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Barbara Walters has arguably interviewed more statesmen and stars than any other journalist in history. She is so well known that her name and a brief biography is listed in the American Heritage Dictionary.
In September 2004, after 25 years as co-host and chief correspondent of ABC News' "20/20," Ms. Walters left the show to begin a new phase in her career at the network. She remains an active member of the news division and network, substantially increasing the number of primetime ABC News specials, in addition to her "Barbara Walters Specials." Ms. Walters joined ABC News in 1976 as the first woman to co-host the network news.
In her final season, Barbara Walters' "20/20" newsmaker exclusives included the coveted first interview with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton regarding her highly-anticipated autobiography; the first with Martha Stewart before her trial and then again immediately following sentencing; traveling to Cuba to interview President Fidel Castro 25 years after their first headline-making interview; former Vice President Al Gore in his first formal interview since the controversial 2000 Presidential election; President and Mrs. Bush, who gave "20/20" the first look at the White House at Christmas; a candid conversation with media phenoms The Osbournes; and actor Robert Blake, who spoke out for the first time since being arrested for the murder of his wife. Walters also tackled tough issues surrounding the war with Iraq, including reports on Iraqi women and children who lived through the first Persian Gulf war and now live in America.
Through the years she has interviewed such world figures as Russia's Boris Yeltsin, China's Premier Jiang Zemin, Great Britain's former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Libya's Moammar Qadaffi and Iraq's President Sadaam Hussein. She was also the first American journalist to interview Russia's President Vladimir Putin and the first interview with President and Mrs. Bush following September 11.
At the other extreme, in 1999 Ms. Walters conducted the first interview with Monica Lewinsky, which became the highest-rated news program ever broadcast by a single network.
She has interviewed every American President and First Lady since Richard Nixon. She made journalism history by arranging the first joint interview with Egypt's President Anwar Sadat and Israel's Prime Minister Menachem Begin in November, 1977. Another of her "firsts" was an hour-long primetime conversation with Cuban President Fidel Castro -- an interview which has been printed in half a dozen languages and shown all over the world.
"The Barbara Walters Specials" are continuously the top-rated specials of the year and have included such legends as Sir Laurence Olivier, Bing Crosby, John Wayne, Bette Davis and Audrey Hepburn. More recent interviews of superstars have included George Clooney, Matthew McConaughey, Patrick Dempsey, Jennifer Hudson, Helen Mirren, Eddie Murphy and Ellen DeGeneres. Ms. Walters' "The 10 Most Fascinating People" special broadcast, launched in 1993, offers a year-end review of the most prominent newsmakers of the year, as well as the selection of the "most fascinating" individual.
Ms. Walters' is also co-executive producer and co-host of "The View," recipient of the 2003 Daytime Emmy® award for "Outstanding Talk Show."
Prior to joining ABC she appeared on NBC's "Today Show" for 15 years. She began as a writer on the "Today Show," and within a year became a reporter-at-large, developing, writing and editing her own reports and interviews. In 1963 she became a co-host of the program without the official title, but in 1974 NBC officially designated her as the program's first female co-host.
Ms. Walters was a member of the NBC News team that went to the People's Republic of China to cover the visits of President Richard Nixon in 1972 and President Gerald Ford in 1975. In addition to the "Today Show," for five years Ms. Walters also hosted her own popular syndicated series, "Not for Women Only." The program went off the air when she left for ABC. Early in her career she was a writer for CBS News and, before that, she was the youngest producer with NBC-TV's New York station (WNBC-TV).
Over the years Ms. Walters has received national recognition for her work and has been the recipient of numerous prestigious honors and awards. Among these are:
Ms. Walters is the recipient of honorary doctoral degrees from Sarah Lawrence, her alma mater, as well as Ohio State University, Temple University, Marymount College, Wheaton College, Hofstra University and Ben-Gurion University in Jerusalem.
A native of Boston, Ms. Walters is the daughter of the famed entertainment impresario Lou Walters and has one daughter.
Also, read our exclusive interview with Ms. Walters.
