Vin Di Bona
Encyclopedia
Vincent John "Vin" Di Bona (born 1944) is a television producer
for many American television shows such as America's Funniest People
, MacGyver
and Entertainment Tonight
as well as America's Funniest Home Videos
. He runs an eponymous production company called Vin Di Bona Productions
.
, Di Bona began his career in the entertainment industry as a singer, under the stage name Johnny Lindy (the last name was taken from the Cranston area restaurant owned by his parents that Di Bona worked at as a pre-teen); releasing two records by the age of 16, which became hits regionally. However Di Bona turned his aspirations to making film and television in 1962, following the major worldwide success of The Beatles
, quoted in a 1990 interview as saying "Guys who sang romantic ballads were up a creek without a paddle. So I adapted."
in Boston, where he served as manager of WECB, the campus radio station. Di Bona met his wife Gina, who serves as a production consultant on many of his series including America's Funniest Home Videos and with whom they have a daughter, Cara, while attending Emerson College. After graduating from Emerson in 1966 and earning up a master's degree of fine arts in film at UCLA, he worked for nine years at Boston's then-NBC affiliate WBZ-TV
(channel 4; now a CBS-owned station). After he left WBZ-TV, Vin, his wife and daughter moved to Los Angeles
, Di Bona did not find a job for about eight months, until he became employed at CBS directing and producing documentaries for the network, which earned him four Emmys and a Peabody Award
.
Di Bona is considered one of the pioneers of reality TV, thanks to Battle of the Network Stars
, which Di Bona produced in 1976. By the 1980s, Di Bona became a producer for the syndicated newsmagazine Entertainment Tonight
and later served as a producer for one season on the ABC series MacGyver
; he also was a director for the American Music Awards
and the Academy of Country Music Awards and produced taped segments for the 36th Annual Emmy Awards, among others.
Di Bona's first two television series creations were spawned from two Japanese programs, and at the insistence of his wife Gina: the ABC series Animal Crack-Ups
, was based on a popular Japanese game show called Waku Waku; his wife Gina watched a story featured on CBS News
about the show, which aired on the Tokyo Broadcasting System
, the story featured a frilled lizard, which made Gina laugh and at her insistence, Vin looked into developing a series based on Waku Waku. America's Funniest Home Videos was inspired by another Tokyo Broadcasting System series, the variety show Fun TV with Kato-chan and Ken-chan
, after Vin and Gina attended a television festival in France and Gina walked past a booth showing Japanese home video clips, Gina found the clips in the program to be hilarious, asking her husband to look into developing a series based on the viewer-submitted home video segment.
The success of America's Funniest Home Videos eventually led to two spinoffs, America's Funniest People
and the short-lived World's Funniest Videos; along with similar home video shows Show Me The Funny for Fox Family Channel (now ABC Family
) and the syndicated series That's Funny. Di Bona also produced several made-for-TV movies and a Showtime series Sherman Oaks. Vin Di Bona also serves as chair for The Caucus for Television Producers, Writers and Directors. Vin Di Bona received the 2,346th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
on Thursday, August 23, 2007.
was fired from the television show, America's Funniest People
by Di Bona. In response, Sorkin filed a lawsuit
against Di Bona, claiming that she was dismissed from the show due to her race, after ABC Chairman Dan Burke had suggested to Di Bona that Sorkin be replaced by an African-American or a person of another ethnic minority. Sorkin sought $450,000 for lost earnings, and an additional unspecified amount for harm to her professional reputation and emotional injury. Sorkin additionally claimed that after she denounced the move as unfair, Di Bona changed plans and hired new cohost Tawny Kitaen
, who is white
.
In May 2011, Di Bona, a leading member of the Caucus for Producers, Writers and Directors was censured for standing by his remarks that he accepts Hollywood's discrimination against conservatives, causing fellow member Lionel Chetwynd
to publicly resign from the Caucus the following month. Di Bona made comments in relation to the publication Prime Time Propaganda: The True Hollywood Story of How The Left Took Over Your TV, that personally affected Chetwynd and eventually caused a falling out between the two.
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
for many American television shows such as America's Funniest People
America's Funniest People
America's Funniest People is an American reality series on ABC that debuted on May 1, 1990 as an hour-long special, and later as a weekly half-hour prime time series from September 8, 1990 to August 28, 1994. It was hosted by Dave Coulier and Arleen Sorkin from 1990 to 1992. Tawny Kitaen replaced...
, MacGyver
MacGyver
MacGyver is an American action-adventure television series created by Lee David Zlotoff. Henry Winkler and John Rich were the executive producers. The show ran for seven seasons on ABC in the United States and various other networks abroad from 1985 to 1992. The series was filmed in Los Angeles...
and 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...
as well as America's Funniest Home Videos
America's Funniest Home Videos
America's Funniest Home Videos is an American reality television program on ABC in which viewers are able to send in humorous homemade videotapes. The most common videos usually feature slapstick physical comedy arising from incidents, accidents and mishaps...
. He runs an eponymous production company called Vin Di Bona Productions
Vin Di Bona Productions
Vin Di Bona Productions is a United States television production company that was established in 1986 by Vin Di Bona. The company's first show was Animal Crack-Ups, which ran from 1987-1990. Its most popular show is America's Funniest Home Videos, which premiered on November 26, 1989 on ABC and its...
.
Background
A native of Cranston, Rhode IslandCranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
, Di Bona began his career in the entertainment industry as a singer, under the stage name Johnny Lindy (the last name was taken from the Cranston area restaurant owned by his parents that Di Bona worked at as a pre-teen); releasing two records by the age of 16, which became hits regionally. However Di Bona turned his aspirations to making film and television in 1962, following the major worldwide success of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, quoted in a 1990 interview as saying "Guys who sang romantic ballads were up a creek without a paddle. So I adapted."
