Jenny Jones (presenter) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jenny Jones
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| Born |
Janina Maria Stronski
June 7, 1946 |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1969–present |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Partner(s) | Denis McCallion (1986–present) |
Janina Maria Stronski (born June 7, 1946), known by her stage name Jenny Jones, is a Canadian television host and comedian. She is most famous for hosting the popular talk show, The Jenny Jones Show.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Music
Jenny Jones was born in Bethlehem, Palestine. Her father was a World War II veteran and her mother was a dressmaker. After a short time in Italy, her family moved to London, Ontario, in Canada when she was two years old.
Jones had a difficult childhood. She was determined to build a different life for herself and saw entertainment as her way out. At 17, she left high school to form a band. The group toured mining towns in Ontario.
A year later, she chose the stage name Jenny Jones and moved to the United States to chase her dream of being a performer. She moved to Las Vegas and started an all-female rock band called The Cover Girls. Her talent on stage caught the eye of famous singer Wayne Newton, who hired her as a backup singer.
Career Journey
Rise to Fame in Comedy
Before becoming a famous host, Jones started her career as a drummer in a rock band. In the 1980s, she decided to try stand-up comedy. She also appeared on several TV game shows. In 1979, she won cash and prizes on The Price Is Right. She also won money on Match Game in 1981 and Press Your Luck in 1985.
Her big break in comedy came in 1986 when she competed on the TV talent show Star Search. She became the first woman to win in the comedy category. This victory made her a popular comedian. She began performing as the opening act for huge stars like Sammy Davis Jr., Kenny Loggins, Tony Bennett, and Dionne Warwick.
By 1983, she was even opening for Jerry Seinfeld. She created a successful comedy tour called Girls' Night Out, which was a show for an all-female audience.
The Jenny Jones Show
From 1991 to 2003, Jones hosted her own talk show, The Jenny Jones Show. It was created to be a lighter, more fun alternative to other talk shows at the time. The show was a huge success from the start. It launched on 178 TV stations, which was a record for a new talk show.
A Tragic Event
In 1995, the show taped an episode about secret crushes. Three days after the taping, one of the guests tragically killed another guest who had appeared on the show with him. This sad event led to a major court case.
The victim's family sued The Jenny Jones Show. Jones had to testify in court. In the end, the Michigan Court of Appeals decided that the show was not responsible for the guest's actions. The court said the crime was "unforeseeable" and that the show could not have predicted or prevented it.
In 1997, Jones wrote a book about her life called Jenny Jones: My Story. After 12 seasons, The Jenny Jones Show ended in 2003. Jones has said she does not plan to return to television.
Life After Television: Cooking and Charity
After her show ended, Jones focused on new passions. In 2005, she started The Jenny Jones Foundation to help people in need. The foundation focuses on education, women's health, and making communities better.
In 2008, she began a program called "Jenny's Heroes." Through this program, she gives her own money to everyday people who are doing great things to help others in their towns.
Jones also turned her love of cooking into a new career. She wants to inspire people to cook healthy meals at home. In 2006, she released a cookbook, and all the money from its sales went to cancer research. She also has a popular cooking website and a YouTube channel called Jenny Can Cook.
Personal Life and Advocacy
Jones has been married three times and is now in a long-term relationship with Denis McCallion. She runs several websites, including one for her cooking and another called JennysHeroes.com. The "Heroes" website shares stories of people who have made a positive difference.
Jones is also a strong advocate for women's health. She has supported events that raise money for breast cancer research. She also donated a special bus that provides mammograms (a type of medical screening) to a hospital in Cook County.
After having health problems from silicone breast implants, she had them removed. She shared her story in People magazine to warn others about the risks. She started The Image Foundation to give women information and support about body image.
See also
In Spanish: Jenny Jones para niños
