Maria Menounos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maria Menounos
Menounos in 2014
Born	(1978-06-08) June 8, 1978 (age 47) Medford, Massachusetts, U.S.
Citizenship	U.S. Greece
Alma mater	Emerson College
Occupation	TV host podcaster
Years active	1996–present
Spouse(s)	Keven Undergaro ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	1

Maria Menounos is a well-known American and Greek television host. She has hosted popular shows like Extra and E! News. Maria also worked as a TV reporter for programs such as Today and Access Hollywood. In 2006, she co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens, Greece.

Maria is also the CEO of AfterBuzz TV, an online network for podcast series that she helped create. Since 2013, she has been an ambassador for WWE, even competing in some wrestling matches. She also hosted her own podcast, Conversations with Maria Menounos, and co-hosted the Miss Universe 2023 pageant.

Early Life and Pageants

Maria Menounos was born on June 8, 1978, in Medford, Massachusetts. Her parents came from Greece. She went to Medford High School and graduated in 1996.

In 1995, Maria started competing in beauty pageants. The next year, she won the title of Miss Massachusetts Teen USA. She then competed in the Miss Teen USA contest, where she placed in the top 15. Maria later attended Emerson College and finished her studies in 2000.

Her Career in TV and Film

Early Reporting and Hosting

While still in college, Maria worked as a reporter for Channel One News. She traveled to El Salvador to report on earthquakes and interviewed important people like President George W. Bush.

In 2002, Maria became a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, covering movies, music, and fashion. She later joined Access Hollywood as a reporter. She also co-hosted some episodes of the Today show. In 2003, she appeared on the show Punk'd, which played pranks on celebrities.

Menounos signing autographs in 2005

Maria also acted in a few TV shows. In 2004, she was in an episode of One on One. In 2005, she had a small role in the superhero movie Fantastic Four. She also lent her voice and likeness to the 2005 video game James Bond 007: From Russia with Love.

In 2006, Maria co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens. She also directed a film called Longtime Listener.

Building Her Own Network

Maria Menounos founded AfterBuzzTV with Keven Undergaro. It's an online entertainment network where people can discuss TV shows after they air. She was named the 2014 CES Entertainment Matters Ambassador for her work with AfterBuzzTV.

She also had recurring roles on TV shows like Without a Trace and One Tree Hill. In 2006, she appeared in an episode of Scrubs.

Menounos in February 2009

From 2009 to 2012, Maria hosted reunion specials for MTV's reality shows The Real World and The Challenge. In 2011, she joined Warner Bros.'s Extra as a co-host with Mario Lopez. For her work on Extra, Maria won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Entertainment News Program.

In 2012, Maria was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars with her partner Derek Hough. They finished in fourth place. In 2013, she started her interview series called Conversations with Maria Menounos.

Menounos at The Heart Truth Fashion Show 2008

In 2014, Maria's reality TV series Chasing Maria Menounos premiered on the Oxygen Network. After three years at Extra, she moved to E! Entertainment in 2014 to host and produce several programs. In 2015, she became the co-anchor of E! News. She later stepped down from this role in 2017 due to health reasons.

Maria also hosted a daily radio show on SiriusXM called Conversations with Maria. In 2020, she started a partnership with GSTV to air short videos called "Better Together with Maria Menounos," offering health and wellness tips at gas pumps. She has continued to host reunion shows for The Challenge in recent years.

Professional Wrestling Appearances

Maria Menounos is a big fan of WWE and has made several appearances with the wrestling company.

WWE Matches and Hosting

Her first appearance was in October 2009, when she guest-hosted WWE Raw. She even competed in a six-diva tag team match and her team won.

In December 2011, at WWE Tribute to the Troops, Maria returned and teamed up with other wrestlers to win another match. She continued her rivalry with WWE Divas Champion Beth Phoenix.

Menounos (front) celebrating her victory at WrestleMania XXVIII along with tag-team partner Kelly Kelly in April 2012

This led to a tag team match at WrestleMania XXVIII in April 2012. Even though she had two cracked ribs from Dancing with the Stars practice, Maria and her partner Kelly Kelly defeated Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres. Maria pinned Beth Phoenix to win the match.

In April 2013, Maria inducted Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall of Fame. She has also hosted the WWE Hall of Fame red carpet pre-show for many years. She has appeared as a guest backstage interviewer at several WrestleMania events. In January 2018, she was the special guest ring announcer for the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match.

Helping Others: Charity Work

Maria Menounos has been involved in charity work since she was 13 years old. She founded a charity called "Take Action Hollywood!" after visiting South Africa and learning about the AIDS crisis there.

She also created the Cosmo Girl Cup, a national competition that recognizes groups of teens who do the most to create positive change in their communities. Maria has also supported efforts to raise awareness for blood donation.

Personal Life

Maria Menounos has faced some health challenges. In 2017, she had surgery to remove a benign brain tumor. In 2023, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent surgery. The cancer was found early through a special screening.

Maria married Keven Undergaro in Times Square during the New Year's Eve celebrations in 2017. They had another wedding in 2018 in her father's village in Greece. In February 2023, Maria and Keven announced they were having a baby with the help of a surrogate. Maria also announced in May 2023 that she has dual citizenship in both the United States and Greece.

Awards and Recognition

Maria Menounos has received several honors. She was named Spike TV's "Cyber Vixen of the Year" in 2005. In 2014, the show Extra, which she co-hosted, won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Entertainment News Program.

Books Written by Maria

• The Everygirl's Guide to Life (2001)
• The Everygirl's Guide to Diet and Fitness (2014)
• The Everygirl's Guide to Cooking (2016)
• Better Together (2021)

Filmography

Films

Television

Video Games

See also

In Spanish: Maria Menounos para niños