LEEZA GIBBONS MAKE EVERY DAY Count

The longtime television host shares her life story and favorite memories

- Susan Hornik

Journalist and TV host Leeza Gibbons has enjoyed a lot of unique experiences over her long career. The Entertainment Tonight alum, who hosted her own TV series, Leeza, from 1993 to 2000, has had some remarkable celebrity encounters. “Before Jennifer Lopez was an international sensation, she was a dancer on a show called In Living Color, and she tried to teach me to dance on our show. Epic fail!” Leeza, 66, tells Closer with a laugh. “I also got to sing with Barry Manilow and learn to get over my fear of spiders with Betty White,” she recalls. “Betty was always my favorite optimist.”

Tell us about your childhood.

I grew up in the South with two loving parents and a big brother and little sister. As the middle child, I learned to negotiate and get along in my small neighborhood in South Carolina where everyone looked out for each other. I rode the bus home from school, hopped on my bike afterwards, and didn’t come home until dinner.

What did you dream of being when you grew up?

I was that kind of exhausting kid to raise — always wanting to be involved in everything, from puppet theater to candy- striping. Early on, I learned I was pretty good at writing and debate, so I entered contests where I could test my skills. It was my mom who helped me identify as a storyteller when I was in sixth grade.

What do you consider your biggest break?

I left local news, where I was a general- assignment reporter, to join a TV magazine show. My news director told me it was career suicide and that I’d never recover. It was the beginning of following my path of creative storytelling.