About this episode

Cari Champion interviews trailblazer Jayne Kennedy about her experiences in sports broadcasting and overcoming personal challenges.

Cari welcomes trailblazer Jane Kennedy, praising her as the first Black woman she saw on TV doing sports and urging listeners to read her memoir, Plain Jayne:  A Memoir  by trailblazing actress and sports broadcaster  Jayne Kennedy . Kennedy explains the title as identifying as “the girl next door”, tracing her early pageant and tomboy roots, and describes how limited roles for Black women in 1970s Hollywood pushed her to adapt across acting, modeling, singing, and sports broadcasting. She recounts breaking into CBS’s The NFL Today, being given only a six-week contract, and earning credibility by securing a Muhammad Ali interview—only to later be fired without being told, rehired, and fired again amid network politics and bias. Kennedy also shares stepping away due to endometriosis, building a stage production with her husband, and how a stolen sex tape derailed her career, leading to years of shame before choosing to tell the full story - owning her narrative, forgiving herself, and relaunching her career. Connect   @CariChampion @JayneKennedyOverton Read: Plain Jayne Learn More : JayneKennedy.com Subscribe   Cari Champion's…

People in this episode

Host: Cari Champion

Guest: Jayne Kennedy

Topics covered

• sports broadcasting
• Black women in Hollywood
• personal narrative
• career challenges
• forgiveness
• endometriosis

Keywords

• Jayne Kennedy
• sports
• Black women
• memoir
• career
• forgiveness
• endometriosis

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CBS

Books & works: Plain Jayne: A Memoir

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