Many people wonder if Tavis Smiley and Rickey Smiley are related because they share the same surname and are both famous personalities in the media industry. However, the truth is that they are not related by blood or by marriage. They are just two individuals who happen to have the same last name and a passion for entertainment.
Who is Tavis Smiley?
Tavis Smiley is an American talk show host and author who was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, and grew up in Bunker Hill, Indiana. He attended Indiana University and worked as an aide to Tom Bradley, the mayor of Los Angeles, in the late 1980s. He became a radio commentator in 1991 and hosted the talk show BET Talk (later renamed BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley) on Black Entertainment Television (BET) from 1996 to 2001. He also hosted The Tavis Smiley Show on National Public Radio (NPR) from 2002 to 2004 and Tavis Smiley on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) from 2004 to 2017. He is currently the founder and CEO of SmileyAudioMedia, Inc. and the chief visionary officer of his radio station, KBLA Talk 1580
Who is Rickey Smiley?
Rickey Smiley is an American stand-up comedian, television host, actor, and radio personality who was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated from Alabama State University with a bachelor’s degree in English. He is known for his prank phone calls, which feature him disguising his voice and carrying on a conversation with the recipient of the call. He has appeared on various shows such as Showtime at the Apollo, HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, BET’s ComicView, and Dish Nation. He has also starred in movies such as Friday After Next, All About the Benjamins, First Sunday, and Baggage Claim. He is currently the host of the nationally syndicated Rickey Smiley Morning Show based in Atlanta from its flagship affiliate WHTA “Hot 107.9”. He also has a reality television series about his life called Rickey Smiley For Real, which airs on TV One
There is no evidence that Tavis Smiley and Rickey Smiley are related by blood or by marriage. They have different parents, different birthplaces, different educational backgrounds, and different careers. They have never claimed to be related or acknowledged each other as family members. They have only met once in 2013 when Rickey Smiley interviewed Tavis Smiley on his radio show about his book Death of a King: The Real Story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Final Year They had a friendly conversation but did not mention any family ties.
Conclusion
Tavis Smiley and Rickey Smiley are not related by blood or by marriage. They are just two individuals who happen to have the same surname and a passion for entertainment. They have different parents, different birthplaces, different educational backgrounds, and different careers. They have only met once in 2013 when Rickey Smiley interviewed Tavis Smiley on his radio show.
