Geraldo Rivera (born Gerald Riviera; July 4, 1943)
is an American journalist, attorney, author, political commentator, and former television host. He hosted the tabloid talk show ''
Geraldo'' from 1987 to 1998. He gained publicity with the live 1986 TV special ''
The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults
''The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults'' is a two-hour live American television special that was broadcast in syndication on April 21, 1986, and hosted by Geraldo Rivera. It centered on the live opening of a walled-off underground room in the Lexingt ...
''. Rivera hosted the
news magazine
A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published magazine, radio or television program, usually published weekly, consisting of articles about current events. News magazines generally discuss stories, in greater depth than do newspapers or new ...
program ''
Geraldo at Large
''Geraldo Rivera Reports'', also known as ''Geraldo at Large'', is an American television newsmagazine hosted by Fox News correspondent-at-large and former talk show host Geraldo Rivera.
History
Debuting in national syndication on October 31, 2 ...
'', hosts the occasional broadcast of ''Geraldo Rivera Reports'' (in lieu of hosting ''At Large''), and appears regularly on
Fox News
The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
programs such as ''
The Five''.
Early life
Rivera was born at
Beth Israel Medical Center
Mount Sinai Beth Israel is a 799-bed teaching hospital in Manhattan. It is part of the Mount Sinai Health System, a nonprofit health system formed in September 2013 by the merger of Continuum Health Partners and Mount Sinai Medical Center, an ...
in New York City, New York, the son of Lillian (née Friedman; October 16, 1924 – June 3, 2018) and Cruz "Allen" Rivera (October 1, 1915 – November 1987), a restaurant worker and cab driver respectively.
He has Puerto Rican ancestry through his father.
His mother was Jewish, while his father was Catholic. Rivera was raised "mostly Jewish" and had a
bar mitzvah ceremony. He grew up in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
and
West Babylon, New York
West Babylon is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 43,213 at the 2010 census.
Geography
West Babylon is located at (40.713399, -73.357106).
West Babylon is bord ...
, where he attended
West Babylon High School. Rivera's family was sometimes subjected to prejudice and racism, and his mother took to spelling their surname as "Riviera" to avoid having bigotry directed at them.
[
]When I was born, my mother filled in my birth certificate with the name Gerald Riviera, adding an extra "i" to my father's surname. She did the same thing for my sister Irene. Later, she would drop the pretense for my sister Sharon, only to pick it up again with the birth of my baby brother Craig. Whenever we asked about the inconsistencies, she would shrug shyly and joke her way out of it. "I just forgot how to spell it", she would say, and leave it at that. Underneath, I came to realize, she was deeply embarrassed over what was a clumsy attempt at an ethnic cover-up.
From 1961 to 1963, he attended the State University of New York Maritime College
State University of New York Maritime College (SUNY Maritime College) is a public maritime college in the Bronx, New York City. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Founded in 1874, the SUNY Maritime College was the fir ...
in the Throggs Neck
Throggs Neck (also known as Throgs Neck) is a neighborhood and peninsula in the south-eastern portion of the borough of the Bronx in New York City. It is bounded by the East River and Long Island Sound to the south and east, Westchester Creek on ...
section of the Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
, where he was a member of the rowing team. Afterwards, he transferred to the University of Arizona
The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory.
T ...
, where he received a B.S.
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University ...
in business administration
Business administration, also known as business management, is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. From the point of view of management ...
in 1965.
Following a series of jobs ranging from clothing salesman to short-order cook, Rivera enrolled at Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School (BLS) is a private law school in New York City. Founded in 1901, it has approximately 1,100 students. Brooklyn Law School's faculty includes 60 full-time faculty, 15 emeriti faculty, and a number of adjunct faculty.
Brookly ...
in 1966. While a law student, he held internships with the New York County District Attorney
The New York County District Attorney, also known as the Manhattan District Attorney, is the elected district attorney for New York County (Manhattan), New York (state), New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New ...
under crime-fighter Frank Hogan
Frank Smithwick Hogan (January 17, 1902 – April 2, 1974) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He served as New York County District Attorney for more than 30 years, during which he achieved a reputation for professionalism and ...
and Harlem Assertion of Rights (a community-based provider of legal services) before receiving his J.D. near the top of his class in 1969. He then held a Reginald Heber Smith Fellowship in poverty law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School
The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School (also known as Penn Law or Penn Carey Law) is the law school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is among the most selective and oldes ...
in the summer of 1969 before being admitted to the New York State Bar later that year.
