Deuxmoi Reveals Her Secrets
Nowhere does the uniquely internetty relationship between credulity and paranoia coexist more deliciously than on the Instagram gossip account @DeuxMoi. Neither deux (there’s only one account owner), nor particularly moi (the operator is anonymous), the account began as a lark during the early days of the pandemic. Unlike traditional gossip columns or tabloids, @DeuxMoi simply reposts submissions wholesale without any editorialization or fact-checking, removing the middleman between source and reader, and making for such an undeniable indulgence that the account has now turned into a real business, with over a million followers, a podcast, and merch. Here, @DeuxMoi, whoever she is, gives us the inside scoop.
Interview
JESSICA JOFFE: Who was the first celebrity to follow you?
DEUXMOI: Whoopi Goldberg. And maybe a Real Housewife.
JOFFE: You’re scooping all the major publications. How does that feel?
DEUXMOI: At first I thought it was amusing, but now I’m irritated if they don’t credit me. Credit me!
JOFFE: You have a full-time job. How many hours a day do you work on the account?
DEUXMOI: Six hours at least. And now, my readers want me to verify certain stories as they’re happening, which means I have to behave like an investigative journalist. I have to go to my sources and dig.
JOFFE: How do other gossip outlets just not cut it?
DEUXMOI: Unlike other outlets, I can present information freely and let my audience make up their own minds. And because it comes directly from them, I’m not telling them what to think or feel.
JOFFE: How do you verify sources and information?
DEUXMOI: I’ve gotten much better at verifying because I have so many sources, but some fake news still slips through the cracks.
JOFFE: Do you make distinctions between what types of stories you post?
DEUXMOI: There are certain topics I won’t touch, including serious allegations like rape, racism, etc. If something is merely salacious I’ll make it a blind item.
JOFFE: Have you ever been threatened legally?
DEUXMOI: Nope.
JOFFE: What do you think about posting about Jonah Hill’s alleged engagement?
DEUXMOI: I don’t know why he got so upset about that!
JOFFE: I would imagine he’d say it’s an invasion of privacy.
DEUXMOI: I thought it was positive news. He’s public about the relationship, so I didn’t feel compelled to retract it.
JOFFE: What is it about celebrity gossip that’s so enticing to you?
DEUXMOI: Nothing. What’s enticing is the people I get to interact with. Celebrity is just a conduit for community. People ask me questions about where to go, what to do, and what to buy. Sometimes I feel like a concierge service.
JOFFE: Do you think everyone wants to be famous?
DEUXMOI: It’s everyone’s dream to live like a celebrity.
JOFFE: And you?
DEUXMOI: I don’t, but I wouldn’t mind the lifestyle.
JOFFE: Do you think DeuxMoi has made certain people famous?
DEUXMOI: You mean like Cousin Greg? I’ve watched exactly 1.5 episodes of Succession, but my followers are obsessed with him. I’m just amplifying what the people want.
JOFFE: Whose 15 minutes are just about to start?
DEUXMOI: Maude Apatow and Melissa Benoist.
JOFFE: When are DeuxMoi’s 15 minutes up?
DEUXMOI: When I say so.
JOFFE: Has a celebrity ever written in to correct a story about themself?
DEUXMOI: I once posted something about Nicholas Braun [Cousin Greg] being great at eating pussy and following up with a bowl of cereal. The post was mysteriously taken down. I imagine he reported it, but we’ll never know.
JOFFE: Do you ever get bored of a certain topic?
DEUXMOI: All the time.
JOFFE: Cousin Greg?
DEUXMOI: I’m not bored of Cousin Greg at all, because I respect his game. I don’t think that kid has a house. He’s out all the time. Chris Evans and his love life, on the other hand, that I could do without.
JOFFE: Do you think privacy is still an option in this world?
DEUXMOI: It depends on your comfort level. If I weren’t as private as I choose to be and people gossiped about little things like who I was or wasn’t dating, I wouldn’t care. I’d be upset if someone said I was a bad tipper. But I do try to put myself into my subjects’ shoes before posting.
JOFFE: What did you watch last night?
DEUXMOI: The Disappearance of Maura Murray.
JOFFE: How do you watch?
DEUXMOI: On my computer in bed. Right up in my face, so I’m not distracted.
JOFFE: Who are you watching?
DEUXMOI: Britney Spears, Sam Asghari, Diet Prada, and Kim Kardashian.
JOFFE: Who watches you?
DEUXMOI: My followers.
JOFFE: How do you get attention?
DEUXMOI: I post.
JOFFE: What do you do when no one’s watching?
DEUXMOI: I’m on my phone.
JOFFE: What movie do you know by heart?
DEUXMOI: Heathers.
JOFFE: What do you hate-watch?
DEUXMOI: Certain people’s IG stories.
JOFFE: Do you watch what you eat?
Answer: A lot less since quarantine.
JOFFE: Who do you follow?
Answer: I do my own thing. I don’t fashion myself after anyone. I have been inspired by some people I’ve talked to recently, especially Alexis Neiers of the “Bling Ring,” who is truly insightful at this stage in her life.
JOFFE: When was the last time you lied?
Answer: I lie at work every day. I have to.
JOFFE: What’s the last thing you got in trouble for?
Answer: Please, I don’t get in trouble.
