Journalists

About Connie Chung: Journalist Who Broke Barriers and Glass Ceilings

Published

2 months ago

February 22, 2024

Daniel Wanburg

Contents

1 Who is Connie Chung?
2 Early Life and Education
3 Career as a Journalist
4 Controversies
5 Impact and Legacy
6 Where is She Now?
7 Personal Life
8 Net Worth
9 Who is Connie’s Husband, Maury Povich?

Who is Connie Chung?

Connie was born Constance Yu-Hwa Chung on 20 August 1946, in Washington, D.C., USA. She’s an American journalist who gained prominence as a news anchor and reporter, and has had a distinguished career spanning several decades, working for major news networks such as CBS, NBC, and ABC. Connie is the first Asian-American and one of the first women to anchor a major network newscast in the US.

Image source

Early Life and Education

Connie is the youngest of ten children in a family of first-generation Chinese immigrants. Before coming to America, Connie’s father, William Ling Chung, worked as an intelligence officer for the Chinese Nationalist Government. The family fled to the US after WWII, which took the lives of five of Connie’s siblings.

Growing up in a Chinese family during the 1950s meant that Connie was expected to become a wife and a mother, and adhere to traditional values. However, as she had no living brothers, she took it on herself to carry on the Chung name, and build a career for herself.

Connie graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1969, with a degree in journalism. She was one of the few Asian Americans in her class, a reality that would reflect her professional life, as she often found herself as one of the few women, and particularly Asian women, in her field.

Career as a Journalist

During a summer college internship, Connie observed reporters and developed an interest in journalism. This led her to change her major to journalism that fall, and she was particularly drawn to the expanding realm of TV journalism, which greatly influenced her future career.

After graduating college, Connie became a correspondent for the CBS Evening News, and covered the Watergate scandal which led to the resignation of Richard Nixon from the Presidency of USA. In the following years, she moved to KNXT, CBS’ sister network based in Los Angeles, California, where she received praise for her work at KNXT, helping the network establish itself as more respectable and politically neutral.

In 1983, Connie joined NBC as the anchor of their morning news program, “NBC News at Sunrise”, and also became a rotating anchor of “NBC Nightly News”. Six years later, Connie rejoined CBS, this time as the host of her own show “Saturday Night with Connie Chung”, while also anchoring the “CBS Sunday Evening News”.

In 1993, Connie made history when she became the first woman to co-anchor “CBS Evening News”, as well as the second woman to anchor one of America’s major network newscasts. Her groundbreaking role at CBS, coupled with her innate ability to report with compassion and precision, made her a household name.

TV Guide Cover 25 Years Ago This Week, June 5-11, 1993: Connie Chung of the ‘CBS Evening News’ pic.twitter.com/dozoQGXHg0

— RetroNewsNow (@RetroNewsNow) June 6, 2018

During her time at ABC, she was a reporter and cohost of “20/20”, alongside Charles Gibson. She notably conducted an interview with the former politician Gary Condit, following the murder of his Washington D.C. intern, Chandra Levy.

In 2002 and 2003, Connie briefly hosted a news magazine show on CNN entitled “Connie Chung Tonight”, part of CNN’s prime time line-up and aimed at providing in-depth interviews and analysis of current news events and topical issues. It followed a traditional talk show format, featuring one-on-one interviews with newsmakers, politicians, celebrities,and experts from various fields. Although Connie’s arrival at CNN was hyped by the network, her show was poorly received by critics, had relatively low ratings, and was ultimately put on hold at the start of the 2003 Iraq War and didn’t make a comeback once CNN returned to regular programming.

In January 2006, Connie joined her husband, Maury Povich, as a co-host of “Weekends with Maury and Connie” on MSNBC, which would end in July of the same year, marking the end of Connie’s long and largely successful career. During the last episode Connie, sang a parody of Bob Hope’s song “Thanks for the Memory”, dressed in a white night gown and while dancing on top of a piano. The video of her unusual performance went viral on YouTube, drawing a lot of confused reactions. Connie later clarified that the act was a joke – a ‘giant self-parody’.

Controversies

Throughout her career, Connie faced various controversies that stemmed both from her professional work and her status as a female journalist in a predominantly male industry.

One of the most significant interviews Connie did for CBS was with Kathleen Gingrich, the mother of 50th speaker of the US House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich. The segment caused major controversy due to Connie’s question about what her Newt thought of the US First Lady at the time, Hillary Clinton. After Kathleen suggested that it wouldn’t be appropriate for air, Connie told her to just whisper it to her, ‘just between you and me’. Kathleen’s response ‘he thinks she’s a bi**h’, however, made it to air and sparked discussion of ethics in journalism.

