Elizabeth Vargas Leaving ABC News to Pursue New Ventures

Posted on December 23, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the end of a long chapter for Elizabeth Vargas…

The 55-year-old half-Puerto Rican journalist, an ABC News staple for two decades and co-anchor with David Muir of the network’s newsmagazine 20/20 for 14 years, is leaving the company in May after the show’s 40th season draws to a close.

The news broke on Friday and ABC News president James Goldston and Vargas told staff in memos, with Goldston saying she was going to “pursue new ventures.” There was no mention of a 20/20 anchor replacement.

“It has been a profound privilege to be the anchor of 20/20 for 14 years, and a true honor to work with each and every one of you,” wrote Vargas in a memo to her co-workers after news broke of her departure. “I am incredibly lucky to work alongside the very best in the business: the producers, editors, writers on this show, and the enormous team working every week to get our show on the air. I am so very proud of the stories we have told together.”

Vargas has worn many hats at ABC’s news division, and famously was named co-anchor of the networks’ World News Tonight with Bob Woodruff. That job was announced in late 2005, about a month before Woodruff was severely injured by an IED while covering the war in Iraq. Eventually, Vargas stepped down from WNT and Charles Gibson became sole anchor.

She became only the second female 20/20 anchor when she replaced Barbara Walters in the fall of 2004, and the first Latina.

In 2014, she spoke about her alcohol addiction, and two years later wrote a book about it, Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction.

Vargas came to ABC from NBC, where she was a correspondent and anchor for Dateline NBC and Today among other assignments.

Perez to Serve as the First-Ever Latina Co-Host on ABC’s Long-Running “The View”

Posted on September 4, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Rosie Perez is changing the view on television… And, she’s making history in the process.

The 49-year-old Puerto Rican actress, dancer and community activist will join ABC’s The View when it returns for its eighteenth season on September 15.

Perez, who is set to appear on Broadway early next year in Larry David’s Fish in the Dark, becomes the first-ever Latina host in the daytime talk show’s history.

“Excited to be a part of an amazing show and a great team of women,” tweeted the Oscar-nominated actress after the announcement was made.

In addition to Perez, political commentator Nicolle Wallace will also join The View next season. A former communications director for George W. Bush, she appeared on the daytime talker last month as a guest co-host.

The women join a show with a very different makeup following the recent exits of Barbara Walters, Sherri Shepherd and Jenny McCarthy. Whoopi Goldberg is the only member from the previous season returning, while Rosie O’Donnell is coming back to the show after having held a seat in the 2006-2007 season.

The View has generally had five women in the mix, though Walters was not featured in every episode during her final years on the show.

Rivera Launches Online Mini-Series “Chiquis Confidential”

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Chiquis Rivera is so confidential…

The Mexican American daughter of the late Jenni Rivera launched an online mini-series that crashed moments after going live.

The debut of Chiquis Confidential was so strong that chiquisonline.com went down moments before the start of the four-minute premiere at 3:00 pm PT on Tuesday.

“It’s a good thing,” said Richard Bull of The Sixth House, who manages Rivera. “That’s what happens when a server gets hit that very second. Everything becomes affected.”

But Rivera’s fans didn’t need to worry because they were eventually able watch the premiere episode online.

Chiquis Confidential can be seen on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for 16 weeks. A total of 48 episodes will air and can also be seen via Twitter, Facebook and, once the series is completed, it will also live on YouTube.

Earlier this year, Rivera released “Paloma Blanca,” a banda-themed song dedicated to her mother, who died in December 2012 when her small plane crashed after a performance in Northern Mexico.

The song was also posted on the ChiquisOnline channel. Two official videos of the song combined have received about 4 million views.

At the recent BMI Latin Awards show in Las Vegas, Rivera told Billboard that she was definitely going to pursue a recording career and is actively working on a new album. The new online mini-series will chronicle the entertainer as she makes music, Bull said.

