By Gia Peppers · Updated October 27, 2020

Matchmaker Paul C. Brunson is the real life version of Will Smith’s hit movie, Hitch.  Before he appears during Empower U at ESSENCE Fest 2015, here are ten things you should know about the host of OWN’s Lovetown, USA.

1.  Want to seal the deal on a date or a job?  He thinks you should never leave home without a packet of Listerine.  

“I’ve read 100s of studies on how to make the best impression and quality of breath ALWAYS ranks high as a factor,” he wrote in a post on his Instagram.  For more life-changing advice, head to his personal website.

2.  Paul is married!  His wife is named Jill and likes to stay out of the public eye.  Years ago, she was offered the chance to do a reality show and turned it down.  Still, she has supported her loving husband through it all.  Just in her own way.

2 years ago, my wife gave her first and only interview to a small magazine in the DC area. She allowed photographers to come in our home and she sat for her first photo shoot. While I loved it and I know our son Kingston (who was turning 2-years-old at the time) REALLY loved it, I could see Jill wasn’t feelin’ the attention. Since then, she has not done another interview and passed on reality TV offers. She has had no interest. Even when some trolls tried to provoke us, saying “something must be wrong with your marriage Paul, because your wife isn’t publicly visible,” I immediately wrote up a response message that made Nas’ Ether look like child’s play but Jill, she payed the comment no mind (other to tell me I need not respond) and went on about her day with not a care in the world of “pulling out a camera or writing up a blog post.” I’ve come to learn from my wife that truly being a supporter has NOTHING to do with weakness and EVERYTHING to do with strength and focus. I adore my wife’s ability to keep her eyes on the prize and I can honestly say without her I would be a ship lost at sea. She is my guide, she is my rock, and I thank GOD everyday for her. #Shoutout to all the supporters in the world (women and men) who hold down us big mouth personalities and keep us on point. #TBT

A photo posted by Paul Carrick Brunson (@paulcbrunson) on Sep 11, 2014 at 10:32am PDT

3. Paul Carrick Brunson is Jamaican and is not shy about representing for the beautiful island.

4. Brunson is a New York native but currently resides in Washington DC with his wife Jill and two painfully adorable sons.

5. He always knew that he was going to meet his current boss, Oprah. He is the host of OWN’s Lovetown, USA. Before he got the job, he told MediaBistro,”I don’t want to sound conceited when I say this, but when I first met her I wasn’t nervous at all because I knew that moment was going to happen,” he said. “I saw it in my mind… Now, are there moments when I reflect back and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe this is happening’? Sure, I definitely do that, but I felt in my heart that it was going to happen.” 

6. Before he was an author, relationship expert and personality, he worked as an investment banker. Case in point, he knew it wasn’t for him. 

7. He got his hosting job on OWN through Facebook. In a recent interview, he explained how he got the gig. “Someone from the network contacted me on Facebook. We went back and forth several times via Facebook; at first I didn’t think it was real because there are so many spammers on Facebook. I then came into the offices in L.A. and met with the network team, once again with no agent. I was there with my business partner, and we sat at this long table. There were 13 of them on one side and just my partner and me on the other. It was incredible. So, they basically pitched me the idea for LoveTown and I immediately signed with them.” 

8. His career as a matchmake started from a joke during a conversation with his wife after he signed in kids at a camp and realized no one came from a two-parent home. She said, “Why don’t you become a matchmaker?” And, that’s exactly what he did. 

9. He tells all of his followers that the most important thing he wants people to understand is, “One of the most critical skills we can have on this planet is being able to establish a relationship—a romantic, business, or platonic relationship. That’s one of the most important skills,” he said in a recent interview with ESSENCE contributor, Britni Danielle.

10.  He’s easy on the eyes.  Well, that you might know by just looking at his Instagram.

Want to attend Paul C. Brunson’s workshop at this year’s ESSENCE Empower U? Sign up now to reserve your spot!

Click here to see the rest of our Empower U line-up!