Ananda Lewis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ananda Lewis
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| Born | March 21, 1973 Los Angeles, California, United States
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| Occupation | Television host, carpenter, model, social activist |
| Children | 1 |
Ananda Lewis (born March 21, 1973) is an American television host, carpenter, and social activist. She was a popular video jockey (VJ) on MTV in the late 1990s. Later, she hosted her own talk show, The Ananda Lewis Show. She also worked as a correspondent for The Insider. More recently, she became known for her carpentry skills and hosted a show about home makeovers.
On October 1, 2020, Ananda shared on Instagram that she had been fighting breast cancer for two years.
Early Life and School
Ananda Lewis was born in Los Angeles, California on March 21, 1973. She has both African American and Native American heritage, from the Creek and Blackfoot tribes. Her first name, Ananda, means "bliss" in Sanskrit.
When Ananda was young, her parents divorced. She moved to San Diego, California with her mother and sister. Ananda sometimes struggled with a speech impediment, which means she had trouble speaking clearly, until she was eight years old.
In 1981, Ananda won the Little Miss San Diego Contest. She performed a dance she created herself. After this, she started acting in local theater and on television. She attended the San Diego School of Creative and Performance Arts for nine years.
When she was thirteen, Ananda began helping out at a Head Start center. This experience made her want to help young people. She thought about becoming a teacher or a psychologist. However, her family encouraged her to study law. She went to Howard University in Washington, D.C., and graduated with honors in 1995. She studied history there.
Career
Starting Out
While at Howard University in 1993, Ananda appeared in a music video for the R&B group Shai. The video was filmed on her college campus.
After college, Ananda volunteered as a mentor for young people. She was thinking about going to graduate school to study education. Then, she heard about auditions for a TV show host job. The show was called Teen Summit on Black Entertainment Television (BET). The young people she was working with encouraged her to try out.
Ananda got the job and became the host of Teen Summit. For three seasons, she discussed important topics that teenagers faced. The show helped her follow her passion for helping young people. In 1996, she interviewed then-First Lady Hillary Clinton on the show. In 1997, Ananda won an Image Award for her work on BET.
Soon after, MTV offered Ananda a job as a program host and video jockey (VJ). It was a hard decision to leave Teen Summit. But she realized that moving to MTV would let her reach even more young people.
Ananda hosted many shows at MTV. These included Total Request Live, a daily music video countdown. She also hosted Hot Zone, which featured music videos and interviews. MTV trusted Ananda to host important shows. She hosted forums about school violence after the Columbine High School massacre. She also hosted tributes for singer Aaliyah after she passed away. In 2001, Ananda won another NAACP Image Award. This was for hosting the MTV special True Life: I Am Driving While Black.
Later Career
In 2000, People magazine named Ananda Lewis one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" in the world. In 2001, Ananda decided to leave MTV to start her own talk show.
The Ananda Lewis Show started on September 10, 2001. Many people compared her to Oprah Winfrey. Ananda's show aimed to help young women. It discussed important social issues. The show was canceled after one season. The producers said that the World Trade Center bombing happened the day after the show started, which made things difficult.
In 2004, Ananda became a main reporter for The Insider. This was a nightly entertainment news show. She interviewed many celebrities. Ananda also appeared on the reality show Celebrity Mole: Yucatán in 2004. This show won an Emmy Award.
Ananda loves animals very much. She has co-hosted America's Top Dog on the A&E channel. She has also been a spokesperson for the Humane Society, which helps animals. She often introduces her two pet chihuahuas to people. Ananda has also supported Reading Is Fundamental, a group that helps kids learn to read.
Personal Life
Ananda Lewis has always said her mother, grandmother, and sister gave her a lot of support. As she grew up, she became more understanding of her parents' divorce. As an adult, she has a good relationship with both her parents.
Ananda was good friends with singer and actress Aaliyah before Aaliyah's passing. Ananda has six godchildren. In 2011, Ananda had her first child, a son named Langston, with Harry Smith. She lives in the San Fernando Valley.
On October 2, 2020, Ananda shared that she had been battling breast cancer for two years. She encouraged everyone to get regular health screenings. She said that getting checked early is very important.
