Jon Kelley facts for kids

Jon Kelley (born August 5, 1965) is an American sports journalist, author, producer, and television personality. He was born and grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. Kelley played college football as a running back for the Nebraska Cornhuskers for four seasons. He then graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with a degree in broadcast journalism.

After college, he signed with the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) in 1988. Later, he started his career in broadcasting. He also hosted the fifth season of ABC's reality TV show The Mole.

Jon Kelley's TV Career

Jon Kelley has had a long and exciting career in television. He has worked in news, sports, and entertainment for over 15 years.

From Sports Reporter to Anchor

Kelley started his broadcasting journey as a sports reporter. He worked at KTIV-TV in Sioux City, Iowa. Later, he moved to KMTV-TV in Omaha, Nebraska, as a news reporter. He also worked at WDAF-TV in Kansas City, Missouri, as a sports reporter and weekend anchor.

Reporting on the Chicago Bulls

For eight years, Jon Kelley was a top sports anchor in Chicago. He covered the World Champion Chicago Bulls during all six of their title seasons. Besides his nightly sportscasts, Kelley hosted "Sports Sunday" on WMAQ-TV. This was a popular half-hour show with sports highlights. He even shared the anchor desk with famous people like NBA star Dennis Rodman and "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno. Kelley joined WMAQ-TV in April 1991.

While at WMAQ-TV, Kelley and his sports team won important awards. They received a Chicago/Midwest Emmy award for a special show about the Chicago Bulls. Kelley also won the Peter Lisagor Award for Sports Journalism.

Hosting Fun Shows

Jon Kelley moved from sports to entertainment. He became a well-known host for many different TV programs.

Extra and The Mole

From 2001 to 2007, Kelley was a co-host for "Extra's" weekend show. He was also the main reporter for the show.

In 2008, he hosted the TV reality series The Mole. This show had been hosted by other famous people like Anderson Cooper before him. Kelley also co-hosted ABC's "Holiday with the Stars" and "All-Star Tribute to Movies."

Moving Around TV Stations

On July 8, 2011, Kelley joined the NBC station in San Francisco, KNTV-TV. He became a co-anchor for their morning show. In November 2013, Kelley went back to Chicago. He joined the FOX station WFLD to co-anchor Good Day Chicago.

Game Shows and More

In June 2016, Jon Kelley started working with media leader Byron Allen at Entertainment Studios. Kelley now hosts and produces several TV shows for them. These include the game show Funny You Should Ask, which started in 2017. He also works on the celebrity interview series Entertainers and the sports show The American Athlete.

Jon Kelley's Book

Jon Kelley is also an author. He co-wrote a book called "Breaking Into Broadcasting." This book helps people learn how to get their first TV job.

What Shows Does He Host?

Jon Kelley hosts the TV show "Funny You Should Ask." It's a comedy show that airs on ABC.