After working with such organizations as the lower Manhattan-based Community Action for Legal Services and the National Lawyers Guild, Rivera became a frequent attorney for the East Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or and historically known as Italian Harlem, is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, New York City, roughly encompassing the area north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, F ...
-based New York City chapter of the Young Lords
The Young Lords, also known as the Young Lords Organization (YLO) or Young Lords Party (YLP), was a Chicago-based street gang that became a civil and human rights organization. The group aims to fight for neighborhood empowerment and self-det ...
, a Puerto Rican activist group, eventually precipitating his entry into private practice. This work attracted the attention of WABC-TV
WABC-TV (channel 7) is a television station in New York City, serving as the flagship of the ABC network. Owned and operated by the network's ABC Owned Television Stations division, the station maintains studios in the Lincoln Square neighbor ...
news director Al Primo when Rivera was interviewed about the group's occupation of a neighborhood church in 1969. Primo offered Rivera a job as a reporter but was unhappy with the first name "Gerald" (as he wanted something more identifiably Latino), so they agreed to go with the pronunciation used by the Puerto Rican side of Rivera's family: Geraldo.[ Due to his dearth of journalistic experience, ABC arranged for Rivera to study introductory broadcast journalism under ]Fred Friendly
Fred W. Friendly (born Ferdinand Friendly Wachenheimer, October 30, 1915 – March 3, 1998) was a president of CBS News and the creator, along with Edward R. Murrow, of the documentary television program '' See It Now''. He originated the concep ...
in the Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...
-funded Summer Program in Journalism for Members of Minority Groups at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is located in Pulitzer Hall on the university's Morningside Heights campus in New York City.
Founded in 1912 by Joseph Pulitzer, Columbia Journalism School is one of the oldest journalism s ...
in 1970.
Career
Early stages
Rivera was hired by WABC-TV in 1970 as a reporter for '' Eyewitness News''. In 1972, he garnered national attention and won a Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...
for his report on the neglect and abuse of patients with intellectual disabilities
Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability in the United Kingdom and formerly mental retardation,Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010). is a generalized neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by signific ...
at Staten Island
Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...
's Willowbrook State School
Willowbrook State School was a state-supported institution for children with intellectual disabilities located in the Willowbrook neighborhood on Staten Island in New York City from 1947 until 1987.
The school was designed for 4,000, but by 1965 ...
and Rockland County
Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is about from the Bronx at their closest points. The county's population, as of t ...
's Letchworth Village
Letchworth Village was a residential institution located in Rockland County, New York, in the hamlet of Thiells built for the physically and mentally disabled of all ages, from the newborn to the elderly. Opened in 1911, Letchworth Village at its ...
, and he began to appear on ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
national programs such as ''20/20
Visual acuity (VA) commonly refers to the clarity of vision, but technically rates an examinee's ability to recognize small details with precision. Visual acuity is dependent on optical and neural factors, i.e. (1) the sharpness of the retinal ...
'' and '' Nightline'' upon their launches in 1978 and 1979 respectively. After John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
watched Rivera's report on the patients at Willowbrook, he and Rivera put on a benefit concert called "One to One" on August 30, 1972, at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
in New York City (which Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野 洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking.
Ono grew up i ...
released posthumously in 1986, as '' Live in New York City'').
In July 1973, Rivera taped the pilot episode of ''Good Night America'', a late-night newsmagazine that he hosted (and executive produced). It began its semi-regular airing from April 1974 to June 1977 as part of the ''ABC's Wide World of Entertainment
''ABC's Wide World of Entertainment'' is a late night television block of programs created by the ABC television network. It premiered on January 8, 1973, and ended three years later. The title was based on the long-running broadcast ''ABC's Wid ...
'' program block. The show featured Ringo Starr
Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
's "It Don't Come Easy
"It Don't Come Easy" is a song by English rock musician Ringo Starr that was released as a non-album single in April 1971. It was produced by Starr's former Beatles bandmate George Harrison, who also helped write the song, although only Starr ...
