Entertainment Tonight

''Entertainment Tonight'' (or simply ''ET'') is an American first-run syndicated news broadcasting newsmagazine program that is distributed by CBS Media Ventures throughout the United States and owned by Paramount Streaming. Having premiered on September 14, 1981, it holds the Guinness World Record as the longest-running entertainment news program on television.

International versions of the show are distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Format

The format of the program is composed of stories of interest from throughout the entertainment industry, exclusive set visits, first looks at upcoming film and television projects, and one-on-one interviews with actors, musicians and other entertainment personalities and newsmakers.

A one-hour weekend edition, ''ET Weekend'' (known as ''Entertainment This Week'' until September 1991), originally offered a recap of the week's entertainment news, with most or all episodes later transitioning to center (either primarily or exclusively) around some sort of special theme; though the weekend edition now utilizes either format depending on the episode, most commonly, the format of those broadcasts consists of replays of stories that were shown during the previous week's editions.

''ET Radio Minute'', a daily radio feature, is syndicated by Westwood One.

As of 2021, the program's weekday broadcasts are anchored by Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner, while the weekend editions are anchored by Rachael Smith.

History

In its early years from its September 1981 inception, ''Entertainment Tonight''–following a local newscast-style format–consisted primarily of coverage of the latest movies, music and television releases and projects.

They signed an exclusive agreement to cover the wedding of convicted child molester Mary Kay Letourneau, who married the student she had an affair with, Vili Fualaau; and attorney Howard K. Stern, who represented Daniel Birkhead in the Dannielynn Birkhead paternity case of the late Anna Nicole Smith's daughter Dannielynn. ''ET'' aired exclusive stories related to Smith, including coverage of her funeral, and her surviving daughter.

In 1996, actor George Clooney decided to boycott ''Entertainment Tonight'' to protest the presence of intrusive paparazzi after ''Hard Copy'' did an exposé about his love life, violating an agreement that he had with Paramount, which produced and syndicated both shows. In a letter he sent to Paramount, Clooney stated that he would encourage his friends to do the same.

On September 8, 2008, ''Entertainment Tonight'' began broadcasting in high-definition television; concurrently, the program moved its production and studio operations from its longtime home at Stage 28 on the Paramount Pictures studio lot to Stage 4 at CBS Studio Center, one of the final steps involving the incorporation of Paramount's former syndication arm, Paramount Domestic Television, into CBS' distribution arms and the adoption of the then-new CBS Television Distribution name, which all took place following the breakup of CBS and the original Viacom into separate companies in December 2005.

After pressure via a social media campaign by actors Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell, ''ET'' announced in February 2014 that it would no longer accept footage or pictures of the children of celebrities from paparazzi photographers.

In January 2020, ''Entertainment Tonight'' set the Guinness World Record for the longest-running entertainment news show on TV.

ET Live

In November 2018, CBS launched a free, 24-hour over-the-top streaming service known as ''ET Live''; it features the correspondents from the linear show with expanded coverage of entertainment news. It is available via web browsers, apps, and most recently, the free streaming service Pluto TV (which added ''ET Live'' to its channel lineup in November 2019).

Mixible

In July 2022, it was announced that the service would be rebranded as Mixible, and continue to air a mixture of entertainment, lifestyle, and pop culture-related programming (including ''ET's The Download''), but with expanded contributions from other Paramount Global properties such as MTV, VH1, Awesomeness, ComicBook.com (formerly), ''Inside Edition'', and '' The Drew Barrymore Show''.

On-air staff

Current on-air staff

Anchor

* Kevin Frazier – weekday co-anchor (2014–present; previously served as weekend co-anchor/correspondent from 2004 to 2011/2014–2023)
* Nischelle Turner – weekday co-anchor (2021–present; previously served as correspondent/substitute weekday anchor from 2014 to 2021 and weekend co-anchor 2021–2023)

Correspondents

* Brooke Anderson – contributor/substitute weekday anchor (2019–present; previously served as substitute weekday anchor/correspondent from 2013 to 2015 and as contributor from 2015 to 2018)
* Deidre Behar – correspondent
* Cassie DiLaura – correspondent (2022–present)
* Denny Directo – correspondent (2022–present)
* Brice Sander – correspondent
* Rachel Smith – weekend anchor/correspondent (2019–present)

