Being Miss New York 2022 is one thing. Advocating for women experiencing homelessness is another. But the real reason TikTok has fallen for Taryn Delanie Smith (@taryntino21) is for her big-hearted, straight-talking, bathrobe-wearing character Denise, The Heaven Receptionist. Between judging ghosts’ outfits, managing God’s diary and refusing homophobic parents and televangelists’ requests to upgrade to Angel Premium Plus status, Denise is nonchalantly creating a peculiarly 21st century vision of the afterlife. She’s even started taking requests from fans who want to watch Denise admit deceased loved ones into heaven as part of their grieving process. It’s surprisingly touching. She says: “The best part of life is finding joy and silliness in as many moments as you can and I cannot help but feel that the afterlife is gonna be the same.” Amen to that.
Photograph Taryn Delanie Smith/Instagram