" as the theme. ''Good Night America'' tackled controversial topics of the era, including marijuana usage and the status of Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
draft dodgers
Draft evasion is any successful attempt to elude a government-imposed obligation to serve in the military forces of one's nation. Sometimes draft evasion involves refusing to comply with the military draft laws of one's nation. Illegal draft ev ...
. A 1975 episode of the program, featuring Dick Gregory
Richard Claxton Gregory (October 12, 1932 – August 19, 2017) was an American comedian, civil rights leader, business owner and entrepreneur, and vegetarian activist. His writings were best sellers. Gregory became popular among the Afric ...
and Robert J. Groden
Robert J. Groden (born November 22, 1945) is an American author who has written extensively about conspiracy theories regarding the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. His books include ''The Killing of a President: The Complete Ph ...
, showed the first national telecast of the historic Zapruder film
The Zapruder film is a silent 8mm color motion picture sequence shot by Abraham Zapruder with a Bell & Howell home-movie camera, as United States President John F. Kennedy's motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, on November ...
. All 33 episodes of ''Good Night America'' may be viewed and downloaded on Rivera's web site.
On May 19, 1983, Rivera broadcast the first U.S. network television
Network, networking and networked may refer to:
Science and technology
* Network theory, the study of graphs as a representation of relations between discrete objects
* Network science, an academic field that studies complex networks
Mathematics
...
mention of "AIDS" by this name. (Other names had been used in the previous two years, as the disease was poorly understood at the time.) On ''20/20'', he interviewed New York City lighting designer Ken Ramsauer Ken Ramsauer (December 26, 1954 – May 24, 1983) was an American businessperson. He was a hardware store manager and freelance lighting designer who became the first person with AIDS to be the subject of a national network television news special w ...
. Ramsauer died aged 27, four days later; Rivera delivered a eulogy at Ramsauer's Central Park memorial service.
In October 1985, ABC's Roone Arledge
Roone Pinckney Arledge Jr. (July 8, 1931 – December 5, 2002) was an American sports and news broadcasting executive who was president of ABC Sports from 1968 until 1986 and ABC News from 1977 until 1998, and a key part of the company's rise t ...
refused to air a report done by Sylvia Chase
Sylvia Belle Chase (February 23, 1938 – January 3, 2019) was an American broadcast journalist. She was a correspondent for ABC's '' 20/20'' from its inception until 1985, when she left to become a news anchor at KRON-TV in San Francisco; in 19 ...
for ''20/20'' on the relationship between Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
and John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Secon ...
and Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925June 6, 1968), also known by his initials RFK and by the nickname Bobby, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964, ...
. Rivera publicly criticized Arledge's journalistic integrity, claiming that his friendship with the Kennedy family
The Kennedy family is an American political family that has long been prominent in American politics, public service, entertainment, and business. In 1884, 35 years after the family's arrival from Ireland, Patrick Joseph "P. J." Kennedy beca ...
(for example, Pierre Salinger
Pierre Emil George Salinger (June 14, 1925 – October 16, 2004) was an American journalist, author and politician. He served as the ninth press secretary for United States Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Salinger served ...
, a former Kennedy aide, worked for ABC News
ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
at the time) had caused him to spike the story; as a result, Rivera was fired. During a Fox News interview with Megyn Kelly aired May 15, 2015, Rivera stated the official reason given for the firing was that he violated ABC policy when he donated $200 to a non-partisan mayoral race candidate.
On April 21, 1986, Rivera hosted ''The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults
''The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults'' is a two-hour live American television special that was broadcast in syndication on April 21, 1986, and hosted by Geraldo Rivera. It centered on the live opening of a walled-off underground room in the Lexingt ...
''. The special broadcast was billed as the unearthing of mobster Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel Capone (; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the ...
's secret vaults, located under the old Lexington Hotel Lexington Hotel or Hotel Lexington may refer to:
* Lexington Hotel (Chicago), now demolished
* Lexington Hotel (New York City)
* Lexington Hotels & Inns, a brand operated by Vantage Hospitality
{{dab ...
in Chicago. Millions of people watched the 2-hour show, which ultimately did not uncover any valuables from beneath the hotel. In a 2016 interview with the ''Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'', Rivera commented, "It was an amazingly high profile program—maybe the highest profile program I've ever been associated with."
