Tavis Smiley

Not to be confused with Tava Smiley.

Tavis Smiley
Smiley in 2022
Born (1964-09-13) September 13, 1964 (age 60)
Gulfport, Mississippi, U.S.
EducationIndiana University (B.A., public affairs, 2003) Maconaquah High School
Occupations
  • Talk show host
  • author
Years active1991–present
Notable credit(s)
Tavis Smiley host KBLA Talk 1580
(2021–present)
Tavis Smiley host PBS
(2004–2017)
The Tavis Smiley Show from PRI (radio) host
(2005–2017)
Smiley & West co-host
(2010–2013)
BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley host
(1996–2001)
Websitekbla1580.com

Tavis Smiley (/ˈtævɪs/; born September 13, 1964) is an American talk show host and author.[1][2] 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 with Tavis Smiley) 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) (2002–04) 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.

Smiley had an employment dispute with PBS in December 2017 which resulted in his suing PBS for wrongful termination.[3] Smiley is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SmileyAudioMedia, Inc., headquartered in Los Angeles. Since June 2021 he has served as Chief Visionary Officer for his radio station, KBLA Talk 1580.

  1. ^ Boehm, Mike (October 25, 2009). "Tavis Smiley's exhibit 'America I Am: The African American Imprint' comes to L.A." Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 5, 2011.
  2. ^ "Tavis Smiley wants his chair -- now". Chicago Tribune. October 15, 2006. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013.
  3. ^ Alexander, Keith L. (February 12, 2020). "Trial in lawsuit involving Tavis Smiley and PBS begins in D.C. Superior Court". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 12, 2024.