How well do you know your sports? Chances are that Erin Andrews would put your athletic general knowledge to shame any time. She is described as the female version of Ryan Seacrest, and Playboy has ranked her as the sexiest sportscaster for two years now. She is a huge TV and social media personality, and her rise to fame and success has been picking momentum lately. Consequently, she has caught many people’s attention. However, few people see beyond Erin Andrews’ looks and fame, and it is such a shame since there is so much to the rising star’s personality. Here are 20 facts that you did not know about Erin Andrews.
Her origin
Erin Andrews was born in Lewiston, Maine on May 4, 1978. However, she spent most of her time in Florida where she grew up and studied. Her father is Steven Andrews, a renowned TV journalist, while her mother, Paula Andrews, is a teacher in Lewiston. She has a younger sister by the name of Kendra Andrews, and she too enjoys the public limelight as a dancer and actress.
Talent runs in the family
Talent runs in the Andrews families if the accomplishments of Erin, Kendra, and Steve Andrews are anything to go by. As mentioned earlier, Kendra Andrews is a talented dancer and actress. Their father, on the other hand, is one of the best investigative journalists. To this end, he has won seven Emmys awards for outstanding investigative journalism in Tampa. He was also awarded a medal by The Investigative Reporters and Editors Association, and his title is 8 On Your Side Senior Investigative Reporter at WFLA.
She went to the University of Florida
Erin Andrews is an alumni of the University of Florida. She attended the university from 1997 to 2000, and she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications; considering the media sensations she has become, it is safe to say that she has put her diploma to good use. However, her public spotlight began way before she graduated as she was a member of the university’s popular Gator Basketball Dazzlers Dance Team. Before attending the University of Florida, Erin Andrews was a student at the Bloomingdale High School where she was a member of the debate team and the National Scholar Association.
Her career has been long in the making
Erin Andrews’ career started immediately after she graduated from the University of Florida in 2000. She started off as a freelance reporter for Fox Sports in 2000, after which she worked for Sunshine Network from 2001-2002 and Turner South Network from 2002-2004. Since then, she has been working for ESPN where she has reported for a wide host of programs and built an incredible sportscaster reputation for herself. She will soon be the host of Dancing with the Stars.
Rapper 50 Cent once tried to kiss her
There is no question about Erin Andrews’ attractiveness, and famous rapper 50 Cent couldn’t agree more. In fact, he once tried to kiss her on live television during one of the episodes of the show Daytona 500. From the look of things, 50 Cent had aimed straight for the lips, but Andrews politely refused and offered him her cheek instead. Like a gentleman, 50 Cent did not make a fuss about it but gave her a romantic peck instead.
Her boyfriend is Jarret Stoll
Considering the Erin Andrews is one of the sexiest sportscasters in the U.S., it is no surprise that her boyfriend is the famous NHL star Jarret Stoll. He is a professional hockey player who is currently signed up with the New York Rangers. Before joining the New York Rangers, Jarret Stoll aided Los Angeles’ hockey team The Kings to win the Stanley Cup Championship twice: once during the 2011-2012 seasons and again during the 2013-2014 season. The couple recently took another milestone in their relationship when they decided to move in together. They signed a lease on a New York City apartment, and thereafter went to celebrate with vanilla milkshakes at Shake Shack.
She is a former participant and the current host of ‘Dancing with the Stars’
One would be forgiven to think that Dancing with the Stars was one of Erin Andrews’ destinies considering her vast involvement in the popular show. To start with, she is a former contestant of the hit show. She competed in the tenth season of the show and collaborated with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. The dual put up such an awesome performance that they came in third position, and Andrews’ spectacular performance, in particular, has played a significant role in earning her the host position.
In fact, the two had so much fun that fans even speculated that they were dating; however, Andrews was quick to shoot down the rumors. Erin Andrews has made headlines lately for being chosen to host the 18th season of Dancing with the Stars. Her co-host will be the Emmy Award winner Tom Bergeron, and the two are expected to put up quite a show. However, she will have to deal with some criticism first as some fans are not comfortable with Brooke Burke leaving the show.
The leaked nude video of her on the internet
There is a nude video of Erin Andrews on the internet, and it has garnered over 17 million views so far. The video was taken by Erin’s stalker, an insurance executive by the name of Michael David Barrett. It was also taken without her consent as the stalker filmed her through a peephole in her hotel room’s door. The video caused a lot of buzz in the media and on the internet as well as a multi million dollar lawsuit which Andrews won. However, although it has been devastating for Andrews, she has handled it well and fought to honor her dignity.
