In the nineties and early aughts, Steve Kmetko was arguably the preeminent entertainment reporter in Hollywood. Upon arriving in Los Angeles in the eighties, he began work as a general assignment reporter at KNXT-TV, now KCBS-TV, before becoming the station’s entertainment reporter.
Subsequently, Steve was hired to be co-anchor of E! News Daily. There, he traveled the world covering major international events such as the Cannes Film Festival. Domestically, he covered such award shows as the Golden Globes, the Oscars, and as well as others.
But Steve’s idyllic Hollywood career came crashing down faster than you could say Humpty Dumpty. During contract negotiations at E!, Steve was summarily dismissed over a controversial matter involving an email sent on a company computer.
After Steve’s meteoric rise on the red carpets of Hollywood, Steve found himself out of work, and more or less drummed out of town. In time, he returned to Chicago to take care of his ailing parents. Steve accepted the fact that his days as a Hollywood journalist were behind him.
Until now.
A Hollywood producer flew to Chicago and persuaded Steve to host a new podcast. Thus was Still Here Hollywood born.
In this episode of The Hollywood Beat, Tandy Culpepper talks to Steve about his triumphant return to Tinseltown.
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Steve’s interview with Hollywood icon, the late Bette Davis for her film, The Whales of August.
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