Charlie Bird

ABOUT CHARLIE BIRD

Influencer, author, and ex-Brigham Young University mascot, Cosmo the Cougar, who gained fame for sharing his experience of coming out as a Mormon. He has over 360,000 followers on Instagram under the handle mrcharliebird.

In February 2019, he shared publicly that he was the BYU mascot and viral dancer, Cosmo the Cougar, and that he was gay. This lead him to change careers to become a mental health professional and commit his life to helping religious institutions be more inclusive.

He has written two books about promoting inclusion within the LDS church, including Without the Mask in July 2020, and Expanding the Borders of Zion in December 2022. He is also known for his funny POV's, lifestyle content, travel adventures, and relationship content with his husband, Ryan.

He is married to Ryan Clifford, who is also a content creator.

In November 2024, he and his husband, Ryan, recreated a viral interview of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo .