Craig "CJ" Jackson, also known as Craig J. Jackson, is an American

journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...

news anchor A news presenter – also known as a newsreader, newscaster (short for "news broadcaster"), anchorman or anchorwoman, news anchor or simply an anchor – is a person who presents news during a news program on TV, radio or the Internet. ...

television host A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces or hosts television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. It is common for people who garnered fam ...

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

and

stand-up comedian Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage and delivers humorous and satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical acts. These performances are typically composed of rehear ...

. He is best known for hosting the hit

VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...

celebreality spin-off show ''

I Love Money ''I Love Money'' is an American reality television series broadcast by VH1. The series was produced by 51 Minds Entertainment, a subsidiary of Endemol, and was a spin-off of '' Flavor of Love'', '' Charm School'', ''I Love New York'', '' Rock ...

.''

Hosting career

Jackson began his career as a

and

correspondent A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is usually a journalist or commentator for a magazine, or an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, locati ...

for

Channel One News Channel One News was an American news content provider. The daily news program was accompanied by commercial advertising for marketing in schools, with supplementary educational resources. The Peabody Award, Peabody award-winning Channel One New ...

for five years. In 1999 Jackson hosted FX's ''

The X Show ''The X Show'' is a magazine, variety, and interview/talk program that aired on FX Network in the United States from May 1999 to April 2001. Running time was originally one hour, but this was later reduced to a half-hour. The show was 'guy-theme ...

.'' In 2002 Jackson began hosting Fox's short lived reality competition series '' 30 Seconds to Fame.'' Jackson hosted multiple pilot episodes for the

Game Show Network Game Show Network (GSN) is an American basic cable channel owned by the television network division of Sony Pictures Television. The channel's programming is primarily dedicated to game shows, including reruns of acquired game shows, along wit ...

, including one for a show titled, ''Two Minute Mysteries.'' In 2008 Jackson began hosting VH1's hit celebreality spin-off ''

.'' Jackson was the only host for the four seasons of the show. Despite its huge success and popularity, the show was ultimately cancelled after the fourth season. This was due to ''I Love Money season 3'' and ''

Megan Wants A Millionaire ''Megan Wants a Millionaire'' is an American reality television series on VH1 in which former '' Rock of Love'' contestant Megan Hauserman has seventeen wealthy single men compete for her love. The show originated from a comment made by Hauserm ...

'' cast member Ryan Jenkins murdering his wife Jasmine Fiore''.'' The third season of ''I Love Money'' has never been aired as of 2025, and ''Megan Wants A Millionaire'' was cancelled after 3 episodes. Jackson also hosted the clip show and reunion specials. In 2009 Jackson hosted Discovery Channel's ''National Body Challenge,'' he also co-hosted ''Midnight Money Madness'' on the TBS channel. Jackson would maintain a career in the

stand-up comedy Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage (theatre), stage and delivers humour, humorous and satire, satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical comedy, physical acts. These ...

circuit.

Acting career

Jackson had a small splash in acting, in 1980 he had a cameo appearance in ''

How to Beat the High Cost of Living ''How to Beat the High Cost of Living'' is a 1980 American comedy heist film directed by Robert Scheerer and starring Susan Saint James, Jane Curtin, and Jessica Lange. Set in the aftermath of the economic recession of the 1970s, the film foll ...

.'' He also made appearances in 1999's ''Providence'' and ''Reaching the Finish Line, a''s well as small roles throughout the early 2000s in shows; ''

Crossing Jordan ''Crossing Jordan'' is an American crime drama television series created by Tim Kring, that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001, to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh, a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed ...

, ER and

John From Cincinnati ''John from Cincinnati'' is an American drama television series, set against the surfing community of Imperial Beach, California. It aired on HBO from June 10 to August 12, 2007. Overview ''John from Cincinnati'' is the result of a collaborati ...

.'' In 2012 he had a small role in the TV film ''Strawberry Summer.'' In 2017 Jackson was the writer and director for TV series ''Crime Pays.''

Filmography

References

Living people American male journalists Year of birth missing (living people) VH1 people African-American game show hosts American game show hosts African-American television hosts {{Authority control