Talk shows, specials, and guest appearances
In 1987, Rivera began producing and hosting the daytime talk show '' Geraldo'', which ran for 11 years. The show featured controversial guests and theatricality, which led to the characterization of his show as "Trash TV
A tabloid talk show is a subgenre of the talk show genre that emphasizes controversial and sensationalistic topical subject matter. The subgenre originated in the United States and achieved peak viewership from the mid-1980s through the end of t ...
" by ''Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
'' and two United States senators
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
. In another special in 1988, Rivera's nose was broken in a well-publicized brawl during a show whose guests included white supremacists
White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White s ...
, antiracist skinheads, black activist Roy Innis
Roy Emile Alfredo Innis (June 6, 1934 – January 8, 2017) was an American activist and politician. He was National Chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) from 1968 until his death.
One of his sons, Niger Roy Innis, serves as Nation ...
, and militant Jewish activists.
From 1994 to 2001, Rivera hosted ''Rivera Live'', a CNBC
CNBC (formerly Consumer News and Business Channel) is an American basic cable business news channel. It provides business news programming on weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time, while broadcasting talk sho ...
evening news and interview show which aired on weeknights.
In 1998, Rivera played himself in the ''Seinfeld
''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. It aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, over nine seasons and List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It stars Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld ( ...
'' finale.
In 2009, Rivera played himself in the ''My Name is Earl
''My Name Is Earl'' is an American television sitcom created by Greg Garcia that aired on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States. It was produced by 20th Century Fox Television and starred Ja ...
'' episodes "Inside Probe" (parts 1 and 2). In the same year Rivera lent his voice to ''Phineas and Ferb
''Phineas and Ferb'' is an American animated musical-comedy television series created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh for Disney Channel and Disney XD. Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series was originally broadcast as ...
'', playing newscaster Morty Williams in the episode "Phineas and Ferb Get Busted!
"Phineas and Ferb Get Busted!" (broadcast outside the United States and Canada as "At Last") is the 45th broadcast episode of the first season of the animated television series ''Phineas and Ferb''. The episode aired on Disney XD in the United Stat ...
".
Fox News to present
Rivera left CNBC in November 2001—two months after the September 11 terrorist attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...
—to become a Fox News war correspondent. Rivera's brother Craig accompanied him as a cameraman on assignments in Afghanistan.
In 2001, during the War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to:
*Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC)
* Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709)
*Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see al ...
, Rivera was derided for a report in which he claimed to be at the scene of a friendly fire
In military terminology, friendly fire or fratricide is an attack by belligerent or neutral forces on friendly troops while attempting to attack enemy/hostile targets. Examples include misidentifying the target as hostile, cross-fire while en ...
incident; it was later revealed he was actually 300 miles away. Rivera blamed a minor misunderstanding for the discrepancy.
Controversy arose in early 2003, while Rivera was traveling with the 101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operati ...
in Iraq. During a Fox News broadcast, Rivera began to disclose an upcoming operation, even going so far as to draw a map in the sand for his audience. The military immediately issued a firm denunciation of his actions, saying it put the operation at risk; Rivera was expelled from Iraq. Two days later, he announced that he would be reporting on the Iraq conflict
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
from Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
.
In 2005, Rivera engaged in a feud with ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' over their allegations that he pushed aside a member of a rescue team in order to be filmed "assisting" a woman in a wheelchair down some steps in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
. In the ensuing controversy, Rivera appeared on television and demanded a retraction from the ''Times''. He further threatened to sue the paper if one was not provided. The ''Times'' later acknowledged that Rivera did not push aside the woman.
In 2007, Rivera was involved in a dispute with fellow Fox colleague Michelle Malkin
Michelle Malkin (; Maglalang; born October 20, 1970) is an American conservative political commentator. She was a Fox News contributor and in May 2020 joined Newsmax TV. Malkin has written seven books and founded the conservative websites Tw ...
