New KPRC 2 reporter is Rob Reiner's son

Yes, new KPRC 2 reporter Jake Reiner is actor/director Rob Reiner's son, but don't call him 'Meathead'

Jake Reiner

Even on vacation, I am trying to get you Houston's media news first, as I did with the news about new KPRC 2 reporter Jake Reiner on Friday.

UPDATE DECEMBER 2025
Jake Reiner receives well-wishes from Houston

UPDATE JUNE 2018
Jake Reiner leaving KPRC 2

 
However, I missed a big part of the story until someone pointed it out to me in my own comments section!

Here, I was in a Los Angeles hotel room, hoping the Wi-Fi would last until I could finish writing and hit publish, and totally missed out that Jake Reiner is actor/director/producer/writer Rob Reiner's son (you know 'Meathead' on All in the Family and the director of This Is Spinal Tap). That also means his grandfather is comedy legend Carl Reiner.

 Uhh, kind of ironic that I was writing the post in the entertainment capital of the world and didn't make those connections. Guess I'm ripping up my application for Extra now. I was going to try to be Mario's best friend too.

There were some clues in Jake's bio. It said he was from Los Angeles and a major Dodgers fan. No mention of the Hollywood connection though.

Does anyone know if a child of a famous Hollywood star has ever worked in Houston media before? I'm drawing a blank on that one.

So why isn't Jake following in his famous father's footsteps? Well, a blog called Farther Off the Wall says Rob Reiner made it a family rule that none of his kids would be in his movies until they turned age 18. Jake eventually had a small role in his dad's movie Flipped in 2010 according to IMDb.

The Farther blog goes on to say acting isn't Jake's passion. His real dream is to call Dodgers games on radio or TV. He got a chance to do just that online as a teen.

The love of baseball runs in the Reiner family. On a nine-year journey, Rob toured every Major League Park, ending at Dolphin Stadium with Jake in 2008, the then home of the Florida Marlins.

So Houstonians will be able to watch Jake Reiner on channel 2 then flip over to a ton of other channels to watch his dad. Lately, Rob has been guest starring on FOX's New Girl.

WATCH >>> Jake Reiner reporting and anchoring

RELATED
- Stephanie Whitfield joins KHOU 11
- Melissa Correa joins KHOU 11
- Marla Carter joins KTRK abc13

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Melissa Correa joins KHOU 11

Melissa Correa joins KHOU 11 from KRGV Rio Grande Valley

Melissa Correa

I told you there was a lot of Houston TV news while I was away.

UPDATE JULY 2022

Melissa Correa leaves KHOU 11 

First Marla Carter joined KTRK abc13 and now Melissa Correa joins KHOU 11 from KRGV Rio Grande Valley where she has been a reporter/anchor for the last four years.

This is a return to Houston for Correa who earned her degree from the University of Houston. According to her bio, she wrote for the Daily Cougar and was even a Buggy Beauty during football games.

"I was living in Houston in 2005 when hurricanes Katrina and Rita made landfall," Correa wrote in her KRGV bio. "I watched around-the-clock news coverage of the natural disasters that forever changed many communities. It was that extensive coverage that inspired me to follow my passion and become a reporter. Words are powerful. Some images stay with us forever. A chance at telling life-changing stories was too valuable to pass up."

Before KRGV, Correa worked for WWBT Richmond, Virginia. She started her career in KOSA in Odessa. The Weslaco native interned for the FOX News Channel.

RELATED
- New KPRC 2 reporter is Rob Reiner's son
- Stephanie Whitfield joins KHOU 11
- Jake Reiner joins KPRC 2
- Melissa Correa joins KHOU 11
- Philip Bruce is leaving KHOU 11

Marla Carter joins KTRK abc13

KJRH Tulsa investigative reporter Marla Carter joins KTRK abc13 as reporter

Marla Carter

I'm back from Los Angeles and playing catch up.

So many changes in the Houston TV world happened while I was away that went unreported...until now.

The first post is all about Marla Carter who joined KTRK abc13 from KJRH Tulsa where she was an investigative reporter since 2007.

Before that, the award winning journalist worked for WIBW Topeka, Kansas.

The Kansas City native earned her degree from the University of Missouri.

We can assume she replaces John Fenoglio.

RELATED
- New KPRC 2 reporter is Rob Reiner's son
- Stephanie Whitfield joins KHOU 11
- Jake Reiner joins KPRC 2
- Melissa Correa joins KHOU 11


(Thanks Taylor)

Melanie Lawson's mother, Audrey, passes away

KTRK abc13 anchor Melanie Lawson's mother, Audrey, dies at age 83

Melanie Lawson

Not only is KTRK abc13 anchor Melanie Lawson a big part of Houston, but so are her influential parents.

So unfortunately the Houston Chronicle reports her mother, Audrey Lawson, passed away of natural causes Saturday at the age of 83.

The Rev. Bill Lawson and Audrey founded Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in the early 1960s. She worked tirelessly to help those in need through the church and charter schools, plus helped build The Ensemble Theater.

"She was the strongest woman you've ever know," Melanie described her on the station's website.

The Houston Library has even archived letters between Audrey and Bill Lawson online.

Channel 13 anchor Tom Abrahams filed this piece in memory of Audrey Lawson.

Jake Reiner joins KPRC 2

Jake Reiner joins KPRC 2 as a reporter from KION Salinas, California

UPDATE
Jake Reiner is actor/director Rob Reiner's son

UPDATE DECEMBER 2025
Jake Reiner receives well-wishes from Houston

UPDATE JUNE 2018
Jake Reiner leaving KPRC 2

Jake Reiner

Jake Reiner is joining the KPRC 2 news team as a reporter, the Houston NBC affiliate tells mikemcguff.com.

Reiner currently reports for KION in Salinas, California.

The Los Angeles native (Hey, that's where I am right now. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for photos from La La Land.) spent four years studying broadcast journalism at Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

But according to his bio, he couldn't wait to get back to California to start his TV journalism career.

KPRC tells me Reiner is in Houston right now looking for some new digs, and starts at the station January 4th.

I'm usually terrible at trying to figure out who is replacing who, but I bet it is a fair guess that Reiner is Mark Boyle's replacement since the latter leaves for WCNC in January (And Mark, I may use this photo of Reiner if/when he leaves KPRC).

UPDATE
Jake Reiner is actor/director Rob Reiner's son

Philip Bruce is leaving KHOU 11

KHOU 11 news director Philip Bruce is leaving the station

Philip Bruce

KHOU 11 news director Philip Bruce is apparently leaving so goes what I am hearing.

When I asked KHOU about this, a representative told me, "As a matter of station policy we do not respond to personnel inquiries."

Bruce joined the station back in February of 2011. He replaced Keith Connors.

It was a homecoming for Bruce who was an award winning reporter for the station and Washington Bureau Chief from 1985-1995.

There is no word on where he is going next.

And for those who think another station's former ND has been hired, not so fast.

UPDATE

"After nearly 5 years as our Executive News Director Phil Bruce will be leaving KHOU at the end of January.

Phil has done an exceptional job in our newsroom at a time when our industry has been and continues to be challenged with audience fragmentation and economic uncertainty.

He’s led our newsroom through significant change as we’ve adapted new newsgathering and production technologies and he’s supported our “One Newsroom” philosophy integrating on-air and digital workflows. And, he’s been an important member of our station leadership team.

Please join me in thanking Phil for his significant contributions to our newsroom and wish him well on this next chapter of his career."

Susan A McEldoon
President & General Manager
KHOU-TV

RELATED
KHOU 11's new news director is Philip Bruce

Where is Casey Curry?

All Points Bulletin for one KTRK abc13 meteorologist Casey Curry

UPDATE JANUARY 26, 2016
Casey Curry spotted at abc13 KTRK

Casey Curry

"Where is Casey Curry," is the most emailed/facebooked question I get these days.

The answer is I do not know.

After taking a fall during KTRK abc13's 11am newscast in September, we haven't seen Curry since. Well, at least not on TV. On Facebook, Curry showed us her new pink/camo cast.

No doubt Curry has her fans, I meet them all the time in my inbox. Get well soon Casey.

I am about get on a flight so that may/may not impact blogging for a few days.

In the meantime, here is news about my 101 KLOL documentary. The thing is four hours long as of now. Don't worry, I am cutting it down as we speak. I know there are lots of Stevens & Pruett, Dayna Steele, Outlaw Dave, Lanny Griffith...etc. fans out there, but four hours is a bit long for even me to sit through!

Trust me, the edited down version will still be very good, actually better overall.

Make sure to follow me on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram to keep up with what's going on while I'm away from here.

And just because I'm not currently posting, doesn't mean you have to stop dropping by here. I have a Houston news page updating stories 24 hours a day, the same for a media news page, Houston TV Instagram photos and a page with Houston media member tweets.


UPDATE JANUARY 26, 2016
Casey Curry spotted at abc13 KTRK

VIDEO: Joanna Gaines before HGTV's "Fixer Upper"

Joanna Gaines of HGTV's "Fixer Upper" used to star in local TV commercials for her dad's Waco auto shop


Every time I talk with a fellow Baylor alum, the conversation usually ends up, "Wow, can you believe how Waco has changed over the years?"

Case in point, the success of HGTV's "Fixer Upper" which is based in the Central Texas city. Whoever thought Waco would be home of one of reality TV's hottest new shows? The stars, Chip and Joanna Gaines, have become America's sweethearts. You can read more about them here.

Now Waco has lots of traffic heading to Magnolia Market at the Silos complete with an In-N-Out Burger nearby.

