Tavis Smiley (/ˈtævɪs/; born September 13, 1964) is an American
talk show host and author. Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi,
and grew up in Bunker Hill, Indiana. After attending Indiana
University, he worked during the late 1980s as an aide to Tom Bradley,
the mayor of Los Angeles.Smiley became a radio commentator in 1991
and, starting in 1996, he hosted the talk show BET Talk (later renamed
BET Tonight) on Black Entertainment Television (BET). After Smiley
sold an exclusive interview of Sara Jane Olson to ABC News in 2001,
BET declined to renew his contract that year. Smiley then began
hosting The Tavis Smiley Show on National Public Radio (NPR)
(2002â€"04) and hosted Tavis Smiley on the Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) on weekdays and The Tavis Smiley Show on Public Radio
International (PRI) from 2004 until 2017, when he was dismissed for
having sexual relationships with subordinates.From 2010 to 2013,
Smiley and Cornel West worked together to host their own radio talk
show, Smiley & West. They were featured together interviewing musician
Bill Withers in the 2009 documentary film Still Bill. He was the new
host of Tavis Talks on BlogTalkRadio's Tavis Smiley Network.
talk show host and author. Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi,
and grew up in Bunker Hill, Indiana. After attending Indiana
University, he worked during the late 1980s as an aide to Tom Bradley,
the mayor of Los Angeles.Smiley became a radio commentator in 1991
and, starting in 1996, he hosted the talk show BET Talk (later renamed
BET Tonight) on Black Entertainment Television (BET). After Smiley
sold an exclusive interview of Sara Jane Olson to ABC News in 2001,
BET declined to renew his contract that year. Smiley then began
hosting The Tavis Smiley Show on National Public Radio (NPR)
(2002â€"04) and hosted Tavis Smiley on the Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) on weekdays and The Tavis Smiley Show on Public Radio
International (PRI) from 2004 until 2017, when he was dismissed for
having sexual relationships with subordinates.From 2010 to 2013,
Smiley and Cornel West worked together to host their own radio talk
show, Smiley & West. They were featured together interviewing musician
Bill Withers in the 2009 documentary film Still Bill. He was the new
host of Tavis Talks on BlogTalkRadio's Tavis Smiley Network.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.