Bob Goen
Encyclopedia
Robert Kuehl "Bob" Goen (born December 1, 1954) is an American
game show
emcee and television
personality, best known for his work on Entertainment Tonight
between 1993 and 2004. He hosted GSN Radio
, an internet radio game show, with his wife Marianne Curan
.
, but was raised in Los Angeles
's suburb of Lakewood, California
. In a 2009 interview at the Game Show Awards Red Carpet, he stated when he was 5, he always dreamed of becoming a game show host, with the encouragement of: Bob Barker
, Bill Cullen
, Bob Eubanks
, Tom Kennedy, Geoff Edwards
, Wink Martindale
, Monty Hall
, among many others, and his dream came true as a young adult. Goen graduated from Lakewood High School
in 1972, years before he graduated from San Diego State University
in 1976 with a degree in telecommunications and film. In 1977, he used his college radio experience to land a part-time job at KFOX
radio in his native Long Beach, which led to his first full-time job as a disc jockey/producer for KPRO
in Riverside, where he was promoted to work as a director. In 1981, he came to television, becoming a sports anchor at KESQ-TV
, the ABC
affiliate in Palm Springs
.
's desert-area correspondent. After almost four years in that role, he came to Hollywood, where he has hosted several game shows, including Perfect Match (syndicated, 1986), Home Shopping Game
with co-host Bob Circosta
(syndicated, 1987), Blackout
(CBS
, 1988), The Hollywood Game (CBS, 1992), Born Lucky
(Lifetime Television
, 1992) and That's the Question
(GSN
, 2006–2007), which was based on a format from the Netherlands
. His greatest success in this area came as the final host of the daytime network version of Wheel of Fortune
(CBS, 1989–1991; NBC
, 1991).
He had a small role in the opening of the 1988 series premiere episode of Freddy's Nightmares - A Nightmare On Elm Street: The Series, "No More Mr. Nice Guy", as a nightly news anchorman and on-scene reporter at the Springwood Municipal Courthouse for the pre-trial hearing of accused mass-murderer Fred Krueger.
He also hosted several Miss Universe
pageants in 1994
(Manila, Philippines), 1995
(Namibia), and 1996
(Las Vegas, Nevada).
Goen now trains celebrities on the art of being interviewed. He works for Media Training company, J2 Strategic Communications http://j2sc.com, alongside Steve Kmetko
, Jon Kelley
and Terry Murphy
.
Goen also hosts the annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship
, broadcast on Animal Planet
and other channels owned by Discovery Communications
.
Goen's most recent work was a position as co-host of GSN Radio
with Curan. The show debuted on August 18, 2008 and aired its last episode November 13, 2009.
as a substitute anchor and a reporter. When John Tesh
left ET on May 30, 1996, to pursue his music career, Goen was promoted to nightly anchor alongside Mary Hart
.
Between 1994 and 1997, he hosted the worldwide telecasts of Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA Pageants, all for CBS.
As ET host, he made guest appearances on two separate movies in 1999. On September 11, 2001, he covered the attacks on the World Trade Center
. In 2003, he interviewed Suzanne Somers
about the death of actor John Ritter
.
In April 2005, Goen voiced a cartoon version of himself on an episode The Fairly OddParents
. Goen, playing a character named "Bob Glimmer", appeared with Mary Hart (whose character was named "Fairy Hart") as anchors of a show named 'Fairytainment Tonight'. Goen also appeared as an interviewee on a 1997 episode of the cartoon mock-talk show
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
.
succeeded him.
Goen was married to Sabrina in 1988, and had a son in 1994. The couple divorced in 1997. In 2004, he married fellow television personality Marianne Curan
.
In his spare time, Goen does annual charity work for his golfing tournament, “The Bob Goen Lexus Invitational”, which benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
emcee and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
personality, best known for his work on Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
between 1993 and 2004. He hosted GSN Radio
GSN Radio
Game Show Network Radio was an interactive internet radio game show that originally aired live on GSN.com from August 18, 2008 to November 13, 2009, hosted by husband and wife team Bob Goen and Marianne Curan. Other co-hosts filled in when one of them was unavailable. The four-hour program featured...
, an internet radio game show, with his wife Marianne Curan
Marianne Curan
Marianne Curan is an American actress, television personality and comedienne. She most recently hosted GSN Radio with husband Bob Goen.-Career:...
.
Early life and career
Goen was born in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, but was raised in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
's suburb of Lakewood, California
Lakewood, California
Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares...
. In a 2009 interview at the Game Show Awards Red Carpet, he stated when he was 5, he always dreamed of becoming a game show host, with the encouragement of: Bob Barker
Bob Barker
Robert William "Bob" Barker is a former American television game show host. He is best known for hosting CBS's The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007, making it the longest-running daytime game show in North American television history, and for hosting Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975.Born...
, Bill Cullen
Bill Cullen
William Lawrence Francis "Bill" Cullen was an American radio and television personality whose career spanned five decades...
