Giselle Fernández | |
---|---|
Born |
Mexico City, Mexico |
May 15, 1961
Residence | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Other names | Giselle Fernandez |
Citizenship | American |
Alma mater | California State University, Sacramento |
Occupation | Television news anchor |
Years active | 1983–present |
Spouse(s) | John Farrand |
Awards | Five Emmy Awards |
Website | Giselle |
Giselle Fernández (born May 15, 1961) is a Mexican-American television journalist. Her appearances on network television include reporting and guest anchoring for CBS Early Show, CBS Evening News, NBC Today, NBC Nightly News, regular host for Access Hollywood, and guest on Dancing with the Stars.
Fernández was born in Mexico City and was brought to East Los Angeles in the United States at the age of four. Her Catholic father was a flamenco dancer, while her Jewish mother was a student of Mexican folklore. She attended California State University, Sacramento, where she graduated in 1982 earning her B.A. in Journalism and Government.
Her television career began in 1983 with brief stops at KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and then KEYT-TV in Santa Barbara, California. In 1985 she joined KTLA in Los Angeles as a reporter and weekend anchor. She was recommended to KTLA by actor Fess Parker, who lived in the Santa Barbara area and was a friend of KTLA's news managing director at the time. Two years later Fernandez moved to CBS-owned WBBM-TV in Chicago, and in 1989 to WCIX CBS's newly-owned station in Miami. In 1988 she garnered some controversy in Chicago when she went boating with John Cappas, a drug dealer being sought by authorities, then accompanied him to his arrest by federal agents.