Shira Lazar (born May 6, 1983) is a Canadian television personality, actress, writer, and video blogger.
Lazar's writing has been featured on Hollywood.com, CBSNEWS.com, MSN.com, and others, and she has appeared as a host or as a guest at The Oscars (online red carpet host), CNN, Fox News, The Grammys, Yahoo! (Entertainment Host), Channel Q or EZ-103.1
She is also the creator, executive producer and host of What's Trending. It consists of a blog that will be updated daily, as well as a live interactive talk show covering the most popular videos on YouTube that airs daily on WhatsTrending.com.Shira Lazar's Emmy-Nominated Web Series Plans to Become the MTV News For YouTube, Retrieved August 20, 2012.
Biography Lazar was born in Montreal, Quebec, to Jewish parents After graduating from St. George's High School she went on to study at Dawson College where she worked on The Plant newspaper. After finishing college she moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to attend Emerson CollegeTsotsis, Alexia. LA People 2009: Tech's Popular Girl — Shira Lazar, LA Weekly, April 22, 2009, Retrieved September 14, 2010 and obtained a BA in TV/Video production. Shira was the voice of the Peach in "Annoying Orange: Jalapeno ". She is the stepsister of American Apparel founder Dov Charney.
Career 2004–2012 Lazar began her media career in 2004 as host of the College Sports Television program "1st Person". In 2005 she went on to become a host and producer for Music Plus TV and hosted celebrity Q&A video's on Yahoo. In 2006 she contributed feature pieces to Hollywood.com, and wrote that year's Oscar's awards night preview feature for Los Angeles Confidential.
Lazar developed and hosted an online reality competition for MSN.com at TasteMaker.MSN.com: The Tastemaker , "MSN", Retrieved March 9, 2011 In 2009 she became the host of the Mahalo.com online weekly video program This Week in YouTube.This Week in YouTube, Retrieved March 9, 2011 In April 2008 Lazar began hosting "LX TV", a lifestyle entertainment show for NBC4 in Los Angeles.Fishbowl: New shows woo L.A hipsters , Retrieved March 10, 2011.
Lazar covered the latest technology and media trends in a blog for CBSNews.com called OnTheScene.OnTheScene Blog: CBSNews.com, Retrieved March 9, 2011 Lazar is a co-founder of the digital production company DISRUPT/GROUP,DISRUPT/GROUP: About , retrieved March 6th, 2011 which produces online content such as The Partners Project, and interview show that profiles and features viral video stars.The Partners Project, Retrieved March 9, 2011 Lazar is also a regular contributor to The Huffington Post on issues of new technology, digital life and viral web trends.Huffington Post: Shira Lazar, "Huffington Post", Retrieved March 9th, 2011 In 2009 Lazar was a featured writer and blogger on Travel Channel's "Confessions of a Travel Writer".Jaunted: Find out what happens when 5 travel writers get in front of the camera , Retrieved March 10th, 2011
In 2010, Lazar was a guest speaker at the Mashable and CNN Media Summit. Also in 2010, Lazar was nominated by Wired as one of the sexiest geeks of 2010.Vote for you Favorite Sexy Geeks of 2010, Retrieved January 6, 2011 In 2011, Lazar was featured in Fast Company magazine as one of the "Most Influential Women in Technology".Evans, Suzy. Fast Company: Most Influential Women In Tech: Shira Lazar, Fast Company, February, 2011, Retrieved March 9, 2011 Lazar was also the host of Fashion's Night Out for Macy's in September 2011.Shira Lazar talks about What's Trending" , Retrieved September 6, 2011 Also in 2011, Lazar was featured by The Huffington Post'''s "Women in Tech" series as "Women in Tech You Need to Follow."Women in Tech You Need to Follow, Retrieved July 15, 2011
Lazar hosted the online red carpet event for the 2011 Grammy Music Awards.Shira Lazar: Hosting Grammy Live! for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards , Retrieved March 9, 2011 Lazar also hosted the live stream red carpet and backstage access for the 2011 Oscar's coverage for oscars.com.
On September 20, 2011, Lazar started a weekly blog series on Entrepreneur titled, "Social Media Breakdown."Social Media Breakdown, Retrieved September 20, 2011 In October 2011, in partnership with MTV's A Thin Line Campaign, Lazar began an anti-bullying campaign using the Twitter hashtag #StopBullying.Everyone Deserves to Live in Peace: Join @WhatsTrending and #StopBullying , Retrieved October 27, 2011
On December 6, 2011, Lazar was interviewed by Leslie Bradshaw of Forbes where she stated, "Not only is Shira a powerhouse in her own right, but she is also a pioneer in the field. Many have dabbled in vlogging, but few have stuck it out and brought immense value along the way. When I think of the modern correspondent, I think of Shira."Some Women Wait Years to Lead a Major Media Brand, Shira Lazar Just Created Her Own, Retrieved December 6, 2011
In October 2012, Lazar was listed in Variety's Women's Impact Report 2012, under the Creatives category.Shira Lazar, host, exec producer of online program What's Trending, Retrieved October 4, 2012.