, Bob Eubanks
Bob Eubanks
Robert Leland "Bob" Eubanks is an American television/radio personality and game show host, best known for hosting the game show The Newlywed Game on and off since 1966, where he was known for using the catchphrase, "Makin' Whoopee"...
, Tom Kennedy, Geoff Edwards
Geoff Edwards
Geoffrey Bruce Owen "Geoff" Edwards is an American television actor, game show host and radio personality. Over the past decade and a half, he has been a writer and broadcaster on travel. He was born in Westfield, New Jersey....
, Wink Martindale
Wink Martindale
Winston Conrad Martindale , known professionally as Wink Martindale, is an American disc jockey and television game show host.-Radio:...
, Monty Hall
Monty Hall
Monte Halperin, OC, OM , better known by the stage name Monty Hall, is a Canadian-born MC, producer, actor, singer and sportscaster, best known as host of the television game show Let's Make a Deal.-Early life:...
, among many others, and his dream came true as a young adult. Goen graduated from Lakewood High School
Lakewood High School (California)
Lakewood High School is a public secondary school located in the Southern California city of Lakewood. Founded in 1957, it is part of the Long Beach Unified School District...
in 1972, years before he graduated from San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
in 1976 with a degree in telecommunications and film. In 1977, he used his college radio experience to land a part-time job at KFOX
KFRN
KFRN 1280 AM is a non-commercial traditional Christian radio station licensed to Long Beach, California and serving the Los Angeles market, which runs programming from Family Radio. Its transmitter is located in Wilmington, California....
radio in his native Long Beach, which led to his first full-time job as a disc jockey/producer for KPRO
KPRO
KPRO is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format. Licensed to Riverside, California, USA, the station serves the Riverside-San Bernardino area. The station is currently owned by Impact Radio, Inc. and features programing from CNN Radio and Westwood One.The station airs mainly...
in Riverside, where he was promoted to work as a director. In 1981, he came to television, becoming a sports anchor at KESQ-TV
KESQ-TV
KESQ-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Coachella Valley of California licensed to Palm Springs. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 42 from a transmitter on Edom Hill northeast of Cathedral City and I-10...
, the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate in Palm Springs
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
.
Career
Around that time, he also served as ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's desert-area correspondent. After almost four years in that role, he came to Hollywood, where he has hosted several game shows, including Perfect Match (syndicated, 1986), Home Shopping Game
Home Shopping Game
The Home Shopping Game was a short-lived American television game show that aired in syndication for three months in 1987 and blended the popularity of home shopping with word-identification challenges...
with co-host Bob Circosta
Bob Circosta
Bob Circosta is television's first ever home shopping host and has achieved over one billion dollars in personal product sales on live television. His offices are in Clearwater, Florida, just a few miles from the Home Shopping Network's corporate building...
(syndicated, 1987), Blackout
Blackout (game show)
Blackout is an American game show that aired on CBS from January 4 to April 1, 1988. The pilot was hosted by former Entertainment Tonight anchor Robb Weller, but he was replaced for the series by Bob Goen...
(CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, 1988), The Hollywood Game (CBS, 1992), Born Lucky
Born Lucky
Born Lucky is an American television series in which contestants earned mall money and prizes. It was hosted by Bob Goen and announced by Jonathan Coleman. Four contestants competed in a stunt game show taped at various shopping malls for a chance at $2,000 in mall money...
(Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
, 1992) and That's the Question
That's the Question
That's the Question is an American quiz game show on GSN hosted by Bob Goen which aired from October 2, 2006 to December 1, 2007. The first season was shot in the Netherlands with Canadians and Americans who live there as contestants. The second season was filmed in Los Angeles aired on September...
(GSN
Game Show Network
The Game Show Network is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite channel dedicated to game shows and casino game shows. The channel was launched on December 1, 1994. Its current slogan is "The World Needs More Winners"...
, 2006–2007), which was based on a format from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. His greatest success in this area came as the final host of the daytime network version of Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune (U.S. game show)
Wheel of Fortune is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin, which premiered in 1975. Contestants compete to solve word puzzles, similar to those used in Hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a large wheel. The title refers to the show's giant carnival wheel that...
(CBS, 1989–1991; NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, 1991).
He had a small role in the opening of the 1988 series premiere episode of Freddy's Nightmares - A Nightmare On Elm Street: The Series, "No More Mr. Nice Guy", as a nightly news anchorman and on-scene reporter at the Springwood Municipal Courthouse for the pre-trial hearing of accused mass-murderer Fred Krueger.
He also hosted several Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
pageants in 1994
Miss Universe 1994
Miss Universe 1994, the 43rd Miss Universe pageant, was held at the Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center, in Manila, Philippines on May 20, 1994...