Rivera is no stranger to the spotlight as she’s had her own reality show on cable network Mun2 and in recent years has expressed interest in fashion, beauty and entertainment. In 2013, she was a guest host on ABC‘s The View, where she sat with Barbara Walters and talked about her mother, career and life.

Rivera also wrote the song for her new series, which will be heard on each episode. During the premiere episode, which is produced by Bull as well, the singer talks about why she launched the series.

“I’ve come to realize that sharing my feelings with others is helping me heal the wound that I don’t think I’ll ever completely get over, but I do want to start that process,” Rivera said.

Pope Francis Named to Barbara Walters’ Most Fascinating People of the Year List

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Since being proclaimed the new leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has captivated the world with his charm and humility… And, now the first Pope of the Americas has been named one of this year’s most fascinating people.

The 76-year-old Argentinean church leader, whose birth name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, has been named to Barbara Walters’ list of the Most Fascinating People of the Year, the broadcast journalist’s annual batch of the people who’ve enthralled the masses during the past year.

In March, Pope Francis was chosen to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics as the first pontiff from Latin America.

Bergoglio, the first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years, is the first pontiff to pick the name Francis, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, revered among Catholics for his work with the poor.

One month later, Time magazine named him to its list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Walters’ other picks include Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lawrence, the cast of A&E‘s Duck Dynasty, Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and Duchess Kate and Prince William’s baby George.

Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of the Year will air on December 18 at 9:30 pm ET on ABC.

Walters will unveil her pick for most fascinating person during the 90-minute special.

Estefan to Replace Joy Behar on “The View”?

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Could ABC’s long-running daytime talk show The View finally be ready to hire a Latina to sit at the co-host table?

ABC executives are looking to replace Joy Behar, who recently announced she’s leaving the show at the end of the season, with a Latina, according to The Daily Mail UK.

Gloria Estefan, who is currently working on a Broadway show about her life, is allegedly one of the top contenders. The 55-year-old Cuban-born Latin music icon has appeared as a guest co-host in the past.

But she’s not the only Latina singer apparently under consideration…

Cuban Christian singer Jaci Velasquez, a devout Christian, is said to be in the running.

The website reports that ABC executives want to spice things up and think a feisty conservative Latina with views similar to host Elisabeth Hasselbeck would be an appropriate candidate to star alongside the show’s creator Barbara Walters.

Meantime, staunch Republican Rachel Campos-Duffy, who is married to Sean Duffy, a Republican Congressman in Wisconsin whom she met while filming the MTV hit reality series The Real World: San Francisco, could finally get a spot on the show.

She’s previously tried out twice for The View. She’s currently a stay-at-home and a devoted Catholic.

Iglesias Performs with Haitian President Michel Martelly

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Julio Iglesias has performed a presidential duet during a recent benefit concert..

The 69-year-old Spanish singer performed at the Altos de Chavon Amphitheater in the eastern Dominican city of La Romana, where he shared the stage with Haitian President Michel Martelly.

Iglesias kicked off the Friday night concert with several references to relations between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the two countries that share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

Iglesias’ concert was a benefit to raise money for a children’s institution presided by Haiti’s first lady, Sophia Martelly, who was there with her husband, as were the country’s Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe and Tourism Minister Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin.

Iglesias spoke French to greet Martelly, who was seated in the front row, and thanked him for joining him at the show, to which Martelly thanked Iglesias for his concert on behalf of Haitian children.

Haiti’s president connected immediately with the audience when he said he has been a singer all his life, but never imagined he would be performing once day alongside “a singer called Julio Iglesias.”

At that point Iglesias invited his illustrious companion to come onstage to do a duet of “Corazon, Corazon,” which they sang in Spanish.

Martelly displayed a clear, strong voice and several times earned applause from the audience, above all for the second song he sang with Iglesias, “To All the Girls I Loved Before,” which Iglesias made famous with Willie Nelson.