For the fourth year in a row, Lazar joined Tyler Oakley as the host of The Trevor Project's Trevor Live red carpet livestream.The Trevor Project announces TrevorLive honorees and star-studded talent , Retrieved November 20, 2014
2015–2018 In February 2015, VH1 announced a new digital series starring Lazar called, Huge on the Tube.Shira Lazar on getting "Huge on the Tube" , Retrieved February 18, 2015 The following month, HLN announced in March 2015, Lazar as the West Coast contributor for The Daily Share.What's Trending's Shira Lazar Named West Coast Contributor for HLN TV Show, Retrieved March 12, 2015
In April 2015, Cynopsis Media honored Lazar as one of the Top Women in Digital.Cynopsis Media Announces Top Women in Digital Honorees & Event Details, Retrieved March 30, 2015
2016 saw Lazar once again return to host "Tubeathon," with IHeartRadio to benefit the American Red Cross' 2016 Giving Day,American Idol's La'Porsha Renae and Dancing with the Stars' Mark Ballas Among Stars Turning Out for Tubeathon, Retrieved April 13, 2016 as well as the new "#LiveUnlimited" Campaign during Social Media Week in Los Angeles for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.Igniting Digital Influencers To Start A Movement For Good, Retrieved June 10, 2016 Shira Lazar has also been broadcasting regularly on the new platform, Live.ly, the live portion of Musical.ly, where Lazar has been garnering millions of regular viewers,Musical.ly Live-Streaming Stars Are Earning Thousands of Dollars From Adoring Fans, Retrieved October 31, 2016 and hosted a 24-hour stream on the platform where the proceeds benefited the Pablove Foundation.Shira Lazar, Bart Baker to co-host live.ly 24-hour stream in honor of Giving Tuesday, Retrieved November 29, 2016
Ad Council's Champions for Good series, a series that spotlights "industry individuals," highlighted Shira Lazar in March 2017 as part of their campaign.10 Questions with Champion for Good Shira Lazar , Retrieved March 1, 2017 In June 2017, Sinclair Broadcasting Group announced a partnership with Lazar and What's Trending to create a new show, "Circa Pop Live with Shira Lazar" that will appear on Circa News' website and Facebook page.Shira Lazar’s What’s Trending Teams With Sinclair’s Circa On News And Pop Culture Series, Retrieved June 23, 2017 In August of that same year Comcast announced a partnership that would have a new segment, "What's Watchable," produced by Lazar, to be shown in between episodes of Comcast's streaming service, Watchable.Comcast’s Watchable Taps Shira Lazar’s “What’s Trending” for New Interstitial Series — “What’s…, Retrieved August 17, 2017
2017 also saw Shira Lazar as a correspondent for Syfy's San Diego Comic-Con coverage.
In October 2018, Lazar became the host of the afternoon drive show, "Lets Go There" weekdays on the first national LGBTQ+ station Channel Q syndicated and on Radio.com./Entercom's LGBTQ+ 'Out Now' Now 'Channel Q,' Launches First Non-HD2/HD3 Affiliate In Palm Springs, Retrieved November 1, 2018
Also in 2018, Lazar launched the lifestyle and travel series, Adventures In Curiosity, on Facebook Watch.https://www.facebook.com/pg/AdventuresInCuriosity/posts/?ref=page_internal
2019-Present In 2024, Lazar launched Creators 4 Mental Health organization to bring mental well being tools to the creator economy. The following year, she launched CreatorCare with Revive Health Therapy bringing discounted sliding scale therapy to creators in California. A few months later, In October 2025, the organization launched the “I am a creator 4 mental health” campaign.Influencer Burnout Is on the Rise. A New Mental Health Service Wants to Help, Retrieved May 6, 2025
That same year, Lazar released a creator mental health survey revealing the realities of the mental health of creators across North America.Creators are suffering from a mental health crisis, new study shows, Retrieved November 13, 2025
In January 2026, Lazar released the creator’s Bill of Rights that she co-developed with congressman Ro Khanna.RELEASE: REP. RO KHANNA INTRODUCES RESOLUTION TO PROTECT CREATORS IN THE MODERN PLATFORM-BASED ECONOMY, Retrieved January 15, 2026 That same month, Lazar was featured on The Argonaut for her work around mental health and labor protections for the creator economy., Retrieved January 22, 2026
What's Trending On May 17, 2011, Lazar began hosting a weekly, live, interactive television show called What's Trending. The show consisted of two celebrity panelists discussing news that was currently trending or was during the week in addition to live performances and special events.What's Trending was nominated for a 2012 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media, Original Interactive Television Programing.What's Trending Gets Its First Primetime Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Interactive TV Program , Retrieved July 19, 2012.
In August 2012, What's Trending announced a partnership with YouTube to go from live weekly to daily as the "MTV of YouTube".
In December 2012, What's Trending participated in the 1st Annual Tube-A-Tweet-A-Thon."The 1st Annual Tube-A-Tweet-A-Thon Holiday Spectacular , Retrieved December 6, 2012. People would go to Twitter and tweet using the hashtag #Tubeathon and $1 would be donated to Covenant House to try and raise $50,000 to serve homeless youth.
In February 2013, the program was awarded a Streamy in the "Best Live Series" category.
In June 2013, What's Trending received a seven-figure investment from Bedrocket Media Ventures to expand production, distribution, and ad sales.
In 2014, HLN announced a development deal with What's Trending.HLN Announces Nightly News Program, Social Media-Centric Development Slate, Retrieved April 10, 2014 Also in 2014, Marriott announced What's Trending as part of their development studio slate.Marriott Launches Global Creative and Content Marketing Studio, Retrieved September 29, 2014 As part of that partnership, Marriott celebrated its Millionth Mobile check-in with Lazar and Jeana Smith, founder of Prank vs Prank., Retrieved April 2, 2015 Marriott would later announce a new series, in partnership with What's Trending, titled Experiences.What’s Trending Checks YouTube Stars Into Marriott With ‘Experiences’ Series, Retrieved, February 6, 2015
In 2015, the International Academy of Web Television announced Lazar as a nominee for Best Live Host.2015 IAWTV Award Nominees , Retrieved 2015What's Trending partnered with Samsung to provide live coverage from the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2015,What’s Trending, Samsung Partner For Live Stream Of CES Events Retrieved January 5, 2015 as well as South by Southwest in March.SXSW 2015: “What’s Trending” Streams Live from the Samsung Lounge , Retrieved March 18, 2015