. Malkin announced that she would not return to ''The O'Reilly Factor
''The O'Reilly Factor'' (originally titled ''The O'Reilly Report'' and also known as ''The Factor'') is an American cable television news and talk show. ''The O'Reilly Factor'' first aired in the United States on Fox News Channel on October 7 ...
'', claiming that Fox News had mishandled a dispute over derogatory statements Rivera had made about her in a ''Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' interview. Rivera, while objecting to her views on immigration, said, "Michelle Malkin is the most vile, hateful commentator I've ever met in my life. She actually believes that neighbors should start snitching out neighbors, and we should be deporting people." He added, "It's good she's in D.C., and I'm in New York. I'd spit on her if I saw her." Rivera later apologized for his comments.
In 2008, Rivera's book, titled ''HisPanic: Why Americans Fear Hispanics in the U.S.'', was released.
On January 3, 2012, Rivera began hosting a weekday radio talk show on WABC (770 AM) in New York, N.Y. The show was scheduled in the two hours between ''Imus in the Morning
''Imus in the Morning'' was a long-running radio show hosted by Don Imus. The show originated on June 2, 1968, on various stations in the Western United States and Cleveland, Ohio before settling on WNBC radio in New York City in 1971. In Octob ...
'' and ''The Rush Limbaugh Show
''The Rush Limbaugh Show'' is an American conservative talk radio show hosted by Rush Limbaugh. Since its nationally syndicated premiere in 1988, ''The Rush Limbaugh Show'' became the highest-rated talk radio show in the United States. At its ...
'' on WABC. On January 30, 2012, Rivera also began hosting a weekday show on KABC (790 AM) in Los Angeles.
On March 23, 2012, Rivera made comments regarding Trayvon Martin
Trayvon Benjamin Martin (February 5, 1995 – February 26, 2012) was a 17-year-old African-American from Miami Gardens, Florida, who was fatally shot in Sanford, Florida, by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old Hispanic American. Martin had accompa ...
's hoodie
A hoodie (in some cases spelled hoody and alternatively known as a hooded sweatshirt) is a sweatshirt with a hood. Hoodies with zippers usually include two pockets on the lower front, one on either side of the zipper, while "pullover" hoodie ...
and how the hoodie was connected to Martin's shooting death, specifically claiming that Martin would not have been shot if he was not wearing the hoodie, repeating them on subsequent occasions. Rivera apologized for any offense that he caused with the comments. His son Gabriel said that he was "ashamed". Some people found the apology disingenuous; among those who did not accept it was Rivera's longtime friend Russell Simmons
Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, writer and record executive. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. Simmons' ...
. He later apologized to Trayvon Martin's parents as well.
In 2015, Rivera competed on the 14th season of the television series ''The Celebrity Apprentice
''The Celebrity Apprentice'' is an American television reality competition series. It was a variation of ''The Apprentice'' series, hosted by then real estate developer (later 45th president of the United States) Donald Trump from 2008 to 2015, an ...
'', where he ultimately placed second to TV personality Leeza Gibbons
Leeza Kim Gibbons (born March 26, 1957) is an American talk show host. She is best known as a correspondent and co-host for ''Entertainment Tonight'' (1984–2000) as well as for having her own syndicated daytime talk show, ''Leeza'' (1993–20 ...
. However, Rivera still raised the highest amount of money out of any contestant in the season, with $726,000, $12,000 more than Gibbons.
Rivera hosted the newsmagazine
A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published magazine, radio or television program, usually published weekly, consisting of articles about current events. News magazines generally discuss stories, in greater depth than do newspapers or new ...
program ''Geraldo at Large
''Geraldo Rivera Reports'', also known as ''Geraldo at Large'', is an American television newsmagazine hosted by Fox News correspondent-at-large and former talk show host Geraldo Rivera.
History
Debuting in national syndication on October 31, 2 ...
'' and appears regularly on Fox News. On November 13, 2015, Rivera revealed on Fox that his daughter, Simone Cruickshank, was at the Stade de France
The Stade de France (, ) is the national stadium of France, located just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. Its seating capacity of 80,698 makes it the sixth-largest stadium in Europe. The stadium is used by the France national foot ...
when the attacks and explosions occurred; she and her friends made it out alive and would be returning safely home.
