01/06/2026
This is the story of how a well known celebrity makeup artist made an impact on me.
When I went to the Hamptons for the fanciest wedding I've ever seen- I was nervous. I had never flown anywhere for work. I had driven out of town, into Pennsylvania, but I was always kinda scared to do anything bigger.
I realized three things:
1. I'm capable of much more than I thought.
2. Friendship can come in the least likely of places.
3. I was the poorest person in the room, lol.
I went to the dress rehearsal to get the lay of the land. I was told by Jonathan "it's really chill and casual, we will be barbecuing, please come!" So I'm like cool, I'll just wear what I wore on the flight in, a t shirt, leggings and Vans.
Well, I got there and quickly realized that this was a different level of "casual" than I'm used to. People were wearing suits and dresses and here's little ol me, wearing airport clothes, lol. Oh, and the barbecuing was done by professional chefs, NBD. (it was amazing)
Anyway, I was feeling self conscious, even though Jonathan and Brandon were nothing less than hospitable. A guy with an adorable chihuahua comes wandering up to me with a smile. He asks my name, (his name is Jasen), how I know the couple etc. He joked about my accent, (thought the way I said cabinets was hilarious) we talked about our dogs, shared pictures. He laughed and laughed when I told him Ruxin's a pitbull/weiner dog mix. He wanted to show her picture to friends. He told me his dog is actually Kelly Osborne's dog and that Kelly is his best friend. At first I was like no way, this can't be for real? It was. He told me how Kelly was driving in LA years back and she saw a seedy looking guy selling the dog on the side of the road and she bought the dog, named her Coco and took her home. But she had to travel out of the country for work, so naturally Jasen took care of Coco for Kelly and never ended up leaving him. When I saw him the next morning he was doing makeup, completely in his element, adorable Coco curled up amongst the makeup on the bed. We chatted a little more, we made jokes and I captured him with friends, watched him move amongst some famous people in attendance with ease.
I found out recently that he passed, and I just can't stop thinking about it. Someone so full of life, kindness and fun, gone.
We can all learn something from Jasen. Don't forget to say hello to people who may be out of place, because he could've just ignored me, never made this connection, never made an awkward little underdressed photographer feel like she belonged and instead spent time with the people he already knew and fit in with.
Be a Jasen when you can. I know I certainly will try.
Thanks for the brief little friendship that I leaned on for two days, may you rest in peace, Jasen.