Former on-air staff

* Thea Andrews – fill-in weekend host/correspondent (2006–2009; later at '' The Insider'')
* Army Archerd – correspondent (1981; deceased)
* Alan Arthur - weekend co-host (1983–1984)
* Rona Barrett – correspondent (1983–1986)
* Chris Booker – correspondent (2002–2003)
* Lisa Canning – correspondent (1995–1998)
* Jann Carl – fill-in weekend host/correspondent (1995–2008)
* Matt Cohen - weekend anchor/correspondent (2019–2023)
* Steven Cojocaru – fashion correspondent (2003–2011)
* Leanza Cornett – correspondent (1994–1995, deceased)
* Ash Crossan – correspondent (2023–2024)
* Rocsi Diaz – weekend co-anchor/correspondent (2013–2015)
* Steve Edwards – weekend co-host (1982–1983)
* Leeza Gibbons – fill-in host/correspondent (1984–1995; later at ''Extra'' and co-host of '' America Now'')
* Garrett Glaser – correspondent (1989–1993)
* Bob Goen – co-host/correspondent (1993–2004; now at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati)
* Alan Hemberger – weekend co-anchor/correspondent (1981–1983; deceased)
* Tom Hallick – host/correspondent (1981)
* Bill Harris – correspondent (1984–1985, deceased)
* Samantha Harris – correspondent (2010–2012, 2015–2016)/weekend co-anchor/substitute weekday anchor (2015–2016, now back at ''Extra'')
* Mary Hart – co-host/correspondent (1982–2011)
* Ron Hendren – original co-host (1981–1984; deceased)
* Huell Howser – correspondent (1982–1983; deceased)
* Keltie Knight – correspondent/fill-in weekend anchor/fill-in weekday anchor (2017–2021; now co-host of E! News)
* Vanessa Lachey – correspondent (2005–2007)
* Robin Leach – correspondent (1981–1984; deceased)
* Leonard Maltin – film historian/reviewer (1982–2010)
* Rob Marciano – weekday/weekend co-anchor (2013–2014; later at ABC News, now at CBS News)
* Will Marfuggi – correspondent (2022–2023; now at ''E! News'')
* Cameron Mathison – weekend anchor/correspondent (2015–2018; later co-host of ''Home & Family'' on Hallmark Channel)
* Maria Menounos – correspondent (2001–2005; later at Access Hollywood, ''Extra'' and ''E! News'')
* Julie Moran – correspondent (1995–2001)
* Nancy O'Dell – co-host/correspondent (2011–2019, later at ''PEOPLE, The TV Show!'', now host of ''Crime Exposé with Nancy O’Dell'')
* Al Owens – correspondent/fill-in co-anchor (1984–1987)
* Carlos Ponce – correspondent (2004–2005)
* Tony Potts – correspondent (1998; later at ''Access Hollywood''; now at CNN and HLN)
* Ahmad Rashad – fill-in weekend co-host (1988–1989); later host of '' Caesars Challenge'' and ''NBA Inside Stuff''
* Michael Scott – fill-in host/correspondent (1993–1994)
* Carly Steel – correspondent (2016–2018)
* Mark Steines – co-host/correspondent (1995–2012; later co-host of ''Home & Family'' on Hallmark Channel)
* Andre Leon Talley – fashion correspondent (2012–2013, deceased)
* John Tesh – co-host/correspondent (1986–1996)
* Marjorie Wallace – host/correspondent (1981)
* Robb Weller – co-host/correspondent (1984–1986)
* Dixie Whatley – co-host/correspondent (1981–1982)
* Roshumba Williams – correspondent (2002)
* Jeanne Wolf – correspondent (1986–1990)
* Chris Wragge – correspondent (1996–1997, later at WCBS-TV in New York and co-anchor of ''The Early Show'' on CBS)
* Lauren Zima – correspondent (2019–2022)

Competition

, despite competition from '' The Insider'' and even the more general-focus newsmagazine ''Inside Edition'', both also produced by CBS Television Distribution, ''Entertainment Tonight'' remained among the ten highest-rated syndicated programs, according to Nielsen ratings weekly ratings. During the 2007–08 season, the program's daytime ratings fluctuated between fourth and fifth place due to competition from fellow CBS-syndicated program ''Judge Judy''.

International versions

The international rights are distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

References

External links

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{{Tabloid television shows

1981 American television series debuts
1980s American television news shows
1990s American television news shows
2000s American television news shows
2010s American television news shows
2020s American television news shows
American English-language television shows
Entertainment news shows in the United States
First-run syndicated television programs in the United States
Television series by CBS Studios
Celebrity
Television series created by Al Masini
Operation Prime Time
Television shows remade overseas
Television shows filmed in Los Angeles