PEOPLE KNOWN FOR: host - radio and TV
American comedian
Stephen Colbert is an American actor and comedian who was best known as the host of The Colbert Report (2005–14), an ironic send-up of television news programs, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015–...
American chef
Paula Deen is an American chef who popularized the cuisine of the American South through restaurants, cookbooks, and television programs. Aside from her culinary creations, her appeal lay largely in her...
American talk-show host
David Letterman is an American late-night talk-show personality, producer, and comedian, best known as the host of the long-running Late Show with David Letterman. After graduating from Ball State University...
American actor and comedian
Billy Crystal is an American actor, writer, director, and comedian, known for a highly expressive manner that lent itself to a wide range of comedic characters. Crystal, whose father was a jazz promoter...
American television and radio personality
Glenn Beck is an American conservative political commentator and television and radio personality, perhaps best known for hosting the talk show Glenn Beck (2009–11) on the Fox News Channel (FNC). Beck...
American entertainer
Steve Allen was a pioneer American television entertainer, versatile author, songwriter, and comedian who performed in radio, motion pictures, and theatre as well as television. He was perhaps best known...
Australian wildlife conservationist and television personality
Steve Irwin was an Australian wildlife conservationist, television personality, and educator who achieved worldwide fame as the exuberant host of The Crocodile Hunter (1992–2006) television series and...
American author and oral historian
Studs Terkel was an American author and oral historian who chronicled the lives of Americans from the Great Depression to the early 21st century. After spending his early childhood in New York City, Terkel...
American talk-show host
Conan O’Brien is an American late-night talk-show personality and comedian best known as the host of Late Night with Conan O’Brien (1993–2009), The Tonight Show (2009–10), and Conan (2010–21). O’Brien...
American actress, producer, and director
Drew Barrymore is an American actress, producer, and director who transitioned from child star to leading lady and is especially known for her work in romantic comedies. (Read Martin Scorsese’s Britannica...
American comedian and actress
Carol Burnett is an American comedian and actress who starred in a long-running eponymous television variety show in the 1960s and ’70s. As a young girl growing up during the Great Depression, Burnett...
Japanese actor, director, writer, and television personality
Kitano Takeshi is a Japanese actor, director, writer, and television personality who is known for his dexterity with both comedic and dramatic material. Kitano was born into a working-class family in Tokyo....
American entertainer
Rosie O’Donnell is an American actress of film, television, and stage who was perhaps best known for her hosting duties on the talk shows The Rosie O’Donnell Show (1996–2002) and The View (2006–07; 2014–15)....
American political commentator
Rachel Maddow is an American liberal political commentator and radio and television personality, host of The Rachel Maddow Show (2008– ) on the cable television channel MSNBC. Maddow grew up in the San...
American astronomer
Neil deGrasse Tyson is an American astronomer who popularized science with his books and frequent appearances on radio and television. (Read Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Britannica essay on public science.) When...
American comedian and writer
Jay Leno is an American comedian and writer who became host of The Tonight Show (1992–2009, 2010–14). Leno was raised in Andover, Massachusetts. While attending Emerson College in Boston, where he graduated...
American comedian and author
Chelsea Handler is an American comedian and author known for her earthy, bawdy style and her late-night talk show, Chelsea Lately (2007–14). Handler grew up in New Jersey, the youngest of six siblings....
American cook and author
Julia Child was an American cooking expert, author, and television personality noted for her promotion of traditional French cuisine, especially through her programs on public TV. Julia McWilliams was...
American radio personality and author
Rush Limbaugh was an American radio personality and author known for his ultraconservative and often controversial views. Limbaugh was the older of two sons of a prominent Cape Girardeau family. At age...
Cuban American media personality and entrepreneur
Cristina Saralegui is a Cuban American media personality, entrepreneur, and host and executive producer of El Show de Cristina (“The Cristina Show”; 1989–2010), a popular Spanish-language television talk...
American broadcaster
Katie Couric is an American broadcast journalist best known as the longtime cohost of NBC’s Today show and as the first solo female anchor of a major network (CBS) evening news program. The daughter of...
British musician
Ringo Starr is a British musician, singer, songwriter, and actor who was the drummer for the Beatles, one of the most influential bands in rock history. He also found success in a solo career. Starkey...
Australian actor
Barry Humphries was an Australian actor best known for his character Dame Edna Everage, a sharp-tongued housewife and talk show host. Humphries attended Melbourne University but left to pursue acting....
American musician, singer, and actor
Glen Campbell was an American country-pop musician who rose to stardom in the late 1960s and ’70s and became a household name for his hit song “Rhinestone Cowboy,” which topped both the pop and country...
American radio and television host
Ira Glass is an American television and radio personality who was the popular host of a radio program (begun 1995 and later adapted for television) called This American Life. In 1978 Glass talked his way...
