Barry Nolan
Encyclopedia
Barry Nolan is an American former presenter on Comcast
Cable's CN8 channel, once hosting the shows Nitebeat and Backstage, and Backstage with Barry Nolan. He is a regular panelist on Says You!
, a weekend radio word quiz show carried on many public radio stations but produced by Pipit and Finch.
and went to college at the University of Tennessee
. Nolan married Deborah Reed in 1981 and had three children: Christian, Delaney, and Alexander. He and Reed separated 1991 and divorced in 2002. He married Garland Waller in 2004 and now lives in Newton, Mass.
He was once a social worker and is a member of Mensa
.
for WBZ-TV
(Channel 4). He was also the host of Hard Copy
from 1990 to 1998. Nolan later became a journalist for Extra!
.
Barry Nolan was fired by CN8 on 20 May 2008 for distributing fliers at an Emmy award show dinner on 10 May. Nolan was protesting the award of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Governors' Award to political commentator Bill O'Reilly
, and distributed a self-prepared flier with quotes from O'Reilly's shows, and with quotes from a sexual harassment lawsuit against O'Reilly. Soon afterwards, O'Reilly wrote to Comcast's CEO mentioning the mutual business interests between Comcast and Fox, and saying "...it was puzzling to see a Comcast employee, Barry Nolan, use Comcast corporate assets to attack me and FNC." He said that Nolan had attended the Emmy Awards "in conjunction with Comcast," and declared it "a disturbing situation." This led to "memos ... flying from one jittery Comcast executive to another". Nolan subsequently sued Comcast for wrongful termination, and lost. In response to a question raised as part of that suit, Comcast wrote that "… Mr. Nolan’s protest at the NATAS Award Ceremony and of William O’Reilly as the recipient of the Governor’s Award jeopardized and harmed the business and economic interests of Comcast in connection with its contract with Fox News Channel
, and its contract negotiations with Fox News that were ongoing at the time."
After his firing, Nolan "landed a communications job with the Joint Economic Committee of Congress".
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
Cable's CN8 channel, once hosting the shows Nitebeat and Backstage, and Backstage with Barry Nolan. He is a regular panelist on Says You!
Says You!
Says You! is an American panel radio show distributed by Pipit & Finch in the United States. Although many NPR stations carry it, it is independently produced. It was created by host Richard Sher, and is produced in Boston, Massachusetts, by Pipit & Finch...
, a weekend radio word quiz show carried on many public radio stations but produced by Pipit and Finch.
Background and personal life
Nolan is from Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
and went to college at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
. Nolan married Deborah Reed in 1981 and had three children: Christian, Delaney, and Alexander. He and Reed separated 1991 and divorced in 2002. He married Garland Waller in 2004 and now lives in Newton, Mass.
He was once a social worker and is a member of Mensa
Mensa International
Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test...
.
Career
Nolan hosted Boston's version of Evening MagazineEvening Magazine
Evening Magazine is the name of various news and entertainment style local television shows in different markets.-The original concept:...
for WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV, virtual channel 4, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station, located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WBZ-TV's studios and office facilities, shared with sister station WSBK-TV , are located in the Allston-Brighton section of Boston, and its transmitter is located in Needham,...
(Channel 4). He was also the host of Hard Copy
Hard Copy
Hard Copy is an American tabloid news television show that ran in syndication from 1989 to 1999. Hard Copy was aggressive in its use of questionable material on television, including gratuitous violence....
from 1990 to 1998. Nolan later became a journalist for Extra!
Extra!
Extra! is a monthly magazine of media criticism published by the media watch group FAIR. First published in 1987, its first full-time editor was Martin A. Lee. Since 1990, it has been edited by Jim Naureckas...
.
Barry Nolan was fired by CN8 on 20 May 2008 for distributing fliers at an Emmy award show dinner on 10 May. Nolan was protesting the award of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences or NATAS was created in 1955 to advance the arts and sciences of television. Headquartered in New York, NATAS's membership is national and the organization has local chapters around the country....
Governors' Award to political commentator Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
, and distributed a self-prepared flier with quotes from O'Reilly's shows, and with quotes from a sexual harassment lawsuit against O'Reilly. Soon afterwards, O'Reilly wrote to Comcast's CEO mentioning the mutual business interests between Comcast and Fox, and saying "...it was puzzling to see a Comcast employee, Barry Nolan, use Comcast corporate assets to attack me and FNC." He said that Nolan had attended the Emmy Awards "in conjunction with Comcast," and declared it "a disturbing situation." This led to "memos ... flying from one jittery Comcast executive to another". Nolan subsequently sued Comcast for wrongful termination, and lost. In response to a question raised as part of that suit, Comcast wrote that "… Mr. Nolan’s protest at the NATAS Award Ceremony and of William O’Reilly as the recipient of the Governor’s Award jeopardized and harmed the business and economic interests of Comcast in connection with its contract with Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
, and its contract negotiations with Fox News that were ongoing at the time."
After his firing, Nolan "landed a communications job with the Joint Economic Committee of Congress".