In 2002 Whoopi Goldberg became one of a very elite group of artists who have won the Grammy (Whoopi Goldberg, 1985), the Academy Award (Ghost, 1991), the Golden Globe (The Color Purple, 1985 and Ghost, 1991), the Emmy (as host of AMC's Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel, 2002) and a Tony (producer of Thoroughly Modern Millie, 2002). She is equally well known for her humanitarian efforts on behalf of children, the homeless, human rights, education, substance abuse and the battle against AIDS, as well as many other causes and charities. Among her many charitable activities, Ms. Goldberg is a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations.
Born and raised in New York City, Ms. Goldberg worked in theatre and improvisation in San Diego and the Bay Area, where she performed with the Blake Street Hawkeyes theatre troupe. It was there that she created the characters which became "The Spook Show" and evolved into her hit Broadway show, her Grammy Award-winning album and the HBO special that helped launch her career.
Ms. Goldberg made her motion picture debut in Steven Spielberg's film version of Alice Walker's The Color Purple, for which she earned an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award. Her performance in Ghost earned her the Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has also appeared in such films as Jumpin' Jack Flash, Clara's Heart, The Long Walk Home, Soapdish, The Player, Sarafina!, Sister Act, Made in America, Corrina, Corrina, Boys on the Side, Eddie, The Associate, Ghosts of Mississippi, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Girl, Interrupted, Kingdom Come and Rat Race. She has voiced characters in such animated features as The Lion King, Racing Stripes, Doogal and Everyone's Hero.
On television Ms. Goldberg appeared for five seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation, she co-starred with Jean Stapleton in Bagdad Café and hosted her own syndicated late-night talk show. She appeared in the Emmy-nominated HBO drama In the Gloaming, directed by Christopher Reeve, as well as The Wonderful World of Disney's Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella and A Knight in Camelot, and appeared in the miniseries Alice in Wonderland and The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns. She starred in the NBC sitcom Whoopi, which she executive-produced, and co-starred in the television movies It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie and Showtime's Good Fences, which she co-produced with co-star Danny Glover. She produced and appeared on Nick Jr's Whoopi's Littleburg, has guest-starred on NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and appeared on two episodes of Chris Rock's Everybody Hates Chris on the CW Network last year.
As she has in every other facet of her career, Ms. Goldberg made her mark as a producer. She executive-produced the Lifetime original drama series Strong Medicine, the longest-running original drama created for basic cable and the first cable show to go into syndication. From 1998-2002 she executive-produced and appeared in the center square on the Emmy Award-winning Hollywood Squares. She executive-produced the Lifetime original movie What Makes a Family, Showtime's Ruby's Bucket of Blood, and executive-produced and starred in the TNT Original Movie, Call Me Claus, and the Showtime original, Good Fences. Ms. Goldberg executive-produced the hit Broadway musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, which won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. She and One Ho have numerous projects in the works for stage, screen and television.
Ms. Goldberg has appeared on many television series and specials, including her own comedy specials for HBO and BRAVO, been a three-time host of ABC's A Gala for the President at Ford's Theatre and eight Comic Relief telecasts with Billy Crystal and Robin Williams. She received Emmy Award nominations for hosting the 66th, 68th and 71st Academy Awards telecasts, and returned to host the 2002 telecast at the new Kodak Theatre.
Ms. Goldberg returned to Broadway in 1997, garnering rave reviews in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. In 2001 she returned to her performing roots, on tour for the first time in over 10 years, performing one-night-only engagements across the U.S. In 2003 she produced and starred in the title role of the Broadway revival of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. She commemorated the 20th anniversary of her original one-woman show with a Tony-nominated engagement production on Broadway last year, and the HBO broadcast of the show was nominated for an Emmy Award.
In addition to the Oscar, the Grammy and two Golden Globe Awards, Ms. Goldberg has been honored with multiple NAACP Image Awards, numerous People's Choice Awards (including a special tribute in 1998) and five Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards as Favorite Movie Actress, as well as various awards and honors for her many humanitarian efforts.
In 1992 Ms. Goldberg made her debut as an author with her first children's book, "Alice." Her second literary endeavor, simply entitled "Book," became a bestseller in the U.S. and around the world. She also has a three-book publishing deal with Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Hyperion Books. The first title, "Whoopi's Big Book of Manners," has just been published.
