Jayne Kennedy is ready to tell it all.
Nearly 50 years ago, Kennedy made history as the first Black woman to co-host a major national sports program.
In 1978, she became a trailblazing sportscaster when she joined CBS’s "The NFL Today," serving as an anchor from 1978 to 1980.
She told WLRN that her new memoir, Plain Jayne, reflects on her groundbreaking career in sports and Hollywood on “her own terms” — navigating a devastating sex scandal, family responsibilities, and, among the memoir’s most riveting stories, one of her unforgettable moments with legendary boxer and activist Muhammad Ali.
Just two weeks into her contract in 1978, she heard producers scrambling for an Ali post-fight interview after his rematch win against Leon Spinks for the heavyweight title.
"I turned and said, 'I can get the interview.' They said, 'Who are you?' Kennedy recalled.
Little did the producers know, Kennedy was friends with Ali and had some real pull. A well-known actress and model, she was celebrated for her film and TV roles, high-profile ad campaigns and frequent appearances in leading Black magazines Ebony and Jet.
Kennedy first met Ali at a television conference in Las Vegas, and he recognized her from the Dean Martin Show as a Ding-A-Ling Sister, a singing and dancing quartet. They struck up a conversation that sparked a lasting friendship.
Producers sent Kennedy to New Orleans on a private jet to secure the interview.
“ Ali did the interview. He walked in the room, punched into the camera, and he said, ‘I only do this for my friend Jane.’” she said of the meeting with Ali.
Though initially signed for just six months, that moment with Ali secured her role for the entire season.
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In an interview with NPR this week, Kennedy addressed — for the first time in 35 years — the theft and release of a private VHS tape of her and ex-husband during their marriage, describing it not as a "sex tape," but as an intimate moment between two married, consenting individuals.
Kennedy told NPR she chose not to hold a press conference at the time, stating she "just couldn't live with it" and that it hurt too much. She revealed that a family member was responsible for stealing and releasing the tape. The incident, she said, drastically hurt her career and sent her into a deep depression, causing her to withdraw from the public.
She felt the release of the tape ruined her and her former spouse.
Her memoir Plain Jayne hit bookshelves in early September by publisher Disney’s Andscape. It’s divided into four parts: Jane Harrison (childhood), Jane Kennedy (career), Jane Overton (motherhood), and “Finding Me,” which offers a personal observation into a woman who’s lived many lives.
In her memoir, Kennedy opens up about her path from small-town Ohio to national fame and the complicated weight of being a Black pioneer. “Well, in those days you didn't really have a lot of social media, so I was just doing my job,” Kennedy reflects.
She was crowned the first Black woman Miss Ohio in 1970, just a few years before breaking ground in sports TV programming. “When I was working, I really didn’t know the impact I was having,” she added.
In an era before social media, her realization grew gradually, through nearly 20 covers on Jet and Ebony and the proud support of her community and family. "I didn't have touch with the people. The only way that I knew was Jet Magazine. And so thank God for Johnson Publications.” she said.
And while the book doesn’t shy away from the Hollywood and media industry’s racism or sexism, it also highlights the joyful wins, especially in her family life.
“My children. I treasure with all my heart,” she said. “The fourth part was supposed to be finding me, and I realized that there is no me without everyone else.”
IF YOU GO
What: An Evening with Jayne Kennedy: a conversation about her memoir, Plain Jayne
When: Tuesday, Sept.16, 2025, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m
Where: African-American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC), 2650 Sistrunk Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Information: More details here
