Bobby Rivers
Encyclopedia
For the Jon English character, see All Together Now (TV series)
.
Bobby Rivers was the host of the now-defunct Top 5 show on the Food Network
, and Watch Bobby Rivers, a critically acclaimed prime-time celebrity talk show on VH1. He was the first African-American to get his own talk show on VH1.
Rivers, who grew up in South Central Los Angeles, graduated from Marquette University
in Wisconsin. After working in Milwaukee radio, he made his professional television debut in 1979 on Milwaukee's ABC affiliate, WISN TV, as the city's first African-American film critic on TV. He did this as a contributor on Milwaukee's edition of "PM Magazine", a syndicated show that had such national hosts as Matt Lauer
, Mary Hart
and Leeza Gibbons
. During that time, he was tapped to audition as a possible movie critic replacement when Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert left Chicago PBS for Disney syndication. In 1984, he'd moved up to co-host and associate producer of a live weekday show on WISN.
In 1985, after the show was cancelled, he was offered a job as an entertainment reporter for New York
television station WPIX
. In 1987, Rivers was hired as a veejay
by the American cable television channel VH1
, where executives utilized his comic and interviewer skills which led to his own show on the network (Watch Bobby Rivers) the following year. Stephen Holden of the New York Times called him "...a master interviewer with a gift for banter." On VH1, he interviewed Paul McCartney
, Kirk Douglas
, Meryl Streep
, Mel Gibson
, Carlos Santana
, Raul Julia
, Michael Caine
, Mel Blanc
, Jodie Foster
, Liza Minnelli
, Marlo Thomas
, and Norman Mailer
, among others. He did veejay segments with the network's new addition, Rosie O'Donnell until 1990.
Rivers hosted two short-lived syndicated game shows. One was called "Bedroom Buddies". In 1992, he was approached to be a lifestyles and entertainment reporter on local New York morning news programs --WNBC's "Weekend Today in New York" and WNYW's "Good Day New York." For the latter, he was hired as a replacement for Australian personality Gordon Elliott who had left. Rivers performed onstage, and appeared on the television show The Sopranos
. In 2000, he was the Entertainment Editor on "Lifetime Live", an ABC News/Lifetime TV weekday magazine hour. He worked on camera with its hosts, Deborah Roberts and the late Dana Reeve
. After the cancellation of "Lifetime Live" came Food Network's "Top 5" in 2002. Production ended in 2004 but the show aired in weekly repeats until 2008.
Whoopi Goldberg
, a one-time guest on Rivers' VH1 talk show, picked him to be the weekly film critic/entertainment reporter on her national weekday morning show for Premiere Radio, "Wake Up With Whoopi". The show lasted from 2006 to 2008. Director Stephen Soderbergh requested permission to use footage of Rivers' VH1 interview of Spalding Gray
in his documentary on the late monologist/actor. The 2010 release was entitled "And Everything Is Going Fine".
Rivers went on to comic acting work playing "Professor Robert Haige" in "In The Know", a satirical round-table news segment in The Onion News Network
video podcast
. Rivers' first television appearance was on a 1970 syndicated classic film trivia game show. He was a high school student. At that time on "The Movie Game", shot in Hollywood with hosts Army Archerd
and Sonny Fox, he was the program's first African-American contestant and its youngest winner.
All Together Now (TV series)
All Together Now was an Australian sitcom that was broadcast on Nine Network between 1991 and 1993. The premise involved an ageing rocker trying to maintain his music career while living with his son and daughter...
.
Bobby Rivers was the host of the now-defunct Top 5 show on the Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
, and Watch Bobby Rivers, a critically acclaimed prime-time celebrity talk show on VH1. He was the first African-American to get his own talk show on VH1.
Rivers, who grew up in South Central Los Angeles, graduated from Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
in Wisconsin. After working in Milwaukee radio, he made his professional television debut in 1979 on Milwaukee's ABC affiliate, WISN TV, as the city's first African-American film critic on TV. He did this as a contributor on Milwaukee's edition of "PM Magazine", a syndicated show that had such national hosts as Matt Lauer
Matt Lauer
Matthew Todd "Matt" Lauer . is an American television journalist best known as the host of NBC's The Today Show since 1997. He was previously a news anchor in New York and a local talk-show host in Boston, Philadelphia, Providence and Richmond...
