Ali Velshi
Ali Velshi | |
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Real Money with Ali Velshi | |
Title |
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Relatives | Murad Velshi (father) Shaf Keshavjee Mohamed Keshavjee |
Website | alivelshi |
Ali Velshi (born October 29, 1968, or 1969) is a Canadian television
Personal life
Velshi was born in Nairobi,[3] Kenya, and raised in Toronto, Ontario, after moving there in 1971. He is an Ismaili Muslim of Gujarati Indian descent.[4][5] He is the son of Murad Velshi, the first WW2 Canadian of Indian origin elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and the son of Murad's wife, Mila, also Indian, who grew up in South Africa. Velshi's parents operated a bakery in South Africa, but moved to Kenya in 1960, when Apartheid became oppressive. In Toronto, Velshi's parents operate a chain of travel agencies.
Velshi attended Toronto's
Velshi was married briefly in his twenties. In 2009, he married his second wife, New York–born hedge fund manager Lori Wachs,[10] the president of Philadelphia-based Cross Ledge Investments, whom he met when she was a guest on his show. The couple have one child together, a daughter.[11] Velshi divides his time between an apartment in New York City and his home in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.[12]
Career
In 1996, Velshi was awarded a
Television
In Toronto, Velshi began his professional reporting career as a General Assignment reporter for
CNN
Velshi moved to the U.S. in September 2001, joining business news channel CNNfn in New York City. He anchored several shows, including Insights, Business Unusual, Street Sweep, and Your Money, and co-hosted The Money Gang with Pat Kiernan before the network closed down in December 2004. Reassigned to the main CNN network, he remained a business anchor and reporter posted initially to CNN's early-morning program Daybreak. In 2005, Velshi hosted 13 hour-long episodes of The Turnaround, a reality television show, during which he traveled across America introducing small business owners who were facing challenges or seeking to grow their businesses to high-profile mentors who helped the small business owners develop a plan for success.[13] After The Turnaround, Velshi was assigned to the newly launched The Situation Room from 2005 to 2006. Velshi joined American Morning as business correspondent in late 2006 and then again as co-anchor in 2011. In 2008, Velshi undertook a cross-country road trip aboard the CNN Election Express, during which he travelled from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to Los Angeles, California, stopping along the way to discuss money issues with Americans. Velshi also spent 10 days riding the CNN Election Express through rural Texas before that state's March 4, 2008, primaries.
Velshi regularly was a substitute anchor for CNN/U.S. programs such as American Morning. On Saturday and Sunday he co-hosted a business program called Your Money. Velshi also hosted CNN's Energy Hunt, which took him to the
During the
Being Muslim, Velshi regularly acknowledges his background and perspective when discussions involve Islam. Velshi has strongly defended the Muslim community's right to build a mosque and Islamic center (
Al Jazeera America
On April 4, 2013, it was announced that Velshi would be leaving CNN to join Al Jazeera America to host a weekly 30-minute magazine-style prime-time program called Real Money with Ali Velshi.[21] He was the first on-air personality to be hired for the new channel.[22] The channel stated that it hoped that Velshi's show would initially start off as a weekly show and become a daily show by the end of the year.[23] Real Money with Ali Velshi launched on August 20, 2013, as a daily weekday show. On May 12, 2015, the show relaunched as Ali Velshi on Target. This show ended in April 2016 when Al Jazeera America shut down.
MSNBC and NBC
Velshi joined MSNBC in October 2016,[24] with additional duties at MSNBC's parent news division, NBC News, for which he serves as Business Correspondent.
Velshi initially co-anchored the 1:00 pm ET MSNBC news program Velshi & Ruhle with Stephanie Ruhle, as well as having his own 3:00 PM ET news program MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi. Velshi was also appointed as the fill-in host of The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell on Friday edition.
However, in December 2019, Velshi was moved to weekend mornings with his own show called Velshi, a 2-hour solo act. He continues to substitute for other hosts in the weekday evening lineups.[25]
Writings
Velshi is represented by the New York literary agency
Awards and recognition
In 2010, Velshi was awarded the
Honorary Degrees
- Honorary degrees
Location | Date | School | Degree | Gave Commencement Address |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ontario | 7 June 2016 | Queen's University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) [26] |
Yes [27] |
Pop culture
Referencing Velshi's signature bald pate, the comedian Jon Stewart has referred to Velshi as the "Hairless Prophet of Doom" on The Daily Show,[28]—the "H-POD" moniker is now frequently repeated by others.
