Rhonda Shear
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Rhonda Shear (born November 12, 1954) is a United States television program host and actor from New Orleans, Louisiana.
Before she became famous, she earned titles in several beauty contests, including holding the Louisiana State title in both the Miss America and Miss USA pageants. Among her other titles was Queen Of The Floral Trail Society. While she sported the latter title, she posed fully clothed for Playboy, but the organizers of that title opposed to her appearing in that magazine, and took the title away from her. Shear gained notoriety after this episode.
After a feud with the New Orleans Register of Conveyances she ran against him during following election. She conducted her campaign in a deliberately flippant way, handing out numerous glamour shot photographs of herself to potential voters. She lost by some 130 votes, but in the process succeeded in her goal of ousting the incumbent. Noticing her, comedian Bob Hope then took her to Hollywood to produce a special named The Starmakers.
Shear is better known for her role as host of the USA Network's weekend movie show, USA Up All Night. From 1991 to 1998 she hosted the show on Friday nights, while Gilbert Gottfried hosted it on Saturdays. She replaced comedienne Caroline Schlitt, Friday night host for the show's first few years. Shear's tone of voice when pronouncing the title "USA Up!! All Night!!" made it a temporary household phrase.
In 1991, Shear returned to Playboy to have her own pictorial published by the magazine, with fewer clothes this time.
Shear's movie credits include:
- Basic Training (1985)
- Spaceballs (1987)
- Assault of the Party Nerds 2: The Heavy Petting Detective (1995)
In addition, she has had guest roles in the television shows Married With Children, Cheers and Full House.
External links
- RhondaShear.com Official Website (http://www.rhondashear.com/)
- IMDb entry for Rhonda Shear (http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0005418/)