Tavis Smiley has a long-standing reputation for his compelling interviews and political insight. The Mississippi native’s celebrity has paid off in major ways and he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. To recognize him for his efforts, the city of Los Angeles honored Smiley with a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday.
He discussed the award in an interview with Variety, revealing he used to hate his name, but is happy he has been able to serve the public in a “deep and meaningful way.”
“There is so much work to be done, and I never lose sight of this,” he said in the interview. “I say this with humility, that I have quietly become — we have quietly become — the longest-running show in the history of late night television hosted by a person of color. Arsenio [Hall] lasted five years his first time around. I’m at 11.”
Jay Leno and Larry King were among the guests who spoke at event while his name was cemented in the ground. Smiley is currently the host of his own program, Tavis Talks on BlogTalkRadio’s Tavis Smiley Network.