So let's flash back to years before the show when Joanna starred in TV commercials for her father's auto repair shop, Jerry Stevens Firestone on Lake Air Drive. This might have been the time when Joanna was interning for KWTX 10, the CBS affiliate in Waco.

When I was a freshman at Baylor, I think I remember reading in the student newspaper, The Lariat, or maybe it was an ad, there was a new laundry/folding service started for the campus.  It was the The Baylor Wash ‘n Fold apparently.  Who knew at the time, the young entrepreneur, Chip Gaines would end up reality TV royalty.  Back in 1995, we didn't even know what reality TV was outside of MTV's The Real World!

Drew Barrymore interviews Chip and Joanna Gaines on how her dad's Jerry Stevens Firestone local Waco television commercial led the Magnolia couple to meet.



The next video Baylor produced about Joanna and the show.

Dan Lovett: From partying with Dave Ward to building KTRK's sports department & beyond

Anybody Seen Dan Lovett?: Memoirs of a Media Nomad


I'm way behind on this one, but if you are reading this blog, then chances you will want to read Anybody Seen Dan Lovett?: Memoirs of a Media Nomad.

Dan Lovett, the guy Bob Allen replaced behind the KTRK abc13 sports desk in the 70s, has some great stories about radio, TV and of course sports (and largely Houston sports stories to boot). He was there for the opening of the Harris County Domed Stadium aka The Astrodome.

Dan Lovett, Dave Ward, Troy Dungan

Much like another book I wrote about recently, Houston's Morning Show: The True Story of Hudson & Harrigan by Randy Hames, there are even a few 610 KILT stories since Lovett worked there prior to channel 13. Lovett even covered Vietnam for KILT.

After radio, Lovett and a young anchor you might have heard of, Dave Ward, worked together at 13 and raised hell afterwards till the wee hours of the morning. Often times they raced each other back to their houses as the sun was peeking over the horizon. Were they doing research on upcoming stories together at Kay's library? Well...you can probably guess. Find out what was really happening by reading the book. I'll give you this much, it led to an intervention as you will see. Lovett also writes about Dave Ward's movie appearance in My Sweet Charlie.

Let's not forget Lovett's impressions of the White Knight in Blue Shades, Marvin Zindler and what he did to channel 13 upon his arrival.

Naturally I enjoyed the Houston stuff, but really liked being a fly on the wall when Lovett left Houston for WABC New York and his time working with Roger Grimsby and Geraldo Rivera (not sure Lovett is such a fan of the latter, LOL). And reading about his time at W 66th, you might say the more things change the more they stay the same.

Lovett does a great job weaving the narrative about his career and big sports, news and cultural events going on throughout. How does he do it? He was there covering it in the first place.

I also appreciate his list of his own broadcasting bloopers. Not many of these broadcaster bios are that honest. These tomes are usually filled with I did this great thing, then this great thing, I met this famous person and they liked me and I did all of this all by myself. Lovett does not take this approach, he even as a chapter on TV producers. Want another holds barred TV read - go read this too.

So if you like TV, radio, Houston, sports or history in general..I recommend Anybody Seen Dan Lovett?: Memoirs of a Media Nomad.

RELATED
- Original KTRK news team reunites: Ward, Lovett & Dungan
- Houston radio DJs of the 1960s talk about era

KPRC 2 & Telemundo Houston to host mayoral debate TONIGHT

Spanish-language viewers will be able to watch the debate live on TelemundoHouston.com

KPRC Channel 2, Telemundo Houston, and the League of Women Voters of Houston will host "Decision 2015: Houston Mayoral Debate" on Friday, December 4 at 7 p.m.

With four days left in early voting, the debate will air live on KPRC2, Click2Houston.com and TelemundoHouston.com.

The two top-rated television partners as well as the League of Women Voters of Houston Education Fund, and with support from the Greater Houston Partnership, are collaborating to ensure voters know where each candidate stands on the biggest issues impacting our community. Candidates Bill King and Sylvester Turner have committed to take part.

The debate will be hosted by KPRC Channel 2 anchor Bill Balleza and Telemundo Houston investigative reporter Crystal Ayala. Balleza has been at the helm of many big events for KPRC for more than 35 years and anchors KPRC Channel 2 News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., & 10 p.m. Ayala reports for Telemundo Houston’s News at 4:30pm, 5 p.m., and 10 p.m.

Candidates will field questions from four panelists, including “Houston Newsmakers” host Khambrel Marshall and Telemundo Houston anchor Martín Berlanga as well as League of Women Voters members Reda Hicks and John Gorczynski. Some of the questions will come from the Greater Houston Partnership as well as viewers.

Spanish-language viewers will be able to watch the debate online at TelemundoHouston.com and via the Telemundo Houston mobile app, which is free and available for download on iTunes and Google Play stores.

To follow along on social media, use the hashtags #Decision2015 and #VoteHOU.

(This post was taken from a release sent to me by KPRC 2)