Who is Julie Chen Moonves? Here's why 'Celebrity Big Brother' host is nicknamed 'Chenbot'
Julie Chen Moonves is an TV personality, and producer for CBS. Since 2000, Moonves has consistently been the host for the popular reality TV show, 'Big Brother' since its debut. She is successfully the longest-serving show host of any country's style of the program.
Prior to 'Big Brother', Moonves was co-host and moderator of the CBS talk show called, 'The Talk', for a solid eight seasons. She used to co-anchor CBS's 'The Early Show' as well.
RELATED ARTICLES
Who is Mirai Nagasu? 'Celebrity Big Brother' star won bronze at 2018 Olympics
'Celebrity Big Brother' fans are already rooting for Carson Kressley to win the show
Born and raised in Queens, New York City, Julie was born to Chinese immigrants and has two elder sisters, Gladys and Victoria.
Growing up, Chen attended junior high school in Whitestone, Queens, and went on to graduate from St Francis Preparatory School. In 1991, Chen graduated from the University of Southern California, with a degree in broadcast journalism and English. Right after her graduation, Chen became a news assistant in LA, for 'ABC News', in September 1991.
This is also the time she began dating Les Moonves, president and chief executive officer of 'CBS Television', when he was still married to Nancy Wiesenfeld Moonves.
After Moonves divorced his then-wife, Chen and Moonves tied the knot in 2004, at a private ceremony in Acapulco, Mexico. They also have a son, called Charlie, born in 2009.
Chen's first few jobs poured in when she was still in university, and she interned at CBS' 'Morning News' with Andy Cohen. Here, her job was to answer phones and copy faxes. Ironically, this would be the same series that Chen would one day anchor, a decade later!
Chen was nicknamed "Chenbot" as of 2000, because she was criticized for her scripted deliveries since she began her 'Big Brother' venture. On the contrary, Chen is only pleased, since she knows her deliverance is professional and on point. On 'The Early Show', she even said, "I am the Chenbot"!
Between 1999 and 2002, Chen used to anchor the 'CBS Morning News', and was also the news anchor for 'CBS This Morning'. She was later on 'The Early Show' as well, working with Bryant Gumbel, Jane Clayson, Hannah Storm, Harry Smith, Maggie Rodriguez, Erica Hill, and Rene Syler.
Between 2002 and 2010, she co-hosted 'The Early Show', waved goodbye to the daily position, but frequently came back as a special contributing anchor till the program was canceled. Prior to CBS News, Chen used to be a reporter and weekend anchor at NYC, for WCBS-TV.
Chen continues to return for every season of 'Big Brother' as the star host of the show. 'Celebrity Big Brother' is set to premiere on February 2, 2022, on CBS.
