Leeann Tweeden

Leeann Tweeden is an American radio broadcaster, model and sports commentator. She is co-host of ''Dr. Drew Midday Live'' on Radio 790 KABC in Los Angeles.

Early life

Tweeden was born in Manassas, Virginia, to Bill Tweeden, a retired Air Force Chief Mechanic, and his wife Catherine. She is of Filipino descent on her mother's side. After graduating from Osbourn Park High School in 1991, Tweeden moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in modeling.

Career

In 1992, while working as a hostess at a Hooters restaurant in Colorado Springs, Colorado, she won first place in the Venus International Model Search. This break led to national exposure, including a regular role as a fitness model on the TV show '' Fitness Beach''. Tweeden modeled for promotional work for Hooters (which included an appearance in the restaurant's 1994 calendar), Venus International, and Frederick's of Hollywood. In the early 2000s, Tweeden hosted many segments of the Fox Sports Net show, ''Bluetorch TV''. Tweeden was a correspondent for Fox Sports Networks' '' The Best Damn Sports Show Period'' from 2001 to 2007. In 2008, Tweeden became the third hostess of the NBC late night television series '' Poker After Dark''. She has also appeared on the political discussion series ''Hannity'' in 2011 and 2012. She was a member of the "Great American Panel" and also occasionally appeared on the panel of ''Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld''. Tweeden was seen in pre- and post-game coverage of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Fox Sports West and on Fox Sports 1's '' UFC Tonight'', with Kenny Florian and Ariel Helwani.

On February 7, 2017, Tweeden joined the cast of the Los Angeles morning radio show '' McIntyre in the Morning'' on KABC, 790 AM as the news anchor."Leeann Tweeden Named News Anchor For KABC/Los Angeles 'McIntyre In The Morning'"
, AllAccess.com, February 7, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2017.

On January 7, 2019, Tweeden became the co-host of '' Dr. Drew Midday'' on KABC, 790 AM.

Appearances

In August 1996, Tweeden appeared on the cover of ''Playboy'' magazine and as part of a fitness model pictorial for that issue. She did not appear nude. In December 2011, at 38 years old, she again appeared on the cover of ''Playboy'', and in that issue was featured in a nude pictorial.

In 2002, she was a guest character in the motocross video game ''Freekstyle'' as a motocross rider. The March 2007 issue of '' FHM'' (the final U.S. issue ever printed) featured Tweeden as the cover girl. As part of Hooters' 25th anniversary in 2008, she was named among "The Top Hooters Girls of all time".

Since 2002, Tweeden has participated in 16 tours with the USO including 12 to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Allegations against Al Franken

On October 30, 2017, California Congresswoman Jackie Speier was interviewed by the McIntyre show about a sexual assault that occurred when she was in her 20s and was a congressional staffer for Representative Leo Ryan. She alleged that Ryan's chief of staff "kissed me and stuck his tongue in my mouth". According to the show's host Doug McIntyre, that led to a conversation with Tweeden about an alleged incident of sexual harassment between her and Minnesota U.S. Senator Al Franken. With McIntyre's assistance, Tweeden prepared to make a public statement about her allegations.

Ahead of Tweeden's public statements, a Fox news executive tipped off conservative political consultant Roger Stone. Stone circulated news of the allegations to right-wing media and made Twitter posts referring to the allegations, including a statement that "It’s Al Franken's 'time in the barrel.. Following the posting of Tweeden's story, far-right radio show host and prominent conspiracy theorist Alex Jones broadcast that Stone had told him, in advance, "Get ready. Franken’s next".

On November 16, 2017, Tweeden went public with the allegations in a blog post and radio interview. According to Tweeden, Franken kissed her on a 2006 USO tour during a rehearsal for a comedy skit in which they kissed. She wrote that he "came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth." She said she pushed him away, feeling "disgusted and violated". Tweeden's post alleged that Franken "wrote that sketch just to kiss me". Tweeden wrote that Franken also posed for a photograph with her while she was asleep on the C-17 cargo plane flying home.Tweeden, Leeann (November 16, 2017
"Senator Al Franken Kissed and Groped Me Without My Consent, And There’s Nothing Funny About It"
, 790KABC. According to ''The Washington Post'', the photograph "shows Franken looking into a camera, his hands either over or on Tweeden’s chest as she slept".Wang, Amy B; Ye Hee Lee, Michelle; Bever, Lindsey (November 16, 2017)
"'Al Franken kissed and groped me without my consent,' broadcaster Leeann Tweeden says"
, ''The Washington Post''.Fandos, Nicholas (November 16, 2017)
"Senator Al Franken Accused of Groping a Woman in 2006"
, ''The New York Times''.

Franken disputed Tweeden's version. In a long-form article covering the allegations for ''The New Yorker'', Jane Mayer wrote that, according to Franken, Tweeden's "accusations appropriated jokes from comic routines that they’d performed together". Franken denied writing the skit solely to kiss Tweeden; he had performed similar skits involving kissing in 2004 and 2005. These were intended as references to the "frankly lascivious" Bob Hope/Raquel Welch USO skits of the Vietnam era. The photograph may have been taken as a parody of a skit that had been used in the USO show's comedy routine. In the skit, Franken appears as a doctor who informs Tweeden's character that "a woman your age should have a complete breast examination every year"; Franken then approaches her with his arms outstretched and his hands aimed at her chest.

CNBC's John Harwood defended Franken by pointing out that Tweeden had been filmed on a 2004 USO tour "humping" comedian Robin Williams: " at pic was obviously a joke, not groping, just like Leeann Tweeden wrapping her leg around Robin Williams and smacking his butt; entertainment for soldiers deployed overseas is raunchy like that."

Franken responded, saying: "I certainly don't remember the rehearsal for the skit in the same way, but I send my sincerest apologies to Leeann. ..As to the photo, it was clearly intended to be funny but wasn't. I shouldn't have done it." He issued a longer apology later, which Tweeden accepted. Other accusations of sexual misconduct—including grabbing a woman's bottom while posing for a photo—followed Tweeden's. Franken resigned from the Senate on January 2, 2018.

Personal life

Tweeden met her husband, Chris Dougherty, a pilot for the California Air National Guard, during a USO tour. They married in 2010. They have two children, son Kane and daughter Kaia.

She considers herself fiscally conservative and said that she voted twice for President George W. Bush.

Tweeden made an appearance on the season 10 finale of '' That Metal Show''.

See also

* Deanna Merryman, a fellow model who attended high school with Tweeden.

Notes

References

External links

*
*

''Dr. Drew Midday Live with Leeann Tweeden''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tweeden, Leeann
Al Franken
Female models from Virginia
American television personalities
American women television personalities
Hooters people
Living people
People from Manassas, Virginia
American models of Filipino descent
American women journalists
American writers of Filipino descent
Journalists from Virginia
Osbourn Park High School alumni
Year of birth missing (living people)