Connie’s interview with Magic Johnson in 1991 also sparked controversy. Johnson, a beloved basketball star, had recently announced that he was HIV-positive. This interview was seen by many as groundbreaking for helping destigmatize HIV, however, some saw it as intrusive and overly personal, and there was criticism regarding how Connie handled this sensitive topic.

In April 1993, Connie was caught in another scandal, in the wake of Oklahoma City bombing. She was widely criticized for perceived sarcasm as she asked the spokesperson of Oklahoma City Fire Department ‘Can the Oklahoma City Fire Department handle this?’ Following the public outcry and numerous protest letters sent to the network, Connie left CBS and eventually joined ABC news in 1997.

One of the most notorious moments from Connie’s time at CNN was her interview with the Czech-American tennis player, Marina Navratilova, during which Navratilova criticized the US political system. Connie proceeded to label her remark as ‘un-American’ and suggested that she should ‘go back to Czechoslovakia’, despite the fact that Navratilova had been a US citizen for over two decades, and that Czechoslovakia had ceased to exist nine years prior.

Impact and Legacy

Connie’s impact on the world of journalism is undeniable, and she broke many barriers paving the way for many who came after her. She’s known for her courage and determination to get to the heart of the story, and her interviews often made national headlines.

In the 1980s and 1990s, she became a cultural icon among Asian Americans, who were rarely represented on TV. As a testament to her popularity, many Asian women born at the time bear the name Connie.

Unfortunately, Connie often had to deal with a toxic work environment, especially during the early years of her career. In 2018, Connie sent an open letter to Christine Blasey Ford, published in “The Washington Post”, revealing her experience as a sexual assault victim and giving credit to Ford for her courage to share her testimony against Brett Kavanaugh.

Where is She Now?

As of 2023, Connie is no longer in the public eye as much as she once was. She left full-time broadcasting in 2003 after her show “Connie Chung Tonight” was taken off air by CNN. However, she occasionally makes appearances on television and continues to be a respected voice in journalism.

In 2007, Connie and Maury Povich launched “Flathead Beacon” a weekly local paper in Flathead Valley, Montana, which has since grown to have over 20 employees and remains active to this day.

Since retiring from TV journalism, Connie has made appearances in TV shows such as “The Colbert Report” and “The View”. In addition, she’s played herself in several movies and TV series, including “House of Cards”, “Fresh Off the Boat”, “Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine”, and “The Undoing”.

Personal Life

Connie is married to Maury Povich, a popular television talk show host best known for his show “Maury”. The couple wed in 1984 and have one adopted son together, Matthew Jay Povich. Connie and Maury are recognized as one of the most enduring couples in the industry, maintaining their bond amidst the challenges and pressures of their high-profile careers.

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Net Worth

Although Connie’s exact net worth isn’t publicly disclosed, it is estimated to be more than $80 million, as of May 2023.

Who is Connie’s Husband, Maury Povich?

Born Maurice Richard Povich was born on 17 January 1939, in Washington D.C., he’s a renowned figure in American television, known for his long-standing career as a talk show host.

Raised in Washington, D.C., Maury had an early introduction to the world of journalism through his father, Shirley Povich, who was a well-respected sportswriter for “The Washington Post”. It was perhaps this familial tie to the world of reporting that later influenced Maury’s own path in the media industry.

After earning a degree in journalism from the University of Pennsylvania, Maury began his career as a radio reporter at WWDC. His talent for connecting with listeners led to his rise in the industry, and he soon transitioned to television.

He started working as a host on various local and national newscasts, but it was his role as the host of “A Current Affair” in 1986 that really brought him national recognition. The show was a mix of celebrity gossip and impactful human-interest stories, and received overwhelmingly positive reviews from the critics.

However, Maury’s career defining moment came in 1991 with the launch of his eponymous talk show, “Maury”, which quickly became a staple of American daytime TV. Known for its candid discussions on personal and societal issues, the show is perhaps most famous for its paternity tests, and the phrase ‘You are NOT the father!’ which has since become a cultural catchphrase, further solidifying the show’s place in American pop culture. Despite the show’s often controversial content, Maury’s compassionate approach to storytelling and his respect for his guests set him apart in the world of talk shows.

Maury announced his retirement in March 2022, after hosting “Maury” for 31 years. The impact of Povich’s work remains present on today’s TV, and he’s still frequently referenced in movies and TV series.