In early 2003, Ms. Goldberg returned to Broadway, co-starring with Charles "Roc" Dutton in August Wilson's acclaimed Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which she also produced. She had last appeared on Broadway in 1997 in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
In July 2006, she conquered yet another frontier when she made her debut as a radio host with Clear Channel's nationally-syndicated, Wake Up with Whoopi, which she continues to broadcast live from New York weekday mornings.
In yet another facet of her diverse and illustrious career, Ms. Goldberg has designed and will be launching a line of bedding later this year.
Ms. Goldberg has placed prints of her hands, feet and braids in the forecourt of the famed Grauman's Chinese Theatre and received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which resides in front of the Kodak Theatre.
Watch Ms. Goldberg tell it to you herself in her bio video.
For more information on Ms. Goldberg, go to whoopi.com.
Also, read our exclusive interview with Ms. Goldberg.
Joy Behar, currently a co-host of ABC's The View, is among today's leading comic talents. Whether performing standup comedy or interviewing politicians and artists, she is a comedic original and a leading woman both on stage and screen.
The View, recipient of the 2003 Daytime Emmy® Award for "Outstanding Talk Show," is the original forum where real women discuss relevant, everyday issues and share their daily, no-holds-barred opinions and lively, colorful conversations. The program premiered in August 1997, and is broadcast live weekdays from New York City. In addition The View has received 22 Daytime Emmy Awards and has 10 consecutive nominations for Ouststanding Talk Show and Outstanding Talk Show Host for Ms. Behar and her co-hosts. The View celebrated its 2000th Show on February 2, 2006 and is currently in its 11th season.
Armed with an MA in English education from SUNY at Stony Brook, Ms. Behar originally began a career in teaching. She then set out to pursue comedy professionally and immediately received bookings from such famous New York clubs as Caroline's and Catch a Rising Star. She went on to win three MAC Awards and a CableACE Award.
On television Ms. Behar starred in her own HBO special and was a regular on the series Baby Boom. Other appearances include the voice of a hilariously neurotic patient on Dr. Katz, which won the CableACE Award, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Real Time with Bill Maher, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and had guest starring roles on 30 Rock, ABC's One Life to Live and All My Children.
For three years Ms. Behar hosted a popular call-in radio show on WABC, where she discussed politics with a deadly humorous bent. Her film appearances include Cookie, with Peter Falk, This Is My Life, directed by Nora Ephron, and Woody Allen's Manhattan Murder Mystery. In theater she had a successful run in the off-Broadway hit The Food Chain, earning rave reviews in the starring role, and also in the critically-acclaimed The Vagina Monologues.
Ms. Behar, a frequent comedy headliner, was chosen by TV Guide as a "Personality of the Year" nominee for the Third Annual TV Guide Awards in January of 1991. Other honors include the Real Beauty Award from AWRT and Dove (2007), the Safe Horizon Champion Award (2001), the Gracie Allen Tribute Award from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television (2000), and the New York City Public Advocate's Special Advocate Award for her outstanding friendship to the Gay community (2000).
In November 2005, Ms. Behar performed to a sold out crowd at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center as part of the annual New York Comedy Festival.
Ms. Behar's first book "Joy Shtick: or What Is the Existential Vacuum and Does It Come with Attachments? and her first children's book "Sheetzucacapoopoo: My Kind of Dog" both appeared on the New York Times best seller list. Ms. Behar's new book "When You Need A Lift" will be released by Crown Publishers in September.
Ms. Behar is involved with numerous philanthropic organizations and is a frequent contributor to a number of charitable foundations.
Also, read our exclusive interview with Ms. Behar.
In November 2003, Elisabeth Hasselbeck was selected out of hundreds of contenders to permanently fill a vacant co-host chair on ABC's The View. Unafraid to express her candid and conservative views, Mrs. Hasselbeck has proven herself as a woman who will not let her voice be compromised.
The View, recipient of the 2003 Daytime Emmy® Award for "Outstanding Talk Show," is the original forum where real women discuss relevant, everyday issues and share their daily, no-holds-barred opinions and lively, colorful conversations. The program premiered in August 1997, and is broadcast live weekdays from New York City. In addition The View has received 22 Daytime Emmy Awards and has 10 consecutive nominations for Outstanding Talk Show and Outstanding Talk Show Host for Ms. Hasselbeck and her co-hosts. The View celebrated its 2000th Show on February 2, 2006 and is currently in its 11th season. On it, Mrs. Hasselbeck has interviewed politicians including Senators Hillary Clinton, Republican presidential nominee John McCain and Senator Barack Obama to pop stars and movie stars Madonna and Tom Cruise.
