The national spotlight will once again shine on Detroit when Tavis Smiley, host of the late-night television talk show Tavis Smiley on PBS, comes to Wayne State University. Smiley will tape five episodes of his award-winning program in front of a live audience at Community Arts Auditorium on March 23, 24 and 25. Detroit Public Television will provide the crew and state-of-the-art facilities to help produce the shows in conjunction with Wayne State.
The focus of the week will include examining the city’s downtown resurgence, the challenges facing long-time residents, the Arab American community in Dearborn, the arts community, and education. The week will conclude with a Detroit Town Hall meeting.
Smiley is a broadcaster, author, publisher, advocate and philanthropist whose thoughtful conversations with world figures and his work to inspire the next generation of leaders have made him a celebrated journalist and passionate advocate for youth empowerment. His show has won numerous awards and is seen daily on PBS stations throughout the country as well as on the WORLD Channel. Funding for the 5-night series is provided by Ford Foundation and The Skillman Foundation.
“The world is looking at all that has been accomplished over the last two years in Detroit. Yet, there are still huge challenges ahead of us,” said Rich Homberg, president and CEO of Detroit Public Television. “Having Tavis come to Detroit to help translate our story for the entire country is an important opportunity for Detroit Public Television. We’re truly excited about this partnership.”
In addition to hosting the PBS show, Smiley has authored or co-authored 18 books, including What I Know for Sure: My Story of Growing Up in America and The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto, both of which were New York Times bestsellers. His forthcoming book, My Journey with Maya, recounts how Smiley stumbled into a relationship with Maya Angelou that shaped his future and affected the man he became. He is also the founder of the nonprofit Tavis Smiley Foundation, which recently announced a $3 million, four-year campaign called “ENDING POVERTY: America’s Silent Spaces” to alleviate endemic poverty in America.
In 2009, TIME magazine named Smiley to its list of “The World’s 100 Most Influential People.” The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored him with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in April 2014.
“I love Detroit and welcome an opportunity to bring my show to Wayne State University,” Smiley said. “Detroit has a bright future and we intend to give viewers across the country an in-depth look at the city’s rich cultural heritage, thriving art scene and some of the forward-thinking initiatives taking root.”
If you are interested in being a part of the live audience, visit dptv.org/tavissmiley.