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Wondering who is Mike Esterman? The 56-year-old caused quite a stir when he received a kiss on the head from Wendy Williams during a live television interview with FOX 5 on April 13. The on-screen PDA wasn’t exactly a surprise, though, since Mike and Wendy’s romance began on television!
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We’ve rounded up five fun facts you should know about Wendy’s new boyfriend, her first public one since splitting from Kevin Hunter after nearly 22 years of marriage in 2019. While Mike may not be a celebrity like Wendy, he certainly works with just as many celebrities as his girlfriend:
Mario Lopez Introduced Mike Esterman To Wendy Williams
A year after finalizing her divorce with Kevin Hunter, Wendy launched a dating segment on her talk show called Date Wendy! in Jan. 2021. She encouraged “all the single men” to sign up on her talk show’s website to have a chance at winning a date with her. So, Access Hollywood host Mario Lopez introduced Wendy to his friend, Mike, who’s “single, loves boxing and lives on the east coast.” Mike even submitted a cute audition tape to win a date with the TV personality, which you can watch above!
“Wendy, I want to take you on a date,” Mike said in the tape. “What do I have in mind? I thought a nice little casual dinner, nothing too romantic and stuffy. Maybe a little caviar or even maybe chill, go to a boxing match. I’m a guy who has charisma, character and a little soul…so I hope you choose me.” Wendy did end up “choosing” Mike — more on that below.
Mike Esterman Won Wendy’s ‘Date Wendy!’ Competiton
Mike made it into the top three finalists on the Date Wendy! segment, and was announced as the contest’s winner on the Feb. 26 episode of The Wendy Williams Show. Wendy revealed that she liked Mike because they’re “age appropriate” (they’re just under a year apart) and because “he’s got jokes.”
As For Who Exactly Is Mike Esterman, He’s A Celebrity Booking Agent & Talent Manager
Mike Esterman with Pete Davidson at the Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren boxing match in Atlanta on April 17, 2021. [Instagram/@mikeesterman]
Mike runs Esterman.com, which is a “full-service celebrity booking agency specializing in celebrity event bookings, appearance placement and product endorsements,” according to his website. Wendy’s boyfriend’s field of work has led him to work with A-list stars like “Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, POISON, Jessica Simpson, Garth Brooks, Pamela Anderson, and Paris Hilton,” his website also stated.
He Was Also A Dancer
Mike Esterman in his younger days. [Instagram/@mikeesterman]
Before he made his mark in the talent booking agency world, Mike was introduced to celebrities as a spotlight dancer. He appeared on television shows like Bandstand and Dance Party USA, his website states.
Mike Esterman Lives In Maryland
Mike and Wendy are currently doing a long-distance relationship, since Mike lives in Maryland and Wendy lives in New York City. Wendy wasn’t too thrilled about the distance. “I really like him, and he really likes me. Like it broke my heart when he was leaving. Like I walked him to the elevator and waited for the doors to close,” she said on The Wendy Williams Show in April. She later added, “Because of the [COVID-19] virus, you can’t do all that traveling. You can’t. A smart one doesn’t. But I’m going to see him this week. He’s busy.”
However, Wendy added that they “talk all the time,” and she even flew to Maryland for a quick reunion later that month! This is where the infamous on-screen kiss happened (which we mentioned above).