, 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:...
and Leeza Gibbons
Leeza Gibbons
Leeza Kim Gibbons is an American talk show host. Gibbons is the host of her own radio show, Hollywood Confidential, part of the United Stations radio syndication company.-Early life:...
. During that time, he was tapped to audition as a possible movie critic replacement when Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert left Chicago PBS for Disney syndication. In 1984, he'd moved up to co-host and associate producer of a live weekday show on WISN.
In 1985, after the show was cancelled, he was offered a job as an entertainment reporter for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
television station WPIX
WPIX
WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...
. In 1987, Rivers was hired as a veejay
Veejay
Veejay can mean:-*A VJ , someone who introduces music videos or similar.*A Veejay , software video instrument mixer and sampler for realtime performances*Another spelling for the Indian name Vijay....
by the American cable television channel VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, where executives utilized his comic and interviewer skills which led to his own show on the network (Watch Bobby Rivers) the following year. Stephen Holden of the New York Times called him "...a master interviewer with a gift for banter." On VH1, he interviewed Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
, Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
, Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
, Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
, Raul Julia
Raúl Juliá
Raúl Rafael Juliá y Arcelay was a Puerto Rican actor.Born in San Juan, he gained interest in acting while still in school. Upon completing his studies, Juliá decided to pursue a career in acting. After performing in the local scene for some time, he was convinced by entertainment personality Orson...
, Michael Caine
Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
, Mel Blanc
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros...
, Jodie Foster
Jodie Foster
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster is an American actress, film director, producer as well as a former child actress....
, Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
, Marlo Thomas
Marlo Thomas
Margaret Julia “Marlo” Thomas is an American actress, producer, and social activist known for her starring role on the TV series That Girl . She also serves as National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital...
, and Norman Mailer
Norman Mailer
Norman Kingsley Mailer was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, poet, playwright, screenwriter, and film director.Along with Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Hunter S...
, among others. He did veejay segments with the network's new addition, Rosie O'Donnell until 1990.
Rivers hosted two short-lived syndicated game shows. One was called "Bedroom Buddies". In 1992, he was approached to be a lifestyles and entertainment reporter on local New York morning news programs --WNBC's "Weekend Today in New York" and WNYW's "Good Day New York." For the latter, he was hired as a replacement for Australian personality Gordon Elliott who had left. Rivers performed onstage, and appeared on the television show The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
. In 2000, he was the Entertainment Editor on "Lifetime Live", an ABC News/Lifetime TV weekday magazine hour. He worked on camera with its hosts, Deborah Roberts and the late Dana Reeve
Dana Reeve
Dana Reeve was an American actress, singer, and activist for disability causes. She was the widow of actor Christopher Reeve.-Early life and family:...
. After the cancellation of "Lifetime Live" came Food Network's "Top 5" in 2002. Production ended in 2004 but the show aired in weekly repeats until 2008.
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
, a one-time guest on Rivers' VH1 talk show, picked him to be the weekly film critic/entertainment reporter on her national weekday morning show for Premiere Radio, "Wake Up With Whoopi". The show lasted from 2006 to 2008. Director Stephen Soderbergh requested permission to use footage of Rivers' VH1 interview of Spalding Gray
Spalding Gray
Spalding Rockwell Gray was an American actor, playwright, screenwriter, performance artist and monologuist...
in his documentary on the late monologist/actor. The 2010 release was entitled "And Everything Is Going Fine".
Rivers went on to comic acting work playing "Professor Robert Haige" in "In The Know", a satirical round-table news segment in The Onion News Network
The Onion
The Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club...
video podcast
Video podcast
Video podcast is a term used for the online delivery of video on demand video clip content via Atom or RSS enclosures...
. Rivers' first television appearance was on a 1970 syndicated classic film trivia game show. He was a high school student. At that time on "The Movie Game", shot in Hollywood with hosts Army Archerd
Army Archerd
Armand Andre "Army" Archerd was a columnist for Variety for over fifty years before retiring his "Just for Variety" column in September 2005. In November 2005, Archerd began blogging for Variety and was working on a memoir when he died.-Life and career:Archerd was born in The Bronx, New York, and...
and Sonny Fox, he was the program's first African-American contestant and its youngest winner.