The E! True Hollywood Story
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Cyndi Gryte was born and raised in Iowa, between Lake Wobegon and Mayberry, and attended Nevada High School where she excelled in performing arts and athletics. (She swears you can check the trophy case.) Her exhilarating tiara days were short-lived when after only two days as Homecoming Queen her crown was crumpled in a parade “incident,” and only a few days reign later, was stolen in a heist. (She also swears to this.) The case would have been solved (and she would wear it everywhere to this day) had Jessica Fletcher not been on a book tour.
Cyndi attained her BA in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Iowa State University even though she took off on self-created study abroad, national student exchange programs, and vacations as much as possible. She still, however, managed to graduate with honors and with several theatre credits to her name. (She doesn’t remember what honors, but feels certain there were some.)
After graduation she immediately did what all good Iowa girls do…moved to New York City to spread Midwest charm.
She made her loving, blameless parents proud when she started dancing (on a bar) and slinging drinks for the infamous Coyote Ugly Saloon. All those lemonade stands in elementary and dance lessons paid off when she was chosen to travel nationwide and abroad to help open new establishments and bolster sales. She facilitated in all press, media, and on-air opportunities, and became “renowned” (or notorious), accomplishing one of her lifetime goals—gracing the side of a big ol’ Chevy Truck holding a bottle of booze.
You may have caught Cyndi on Country Music Television’s (CMT) The Ultimate Coyote Ugly Search, which also aired on VH1. She was selected to host and star in this humdinger, and while shooting was overjoyed to work with and meet some of country music’s legends. She promptly sang their songs at numerous friends’ weddings and on serious Karaoke night-outs. (Translation: Do not put a mic anywhere near this girl.)
While moonlighting as a cowboy-boot-wearing bartender she was also featured in several press outlets such as New York Magazine, iVillage, the WB, and GMTV as a professional in the health and fitness industry. (No correlation.) She still holds her National Academy of Sports Medicine Certification in hand with French fries in the other.
Just to round out her liberal arts capabilities, and prove you really can do anything even if you choose a “cop out” degree (the accuser shall remain nameless), she parlayed all of her experience into becoming a digital media expert who rose to marketing director by helping brands stand out among competitors focusing on their social prowess and PR.
Cyndi has always loved writing. At a very young age she was invited to the esteemed University of Iowa’s Writers Conference (amazing) where her dumbest story ever was published in a hefty Celebrate Young Writer’s booklet (not so amazing). It embarrasses her to this day, even though no one saw it except her closest friends who declared it was definitely dumb. She has used writing as a way to entertain her family and friends for years and is ready for you to laugh out loud with them.
All her best work is done on bar napkins, boarding passes and show stubs with a martini in hand. She lives between New York City, Austin and Ames and has everyone fooled into thinking she has grown by wearing uber high heels.