He continued to host a weekday talk radio show on WABC (770 AM) until a leadership change at parent company Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is an American broadcasting company and is the third largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States behind Audacy and iHeartMedia. As of June 2019, Cumulus lists ownership of 428 stations in 87 ...
resulted in his contract not being renewed in November 2015; Geraldo would later sue Cumulus for what he claimed was the reneging of a "handshake agreement" between him, previous chairman Lew Dickey and executive vice president John Dickey.
Rivera competed on season 22
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...
of '' Dancing with the Stars'', partnered with professional dancer Edyta Śliwińska
Edyta Śliwińska (; born May 6, 1981) is a Polish professional ballroom dancer who is starring in the stage show Dance Temptation. She is best known for her appearances on the American version of the reality television series ''Dancing with the S ...
. On March 28, 2016, Rivera and Śliwińska were the first couple to be eliminated from the competition. On November 29, 2017, Rivera defended Matt Lauer
Matthew Todd Lauer (; born December 30, 1957) is an American former television news personality, best known for his work with NBC News. After serving as a local news personality in New York City on WNBC, his first national exposure was as the ne ...
, who had been fired by NBC after inappropriate sexual behavior was alleged, by saying, "News is a flirty business." He later apologized after receiving heavy criticism. Part of the controversy stemmed from his 1991 book "Exposing Myself", which bragged about his active social life in the 1960s and 1970s. In a 1991 interview with Barbara Walters, actress Bette Midler
Bette Midler (;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Be ...
accused Rivera and one of his producers of having drugged and groped her during the early 1970s. The allegation resurfaced during the 2017 #MeToo movement. He issued a statement in November 2017 that claimed a different recollection of events than Midler's and apologized for the incident.
The 2017 Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his Progressive rap, progressive musical styles and Social consciousness, socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most infl ...
song " YAH." on his fourth studio album '' DAMN.'' mentions Rivera, who criticized Lamar's performance of "Alright
Alright, All Right or Allwright may refer to:
Music Albums
* ''Alright!'' (album), a 2007 album by Bogdan Raczynski
* ''Alright'', a 2011 album by Jerry Williams
* ''All Right'', a 1982 album by Himiko Kikuchi
Songs
* "Alright" (Cast song)
* ...
" at the BET Awards 2015
The 15th BET Awards was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California on June 28, 2015 and was televised on BET. This year marked the ceremony's 15th anniversary and the milestone was celebrated throughout the show, which was hosted by ...
. The album's second track, " DNA." also features Rivera's negative comments about Lamar.
On September 22, 2018, Geraldo and WTAM (1100 AM) in Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, Ohio announced that he would join the station to host a daily one-hour talk show, ''Geraldo in Cleveland'', in addition to a weekly podcast on the parent iHeartRadio
iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast and radio streaming Computing platform, platform owned by iHeartMedia. It was founded in August 2008. , iHeartRadio was functioning as the national umbr ...
app, effective September 24. (Rivera resides in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights
Shaker or Shakers may refer to:
Religious groups
* Shakers, a historically significant Christian sect
* Indian Shakers, a smaller Christian denomination
Objects and instruments
* Shaker (musical instrument), an indirect struck idiophone
* Cock ...
.)
On March 13, 2020, during a segment of ''Fox & Friends
''Fox & Friends'' is an American daily morning news and talk program that airs on Fox News. It premiered on February 1, 1998, and is currently hosted by Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade on weekdays. Will Cain, Rachel Campos-Du ...
'' discussing the coronavirus pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identifie ...
, Rivera stated, "If you can't hold your breath for 10 seconds. Everyone should do that. Hold your breath for 10 seconds. If you can hold your breath for 10 seconds then you don't have this disease." This false claim has been debunked by medical experts.
On July 22, 2020, Rivera called President Trump "brave" for wishing Ghislaine Maxwell
Ghislaine Noelle Marion Maxwell ( ; born 25 December 1961) is a British convicted sex offender and former socialite. In 2021, she was found guilty of child sex trafficking and other offences in connection with the financier and convicted sex o ...
