Reality TV show star Austin Shepard will visit Norman and appear at an event at Campus Corner bar Yo Pablo on Thursday.
Shepard is known for his time on “Love Island USA” Season 7, a dating competition where contestants live on a tropical island, couple up to participate in challenges and find love.
Viewers or contestants vote on who gets eliminated and viewers ultimately choose the winning couple, who walk away with $100,000, which they can share with their partner or keep to themselves.
The show premiered in 2019 as a spinoff of the UK-based “Love Island.” Shepard was a contestant on this year’s season and made it to day 24 on the island.
The former pool technician has been on TV before on the 2015 television series “$tripped.”
Joseph Vasquez, general manager of Yo Pablo, said attendees will have a chance to meet and make content with Shepard at the event.
“He's real trendy, he’ll be making TikToks and stuff, like at other bars that he’s visited,” Vasquez said. “Even being able to have interaction with a celebrity, to make a TikTok with them, or even meet them one on one, it's pretty cool.”
Vasquez said attendees can look forward to Shepard’s laid-back demeanor and relaxed attitude with fans.
“He'll just come around the DJ booth, make some TikToks, just hang out with some of his fans,” Vasquez said. “His manager said he's pretty laid back, he's not a know-it-all or whatever. He literally just tries to make sure his fans have a good time.”
The VIP meet and greet starts at 8 p.m., followed by a Q&A session. Attendees can submit questions ahead of time.
“Austin will be in the bar. He'll just kind of take some pictures, and then we do something like a Q&A for a little bit,” Vasquez said. “We will have to have it pre-drafted up to give to his manager before we do that. So if you have any questions, you buy tickets with us on the LineLeap app, and basically submit to our Instagram DM, ‘Hey, can I ask him this question,’ and we'll compile questions for him.”
Other season seven contestants have visited Norman previously this year with couple Taylor Williams and Clarke Carraway doing a meet and greet at Coaches Corner in August.
The event is 21+ and will be from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday at Yo Pablo. Tickets start at $6.21 and are available online.
This story was edited by Madisson Cameron. Chelsea Low and Gretchen Schultz copy edited this story.