As of May 2023, Maury’s net worth has been estimated at more than $80 million.

Athletes

What happened to ESPN NFL reporter Josina Anderson?

Published

3 weeks ago

April 4, 2024

Olivia Clarke

Josina Anderson is an American journalist, sports commentator and former athlete, born on 15 August 1978 in Washington DC, USA. She’s known for her work on famous networks such as Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) and FOX 31.

Contents

1 Early Life
2 Career
3 What happened to ESPN NFL reporter Josina Anderson?
4 What is she doing now?
5 Personal Life
6 Net Worth
7 Physical Appearance
8 Interesting Facts

Early Life

Josina is the only daughter resulting from Lloyd and Yasmin Anderson’s marriage. Josina also has a brother – of age and name unknown – who works as a film producer. Josina attended Montgomery Blair High School located in Maryland, and during her time there, she worked as an announcer for the recruitment school Maryland Blazers.

Besides her interest in sports, Josina was an avid ballet dancer, which led her to participate in several nationwide competitions during her youth.

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After her high school matriculation, Josina Anderson left her hometown to attend the University of North Carolina. There she studied Exercise and Sports Science, and excelled in track and field competitions, winning various medals through her college career. She graduated in 1997.

Career

Internships & First Steps

Right after graduation, Josina Anderson returned to Washington DC and started her professional internships on the radio station WTEM. During her time there she worked half-time for the show “The Tony Kornheiser”, working the rest of the time for WPGC-FM in “The Donnie Simpson Morning Show”.

After gaining good experience in the work field, Josina Anderson finally obtained her first full-time job at a local channel in Coos Bay, in Oregon.

Although she was hired quickly and everything seemed to go well for her there, she started searching for other job opportunities later that year.

FOX 31 & ESPN

In 2001 Josina left her work in Oregon to move back to Washington, despite not having any job offers there. During three years approximately, Josina lived in her parents house while working part-time as a track and field trainer, and the rest of the time as an independent sports commentator for local and University teams.

Although in 2003 she failed her audition for FOX 31, in 2005 she gave it a try again with more successful results. She was hired by the network as a professional sports commentator, covering several important stories throughout the years she spent working there. Josina specialized in news about the National Football League (NFL), which ultimately led her to become a reporter for the show “Showtime’s Inside the NFL”.

In 2009 she was rewarded with an Emmy, for her coverage of the heartful story of John and Terina Dutton’s travel to adopt their son in Africa.

Looking for an upgrade in her professional career, in 2011 Josina left FOX 31 and moved to Chicago, where she started working for ESPN. During her time with this sports’ network, Josina gained huge recognition for her professionalism, and ultimately gained a spot as an insider in the show “NFL Insiders”, becoming the first female journalist to do so.

Not leaving her radio career behind, Josina became the host of various radios shows during her stay with ESPN, which led her to be awarded by the National Association of Black Journalists with a Salute to Excellence in the category of Radio – Feature.

NFL Scandal

In 2014 Josina Anderson’s career was put at stake following her comments regarding the showering routine of Michael Sam, at the time a member of the team St. Louis Rams and the first openly gay NFL player.

During the live report made by Anderson, she informed the audience Sam had to wait until after all of his teammates had showered to do so himself. The implications of her comments were heavily criticized by the media, along with LGBTQ activists and even St. Louis Rams’ coach Jeff Fisher, who condemned Josina’s report: ‘I think it’s unethical, I think it’s very, very unprofessional. Not only the piece itself, the content, the manner in which she did it’.

Josina Anderson

Jeff also said Josina was ‘out of the line’ for trying to make a story about the allegedly discomfort of Michael Sam’s teammates regarding his sexual orientation, also accusing her of ‘misleading’ several St. Louis Rams’ players with questions about Sam: ‘I’m disappointed for Mike. I’m disappointed for the players who she put in this position, and mostly I’m disappointed by her because she felt what she was doing was right’.

Following the huge backlash towards her, Josina Anderson apologized through ESPN’s website, and acknowledged that her words were insensitive, also adding a short note directed to Michael Sam: ‘I truly empathize with and respect your journey thus far on many different levels’.

In her statement she also emphasised that she didn’t intend her words to affect people the way it did, as she deeply appreciated serious and objective investigations while doing her work.

Despite the uproar that caused her report, Josina Anderson continued working for ESPN for several years more. Josina’s comment about Michael Sam’s showering habits in 2014 were mocked by “The Daily Show” in Comedy Central.