Career Highlights
He received an education at Emerson CollegeEmerson College
Emerson College is a private coeducational university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," Emerson is "the only comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts...
in Boston, where he served as manager of WECB, the campus radio station. Di Bona met his wife Gina, who serves as a production consultant on many of his series including America's Funniest Home Videos and with whom they have a daughter, Cara, while attending Emerson College. After graduating from Emerson in 1966 and earning up a master's degree of fine arts in film at UCLA, he worked for nine years at Boston's then-NBC affiliate 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; now a CBS-owned station). After he left WBZ-TV, Vin, his wife and daughter moved to 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...
, Di Bona did not find a job for about eight months, until he became employed at CBS directing and producing documentaries for the network, which earned him four Emmys and a Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
.
Di Bona is considered one of the pioneers of reality TV, thanks to Battle of the Network Stars
Battle of the Network Stars
Battle of the Network Stars is the name of 19 US television specials featuring competitions among teams of popular television performers representing the three major broadcast networks at that time: ABC, CBS, and NBC.- History :...
, which Di Bona produced in 1976. By the 1980s, Di Bona became a producer for the syndicated newsmagazine 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...
and later served as a producer for one season on the ABC series MacGyver
MacGyver
MacGyver is an American action-adventure television series created by Lee David Zlotoff. Henry Winkler and John Rich were the executive producers. The show ran for seven seasons on ABC in the United States and various other networks abroad from 1985 to 1992. The series was filmed in Los Angeles...
; he also was a director for the American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
and the Academy of Country Music Awards and produced taped segments for the 36th Annual Emmy Awards, among others.
Di Bona's first two television series creations were spawned from two Japanese programs, and at the insistence of his wife Gina: the ABC series Animal Crack-Ups
Animal Crack-Ups
Animal Crack-Ups was an ABC game show which aired in primetime from August 8 to September 12, 1987, after which it aired on Saturday mornings from September 12, 1987 to December 30, 1989 and again from June 2 to September 1, 1990....
, was based on a popular Japanese game show called Waku Waku; his wife Gina watched a story featured on CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
about the show, which aired on the Tokyo Broadcasting System
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
, the story featured a frilled lizard, which made Gina laugh and at her insistence, Vin looked into developing a series based on Waku Waku. America's Funniest Home Videos was inspired by another Tokyo Broadcasting System series, the variety show Fun TV with Kato-chan and Ken-chan
Fun TV with Kato-chan and Ken-chan
was a popular Japanese television variety show aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System around the mid-1980s. Starring Ken Shimura and Cha Kato, former members of the group The Drifters from Hachiji Dayo! Zen'in Shugo, the irreverent and satirical program would poke fun at contemporary society in Japan,...
, after Vin and Gina attended a television festival in France and Gina walked past a booth showing Japanese home video clips, Gina found the clips in the program to be hilarious, asking her husband to look into developing a series based on the viewer-submitted home video segment.
The success of America's Funniest Home Videos eventually led to two spinoffs, America's Funniest People
America's Funniest People
America's Funniest People is an American reality series on ABC that debuted on May 1, 1990 as an hour-long special, and later as a weekly half-hour prime time series from September 8, 1990 to August 28, 1994. It was hosted by Dave Coulier and Arleen Sorkin from 1990 to 1992. Tawny Kitaen replaced...
and the short-lived World's Funniest Videos; along with similar home video shows Show Me The Funny for Fox Family Channel (now ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
) and the syndicated series That's Funny. Di Bona also produced several made-for-TV movies and a Showtime series Sherman Oaks. Vin Di Bona also serves as chair for The Caucus for Television Producers, Writers and Directors. Vin Di Bona received the 2,346th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
on Thursday, August 23, 2007.
Controversy
In 1992, Arleen SorkinArleen Sorkin
Arleen Sorkin is an American actress, screenwriter, presenter and comedienne. Sorkin is known for portraying Calliope Jones on the NBC daytime serial Days of our Lives and for voicing Batman DC comic supervillainess Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series and the many animated series and...
was fired from the television show, America's Funniest People
America's Funniest People
America's Funniest People is an American reality series on ABC that debuted on May 1, 1990 as an hour-long special, and later as a weekly half-hour prime time series from September 8, 1990 to August 28, 1994. It was hosted by Dave Coulier and Arleen Sorkin from 1990 to 1992. Tawny Kitaen replaced...
by Di Bona. In response, Sorkin filed a lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against Di Bona, claiming that she was dismissed from the show due to her race, after ABC Chairman Dan Burke had suggested to Di Bona that Sorkin be replaced by an African-American or a person of another ethnic minority. Sorkin sought $450,000 for lost earnings, and an additional unspecified amount for harm to her professional reputation and emotional injury. Sorkin additionally claimed that after she denounced the move as unfair, Di Bona changed plans and hired new cohost Tawny Kitaen
Tawny Kitaen
Julie "Tawny" Kitaen is an American actress and media personality. She became famous in the 1980s for appearing in several hard rock videos for the band Whitesnake, including the hit "Here I Go Again". Kitaen was married to Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale from 1989–1991...
, who is white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
.
In May 2011, Di Bona, a leading member of the Caucus for Producers, Writers and Directors was censured for standing by his remarks that he accepts Hollywood's discrimination against conservatives, causing fellow member Lionel Chetwynd
Lionel Chetwynd
Lionel Chetwynd is a London-born Canadian-American screenwriter, motion picture and television film director and producer.-Life and career:...
to publicly resign from the Caucus the following month. Di Bona made comments in relation to the publication Prime Time Propaganda: The True Hollywood Story of How The Left Took Over Your TV, that personally affected Chetwynd and eventually caused a falling out between the two.