| |  Amber Lee Ettinger is an American actress, internet celebrity, and model best known as Obama Girl in her online video "I Got a Crush... on Obama" referring to U.S. President-elect Barack Obama which has earned her scores of media appearances, from a part in a Saturday Night Live sketch with Fred Armisen as Obama to an interview on Geraldo at Large with Geraldo Rivera.
A native of Hazleton, Pennsylvania of German, Italian, Swedish and Irish ancestry, Ettinger moved to New York City to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology to study fashion and clothing design, having expressed hopes to create her own clothing line and other business ventures. Early in her career, Ettinger was crowned Miss NYC in the 2003 Miss Hawaiian Tropic pageant, later augmenting that title with a nod as Miss Howard TV in June 2007. It was her appearance on Howard TV that brought her to the attention of Leah Kauffman and Ben Relles, who then contacted her about appearing in "I Got a Crush... on Obama." She has also appeared in a video for The Onion News Network, as well as the music video for the John Popper Project song "Lapdance."
Ettinger appeared in "I Got a Crush... on Obama," which was posted by Barely Political to YouTube in June 2007 and the video caught on. She would later appear in thirty such viral videos throughout the campaign season, casting third party candidates Mike Gravel and Ralph Nader along the way. Beyond her Barely Political and modeling career, in late 2008, Ettinger launched a music career. Staying true to her online roots, her first album, "Queen of the Web," will be made available only online. The first single, "Second Time," was released in August of 2008. Ettinger is also in the process of working on a vintage-inspired jewelry line with her mother, Roseann, called "Inspired by Amber."
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