What happened to ESPN NFL reporter Josina Anderson?

In early 2020, The New York Post reported that Josina’s contract with ESPN would end in the summer, meaning the possible end of her relationship with the network. Although at first this report seemed to be based solely on speculations, in July that year it was announced that Josina was officially leaving the sports network for unspecified reasons.

In an interview in October, Josina revealed that despite being thankful for the opportunities ESPN brought to her, she left to close a chapter in her professional life: ‘We both moved on. They wanted to move in the direction they wanted to head. It was best for me to flourish in a new direction.’

She also affirmed her search for a new career path was caused by her need to pay more attention to social topics: ‘I tried to point out behind the scenes that as a person of color in the industry, as a woman in the industry, needed to be addressed. I have a strong voice.’

What is she doing now?

Since she left ESPN, she has been working as a free media agent, recently launching her own radio show “Undefined With Josina Anderson”: ‘The purpose of (it) for myself and everyone else is to remind ourselves we are not who we work for,’ she said in an interview with The Big Lead: ‘we can greenlight ourselves from someone collecting a check to writing a check.’

“Undefined” is also Josina’s effort to go far further from her sport reporter career to simply focus on guests of every industry, which has led her to interview singers, models and other types of celebrities besides sportsmen. When asked if she had considered returning to work under a big entertainment network, she has said she’s open to offers as long as she can get to host her own show.

Personal Life

Josina Anderson doesn’t reveal many details about her personal life, thus it’s unknown whether or not she has a current romantic partner, but that Josina hasn’t married and doesn’t have any children.

Net Worth

As of late 2020, Josina Anderson has an estimated net worth of over $2 million, which is the result of her successful career as a TV and radio sports commentator and reporter. She also charged her clients $100 a week during the time she worked as a track and field trainer.

Physical Appearance

Josina Anderson is an Afro-American woman of gorgeous features and athletic build. Her weight is unknown, but she is 5feet 8ins (1.73m) tall. Josina once dyed her hair red.

Interesting Facts

Josina Anderson is good friends with the former fellow ESPN reporter Jemele Hill. Josina expressed her support to her in regards to President Donald Trump, who accused Hill of ‘tanking’ ESPN’s audience rankings: ‘Stop attacking our colleague Jemele Hill, any other journalists or media entities. We are doing our work’.

When it comes to business, Oprah Winfrey, Naomi Campbell and Martha Stewart are people she deeply admires: ‘Anybody who’s cutting a check and owning their own stuff is really a role model’.

Celebrity Children

Christiana Barkley’s Wiki: Who is Charles Barkley’s daughter?

Published

4 weeks ago

March 31, 2024

Olivia Clarke

Contents

1 Christiana Barkley Wiki Bio
2 Childhood and education
3 Christiana’s career
4 Love life and relationships
5 Hobbies and other interests
6 Age, height and net worth
7 Who is Charles Barkley?

Christiana Barkley Wiki Bio

Christiana Barkley was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA in 1989; while her exact date of birth has been kept a secret, her zodiac sign is said to be Pisces, and she holds American nationality. She is a journalist and a former sales assistant, but who is perhaps known best for being the daughter of Charles Barkley, a former professional basketball player, who is now working as a TV basketball analyst.

Childhood and education

Christiana was raised in the US an only child, by her father and her mother Maureen Blumhardt, who is a former model and who once worked in legal aid, but quit after marrying Charles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx21wZFqjoc

Christiana is somewhat secretive when it comes to her personal matters, as she hasn’t shared many details regarding her childhood with the public. She attended a local high school at which she became interested in acting, and upon matriculation enrolled at Villanova University, from which she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 2011. Christiana initially worked on her career, until in 2016 when she enrolled at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, from which she graduated with a Master of Science degree in Journalism in 2017.

Christiana’s career

After graduation in 2011, Christiana started working at Turner Sports as their sales assistant and stayed with them for the following three years – she then disappeared from media attention, and nothing about her career has since been known.

However, she is about to receive special thanks for the upcoming horror comedy film “Suicide for Beginners” written and directed by Craig Thieman, and which stars Wil Daniels, Sara Tomko and Nate Panning.

Love life and relationships

Christiana is very secretive when it comes to her love life, and nothing about her past and present relationships is known, however, it is known that she hasn’t married and doesn’t have children.

Christiana was involved in an online controversy, when her (supposed) private pictures were leaked onto the internet – it was later revealed that is wasn’t Christina in the pictures, but rather a girl named Villanova who is almost a lookalike.

