RED CARPET REGULARS EXCLUSIVE: Mover and Shaker Chris Wragge Chats with Peachy Deegan About His Fabulous New Position on the CBS Early Show! We Hope You Are Tuning in to CBS at 7am Every Day To See Him Move and Shake!
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2009/09/movers-and-shakers-chris-wragge-co.html
We could not be more thrilled about his promotion to the CBS Early Show! Not only is he an impeccable on-air presence but he is also a fabulously nice person which is just as important. Ages ago, Peachy Deegan met him as a regular person, not as press, and whether you see Chris as an anchor on your television or walking down 57th street, he is the same nice person.
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Chris Wragge was named co-anchor of CBS News’ "The Early Show" in November 2010. The appointment is effective on Jan. 3, 2011.
Wragge joined CBS News as co-anchor of the Saturday edition of "The Early Show" in February 2008. He was also the substitute anchor for the weekday edition of the broadcast. In addition, Wragge co-anchored CBS 2 News at 5 and 11PM weekdays along with Kristine Johnson.
Wragge joined WCBS-TV in 2004 as the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. weekday Sports Anchor/Sports Director. He made the jump to the role of news anchor in November of 2006. Since then, Wragge has reported on the Heroic landing of Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, the 2008 Presidential Election, and The Sex Scandal that Brought down Governor Elliot Spitzer, The East Side Crane Collapse, The Brooklyn Tornado, The Papal Visit, and the current collapse of the nation’s economy.
Wragge embodies the word "workaholic." Chris has worked 6 days a week since the year 2000. It seems to be paying off, a 10 time Emmy Award Winner and reigning 2 time Emmy Winner in the Best News Anchor category. Wragge also won a 2010 DuPont Award as a part of the CBS News’ "Children of the Recession" series. Wragge’s report was one of the pieces submitted in the category.
Prior to arriving at CBS, Wragge came from NBC Sports and the NBC affiliate in Houston, Texas. Wragge spent four years roaming the sidelines for NBC Sports where he covered the NBA and NBA playoffs for two years working alongside play-by-play men Marv Albert, Tom Hammond and Mike Breen. Wragge also covered the WNBA for two seasons, hosting the WNBA finals in 2002. He also served as a host for NBC’s Sun America Sportsdesk from 2002-2004.
Wragge is proud to rank his role in NBC’s Olympic Coverage from the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City as one of the highlights of his career to date. In Salt Lake City, he joined Katie Couric and Jim McKay on the Opening Ceremony broadcast, one of the highest-rated ceremonies in the history of the Olympics. While there, he interviewed such Olympic heroes as Picabo Street, Cammy Granato, and Apollo Ohno. Wragge also served as the Short Track Speed Skating reporter, and as a reporter for the Olympic Sports desk.
Wragge's extensive sports coverage for NBC also included sideline duties for Notre Dame football, the New Year's Day Gator Bowl, and the Professional Bull Rider’s Association. In 2003 and 2004, Wragge joined NBC’s golf coverage at the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational.
In December 2002, Wragge joined the USA Network as an on-site reporter for "PGA Tour Sunday," part of the USA Network’s extensive professional golf coverage. 2006 was Wragge’s 4th and final season with the show, an experience that allowed him to cover four Masters, four U.S. Open’s, four PGA Championships, a Ryder Cup and over 75 other PGA Tour stops.
Wragge is no stranger to national television audiences after a career that has taken him to the red carpets of the Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, and major movie premieres as a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight from 1996-2000. Wragge has also worked for The Travel Channel, DIY Network and HGTV.
Along the way, Wragge has also appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show 4 times, MTV's Rock and Jock Super Bowl Football Spectacular. He has emceed 2 Planet Hollywood Openings with Sylvester Stallone, appeared in Various Paramount TV shows while at Entertainment Tonight and was the target of a Candid Camera Stunt with Peter Funt.
In 2004, another personal goal was accomplished. The chance to come back home to New York and work for the station he grew up watching, WCBS. In his sports capacity at Ch. 2 Wragge helped developed and also hosted "Sunday Blitz presented by State Farm," an NFL pre-game show highlighting the upcoming Jets and Giants Kick-offs. He also hosted "Sports Sunday presented by Nissan," a Sunday Night highlight show. Wragge earned himself 2 NY State Broadcasters Association Awards for Sports Sunday and for his coverage of October Baseball in NY for the 2006 season. Wragge traveled with the New York Jets and Giants during the NFL Football Season, and during the NFL Pre-Season he joined CBS Sports’ Ian Eagle and former Jets Linebacker Greg Buttle for CBS Sports’ production of the Jets Pre-Season games. Wragge also served as the game’s half-time host. When the NFL Season concluded, Wragge took his "shows on the road" to Yankees and Mets Spring Training for the month of February. Wragge's duties at CBS also extended to CBS Sports, where he was seen as one of the hosts of the AT&T CBS Sportsdesk.
Wragge also worked at KPRC-TV in Houston, Texas, WVIT-TV in Hartford, Connecticut and WMUR-TV in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Peachy Deegan interviewed Chris Wragge for Whom You Know.