American comedian
Sid Caesar was an American comedian who pioneered the television variety show format with the programs Your Show of Shows (1950–54) and Caesar’s Hour (1954–57). Caesar was the son of European immigrants....
American chef, television personality, and author
Mario Batali is an American chef, television personality, author, and restaurateur who was one of the most well-known food celebrities of the early 21st century. Batali developed a passion for cooking...
British journalist and television personality
Piers Morgan is a British journalist and media figure who attracted controversy as a tabloid editor for his aggressive tactics in breaking stories and who later achieved international fame as a television...
American comedian, writer, and director
Jon Stewart is an American comedian, writer, and director who is best known for hosting (1999–2015, 2024) the satiric television news program The Daily Show. Stewart graduated from the College of William...
British nun and art critic
Sister Wendy Beckett was a South African-born British nun who appeared on a series of popular television shows and wrote a number of books as an art critic. Nicknamed the “Art Nun,” she offered eloquent...
American comedian and talk-show host
Jimmy Kimmel is an American late-night talk-show personality, producer, and comedian best known as the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003– ). He also is a frequent host of various award ceremonies. Kimmel...
Chilean television personality
Don Francisco is a Chilean television personality who hosted the popular variety show Sábado Gigante (“Giant Saturday”), one of the longest-running programs in television history. Kreutzberger was born...
English singer
Vera Lynn was an English singer whose sentimental material and wholesome stage persona endeared her to the public during World War II. Broadcasts of her songs of love and longing were particularly resonant...
American comedian and television host
Ellen DeGeneres is an American comedian and television host known for her quirky observational humour. DeGeneres briefly attended the University of New Orleans, where she majored in communications. Dissatisfied...
American television personality
Regis Philbin was an American television personality who hosted a number of popular programs, most notably the talk show Live! With Regis and Kelly (1988–2011; originally called Live! With Regis and Kathie...
American singer and television personality
Pat Boone is an American singer and television personality known for his wholesome pop hits in the 1950s and for hosting evangelical radio and television programs later in life. Boone began performing...
British fashion model
Twiggy is a British fashion model and actress whose gamine frame and mod look defined the fashion industry during much of the late 20th century. She is widely considered to have been one of the world’s...
Greek American author and commentator
Arianna Huffington is a Greek American author and commentator, best known for creating The Huffington Post, a popular liberal Web site offering news and commentary. Stassinopoulos, the daughter of a Greek...
American religious leader, evangelist, writer, Roman Catholic priest, and radio and television personality
Fulton J. Sheen was an American religious leader, evangelist, writer, Roman Catholic priest, and radio and television personality. Sheen was the oldest of four children born to Newt Sheen, a farmer, and...
American singer, actor, and songwriter
Bing Crosby was an American singer, actor, and songwriter who achieved great popularity in radio, recordings, and motion pictures. He became the archetypal crooner of a period when the advent of radio...
American actress
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, and producer who was an accomplished performer with a repertoire that ranged from dramatic leading roles to controversial comedic performances. She also...
American chef, author, and television personality
Anthony Bourdain was an American chef, author, and television personality who helped popularize “foodie” culture in the early 21st century through his books and television programs. Raised in New Jersey,...
American psychologist
Phil McGraw is an American psychologist, author, and television personality who gained fame following numerous appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and with his own daytime talk show, Dr. Phil. McGraw...
American talk-show host
Larry King was an American talk-show host whose easygoing interviewing style helped make Larry King Live (1985–2010) one of CNN’s longest-running and most popular programs. King grew up in Brooklyn, where...
American singer
Kate Smith was an American singer on radio and television, long known as the “first lady of radio.” Smith started singing before audiences as a child, and by age 17 she had decided on a career in show...
American television host
Jerry Springer was a British-born American television host and politician, best known for The Jerry Springer Show, a daytime talk show featuring controversial topics and outrageous guest behaviour. Springer’s...
American radio and television personality
Dick Clark was an American television personality and businessman, best known for hosting American Bandstand. Clark was a disc jockey at the student-run radio station at Syracuse University (1951), and...
Egyptian televangelist
Amr Khaled is an Egyptian televangelist who achieved global fame with his message of religious tolerance and dialogue with the West. Khaled’s family was not religious, but, as a high-school student, he...
Indian actor
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor, perhaps the most popular star in the history of India’s cinema, known primarily for his roles in action films. Bachchan, the son of the renowned Hindi poet Harivansh...
Turkish American surgeon, educator, and author
Mehmet Oz is a Turkish American surgeon, educator, author, and television personality who cowrote the popular YOU series of health books and hosted The Dr. Oz Show (2009–22). In 2022, Oz ran as a Republican...