Craig Kilborn facts for kids

Craig Lawrence Kilborn, born on August 24, 1962, is an American TV host, actor, comedian, and sports announcer. He started his career in sports broadcasting in the late 1980s. This led him to become an anchor for ESPN's SportsCenter from 1993 to 1996.

Later, he was the first host of The Daily Show, which he hosted from 1996 to 1998. He then took over from Tom Snyder to host CBS' The Late Late Show from 1999 to 2004. In comedy, Craig is known for his "deadpan" delivery. This means he tells jokes with a very serious face.

Early Life and Education

Craig Kilborn was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His mother, Shirley, was a schoolteacher. His father, Hiram, worked in insurance. When Craig was four, his family moved to Hastings, Minnesota, where he grew up.

Craig was taller than other kids his age. He grew to be 6 feet 4 inches tall. This helped him become a great basketball player. In ninth grade, he joined an all-star team called the Northside Magicians. He played very well for them and for Hastings High School. He earned many awards for his basketball skills.

After high school, Craig received a scholarship to play basketball at Montana State University. He graduated in 1985 with degrees in media and theater arts. He once joked that he was very good at basketball "turnovers" in college.

Craig Kilborn's Career Journey

Starting in Media

Craig Kilborn began his career in radio. From 1986 to 1987, he was a play-by-play announcer for the CBA Savannah Spirits basketball team. He then moved to television in California. He worked as a sports anchor for KCBA, a Fox TV station in Salinas. Early in his TV career, he covered local events like the Gilroy Garlic Festival. He also played bocce with people near Cannery Row. Craig lived in Carmel-by-the-Sea at the time.

Hosting SportsCenter

After a few smaller jobs, Craig became an anchor for ESPN's SportsCenter. He worked there from 1993 to 1996. He mostly hosted the late-night show, which he called "The Feel Good Edition." He became known for his funny sayings, like "Release, Rotation, Splash" and "Jumanji." He also often said, "Oh, Precious."

Craig returned to SportsCenter on August 8, 2004. He co-hosted with Dan Patrick during ESPN's 25th Anniversary.

Late-Night TV Hosting

Leading The Daily Show

In 1996, Craig Kilborn became the first host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central. During his three years there, The Daily Show was named "Best Late Night Comedy" by TV Guide. Craig was also nominated for an award called the CableACE Award for Outstanding Entertainment Host.

Craig created several popular parts of the show. These included "5 Questions," "Moment for Us," "Dance, Dance, Dance," and "Your Moment of Zen." Later hosts continued to use "Your Moment of Zen."

Craig left The Daily Show in 1998. CBS and David Letterman's company chose him to host The Late Late Show. His last episode of The Daily Show was on December 17, 1998. He had hosted 386 episodes. On January 11, 1999, Jon Stewart took over as host.

Craig made a surprise appearance on Jon Stewart's last Daily Show episode on August 6, 2015. It was his first time back on the show since he left. In 2020, Craig said he "had a blast" doing The Daily Show. He said he enjoyed living in New York City and hosting a comedy show. He also mentioned that he wasn't hired to do a show focused on politics. He wanted to host a traditional late-night show.

Hosting The Late Late Show

Craig Kilborn hosted The Late Late Show for five years. He changed the show to attract younger viewers. He made segments like "Yambo" and "5 Questions" very popular. He also created funny characters, such as Sebastian, the Asexual Icon. Craig would narrate his own introduction. He would then walk out to the song "Play That Funky Music" at the start of each show.

In August 2004, Craig decided not to renew his contract. He said he left because he lost interest in late-night comedy. He also felt the business side of the show was difficult. He said he had reached his career goals. He felt the late-night TV world was "crowded" and the shows were too similar.

Craig's last episode of The Late Late Show aired on August 27, 2004. The Scottish comedian Craig Ferguson took over the show in January 2005.

The Kilborn File

Craig Kilborn returned to TV on June 28, 2010. This was after being off the air for six years. His new half-hour show, The Kilborn File, started on some Fox stations. The show ran for a six-week test. It brought back popular segments from his past shows, like "5 Questions." It also had a segment similar to "Yambo," called "Kilbo" and later "Kilbyashi." However, the show was not picked up for more episodes.

Other Work in Entertainment

Craig Kilborn has also acted in movies and TV shows. In the 2003 movie Old School, he played a character named Mark. In the 2006 film The Benchwarmers, he played Jerry, a bully. In 2011, he played a villain in an episode of the TV series Chuck.

He also guest-hosted The Artie Lange Show for a few days in 2013. In 2016, he appeared in a TV commercial for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. Since 2022, Craig Kilborn has hosted a podcast called The Life Gorgeous.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Awards and Nominations