Carissa Jean Mares
School
Northwest Film Center, Independent Publishing Resource Center, Portland Community College
Expertise
Entertainment Industry Gossip, True Crime, Political Science
- In 2023, Carissa turned her personal issues with a famous astrologer into her memoir, "The Breaking Zodiac Wheel," published on Substack.
- She has hosted Q&A sessions for small and large celebrities and filmmakers.
- Carissa is an emerging screenwriter who was lucky enough to be a Willamette Writers FilmLab cohort in 2024, getting to sit in an actual writers' room.
Experience
Carissa got her start writing professionally in 2020 while freelancing for a media and tech company. After working her way up to project manager, she opted to move across the country and get back to her writing roots. Carissa weaves her creative arts background into everything she does, from making zines to writing news articles. She joined Static Media in 2024 and can be found haunting downtown Petaluma, California.
Education
Carissa has a certificate in screenwriting from the Northwest Film Center, a certificate in Comics & Illustration from the Independent Publishing Resource Center, and happily dropped out of Pacific Northwest College of Art because they got rid of their color dark room.
Nicki Swift covers celebrity and entertainment news by way of an expert group of editorial professionals. We drive the conversation on everything from trending Hollywood news to star transformations, always striving to deliver the most compelling commentary, bolstered by quality expert opinions.
As we cover a wide breadth of pop culture, we're constantly reviewing, fact-checking, and updating stories to ensure they're accurate and current. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
Stories By Carissa Jean Mares
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Ryan Seacrest has spent years proving he's the host with the most by taking on as many jobs as he can, but it looks like he may have finally overdone it.
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Rumor has it that Tiger Woods and Vanessa Trump have been secretly dating for months and suddenly his recent behavior makes much more sense.
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JD Vance's style has been making waves for months, but not in a good way -- and the public can't help but poke fun at his fashion mishaps.
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Tiger Woods made an upsetting post on Instagram, and his fans are wondering if they'll ever get to see the GOAT play golf professionally again.
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When March Madness hits, sports fans across the nation focus on the best up-and-coming college basketball players, like these notable prospects.
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Gene Hackman was found dead on February 26 at the age of 95, but new details about his death revealed that he had been dead for days before being found.
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Tom Llamas is set to replace Lester Holt as the anchor of NBC Nightly News, and rumors of a rivalry between them has been brewing for months.
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Former couple Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck seem to get along well as they co-parent their children, but let's hope they don't get too close.
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The 2025 Oscars was full of glitz and glamour, but these celebs failed to impress with their questionable outfits on the Academy Awards red carpet.
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Details in the autopsy report for actor Luke Perry provide more information about the circumstances of his death and how acting may have played a role.
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It's like Amber Heard vs. Johnny Depp all over again thanks to Blake Lively's latest hire in her legal battle against "It Ends With Us" co-star Justin Baldoni.
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Jessica Biel should've reconsidered the social media post she made praising her husband Justin Timberlake for his hard work right before he canceled a concert.
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Many have been suspicious of Joe and Jill Biden's possible feuds with former political allies, but the least likely person may have just confirmed these rumors.
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Amid verbal attacks against Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr. decided to throw some harsh words Jill Biden's way and he couldn't have sounded more childish.
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Ainsley Earhardt appeared to be having a ball with her Fox News colleague behind the scenes. (Too bad her sweater resembled one, too.)
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Amid reports that Michelle Trachtenberg had serious health issues, her family made a move that will likely spark more speculation about her cause of death.
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It's no wonder that Meghan Markle feels attacked by online trolls, based on some reactions to a painting she shared on a vision board for her brand As Ever.
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Jill Biden and Kamala Harris are no longer stuck in close quarters together, but the former first lady is still hinting at conflict with the former VP.
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JD Vance was rocking some super-short pants at CPAC, and the look was so dramatic that observers began wondering how tall the vice president is.
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Overall, Sarah Huckabee Sanders' outfit was giving school marm - except for the slit, which allowed her to flash her toned legs.
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The late Gabby Petito's Instagram feed shows a happy young woman who loved to travel and seemed to truly enjoy being outdoors among natural wonders.
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Former president Joe Biden wished his wife Jill Biden a happy Valentine's Day on social media, but it didn't exactly convey romance and closeness.
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During a chat with his daughter Kai Trump, Donald Trump Jr. spoke about his love for something that may explain why he dated Kimberly Guilfoyle for so long.
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Wendy Williams has gone through a lot of drama in recent years, and things just seem to be getting scarier and more worrisome for the talk show host.
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Christina Haack took her new man, Christopher Larocca, on a double-date with the El Moussas, wearing a daring top to distract from her messy divorce.
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Lauren Boebert's style often leans toward the inappropriate, but could her latest spicy outfit be a call for attention? Here's what we know.
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Based on the dresses some stars wore to the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, lampshades are definitely in season. See this year's worst-dressed at the event.