Check Out Michael Ameel’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Ameel

Hi Michael, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
It all started in June 2021, fate intervened when we crossed paths on Hinge during separate vacations in Palm Springs. Despite living just two miles apart in Los Angeles, our profiles had never connected. Our first date was at Runyon Canyon, where we went on a hike being mindful of the pandemic and social distancing.

Sparks flew instantly. Michael, hails from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Sam, originally from Detroit, Michigan, and we bonded over our love of SoCal and our shared Midwest upbringing and hatred of winter. We both had backgrounds in social media marketing within the entertainment industry, working for major studios and networks.

After the first date, Michael wasted no time, texting Sam immediately, eager to set up our next date. Just two days later, we found ourselves sipping Endless Summer cocktails on Mama Shelter’s Rooftop in Hollywood. From that point on, we were inseparable.

After 8 months of sleepovers at each other’s places, we decided to move-in together in West Hollywood on February 2022. At the same time, we decided to document our new life together, as well as our love for being homebodies, by creating a shared TikTok called Stay-At-Home-Gays (@stayathomegays) and our profile took off.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest challenge lies in balancing our full-time roles in social media marketing within the tech and entertainment industries. By the end of our day’s, we’re often drained. However, we’ve learned to spark creativity even when exhausted. We strategically bank videos throughout the week to maintain consistency.

The social landscape evolves constantly, especially with shifting algorithms. When we started, hitting 10K views a video was easier, and followers flowed in. Now, it’s tougher to break through.

Another challenge is the negativity we get for being gay. It’s wild that even in 2024 there is still so much hate. Even though we’ve experienced being bullied for most of our youth, it still hurts.

At the end of the day, it’s all worthwhile when people connect with our content. Our mission is simple: to make people laugh and provide visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. If we’d had the visibility of an out and proud gay couple while growing up, it would’ve meant the world. Hopefully, we can inspire hope and joy.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Michael is currently the Director of Social Media at Microsoft overseeing a team of social media strategists. Sam is a Sr. Social Media Manager at Peacock supporting various film social media campaigns.

We’re part-time content creators on TikTok and Instagram. With a deep understanding of social media’s significance for businesses and brands (given our professional backgrounds), we’re committed to crafting relatable content that brings smiles and laughter.

In February 2024, we got engaged and shared our proposal video, which quickly gained traction. We are getting married in April 2025 and our wedding planning journey has been incredibly enjoyable. We’ve enlisted Jason Mitchell Kahn (@mrjasonmitchell), a gay wedding planner, and have been giving our followers behind-the-scenes tours of Palm Springs wedding venues, complete with cost breakdowns. We’re all about transparency, so you can expect more exciting wedding content from us soon along with some exciting brand partnerships.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Having called Los Angeles home for a decade, we’re the Stay-at-Home-Gays, but we do venture out occasionally. Our favorite outings include the Hollywood Bowl and enjoying performances by the LA Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. When it comes to dining, we’re regulars at Sugarfish and Din Tai Fung – our go-to spots for delicious meals!

Living far from family and dealing with the high cost of housing can be challenging but there’s no other place we’d call home. It is our aspirational goal to have a yard for our dog Mickey, but our walks around our neighborhood will do, for now.

You can follow Michael (@michaelameel) and Sam (@sam.steiber) and Mickey (@mickeythemousedog) for the latest life updates.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stayathomegays/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@stayathomegays
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@stayathomegays