"well", after a reporter questioned Trump over Maxwell's charges of helping Jeffrey Epstein
Jeffrey Edward Epstein ( ; January 20, 1953August 10, 2019) was an American sex offender and financier. Epstein, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, began his professional life by teaching at the Dalton School in Manhattan, des ...
traffic and abuse children. Rivera called the fact that Maxwell had been denied bail and given solitary confinement an example of "woke politics". Rivera had previously accused the judge who had denied bail to Maxwell of caving to the "mob".
On September 6, 2020, Fox News presented a one-hour special segment, "I Am Geraldo", on Rivera's 50-year television career, which began with accolades for such from President Trump.
On April 8, 2021, during a discussion on St. Louis mayor-elect Tishaura Jones
Tishaura Oneda Jones ( ; born March 10, 1972) is an American politician who has served as the mayor of St. Louis, Missouri since April 2021. A member of the Missouri Democratic Party, Jones served from 2008 to 2013 in the Missouri House of Re ...
, Rivera asked fellow contributor Leo Terrell
Leo James Terrell (born February 1, 1955) is an American civil rights attorney and talk radio host based in Los Angeles, California. He has frequently appeared on Fox News programs, such as ''Hannity'' and ''The O'Reilly Factor''. Previously a Dem ...
, a black man, "when was the last time you were in the ghetto?" Terrell then became outraged, with the two escalating into a shouting match. Rivera later apologized to Terrell on Twitter, saying he "didn't mean it personally".
On May 20, 2021, Rivera and Dan Bongino
Daniel John Bongino (born December 4, 1974) is an American conservative political commentator, radio show host, and author. He served as a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer from 1995 to 1999 and as a Secret Service agent from 1999 ...
got in a shouting match on ''Hannity
''Hannity'' is an American conservative television political talk program on Fox News hosted by Sean Hannity. Episodes air live at 9:00 p.m. from Monday through Thursday, while episodes that air on Fridays are pre-recorded, with a repeat ...
'' over the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis. Rivera said it was "abhorrent" that Palestinian children died in bombings from Israel retaliating against Hamas. During the segment, Rivera called Bongino a "punk" and threw a wad of paper at the camera.
On December 14, 2021, Rivera called to account texts sent by Fox news anchors, including Sean Hannity
''Hannity'' is an American conservative television political talk program on Fox News hosted by Sean Hannity. Episodes air live at 9:00 p.m. from Monday through Thursday, while episodes that air on Fridays are pre-recorded, with a repeat ...
to then president Donald J. Trump asking for a forceful response to the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol Building. Imploring, "I beg you, Sean (Hannity
''Hannity'' is an American conservative television political talk program on Fox News hosted by Sean Hannity. Episodes air live at 9:00 p.m. from Monday through Thursday, while episodes that air on Fridays are pre-recorded, with a repeat ...
), to remember the frame of mind you were in when you wrote that text on January 6th. And when Laura did. And when Brian did. And when Don Jr. did. Remember that concern you had."
Personal life
Rivera has been married five times:
# Linda Coblentz (1965–1969, divorced)
# Edith Vonnegut
Edith "Edie" Vonnegut (born 1949 in Schenectady, New York) is an American painter.
Her work—most of which juxtaposes heavenly beings and mundane activities—has been showcased at galleries across the United States, and is featured in the boo ...
(December 14, 1971 – 1975, divorced)
# Sherryl Raymond (December 31, 1976 – 1984, divorced)
son: Gabriel Miguel (born July 1979)[Froelich, Janis D.. (July 15, 1991]
Geraldo... Er, Make That Gerald Rivera's Moms Tell All!
Deseret News. Retrieved on December 17, 2011.
# C.C. (Cynthia Cruickshank) Dyer (July 11, 1987 – 2000, divorced)
children: daughter Isabella Holmes (born 1992)[Geraldo, wife overcome fertility foes, have baby](_blank)
Herald-Journal. November 9, 1992 daughter Simone Cruickshank (born 1994). Six other attempts at having children through IVF
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a process of fertilisation where an egg is combined with sperm in vitro ("in glass"). The process involves monitoring and stimulating an individual's ovulatory process, removing an ovum or ova (egg or eggs) f ...
ended in miscarriage
# Erica Michelle Levy (since August 2003)
one daughter[50 Highs and Lows from 40 Years in the News Business](_blank)
. Geraldo.com (September 5, 2010). Retrieved on December 17, 2011.