She sued the Marriott Hotel over the nude video
The nude video of Erin Andrews was taken during her stay at Marriott Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. She accused the hotel of indirectly aiding Michael David Barrett in filming her naked, and her lawyer based the lawsuit on basis of negligence. Apparently, Barrett followed Andrews over three states and checked in at the same hotel at her. He initially asked to be placed in the room next to hers, and although his request was initially granted the staffers later turned him down as the room was already booked.
However, Barrett later called the reception and asked to be connected to her room, which helped him know her exact room number. He then proceeded to the room, removed the peephole, and continued to film her naked. What’s even more unfortunate is the fact that Barrett had filmed ten other women before this and got away with it every time.
$55 Million
Erin Andrews’ lawsuit was very successful as there was overwhelming evidence both against Michael David Barrett and the Marriott Hotel. The jury ruled in her favor and awarded her a whopping $55 million in compensation.
ESPN forced her to do an interview about her stalking case
Many people did not expect Erin Andrews to go on air and open up about her ordeal with her stalker, but she did when she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. However, it turns out that the interview was conducted against her will as ESPN placed a lot of pressure using its employer’s status as leverage. Apparently, the network barred her from going back on air until she gave the interview, and she felt that she did not have any other choice. Amazingly, ESPN did not deny these accusations, but it nevertheless maintained that it was not involved in any wrongdoing.
The scandal came with a fair share of opportunities
Erin Andrews dealt with a lot of emotional stress when her nude video went public, but it also opened up a host of opportunities for her. A lot of prominent companies took note of the buzz around her life and recruited her to endorse their products. For example, Degree Deodorant, Florida Orange Juice, Reebok, and Gillette all gave her contracts to endorse their products. She was also chosen to host the CMT Awards in 2015, and she got a chance to contribute as a red carpet correspondent for the Good Morning America academy awards in 2011.
She was accused of using the scandal to her advantage
During the proceedings of her lawsuit against Marriott Hotel, Erin Andrews’ publicity and popularity in advertising was used as a leverage by the hotel’s lawyers who accused her of benefiting from the scandal. The defense attorneys asked her whether her success had increased since the video went viral in 2009, to which she simply replied yes.
She was once labeled ‘the sideline siren’
Erin Andrews started her career on a low note. She started off as a sideline reporter for Big Ten College Basketball Games and ESPN College Football Saturday Primetime. As you may imagine, she did not get much publicity and she was looked down upon by her superiors. Like many other rookies, she was given her very own befitting nick name: the sideline siren. Today, however, that nick name has long faded away and she is considered the female version of Ryan Seacrest.
She has had her fair share of workplace hazards
Erin Andrews’ occupation is undeniably fun, but it too comes with its fair share if workplace hazards. For Andrews, this came as a hit on her chin by a foul ball. She was struck by the foul ball while reporting on a Mets-Dodgers game at Citi Field, but, like every good reporter, she kept her calm. Fortunately, the ball did not do much damage and the bruise was barely visible.
She was yelled at by Richard Sherman on live TV
Cornerback Richard Sherman is pretty good in the field, and he does not hesitate to make this known. In fact, he once lost his cool on live TV and yelled at Erin Andrews telling her that he was the best cornerback in the game. He also took the opportunity to let Michael Crabtree know that he was not match and referred to him as a “sorry receiver.” However, Erin Andrews remained silent throughout the rant.
Richard Sherman is one of her favorite players
Erin Andrews stunned many of her fans when she told Elle Magazine that Richard Sherman was one of her best players after he yelled at her on live TV. In fact, she went on to praise him for putting up such a great show during the interview, further puzzling her fans. However, to justify her reasons, she said that most of her interviews “feel plain and cliché as if they are rehearsed,” and Richard Sherman’s outburst helped spice up things. This, however, may have very well been true considering the viewership that the interview received.
Her occupation is her top priority
Erin Andrews’ personal life, like most other celebrities’ personal lives, is always under scrutiny by her fans. Nevertheless, her relationships with her boyfriend, friends, and family has been fairly smooth. However, she never shies away from highlighting the top priority she gives her career, and rightly so considering the success she has achieved over the past few years.
She cannot resist some of McDonald’s fast foods
You would expect Erin Andrews to be one of the gluten and calorie vigilant TV stars considering the public spotlight on her and the need to maintain a perfect body. However, she does not mind to snack one some of McDonald’s fast foods every once in a while. She recently admitted that she eats chicken fillets once every week. However, it seems that Chipotle is her favorite as includes it in her menu three times every week. Nevertheless, she still manages to maintain her sexy looks.
She has a net worth of about $20 million
Erin Andrews has made quite a fortune for herself thanks to her television ubiquity. So far, her net worth is valued at about $20 million. What’s more, this figure is expected to grow steadily in the coming years after she hosts Dancing with the Stars, which is expected to further brighten up her career and open doors to many more lucrative opportunities.
