Bobby Rivers Dies: Tributes Pour In for Food Network & VH1 Host
Bobby Rivers, an entertainment journalist and radio/television personality best known for hosting the Top 5 show on the Food Network, has died. He was 70.
The news of Rivers’ passing was first reported by WISN 12, an ABC affiliate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Rivers served “as the city’s first Black film critic on television” when he joined the station in 1979.
According to Deadline, Rivers’ sister, Betsy Rivers, confirmed her brother died on Tuesday, December 26, writing in a Facebook post, “Bobby passed away last night and is no longer in any pain.” A cause of death was not given.
A graduate of Marquette University in Wisconsin, Rivers made his first TV appearance as a high school student on a 1970 syndicated classic film trivia game show. He later worked in Milwaukee radio before transitioning to TV as part of the WISN broadcast team, beginning as a film critic and eventually moving up to a co-host and associate producer of his own daily syndicated show.
TV Guide / Courtesy Everett Collection
In 1987, he was hired as a VJ for the cable television network VH1, which ultimately led to his own show on the channel, Watch Bobby Rivers, a celebrity talk show where he interviewed guests such as Paul McCartney, Meryl Streep, Liza Minnelli, Jodie Foster, Michael Caine, Mel Gibson, and many more.
Rivers moved on to WNBC TV’s Weekend Today in New York and WNYW-TV’s Good Day New York as a lifestyles and entertainment reporter in 1992 before becoming entertainment editor on ABC’s Lifetime Live in 2000, where he also appeared on-camera.
Following the cancelation of Lifetime Live, Rivers joined the Food Network as host of Top 5 in 2002 and remained with the show until it ended in 2004.
From 2006 to 2008, he served as a film critic and entertainment reporter on Whoopi Goldberg‘s national weekday morning show for Premiere Radio, Wake Up with Whoopi.
He also has on-screen credits on two episodes of The Sopranos, where he played a news anchor, a 1989 episode of The Equalizer, and a recurring role as Professor Robert Haige on In The Know, a satirical round-table news segment on The Onion News Network video podcast.
Tributes poured in for Rivers following the announcement of his passing, including from his friend and co-worker, Goldberg.
View this post on Instagram
“All hail this pioneer Bobby Rivers… He brought SO much to the table. R I P Bobby,” The View co-host wrote on Instagram.
“Rest in peace Bobby. You were such a wonderful supportive intelligent insightful man. You will be missed,” Sex and the City actor Mario Cantone posted on X.
Violent Femmes drummer Victor DeLorenzo added, “Thinking about my friend Bobby Rivers who got in trouble for having the Fems on his TV show in Milwaukee. A wonderful man who needed to return to broadcasting …Much Love to his family and friends.”
Check out more tributes below.
Thinking about my friend Bobby Rivers who got in trouble for having the Fems on his TV show in Milwaukee. A wonderful man who needed to return to broadcasting …Much Love to his family and friends
❤️ pic.twitter.com/A0jzESNDg5— Victor DeLorenzo (@VicDeLorenzo) December 27, 2023
Rest in peace Bobby. You were such a wonderful supportive intelligent insightful man. You will be missed. pic.twitter.com/v80UgEgZbw
— Mario Cantone (@macantone) December 27, 2023
We are saddened to hear about the passing of trailblazing television personality Bobby Rivers.
An enthusiastic and knowledgeable film fan at heart, we will miss him sharing his love of the classics with the #TCMParty community and his thoughtful essays on his blog. pic.twitter.com/Y3FcnvXfF1
— TCM (@tcm) December 27, 2023
SO sorry to hear of the death of Bobby Rivers. He was SUCH a nice guy, so funny and fast and knew so much. We laughed really hard whenever we spoke (too rarely). It’s a horrible show-biz world that didn’t give him more chances in front of a camera; his interviews were unique. pic.twitter.com/pSeiXQabWs
— kentucker (@kentucker) December 27, 2023
I am so sad to hear this. Bobby was a terrific guy and wonderfully warm, funny and smart. https://t.co/gtwuRXVwU8
— Katie Couric (@katiecouric) December 28, 2023
2023 has been a cruel, cruel year.
Today, we say goodbye to Bobby Rivers (1953-2023.)
We raise a martini to a pioneer who unapologetically broke all the rules — so that he (and we) could ALL #BeSeen. Thank you, Bobby, for everything. ️️⚧️
STORY: https://t.co/jieJFcVqe6 pic.twitter.com/mYI9oSJ0oD
— Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project (@WisLGBTQHistory) December 27, 2023
Sorry to hear of the passing of #BobbyRivers His razor sharp wit and ability to come up with questions that celebrities had never heard before set him apart. One of the first African Americans to have his own show, Watch Bobby Rivers on VH1. He will be missed.
— Gino Salomone (@Moviegino) December 27, 2023
Farwell movie loving pal Bobby Rivers @BobbyRiversTV A pioneering TV & Radio personality, whose easy wit, knowledge, & sense of fun paved the way for the underrepresented & seldom heard. A great entertainment commentator because he was a genuine fan. #RIP I already miss him pic.twitter.com/qzeXlEfgBt
— Steve Hayes (@SteveHayesTOQ) December 27, 2023
Such sad news. Bobby Rivers joined us on the @JohnFugelsang radio show a couple of times. He was a great guest and such a nice guy. Rest In Peace. https://t.co/c0Le4Q8y2R
— Frank Conniff (@FrankConniff) December 27, 2023
Late 70s. I’m trying to break into Milwaukee radio. I get invited by Zuke to a regular media lunch group with Max, Lisa, Julie, the Admiral, Kelly, Roach and others. The cool kids table where I met one of the coolest…RIP Bobby Rivers. pic.twitter.com/bHd7KK2cDl
— Steve Palec (@stevepalec) December 27, 2023
