Top 5 Facts About CNN Anchor and Interviewer Piers Morgan
What Drove This America's Got Talent Judge and Celebrity Apprentice to the Top
Who didn't lament Larry King's "retirement?" I mean, after all, Larry King was one of America's premier broadcast interviewers and talk show hosts, wasn't he? That's right, he interviewed everyone who was anyone over the years, from sports figures to celebrities to Heads of State. Larry King Live was an institution when Larry King stepped down in 2010 and everyone wondered who would take his place.
Never in a million years could anyone predict that broadcasting's equivalent of the crown jewels would be handed over to Britain's Piers Morgan. I always thought that CNN would give the prize to Katie Couric or Joy Behar. After all, wasn't Piers Morgan "just a judge" on "America's Got Talent"? Wasn't he better known for his face off with Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth on Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" than for broadcast journalism or prime time interviews?
Indeed, there's a lot more to this CNN newcomer than meets the eye. And, when former US State Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell walked off the "Piers Morgan Tonight" set, I decided to dig a little deeper and learn more about this provocative British import who's held prime time television spots on several networks.
What did I discover? Plenty. Check out these Top 5 Facts about CNN Anchor and Broadcast Interviewer Piers Morgan. Sure to surprise you.
Fact 1. Morgan got his start at News Corp's The Sun, followed by an editorship at News of the World. Though his reputation as a hard-hitting journalist-provocateur is well documented, the recent hacking scandal surrounding News Corp leaves Piers Morgan untarnished.
Fact 2. Piers has served as reporter, editor, presenter, show host, and more in both Britain and the United States, raising his profile and visibility in broadcast news and beyond. It sounds like he earned his stripes, even doing a stint for Lloyds of London, if you can believe.
Fact 3. Piers Morgan won Donald Trump's popular reality show "Celebrity Apprentice," besting all kinds of celebrities, including world class gymnast Nadia Comaneci, actor Marilu Henner, country music's Trace Atkins, supermodel Carol Alt, mixed martial artist and light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, actor Stephen Baldwin, among others. Piers Morgan continues to credit Trump as a business leader and mentor.
Fact 4. Piers Morgan continues his stint as a judge on NBC's "America's Got Talent," writes regular columns for the Sunday Mail newspaper in London, and provides regular columns for CNN. His diversification has assured a high profile in the United States and abroad. He's got 1.2 million followers on Twitter. And, he shows no sign of slowing down.
Fact 5. Piers Morgan Tonight is billed as a "candid, in-depth newsmaker interview program" and not a continuation of Larry King's popular show. Oprah's appearance on the premier proved a winning kick off to the prime time talk show, but ratings fell from there. The show continues to trail Hannity (FNC) and Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC) in the ratings. But, it sounds like Piers Morgan is committed to doing what it takes to overcome the competition in this timeslot. Time will tell.
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Published by M.G. Hardiman - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Career professional in non-profit sector, one of AC s Rising Stars (2009) and Featured Contributor in Home Improvement, Health and Wellness, Local, and Arts and Entertainment categories. Washington, DC metr... View profile
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10 Comments
Post a CommentVery funny, Michele! :)
Wow, I didn't know half of this. Thank you for sharing.
neat
Interesting insights...
Much of this is news to me.
I miss Larry King too, but it is interesting to learn more about Pier Morgan.
Thanks for your comments, Melanie. I still miss Larry King! :)
Thanks for sharing about him as I didn't know his background!
I wrote about Top Ten lists - and all you gave us were five! LOL cheers :) Good article!
Very interesting! I don't watch him on CNN, but I do have America's Got Talent episodes saved to my queue on Hulu, and from what I have seen of Piers Morgan as a judge, he is no slouch and knows what he is talking about. Just when he seems to be too mean and judgmental, he comes up with something really genuine and entertaining.