(Manila, Philippines), 1995
Miss Universe 1995
Miss Universe 1995, the 44th Miss Universe pageant was held at Windhoek Country Club Resort, in Windhoek, Namibia on May 12, 1995. Chelsi Smith of USA was crowned as Miss Universe 1995 by Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen of India...
(Namibia), and 1996
Miss Universe 1996
Miss Universe 1996, the 45th Miss Universe pageant was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in the Aladdin Resort and Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on May 17, 1996. Alicia Machado of Venezuela was crowned as Miss Universe 1996 by Miss Universe 1995 Chelsi Smith of USA. 79 contestants...
(Las Vegas, Nevada).
Goen now trains celebrities on the art of being interviewed. He works for Media Training company, J2 Strategic Communications http://j2sc.com, alongside Steve Kmetko
Steve Kmetko
Steven Kmetko is an American entertainment television host and reporter.Kmetko was born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. His most prominent job was on the E! cable network. He had previously worked as an entertainment reporter for CBS's Los Angeles affiliate . The television station replaced him with...
, Jon Kelley
Jon Kelley
Jon Kelley is an award winning American sports journalist, author, producer, and television personality. Born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, Kelley played four seasons as a running back for the University of Nebraska before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism...
and Terry Murphy
Terry Murphy
Terry Murphy may refer to:* Terry Murphy , American television host and correspondent* Terry Murphy , Northern Irish snooker player*Terrence Murphy, American football player...
.
Goen also hosts the annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship
AKC/Eukanuba National Championship
The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is held by the American Kennel Club every year in December or January in the US. As the name indicates, its primary sponsor is Eukanuba, a high-end brand of dog food. Over 3,000 dogs from all over the world come to compete, by invitation only, but only seven...
, broadcast on Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
and other channels owned by Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications, Inc. is an American global media and entertainment company. The company started as a single channel in 1985, The Discovery Channel. Today, DCI has global operations offering 28 network entertainment brands on more than 100 channels in more than 180 countries in 39...
.
Goen's most recent work was a position as co-host of GSN Radio
GSN Radio
Game Show Network Radio was an interactive internet radio game show that originally aired live on GSN.com from August 18, 2008 to November 13, 2009, hosted by husband and wife team Bob Goen and Marianne Curan. Other co-hosts filled in when one of them was unavailable. The four-hour program featured...
with Curan. The show debuted on August 18, 2008 and aired its last episode November 13, 2009.
Entertainment Tonight
On April 12, 1993, he joined Entertainment TonightEntertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
as a substitute anchor and a reporter. When John Tesh
John Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
left ET on May 30, 1996, to pursue his music career, Goen was promoted to nightly anchor alongside Mary Hart
Mary Hart
Mary Hart is an American television personality and was the host of the syndicated gossip and entertainment round-up program Entertainment Tonight from 1982 to 2011.-Early life:...
.
Between 1994 and 1997, he hosted the worldwide telecasts of Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA Pageants, all for CBS.
As ET host, he made guest appearances on two separate movies in 1999. On September 11, 2001, he covered the attacks on the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
. In 2003, he interviewed Suzanne Somers
Suzanne Somers
Suzanne Somers is an American actress, author, singer and businesswoman, known for her television roles as Chrissy Snow on Three's Company and as Carol Lambert on Step by Step....
about the death of actor John Ritter
John Ritter
Jonathan Southworth "John" Ritter was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian perhaps best known for having played Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules, respectively...
.
In April 2005, Goen voiced a cartoon version of himself on an episode The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents is an American-Canadian animated television series created by Butch Hartman about the adventures of Timmy Turner, who is granted fairy godparents named Cosmo and Wanda. The series started out as cartoon segments that ran from September 4, 1998 to March 23, 2001 on Oh Yeah!...
. Goen, playing a character named "Bob Glimmer", appeared with Mary Hart (whose character was named "Fairy Hart") as anchors of a show named 'Fairytainment Tonight'. Goen also appeared as an interviewee on a 1997 episode of the cartoon mock-talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
Space Ghost Coast to Coast is an American animated parody talk show hosted by the 60s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. The show premiered on April 15, 1994 on Cartoon Network...
.
Personal life
In August 2004, after 11 years of serving as ET anchor, he left to spend more time with his new wife and to pursue other projects. Mark SteinesMark Steines
Mark Anthony Steines is an American broadcast journalist and host of the syndicated gossip and entertainment round-up program Entertainment Tonight since 2004. He joined the show on August 24, 1995.-Personal life:...
succeeded him.
Goen was married to Sabrina in 1988, and had a son in 1994. The couple divorced in 1997. In 2004, he married fellow television personality Marianne Curan
Marianne Curan
Marianne Curan is an American actress, television personality and comedienne. She most recently hosted GSN Radio with husband Bob Goen.-Career:...
.
In his spare time, Goen does annual charity work for his golfing tournament, “The Bob Goen Lexus Invitational”, which benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation
Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization founded in the United States that grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.The president & CEO of this...
.