Peachy Deegan: We are so psyched that CBS has recognized your clear-cut talent and promoted you to The Early Show! How were you approached to join this team?
Chris Wragge: We were all approached by our bosses and CBS led by our Executive Producer David Freidman. This new team concept was his vision. Luckily for us, the executives at the Network had the faith and trust in us to let us lead the way. We were all thrilled when we learned the news and continue to be overjoyed to this day and many days to come.
Tell us about the road trip that bonded The Early Show team please.
The road trip was the bonding experience of a lifetime for us. To have us all on the road working and promoting 18 hours a day was a great for all if us to see each other at our best, worst and most exhausted. It was a wonderful experience. We became fast friends and learned immediately how well we'd get along on a daily basis. It was a great decision by our exec's to embark on this barnstorming trip across the nation.
What is the most fun segment you've done so far on The Early Show?
The most fun so far, and mind you, we're only a few weeks in.. has to be the behind the scenes shoot we did of the trip.. we had cameras following us along the way.. meeting with all the CBS Stations, with us when we got up in the am.. on the road, the planes. for the practical jokes.. the singing, dancing, eating, you name it.. we got it all on film!
We did a "Comfort Food Cook-off" in week 2... I somehow managed to win it.. Erica and Jeff think it was fixed.. I say they need to get their kitchen skills fixed!! lol
Are you getting enough sleep?
Am I getting enough sleep??? Ahhh NO!.. it's OK though.. all part of the job.. I fall asleep about 10 at night and wake at 3:45am. Not too bad.
For anyone not familiar with the new format, other than having you on it what are the best improvements to the new Early Show in contrast to the 2010 version?
We are 4 different people bringing you the news in a way that totally differs from our predecessors. We have not re-invented the wheel, we are just 4 different anchors with 4 different styles. You really cannot make THAT MUCH change. The news is the news no matter who delivers it. Over the next 90 minutes we are looking to key in on keeping our viewers Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise!
Peachy's from Farmington-how did you like working in the Hartford area?
I LOVED living in Hartford.. LOVED it. I made my home in West Hartford.. had a great little place... great friends and worked with News Legends, Jerry Brooks and Joanne Nesti and of course Beasley Reece with Sports! Loved the B-man!
Who do we need to talk to at CBS to get you clearance to drink The Peachy Deegan at Swifty's with us? Even Liz Smith who started her career at CBS says her favorite Whom You Know column is "I Drank The Peachy Deegan"?
We'll see about the beverage clearance! But I doubt it.
What or who has had the most influence on your pursuit of excellence?
The person or persons who have had the most influence in my pursuit of excellence have been my mom and dad.. nothing breeds success like a support network and my folks have been a tremendous source of support, wisdom and comfort since the very first day I left the house and headed to college!
What are you proudest of and why?
I am extremely proud of the fact I have gotten to this point in my life...This is something I always envisioned. The Olympic Games for NBC are second on my list...to be a part of the Opening Ceremonies, Closing Ceremonies and covering a young up and comer named Apollo Ono...the 2002 games in a post 9/11 world I worked were the most rewarding times in my life. I had never seen patriotism on that level in person in my life.
What would you like to do professionally that you have not yet had the opportunity to do?
I want to sit and talk with a sitting President. Ask him how he comes to the tough decisions he's faced with everyday.
What honors and awards have you received in your profession?
I've been blessed in this dept.. in the last three years.. I have won 10 EMMY Awards and a Dupont Award.
What is your favorite place to be in Manhattan?
I love being downtown. I used to live in SOHO.. shouldn't have left! :(... Upper West is great too.
What is your favorite shop in Manhattan?
Love Saks! They have everything all under one roof! You cannot go wrong.
What is your favorite drink?
I know it sounds boring.. but I love Diet Dr. Pepper!
I drink it like it's going out of style!
What favorite restaurant in Manhattan?
My favorite restaurant is LURE in lower Manhattan.
The best!
If you could have anything in Manhattan named after you what would it be and why?
The Chrysler Building.. It is my favorite building in all the world SO why not!
What has been your best Manhattan athletic experience?
Favorite athletic experience... It revolves around the NY GIANTS, but they are in NJ, so it will have to do. Too many to list.
LOVE THE GIANTS.
What is your favorite thing to do in Manhattan that you can do nowhere else?
Walk everywhere to do anything, not be bothered, not be held up.. and at the same time having the time of your life with friends or complete strangers from all over the world!
What has been your best Manhattan art or music experience?
Loved Rock of Ages when it was still on Broadway... apparently it just went dark. But we have some of the best acts in music on our show all the time.. so we are kind of spoiled!
What do you personally do or what have you done to give back to the world?
I donate as much of free time as I can to my charities of choice.. I am a board member and primary advocate for National Down Sydrome Society, Make a Wish, MS of New Jersey, March of Dimes, JDRF and a number of others.
What else should Whom You Know readers know about you?
I am not as short as EVERYONE thinks I am.. I ALWAYS have people remark to me.. "Hmm.. you're a lot taller in person!
Well I am here to say.. I am 6'3".. so NO, not that short.
How would you like to be contacted by Whom You Know readers?
Twitter @ChrisWragge