It appears as she became even more secretive regarding her love life after this incident, and as of December 2020, she appears to be single, or at least unattached.

Hobbies and other interests

Christiana is a very friendly and outgoing person who has numerous friends – her Instagram description reads ‘very fun person unless I’m tired’.

Summer is her favorite season, as she enjoys sun tanning at the beach, swimming in the ocean and showing off her body, while she’s also keen on playing beach volleyball with her friends. She is physically quite active as she has several training sessions each week, and does yoga.

In her spare time, Christiana enjoys watching movies and her favorite actors and actresses are Will Smith, Jim Carrey and Scarlet Johansson, while a couple of her favorite movies are “Bad Boys”, “Liar Liar” and “Lost in Translation”.

Age, height and net worth

Christiana’s age is 31. She has long brown hair and brown eyes, her height is 5ft 9ins (1.75m) and she weighs around 135lbs (61kgs). As of December 2020, her net worth is estimated at less than $1 million, but her father’s net worth is reputedly over $40 million.

Who is Charles Barkley?

Charles Wade Barkley was born in Leeds, Alabama USA, on 20 February 1963 – his zodiac sign is Pisces and he holds American nationality.

Charles Barkley

He is known as ‘Sir Charles’ and ‘the Chuckster’. and is recognised to be one of the best basketball power forwards of all times – Charles was in 1993 named the National Basketball Association (NBA) Most Valuable Player (MVP), while he was a member of the All-NBA Team 11 times.

He was raised in Leeds alongside his brother Darryl by their mother, as their father left the family and divorced their mother not long after Charles was born. Charles’ mother had a son with her second husband John Glenn, but the boy died during infancy, while John died in an accident in 1974.

Charles studied at Leeds High School and there started playing basketball.

Just a year before matriculation, he attracted the attention of multiple colleges, and in 1981 chose to enrol at Auburn University to study business management. He played center position for the college’s basketball team, but dropped out a year before graduation to play in the NBA – he was picked by the Philadelphia 76ers, and after seven years with them on 26 March 1991 was involved in a spitting incident. A fan insulted Charles and he spat at him, but instead hit a young girl – Charles was suspended for a day without pay, but he eventually became friends with the girl and her family, and also gave them free tickets for his following matches.

Charles stayed with the Philadelphia 76ers until 1992 when he joined the Phoenix Suns, and played with them until 1996 when he signed a contract with the Houston Rockets – his final season was 1999-2000 when he retired.

He went on to work at Turner Network Television as their studio analyst covering NBA games, and has also worked at CBS covering the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men’s Division I Basketball Tournaments. He apparently wanted to retire from broadcasting in 2016 but still extended his contract, which is now set to expire in 2023.

Charles is known as a compulsive gambler, and in a 2007 interview revealed that he’d lost around $10 million by gambling, once losing $2.5 million during six hours of blackjack.

He is also interested in politics, and on 27 October 2008 announced he would become a candidate for Governor of Alabama, but announced in 2010 that he was retiring from the race. It’s known that he supports the LGBT community, and fights for their rights including gay marriage. He’s openly criticized the President of the United States of America Donald Trump.

Charles is a writer too, having released his autobiography “Outrageous” in collaboration with sportswriter Roy S. Johnson in 1991, while his second book “I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It” was released in 2002. In 2005, he released his third book “Who’s Afraid of a Large Black Man?”

He has done some acting having appeared in the 1996 movie “Space Jam”, a single episode of the legal drama series “Suits”, and the eighth season of the mockumentary sitcom “Modern Family”.

Businesspersons

The Untold Truth Of Tony Parker’s Wife – Axelle Francine

Published

4 weeks ago

March 30, 2024

Olivia Clarke

Contents

1 Who is Axelle Francine?
2 Early life and education
3 Axelle’s career
4 Love life and marriage with Tony Parker
5 Hobbies and other interests
6 Age, height and net worth
7 Who is Tony Parker?

Who is Axelle Francine?

Axelle Francine was born in Paris, France on 6 August 1981 – her zodiac sign is Leo and she holds French nationality. She is a journalist and a businesswoman, but who might be more widely known as the wife of Tony Parker, a French-American former professional basketball player.

Early life and education

Axelle was raised in Paris, but hasn’t shared any details regarding her family, although it’s believed that she is an only child, and that her father was a businessman and her mother a housewife.