With that, the Madrid artist hugged Martelly, who left the stage waving at the audience to another resounding ovation.

The concert continued with Iglesias singing “Hey,” highlighting the admirable qualities of his friend, famous Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta, who was in the audience, as was Barbara Walters.

Bardem’s Gold Medal Moment…

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Tom Castaneda

It may not be an Olympic medal, but Javier Bardem is still a gold medalist.

At a special gala event in New York City last night, Spain’s Queen Sofía presented the 42-year-old Oscar-winning actor with the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute’s Gold Medal, which is presented each year to Americans and Spaniards who contribute to the betterment of relations between the United States and Spain.

During the ceremony, Queen Sofía emphasized the importance of presenting the awards in New York, “a city that is the crucible of cultures, and that represents the force and the wealth of the ties that unite Spain and the United States.”

“I thank the queen of Spain for this recognition,” said Bardem during the special ceremony attended by distinguished guests, including former U.S. president Bill Clinton, Barbara Walters and Vogue editor Anna Wintour, adding that he felt “proud of being of a country with so many places and different colors.”

This year’s other medal recipients: Spanish chef and restaurateur Ferran Adrià and noted Peruvian photographer Mario Testino.

Testino, an artist from Lima who divides his time between London and New York, was recognized for his “exceptional talent that has made him a global star.”

“I dedicate this award to the thousands of Latin Americans who each year leave their countries to come to America,” said Testino, the man behind the lens of numerous magazine covers and portraits, including photos of the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

In addition, Queen Sofia presented Oscar de la Renta, the president of the New York Institute, with the Great Order of Civil Merit award that King Juan Carlos awarded him in February.

“Roc” & “Roe” with Carey’s Clan 24/7…

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Tom Castaneda

She may be revealing her babies on primetime television tonight… But Mariah Carey may soon give you an all-access pass to photos of the tykes!

During his radio show “Rollin’ with Nick Cannon,” Carey’s husband reported that sometime after their exclusive interview with Barbara Walters airs, the couple will launch Dembabies.com due to the overwhelming interest in the twins, Moroccan and Monroe.

Carey send this message to her Twitter followers: “BREAKING NEWS: Get all the information on dembabies site from me!!! Very soon-we will have REAL updates. Barbra W. FIRST! L4L-LYM.”

She later added, “Our site is exclusively family moments which you will see later, afterwards-but we’re keeping you posted so stay w/us! Big Kiss!”

The site will be dedicated to Nick’s photos of “Roc” and “Roe” that celebrate their family, including Mariah’s pregnancy. Rather than sell the photos, the couple has decided let the public peek into their private life for FREE.

Don’t miss the twins big reveal tonight on ABC’s “20/20.”

Image courtesy of ABC/Donna Svennevik.

Carey’s Twins Ready for Their Primetime Debut…

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Tom Castaneda

She sang about “The Beautiful Ones” on her “Butterfly” album back in 1997, but now Mariah Carey has two beautiful ones to show off…

The 42-year-old part-Venezuelan songstress’ six-month-old twins with actor/TV host husband Nick Cannon are ready for their close-up.

Carey and Cannon introduced their son Moroccan Scott and daughter Monroe to ABC’s Barbara Walters during an intimate visit to the couple’s lavish Manhattan apartment. It’s part of an exclusive “meet the twins” interview that will air this Friday on “20/20.”

During the special meeting, Walters bonded with “Roc” and “Roe”—as they’ve been nicknamed by the oh-so-proud parents. In the teaser image released by ABC, Monroe is seen wearing a puffy white dress with a matching bow in her hair, while Moroccan is dressed to the nines in a camel-colored suit.

Since their birth in Los Angeles on April 30, the only photo the couple has released was one on Twitter of Monroe with a hand covering her face.

“My son is laid back like me,” the 31-year-old Cannon told Us Weekly back earlier this year. “My daughter’s a diva like her mom!”

The special airs on ABC this Friday at 10:00 pm.