Patrick John O'Brien (born February 14, 1948) is an American author and radio host, best known for his work as a sportscaster with CBS Sports from 1981 to 1997, as well as his work as the anchor and host of Access Hollywood from 1997 to 2004, and The Insider from 2004 to 2008.
He wrote the book Talkin' Sports: A B.S.-er's Guide, published in 1998,[1] and released an autobiography, I'll Be Back Right After This, in 2014.
Education
Pat O'Brien grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He attended Axtell Park Middle School before graduating from Washington High School in 1966.[citation needed] O'Brien received a degree in government from the University of South Dakota (where he was a member of the Delta Tau Deltafraternity) in 1970.[2] He subsequently earned a master's degree in international economics from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C.[3] O'Brien was a member of Sioux Falls area rock and roll band Dale Gregory and the Shouters, from 1964 to 1967 for which he was inducted into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 25, 2010.[4] Subsequent to the Shouters, he was the lead band personality in the local band Those of Us, a compilation of the Shouters and the X-Men.
Career
Early career (1970–1981)
O'Brien started his career working for KSOO TV-Radio in his hometown of Sioux Falls.[citation needed] After graduating from college in 1970, he worked as a researcher at NBC News in Washington, D.C.,[5] and was a production assistant for The Huntley-Brinkley Report.[6] He then served as an anchor and reporter for WMAQ-TV in Chicago. In 1977, he moved to KNXT-TV (now KCBS-TV) in Los Angeles, where he earned four local Emmy Awards.[5]
On August 18, 2010, O'Brien joined Steve Hartman and Vic "The Brick" Jacobs on the Loose Cannons show. Subsequently, Vic left the show and it was renamed Primetime on Fox Sports Radio, which could be heard from 3 p.m. to 7 pm. E.S.T. Throughout O'Brien's show, he was often condescending about a Los Angeles–based newspaper sports writer, Tom Hoffarth. A memo sent to some people at Sherman Oaks–based Fox Sports Radio with a new lineup for early 2014, changes that left Pat O'Brien and Steve Hartman without a show.
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In 2001, O'Brien had a cameo appearance in P. Diddy's Bad Boy For Life music video. In early 2003, Pat O'Brien filled in for Casey Kasem three times on Kasem's radio programs American Top 40 and American Top 20, once in January, once in February, and once in March when Kasem took vacation time. O'Brien also voice-acted in an episode of The Twilight Zone entitled "Mr. Motivation". His voice is used for a doll named "Mr. Motivation".
On March 20, 2005, O'Brien issued a written statement announcing that he had been admitted to a rehabilitation facility for alcoholism. Around the announcement of O'Brien entering rehabilitation, a string of sexually graphic voice-mail messages that contained O'Brien's voice started to make the rounds, particularly within the Internet community and radio programs The Bubba the Love Sponge Show, The Wendy Williams Experience, The Howard Stern Show and The Opie and Anthony Show. The drunk dialing incident consisted primarily of O'Brien, in a state of arousal, repeatedly recording sexually graphic messages, complete with suggestions of drug use, on the cellular voicemail box of a woman who remains anonymous.
On May 4, 2005, O'Brien was interviewed by talk show therapist Phil McGraw, which was featured during a prime time special on CBS. He disclosed the reasons behind his alcohol and drug abuse since the 1960s, as well as his experiences during rehabilitation. O'Brien also expressed remorse for the voice-mail incident and apologized for what his substance abuse did to his family. O'Brien returned to The Insider the next day, and reports said that O'Brien had been signed to a new deal as host of the show.
On February 8, 2008, it was reported that O'Brien reentered rehabilitation and Donny Osmond would be "filling in" as the co-host of The Insider[13] alongside Lara Spencer. On March 5, 2008, it was reported that O'Brien had been removed from The Insider, with Osmond taking his place.[14] However, a month later O'Brien resumed his hosting duties after Osmond declined to take a permanent hosting role. On September 18, 2008, O'Brien was officially fired from The Insider.[citation needed]