MEET ESPN'S LEADING LADY
NAME: Cari Champion
BORN: June 1975
HOMETOWN: Pasadena, CA
CLAIM TO FAME: ESPN First Take
MORNING SOUNDTRACK Lauryn Hill Radio on Pandora
MENTOR (IN MY HEAD): [Good Morning America cohost] Robin Roberts. She has this simple elegant way about her; very smart and knows her stuff
BEAUTY SECRET: I love Dermologica. It’s great for African-American skin
DREAM SPORT TO PLAY: Basketball. I just don’t have the hand-eye coordination
CHILDHOOD WNBA IDOL: Lisa Leslie—seeing her dunk was the craziest thing
POST HELL-DAY COCKTAIL: Cabernet
MR. RIGHT LOOKS LIKE: A cross between a basketball player and swimmer. I’m 6’1 with heels
MY UNSOLICITED ADVISOR: Stephen A. [Smith]. You know how he is––“Let me tell you about yourself...”
TRUE OR FALSE? Once fired for dropping an f-bomb: False. When they reviewed the tape, they knew I didn’t. It got blown out of proportion on the Internet
WHY I'M ABOUT TO BLOW: I’m part of something on television that is unique—the biggest show on ESPN—and virtually came out of nowhere. I knew I was somebody but they didn’t know it yet [laughs]. But it’s exciting. I just hope I’m representing as an African-American woman on TV trying to hold it down.
Next: ESPN's Cari Champion | Vibe
didn't know she was that old. Still