/)
3. [Kalen Allen Black History Month Interview, BuzzFeed](https://www.buzzfeed.com/terrycarter/kalen-allen-black-history-month-interview)
4. [Kalen Allen, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9630559/)
5. [Kansas City-born viral video star finds success on 'Ellen', Associated Press](https://apnews.com/general-news-movies-8493019c202f401abfd5d5e28e499243)
6. [Kalen Allen, Temple University School of Theater, Film and Media Arts](https://tfma.temple.edu/directory/kalen-allen)
7. [Kalen Allen: Spreading Joy Across Media, Film, and Music, Ebony](https://www.ebony.com/kalen-allen-is-centering-joy-at-all-fronts-interview/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Online creators and internet personalities › Comedy and prank creators › Sketch and vlog comedians › Vlog and storytime comedians*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license