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Upon graduating from Brown
University with a double major in political science and sociology,
Karyn began her professional broadcasting career as a 22-year-old
VJ for MTV. This was the ideal job for Bryant, since she had already cut her teeth in the music world as a DJ and program director for WBRU, a 20,000-watt commercial station in Providence, Rhode Island. Aided by a sharp personality, and a profound passion for music, Karyn was tapped by the then fledgling FX Cable Network to host the live, daily music show 'Sound FX'.
Using live television to hone her skills as a broadcaster, Karyn
was chosen by TNT to host an interstitial series
of entertainment vignettes called 'Rough Cut.' The success
of the vignettes prompted TNT to turn 'Rough Cut' into
a weekly television series hosted by Karyn. Moreover, this marked
the beginning of Karyn's professional relationship with Turner Broadcasting.
TBS soon launched the wraparound series 'Movies,
For Guys Who Like Movies.' Strong enough for the action, and
sexy enough to be a Bond girl, Karyn could be seen engaging the
enemy in simulated dogfights, or piloting a Navy LCAC Hovercraft.
Ted Turner wasn't the only industry titan enamored with Karyn.
Impressed with her on camera presence and her encyclopedic knowledge
of music, Lorne Michaels hand picked Karyn to host his new daily
game show for VH1, 'Name That Video'.
As Karyn's peers became stereotyped, or locked into fluff opportunities,
it was time for Karyn to elevate her game. A stint hosting CNN's
'Talk Back Live' gave Turner further insight into this
remarkable woman's capabilities. Thus, in 2004, Karyn was chosen
to co-anchor CNN's revamped 'Showbiz
Tonight.' 'Showbiz' was the country's only live, primetime,
hour-long daily entertainment news show. When the series premiered
in early 2005, Karyn earned the distinction of being the only African
American woman anchoring in primetime on any cable news channel.
Music, entertainment and news are still not the whole story for
Karyn. Growing up in the suburbs of Boston, Karyn became a rabid
Patriots and Red Sox fan. That passion drew ESPN
into her media fan base and she soon joined them for their first
live New Years show as the countdown to 2006 began.
In 2006 Karyn joined the Showtime Championship Boxing announce team of Steve Albert,
Al Bernstein and Jim Gray. In May 2008, Karyn was invited by CBS to join their Saturday Night Fights announcer team for their new primetime mixed martial arts programming, debuting MMA for the first time on primetime network television May 31, 2008. Karyn also co-owns and hosts an internet television channel, MMA H.E.A.T., which covers most mixed martial arts sporting events. "H.E.A.T." stands for Heart. Endurance. Aggression. Technique.TM
Raised in Massachusetts, Karyn now lives in Los Angeles with her
husband, Wade, and their daughter, Aurora. |