Bobby Rivers - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Here's what I did before I got laid off in March:I was a regular for two years on Premiere Radio's WAKE UP WITH WHOOPI -- the syndicated weekday morning radio show with Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg. That show ended in April 2008. I'm a veteran network TV host and national entertainment reporter. Lately, I've booked principal acting roles in national commercials and I play a recurring comedy character in satirical news sketches for The Onion. A child of the '60s, I grew up in South Central Los Angeles. I studied Broadcast and Film Journalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A journalism professor helped me land my first big job in Milwaukee radio. I left radio for WISN TV, the city's ABC affiliate. I was on the Milwaukee edition of "PM Magazine" as an entertainment and humorous lifestyles contributor starting in September 1979. While at WISN in 1985, I got an offer from WPIX TV in New York City. After two years on WPIX came a national offer from VH1. I became the first African-American host of his own VH1 prime time talk show. I had the privilege to interview Kirk Douglas, Paul McCartney Norman Mailer, Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster, Raul Julia, Carlos Santana, Tina Turner, Liza Minnelli, Michael Caine and Mel Blanc -- to name a few. I did CBS Late Night appearances plus work on CNBC, USA Network, LifetimeTV, Food Network and two roles on HBO's "The Sopranos." From 1995-99, I was a regular on WNYW/Fox 5's "Good Day New York" weekday morning news show. Once, back in the '80s when I was dressed up in some revealing leather chaps and a harness, I was lucky enough to have some very hot man-on-man action with actor Abe Vigoda -- known for his sitcom work on "Barney Miller." I'm kidding. I just wanted to know if you read down this far.If you did read this far, you got more accurate information on me than if you read my bio on Wikipedia.

My Interests

I'd like to meet:

You.

My Blog

The Day We Changed

Ask any of us who lived in New York City on that day. It was a morning of almost storybook perfection. About 7:00, I went around the corner to buy a cup of coffee and passed a buddy who remarked tha...
Posted by on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 05:47:00 GMT

"Julie & Julia"

My first professional TV job was as a weekly movie critic and lifestyles reporter on the ABC affiliate in Milwaukee. I still remember the afternoon I sat in a downtown screening room in a building on...
Posted by on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:48:00 GMT

What The Health Is Going On?

If I was a writer for "The Daily Show" or "Saturday Night Live," I would pitch a skit with this hook:We take the current national town hall meetings with irate citizens speaking out against President ...
Posted by on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:16:00 GMT

A Good Off-Broadway Connection

With money as tight as it is nowadays, folks who want to appreciate New York theatre should also consider off-Broadway entertainment. Broadway tickets are expensive. Off-Broadway tickets are much ch...
Posted by on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:11:00 GMT

Happy Mother's Day!

Remember -- No....wire....hangers! Ever!
Posted by on Fri, 08 May 2009 05:18:00 GMT

Back to The Music and the Mirror

EVERY LITTLE STEP is a 90 minute documentary about the creation and Broadway revival of the late Michael Bennett's iconic musical, A CHORUS LINE.A couple of years ago, ATONEMENT was a nominee for the...
Posted by on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 04:25:00 GMT

Carrie On....

When I landed here in New York City in 1985, it seemed like every other upscale person I met was in therapy. New Yorkers freely admitted it. Some were even forthcoming with the information that they...
Posted by on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:01:00 GMT

On Madonna

If someone replaced Kevin Bacon and played a game called "Six Degrees of Madonna," I could be used to score some points. I have had the opportunity to talk to Madge for a news feature I did back in ...
Posted by on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:08:00 GMT

Hollywood Gold Rush: The Oscars

This year's Academy Awards coverage really showed me how lazy entertainment reporters are now on national television. They will call themselves "reporters" but asking folks "Who did your dress?" or ...
Posted by on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:46:00 GMT

It's Hollywood Prom Night

I will definitely be watching the Academy Awards tonight.All I can say is, I sure hope there's a bleep button in the control room if Mickey Rourke has to make an acceptance speech.
Posted by on Sun, 22 Feb 2009 04:48:00 GMT