Mrs. Hasselbeck was formerly known to television audiences as a participant on the wildly popular second edition of Survivor: The Australian Outback. While competing in Australia, Mrs. Hasselbeck used her competitive drive and survival skills to outwit, outplay, and outlast her way to the final four.
In August 2004, Mrs. Hasselbeck spoke at the Republican National Convention, where she delivered a heartfelt speech that emphasized her continued effort in support of Breast Cancer prevention and research. In recent years she has worked with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Making Memories Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, The Wireless Amber Alert Program Initiative , Autism Speaks, and the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. In June 2004, Mrs. Hasselbeck ran through the streets of New York City carrying the official Olympic Torch in celebration of the Summer Games in Athens, Greece.
Since taking the coveted seat on The View, Mrs. Hasselbeck has been the focus of major magazine covers and articles including USA Weekend, Curious Parents, People, TV Guide, Glamour, Us Weekly, Life, Pregnancy and ePregnancy. Elisabeth has filled in on the FOX News Channel's Fox and Friends, and has been a guest on Hannity and Colmes, Larry King Live, The Martha Stewart Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Good Morning America.
Previously Mrs. Hasselbeck exhibited her flair for fashion as host of the Style Network's The Look for Less, where she helped viewers find designer styles at bargain prices. She has served as spokeperson and done commercial work for Reebok, Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble, Bright Beginnings Infant Formula and Dreft.
A 1999 Fine Arts graduate from Boston College, Mrs. Hasselbeck's focus was on large scale paintings and industrial design. While at B.C. she captained her Division-1 softball team to back-to-back Big East championships. In 1999 she completed the Boston Marathon. She has recently been honored with the Boston College Distinguished Alumni Award.
Prior to her work in television, Mrs. Hasselbeck designed shoes for PUMA, working on their street lifestyle line. She does not stray far from the world of design and and is currently developing a product line of her own.
Mrs. Hasselbeck resides in New York City with her husband, Tim Hasselbeck, an NFL quarterback, and their children Grace Elisabeth and Taylor Thomas.
Also, read our exclusive interview with Mrs. Hasselbeck.
Whether on stage or screen, Sherri Shepherd's magnetic personality and hilarious sense of humor never fail to delight audiences. A self-described "class clown," she relocated to Los Angeles during high school and considered being a mortician, but took a job as a legal secretary instead. She was encouraged by friends to put together her own stand-up act after seeing Andrew Dice Clay perform. Ms. Shepherd's love of performing was instantaneous. Success, however, was not& For five years she toiled as a secretary by day and performed stand-up at night. She finally got her first real break in the comedy "Cleghorne!"
Ms. Shepherd has been featured in the motion pictures Who's Your Caddy, Beauty Shop, Cellular and Guess Who. For four seasons she starred on ABC's Less than Perfect. A groundbreaking performance on the hit series Friends earned her the reputation as one of Hollywood's most reliable sources for brilliant comedic delivery. She has appeared on Everybody Loves Raymond, Joan of Arcadia, Suddenly Susan, Jamie Foxx Show, Living Single, Emeril and the short lived satirical comedies Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central) and Wedding Bells. Ms. Shepherd is also the voice of twin toucans Cheryl and Meryl in the Disney Channel's comedy series, Brandy & Mr. Whiskers, and will next be seen reprising her role as Angie Jordan on 30 Rock.
An accomplished stand-up comic, Ms. Shepherd has performed at The Comedy Store, The Improv and the Laugh Factory in Hollywood, and has released both a DVD and a CD of her routine entitled "No Refund, No Exchange."
Ms. Shepherd is involved with numerous philanthropic organizations including the March of Dimes. The Chicago native is mother to two-year-old Jeffrey, Jr., and two retrievers, Angel and Shatzi.
Watch Ms. Shepherd tell it from the beginning in her bio video.
Also, read our exclusive interview with Ms. Shepherd.
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