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Axelle enjoyed spending her time outdoors during her teenage years, and with most of her peers dreamed about becoming an actress or singer. She eventually became interested in journalism and began writing for her high school’s newspapers, and it was her teacher who encouraged her to pursue a degree as a journalist. After matriculating in 1999, Axelle enrolled at a college from which she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2003, and two years later she obtained her Master’s degree.

Axelle’s career

Not a lot is known about Axelle’s career. She started working straight after college, as a journalist writing articles and columns about health – she eventually switched to writing about beauty and fashion, and in 2010 moved to New York City, USA, starting work as a web journalist and a French correspondent. After around seven years of hard work, Axelle became an honorary member of Les Lumineuses, a French association which aims to bring women of various backgrounds together.

She has founded her own company, La Petit Med Spa and is today serving as its CEO.

Love life and marriage with Tony Parker

Axelle met her future other half, Tony Parker in 2011 when they were introduced by a mutual friend at a basketball game. After two years of dating, Tony proposed to Axelle, and they married on 2 August 2014 in a private ceremony attended by their closest friends and family. Around five months prior, in April 2014, Axelle gave birth to their son Josh while their second son Liam was born in July 2016.

Axelle hasn’t talked about any other men she might have dated, but it’s known that Tony was married to famous actress Eva Longoria.

They exchanged vows on 6 July 2007, but in December of the same year, rumors started circulating the internet and the newspapers that Tony was cheating on Eva with famous model Alexandra Paressant. Tony and Eva still stayed together with both of them denying the rumors, but on 17 November 2010, Eva filed for divorce claiming that she believed Tony was cheating on her with Erin Barry, the wife of Tony’s former teammate – the divorce was finalized on 28 January 2011.

As of December 2020, Axelle is married to Tony Parker, and they have two sons together.

Tony Parker and Axelle Francine

Hobbies and other interests

Axelle is a huge fan of travelling, and believes it helps to widen one’s horizons and learn more about the world. She has been to many European countries, with a couple of her favorites being Italy, Germany and England, and has also travelled around the US, staying in states such as California, Texas and Nevada.

She is taking extra care of her mental health, as she does yoga and meditates several times each week, while she also occasionally goes to the gym.

Axelle is a lover of animals, and has two pet cats.

She is interested in fashion, and usually follows all the latest trends while she goes shopping for clothes at least once a week.

Axelle likes to watch movies in her spare time – her favorite actresses are Julia Roberts and Scarlett Johansson, while her favorite movies include “Lost in Translation”, “The Runaway Bride” and “Notting Hill”.

Age, height and net worth

Axelle’s age is 39. She has long brown hair and brown eyes, her height is 5ft 4ins (1.62m) and she weighs around 120lbs (54kgs). As of November 2020, her net worth has been estimated at over $2 million, while her husband Tony’s net worth has been estimated at over $75 million.

Who is Tony Parker?

William Tony Parker Jr. was born in Bruges, Belgium on 17 May 1982 – his zodiac sign is Taurus and he holds both French and American nationality.

He is probably known best for having won four National Basketball Association (NBA) Championships with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.

Tony was raised in France alongside his brothers by their mother Pamela Firestone who was a housewife and their father Tony Parker Sr. who was a basketball player and who played professionally in Europe as well as college basketball in the US – he attended Loyola University, Chicago. Tony grew up being interested in soccer, but watching Michael Jordan play made him a fan of basketball. He eventually started playing and developing his skills, and every summer went to Chicago where his father used to live – by the time he turned 15, Tony had both American and French nationality.

He played amateur basketball in France for two years before signing with the professional French basketball team Paris Basket Racing in 1999. After he showed great potential at the international men’s basketball All-Star game Nike Hoop Summit in 2000, Tony was invited to play and study at various colleges in the US, while he eventually decided to stay in France before announcing he was ready to enter the NBA in 2001. He was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs, and played with them for the following 16 years before signing a contract with the Charlotte Hornets on 23 July 2018 – he retired the following year on 10 June.

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In 2009 Tony bought one fifth of French basketball team ASVEL, and play for them in 2011 during the NBA lockout for a salary of $2,000 a month, but paid for his own insurance which is believed to had cost him $250,000 for three months. He is today also the majority owner of the women’s basketball team Lyon Basket Feminine.

Tony is a huge fan of rap and hip-hop music, and released his own French album “TP” back in 2007.

Tony is also interested in movies, and in 2008 co-directed the biographical documentary movie “9 – Un Chiffre, Un Homme” together with Jean-Marie Antonini. The same year saw him appear in the French comedy movie “Asterix at the Olympic Games”, and then in the short film “The Angels” in 2011.