Elias Stimac Talks To 'Obama Girl' Amber Lee Ettinger (Opposite Photo Credit: Stuart Burden )

Internet Sensation ‘Obama Girl’ Has a Crush on New York

New York -- and New Yorkers -- have a starring role in one of the hottest videos on the Internet these days – “I’ve Got a Crush on Obama.”

In case you haven’t seen the video yet, the fictional character Obama Girl is a not-so-secret admirer of presidential hopeful Barack Obama. In the comical song, written and performed by Leah Kauffman, the star struck girl leaves the Democratic candidate romantic voicemails and says she can’t wait till he takes office in 2008. She also appears all around NYC, dancing with people on the streets and in subway cars. You can catch the video and all the latest updates on Obama Girl at BarelyPolitical.com.

Who is Obama Girl? She is New York area model and actress Amber Lee Ettinger (check out her website at http://amberleeonline.com). And her success story is an inspiration for anyone waiting for his or her big break in the Big Apple.

Photo Credit: Jarmo Pohjaniemi

Amber Lee is originally from Pennsylvania, and moved to New York to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology. After joining the modeling and talent website OneModelPlace.com in 2003, she began booking jobs. “While studying at FIT, I was approached to do some modeling and acting jobs. I absolutely loved it so I have been pursuing it full time for the past four years.”

One Model Place also chose Amber Lee as one of the top ten finalists in its search for the “2006 Bikini Model of the Year.” She posed for an exclusive photo and video shoot in Mexico. She relates, “Working with One Model Place was an amazing experience. I got to shoot in a beautiful location in Puerto Vallarta, with a great photographer and helpful staff members. I just loved it!” You can see Amber Lee’s online portfolio at OneModelPlace.com, the world’s largest online modeling and talent website (search for OMP Model #32605).

Among her other recent credits are an upcoming fashion book about the 1960s, which was written by her mother Roseann Ettinger, and an appearance on the Howard Stern radio show -- which led to her current achievement.

These days, Amber Lee is making heads turn as Obama Girl. When the creative team behind BarelyPolitical.com was casting for the sexy star for their music video, they noticed Amber Lee, who was chosen as Stern’s “Miss Howard TV” for June. Looking her up on OneModelPlace, the Barely Political staff contacted the brunette beauty and asked her to try out for the part.

The audition process was extremely easy, according to Amber Lee. “I really didn’t even have to audition. We set up a meeting and I loved the song right away. It looked like such a fun project to work on, so I told them I would love to do it.”

The actual shoot took place in different locations around New York City. “It was a hot day in NYC, and we did the whole shoot in under six hours. We shot in places such as Central Park and the Subway at 42nd Street.”

Debuting in May, the video became a viral phenomenon and was seen over 50 million times on television and the web. The story was covered by major media outlets including CNN, ABC, and MSNBC.

Amber Lee lip-syncs and dances throughout the video, all the while praising the merits of Barack. She says she was not prepared for all the attention she has been getting. “I was not prepared at all for any of this!” She also admits she is an Obama supporter in real life. “Of course, I think he is a genuine and honest guy. I absolutely support him!”

Amber Lee is also getting a lot of support from her new management team. The model-actress plans on doing more film and TV, and hopes to start her own clothing line. She also hopes to inspire others to follow their dreams. Amber Lee’s advice for fellow models and actors is “just be true to yourself and work hard.”

Take it from Obama Girl – hard work definitely pays off!

Elias Stimac is a freelance writer who frequently contributes to NewYorkCool.com. Email him at backstagewriter@aol.com.