Steve Wilkos

This article is about the person. For the talk show, see The Steve Wilkos Show.
Steve Wilkos

Wilkos at the 2012 New York Comic Con.
Born Steven John Wilkos
March 9, 1964
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation

U.S. Marine, United States Marine Corps (1982–1989), Patrolman, Chicago Police Department (1990–2001), Director of security for The Jerry Springer Show (1994–2007),

Talk show host of The Steve Wilkos Show (2007–present), Television host
Known for The Jerry Springer Show and The Steve Wilkos Show
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Spouse(s) Rachelle Wilkos (2000–present)
Children Ruby (born 2003); Jack (born 2005)
Website
www.stevewilkos.com

Steven John "Steve" Wilkos (/ˈwɪlkoʊs/; born March 9, 1964) is an American television personality and veteran of the U.S. Marine and Chicago police officer.[1] He has been hosting The Steve Wilkos Show since 2007, and was director of security on The Jerry Springer Show from 1994 to 2007. He had previously substituted for Springer as host on several occasions before being given his own talk show.

Personal life

Wilkos was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Jeanette (née Pelikan), a beauty school instructor, and Stanley Wilkos, a former police officer.[2][3] He has a brother and two sisters. Wilkos graduated from Lane Technical High School in 1982, then joined the United States Marine Corps, serving from 1982 to 1989 before joining the Chicago Police Department in 1990,[1] where he was stationed in the Logan Square, Chicago neighborhood. Wilkos married Rachelle Consiglio, the former executive producer for Springer as well as his own show, in 2000. They have two children, Ruby (born 2003) and Jack (born 2005).[2][4][5] They live in Fairfield County, Connecticut.[6]

Career

The Jerry Springer Show

In May 1994, the producers of The Jerry Springer Show, taped in Chicago at that time, needed security guards, so they decided to hire Wilkos and other off-duty police officers to work part-time for the show.[7] Wilkos recruited several fellow officers for the job,[1] and he retired from the force and worked exclusively for the show beginning in 2001.

Entertainment Weekly reported that Wilkos became a professional wrestler with the Maryland Championship Wrestling during a temporary production hiatus of Springer.[8][9] In 2005, Wilkos appeared as a guest on Check, Please!, a restaurant-reviewing program on Chicago's PBS station, WTTW.[10]

Beyond Springer, he has made cameo appearances on the MLB Network. He's also appeared on TV series Between Brothers, The Wayans Bros. and The Simpsons, and in the movie Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me as a security guard for Jerry Springer.[11]

The Steve Wilkos Show

Main article: The Steve Wilkos Show
Wilkos before a show-taping in 2011.

In January 2007, NBC Universal Television officially announced that Wilkos would host a talk show of his own based at NBC Tower in Chicago. The self-titled program premiered on September 10, 2007 and received high ratings.[12] Steve is known for his abrasive approach to solving disputes. He also throws chairs when attacking nasty people who are abusive in real life, helps the good ones who are guests in need of help, and ends by telling the bad guests to "Get the hell off my stage".

Wilkos expressed disapproval with the first season of the talk show, as he reflected: "ll I did was yell at everybody and throw people off the stage. There was no level of emotion -- just hardcore yelling." Wilkos said this was how he was produced by his original executive producer, but that his wife encouraged him to be himself and go with his "gut."[13]

In August 2009, the show moved its taping location to Stamford, Connecticut.[14]

In June 2012, NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution announced that The Steve Wilkos Show had been renewed through September 2016.[15]

In the UK, the show started airing on Living 2, then Living It and later, Sky Living.

The show was parodied in "The Story of Lando Freeman" episode of the adult animated television series, The Boondocks, with John DiMaggio voicing Wilkos.
Gary Forbes is currently the in-show announcer for The Steve Wilkos Show.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Weller, Sam (1998-01-12). "Talk Toughs". Weekly Wire. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lipton, Michael A. (May 4, 1998). "Brawlbuster". People. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  3. ↑ Legacy.com
  4. ↑ Nunn, Emily (August 12, 2005). "The zookeeper". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  5. ↑ Rubino, Lindsay (March 19, 2012). "Ringmaster Balances 'Springer,' 'Wilkos' in the Daytime Circus". Broadcasting and Cable. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  6. ↑ Fillo, Maryellen (March 12, 2010). "Steve Wilkos and Rachelle Wilkos Show Off Their Home". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
  7. ↑ Graham, Colin (1999). "Steve's Interview". Archived from the original on 2009-10-25. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
  8. ↑ Hiatt, Brian (2002-03-29). "ABC Cancels "Once and Again"". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2008-01-01.
  9. ↑ YouTube - MCW Steve Wilkos & Gillberg Vs. Dino Divine & Chad Bowman
  10. ↑ "Vivienne on Check Please!". Toyus Interruptus. 2005-10-20. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
  11. ↑ "About Steve Wilkos". WGN-TV. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-12-14. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
  12. ↑ Pursell, Chris (2007-09-11). "‘TMZ,’ ‘Wilkos’ Have Strong Debuts in Syndication". TV Week. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
  13. ↑ Skladany, Joey (February 12, 2015). "Steve Wilkos Gets in Touch with His Softer Side". Zimbio.
  14. ↑ Stevewilkos.com
  15. ↑ Thehour.com

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Steve Wilkos.