And he has a great sense of humor, too? Swoon! Gregory Caruso, perhaps better known as “#HotDebateGuy,” caused a ruckus on social media during the GOP debate on Wednesday, Sept. 16, after his handsome mug got some serious screentime behind CNN debate moderator Jake Tapper.
But the aspiring filmmaker isn’t letting the media attention go to his head — yet.
“It’s pretty hilarious,” Caruso, 24, told CNN of the Internet’s instant reaction. “Social media can focus on some guy at the debate instead of the debate.”
Caruso told the site that he first realized he was the subject of a hashtag gone viral after friends texted him the news. The USC graduate is not currently on Twitter or Facebook.
“And the winner of tonight’s #GOPDebate guy behind Tapper,” one admirer posted on Twitter.
“Ummmm who is the babe sitting behind @jaketapper??? #GOPdebate,” another asked.
In addition to being a creative soul, Caruso is also the son of millionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso, who is the owner of Los Angeles’ hot spot outdoor shopping center The Grove, and has poured millions into past GOP campaigns, including Arnold Schwarzenegger’s in 2010.
Asked for his reaction to the debate itself, during which presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina confronted Donald Trump head-on about his disparaging comments about her face, Caruso said he is not yet sold on any one candidate.
“I think out of everyone, [Jeb Bush] improved the most from the first debate,” he said, adding that “Carly Fiorina did a great job and was in her element. That was the highlight of the debate to watch her. She held her own.”
