Tavis Smiley
Tavis Smiley
Full Name and Common Aliases
Tavis Smiley's full name is Robert Earl "Tavis" Smiley III. He is often referred to as Tavis Smiley.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on September 13, 1964, in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, we do not have information on his death date.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Smiley is an American television host, radio personality, author, and advocate for social justice.
Early Life and Background
Tavis Smiley grew up in a low-income household in Watts, Los Angeles. His parents instilled in him the importance of education, which led him to attend the prestigious University of Pennsylvania. At Penn, Smiley was an active member of several organizations, including the African American Student Union and the Black Student League.
Major Accomplishments
Tavis Smiley's career spans over three decades, during which he has made significant contributions in various fields:
Television Host: Smiley hosted several shows on PBS, including "The Tavis Smiley Show" and "Tavis Smiley," where he interviewed prominent figures such as Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, and Barack Obama.
Author: He has written numerous books, including "What It Takes to Be Number One" and "The Covenant with Black America."
Radio Personality: Smiley hosted the nationally syndicated radio show "The Tavis Smiley Show on Air America."Notable Works or Actions
Some of his notable works include:
PBS Documentaries: Smiley produced and narrated several PBS documentaries, including "Death at an Early Age" and "Hard Times: Lost Men in the Great Depression."
* Advocacy for Social Justice: He has been a vocal advocate for social justice, particularly in issues affecting African Americans.
Quotes by Tavis Smiley
Tavis Smiley's insights on:
I still think in this country, and this might surprise you, the one thing that George Bush said as president that I do agree with, I love that phrase, 'the soft bigotry of low expectations.'
I think a lot of people who go to drama school have this ease with the text and they all have five monologues that they know by heart, and I never had that. I’ve done Chekov and I’ve done Moliere and I’ve done classic stuff.
There are enough bad films coming out of this town already without the process being more democratized. I’m a guy who loves democracy. I’m all for democratizing any process, but I think there is a price to pay for that.
I still think in this country, and this might surprise you, the one thing that George Bush said as president that I do agree with, I love that phrase, ’the soft bigotry of low expectations.
I can’t count the number of people I’ve talked to over the course of my career who have said to me that the thing that they most regret is the one time they did something just for the money.
I learned early on that it’s heartbreaking to – there’s the editor that comes in, and then they have to craft the movie together, and sometimes you give a whole performance that’s just been cut up, and maybe it’s better for it, absolutely, but you still have to deal with the loss of that.
All he could think of was how all people require attention. All people require respect. All people require acknowledgment. All people require love.
I use the phrase “fellow citizen” all the time when referring to the – people always say, “The American people, the American people.” I prefer the phrase fellow citizen because there’s a power in that, there’s a responsibility, there’s a duty in using that phrase fellow citizen.