Rivera has admitted to having a multi-year affair with Marian Javits, wife of New York Senator Jacob Javits
Jacob Koppel Javits ( ; May 18, 1904 – March 7, 1986) was an American lawyer and politician. During his time in politics, he represented the state of New York in both houses of the United States Congress. A member of the Republican Party, he al ...
, until 1985.
In a 1991 interview with Barbara Walters, actress and singer Bette Midler
Bette Midler (;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Be ...
accused Rivera of groping her. In a 2017 tweet, Midler renewed the accusation. Rivera later tweeted a response, saying he recalled the incident "much differently," and apologized, "in the very least, publicly embarrassing her all those years ago."
Rivera is a resident of Shaker Heights, Ohio
Shaker Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 Census, the city population was 29,439. Shaker Heights is an inner-ring streetcar suburb of Cleveland, abutting the eastern edge of the city's limits. In July 1911, ...
. He previously resided in Middletown Township, New Jersey
Middletown Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the township had a total population of 67,106, making it the most-populous municipality in the county and the state's 16th ...
, at Rough Point, an 1895 shingle-style estate.
Rivera is an active sailor. As owner and skipper of the sailing vessel ''Voyager'', he participated in the Marion–Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race in 1985, 2005, 2011, and 2013. In 2013, his vessel finished in 12th place out of 34 finishers. He also sailed ''Voyager'' 1,400 miles up the Amazon river and around the world, going so far as to meet the King of Tonga on the international dateline in time for the new millennium. The adventures were chronicled in six one-hour-long specials on The Travel Channel, and some of this footage remains available on his website.
Politics
Rivera is a Republican, and considered running as a Republican in the 2013 United States Senate special election in New Jersey (to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Frank Lautenberg
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg (; January 23, 1924 June 3, 2013) was an American businessman and Democratic Party politician who served as United States Senator from New Jersey from 1982 to 2001, and again from 2003 until his death in 2013. He was ori ...
). He eventually decided not to stand for election.
A friend of Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
, Rivera has nevertheless confirmed that he did not vote for the Republican candidate in the 2016 election because of "spousal influence". He had also previously said he would not vote for Trump because of comments made by the latter regarding Mexicans.
Rivera considered running in the 2022 United States Senate election in Ohio after incumbent Senator Rob Portman
Robert Jones Portman (born December 19, 1955) is an American attorney and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from Ohio since 2011. A member of the Republican Party ...
announced he would not seek re-election for his seat in the Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
. He eventually decided not to.
Rivera has said he is Pro-choice
Abortion-rights movements, also referred to as pro-choice movements, advocate for the right to have legal access to induced abortion services including elective abortion. They seek to represent and support women who wish to terminate their pre ...
, pro Gay Marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...
, and pro Immigration reform
Immigration reform is change to the current immigration policy of a country. In its strict definition, ''reform'' means "to change into an improved form or condition, by amending or removing faults or abuses". In the political sense, "immigration ...
.
Rivera supports some gun control
Gun control, or firearms regulation, is the set of laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms by civilians.
Most countries have a restrictive firearm guiding policy, with on ...
. Following the Robb Elementary School shooting
On May 24, 2022, a mass shooting occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, United States, where 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, a former student at the school, fatally shot nineteen students and two teachers, and wounded seventeen other ...
, he criticized the National Rifle Association, NRA for allowing 18-year-olds the ability to purchase assault weapons, questioning why an 18-year-old is able to buy an assault weapon but not a beer.
Selected works
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
See also
* List of Puerto Ricans
References
External links
*
* – Rivera tells the story of his Iraq "Map in the Sand"
"Pentagon Says Geraldo Rivera Will Be Removed From Iraq"
– ''The New York Times'', April 1, 2003
– from religioustolerance.org
Urban Legend about Geraldo Rivera's name being changed from Jerry Rivers
– from snopes.com
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rivera, Geraldo
1943 births
20th-century American journalists
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State University of New York Maritime College alumni
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