Celebrity style critic Steven Cojocaru is a fashion maven. He’s also my hero, a self-proclaimed crown prince of clothing. But more than anything else, Cojo is a survivor. He’s a walking, breathing testament to the power of medicine, having undergone not one, but two, kidney transplants.

“This tragedy really turned my life upside down,” Cojo said during an interview with me yesterday. “I persevered.” (Watch the interview here.  I’m not sure at what point I lost control of the interview — probably within the first eighteen seconds, I’m guessing.)

The Canadian clotheshorse looks good (“I’ve lost 80lbs!”), sounds good and talks faster than any human being I’ve ever met … and that’s saying a lot. And when he throws around words like “living, breathing miracle” … he means it.

Cojo, if you remember, got his start as a fashion editor and eventually ended up doing color commentary at red carpet events. He’s been splashed all over The Today Show and TV stalwart Entertainment Tonight. 

He was in town for a fundraising event called Fashion’s Night Out, which was started a couple years ago by the one and only Anna Wintour of Vogue publishing fame.  It’s a nationwide excuse to get out and stimulate the economy via retail therapy. And many of the events are tied-in to local charities. Think of it as shopping for a cause.

The thing about Cojo is he’s wildly inappropriate and irreverent all the time. I had to ratchet up the obnoxious factor just to appear like I wasn’t in a coma.  He loves to slam celebs who think they’ve got a good look going on …  but fail miserably. Who does he truly enjoy ripping on? Duh. Mariah Carey.

And don’t even get him STARTED on reality stars. “They are RUINING the red carpet,” he exasperated. He then launched on a tirade about the Kardashian sisters. It was a no-holds barred stream of thought that is probably still hanging out in outer space somewhere. Suffice to say, they make fashion fodder for him.

Last night during a meet-and-greet I watched as he smiled, glad-handed and chatted up every person he bumped in to. He was gracious to a fault. And quick with a quip â€“ even about his illness, “I was very ill … I saw the light,” he said. “But then God said, ‘Steven, there are so many badly dressed people in Hollywood, like Christina Aguilera!  Go back!  It’s NOT your time.'”

He even had several costume changes throughout the day. Mercifully, I got props from him on my outfit. A very smart Armani suit … with a turquoise striped shirt and tie. Had he dissed on my ensemble, I would have been crushed. I often dress to impress, but rarely dress to KILL anymore. It was a hoot tagging along with him. I must have had hundreds of pictures taken with him last night.

“I have had more pictures taken with you … than with my own mother!” Cojo joked. It’s funny … because it’s probably true.