The new season of The Circle is brimming with candidates who are competing for the $100,000 grand prize, and here's everything that fans need to know about season 3's Michelle "Shelly Belly" Rider. Like most competitors on The Circle, there's much more to Michelle than meets the eye. From her comedy career to her journey going viral on TikTok, there is so much to learn about Michelle.
The Circle is known for featuring out-of-the-box personalities, and that's exactly what fans will get with Michelle. While she might not fit the typical image of a social media influencer that comes to mind, Michelle is more than qualified to make it all the way to the top of the competition. Michelle is an accomplished comedian on the rise. Her stand-up career was jumpstarted by her TikTok videos. Although she might have only recently garnered fame, Michelle has a fascinating life story that highlights her ambitious spirit.
According to her LinkedIn, Michelle is from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Before competing on The Circle season 3, Michelle attended Spartanburg Community College to study business management. Michelle graduated from college in 1993, with a 3.9 GPA and an Associate's degree. In the years after graduation, Michelle worked as a manager for several businesses in Spartanburg, including Blockbuster and Rose Harbor. Michelle continued to leverage her business management skills for decades as she worked as a business development manager in South Carolina from 2010 to 2016. Currently, Michelle is taking on a role as assistant to the director of operations at an American department store. While Michelle might have ample experience working at standard nine to five jobs, she has branched out of her management positions in recent years due to her comedy chops.
Fledgling reality star Michelle started to garner fame when she launched her TikTok, @shellybellycomedy. On TikTok, Michelle has acquired 758,400 followers and 8.1 million likes. From storytimes to responding to other viral TikToks, the Circle season 3 contestant's hilarious personality has made her a hit on social media. Michelle's Instagram is also dedicated to her burgeoning entertainment career. She promotes her popular TikToks and shares clips from The Circle season 3. In addition to mastering the ever-evolving world of social media, Michelle has taken her comedy routine on the road. From Alabama to Virginia to her home state of South Carolina, Michelle has plans to perform at dozens of live shows until the end of 2021. She also has merchandise her fans can buy at her online store, which features all of her best catchphrases, such as, "I tell you what" and "Comedy, southern style."
Michelle might not be the standard social media influencer on The Circle, but she has found her unique route to going viral. From business school to gaining millions of likes on TikTok, Michelle's life has been a true story of a star being born. Hopefully, Michelle's experience as a comedian will take her to the top of The Circle.
Sources: Michelle Rider/LinkedIn, Michelle Rider/TikTok, Michelle Rider/Instagram