In addition to appearing on The Daily Show, Velshi appeared on
Velshi played himself in the 2010 Oliver Stone film Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.
During the recurring intro segment of
Memberships and non-profit work
Velshi is a member of the
See also
- Broadcast journalism
- Gujarati people
- Indians in the New York City metropolitan region
- New Yorkers in journalism
References
- ^ Weinger, M. (April 4, 2013). "Ali Velshi Joins Al Jazeera America". Politico. Retrieved April 6, 2013.
- ^ Steinberg, Brian (October 18, 2016). "MSNBC Hires Ali Velshi". Variety. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
- ISBN 9781499058741.
- ^ Leslie Scrivener (May 10, 2009). "From Toronto to CNN, he's all business". the star.com. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
The Velshis belong to the Ismaili branch of Islam, led by the Aga Khan. Their forebears are from Gujarat state in India, though Murad and Mila, Ali's mother, grew up in South Africa. Ali's great-grandfather was a friend of Gandhi, who arrived in South Africa in 1893; his grandfather was a student in a Gandhi-organized school, and an uncle took part in passive-resistance anti-apartheid actions.
- ^ "American India Foundation expands reach". The Times of India. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
In the keynote address Al Jazeera America host Ali Velshi, whose great-grandparents moved to Africa from Gujarat a century ago, recalled the struggles his forefathers had to endure in their adopted land.
- ^ a b "CNN Programs - Anchors/Reporters - Ali Velshi". Cnn.com. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2009.
- ^ "Ali Velshi." Marquis Who's Who TM. Marquis Who's Who, 2008. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC Retrieved 2008-11-23. Document Number: K2017691604.
- ^ "Alumni Association celebrates outstanding achievements | Queen's University News Centre". Queensu.ca. Archived from the original on October 6, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
- ^ "Hip among alumni receiving honorary degrees". The Kingston Whig-Standard. Postmedia Network. March 23, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- ^ "Speakers - Wharton Graduate Retail Club". Wharton Graduate Retail Club. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
- ^ Scrivener, Leslie (May 10, 2009). "From Toronto to CNN, he's all business". The Star. Toronto. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
- ^ Fiorillo, Victor (March 10, 2018). "One of Us: Ali Velshi, MSNBC Host". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
- ^ "CNN/Money: The Turnaround". Money.cnn.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2009.
- ^ "Deadly blast targets Marriott Hotel in Islamabad - CNN.com". Edition.cnn.com. September 21, 2008. Archived from the original on February 5, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2009.
- ^ "New video appears to show Bhutto being shot". CNN.com. December 31, 2007. Archived from the original on February 5, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2009.
- ^ "Video - Breaking News Videos from". CNN.com. November 16, 2006. Archived from the original on February 5, 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
- ^ "Ali Velshi". MSNBC. June 14, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
- ^ CNN - XYZ with Ali Velshi: "Religious Freedom A Right" August 10, 2010.
- ^ CNN Transcripts: "Many Muslims Object To House Hearing about Radicalization" March 11, 2011
- ^ CNN Transcripts: "Muslim Radicalization Hearing Ends" March 10, 2011
- ^ "Meet the Team - Senior Executive Producer for Business Programming John Meehan | al Jazeera America". Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
- ^ Hayden, E. (April 4, 2013). "Ali Velshi Joins Al Jazeera America". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
- ^ Patten, D. (April 4, 2013). "CNN's Ali Velshi Leaving For Al Jazeera America". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 5, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
- ^ Sutton, Kelsey (October 18, 2016). "Ali Velshi joins MSNBC". Politico. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ^ Steinberg, Brian (December 20, 2019). "MSNBC Moves Ali Velshi to Weekend Mornings in Schedule Shake-Up".
- ^ "2016 Honorary Degree Recipients | University Registrar". www.queensu.ca.
- ^ "An 'On Target' address". June 7, 2016.
- ^ "The Economy - Not Unbad? | The Daily Show | Comedy Central". The Daily Show. Retrieved February 6, 2009.
- ^ "Homeland Season 7 Intro". YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ "The 11th Hour With Brian Williams archive". archive.org. MSNBC. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
- ^ "Economic Club of New York - Public Policy - Economics - Social Issues". Econclubny.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2009.
- ^ "Board of Trustees". XPRIZE. November 8, 2011. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
External links
- Official website
- Ali Velshi at IMDb
- Real Money with Ali Velshi
- Samantha Ettus interviews Ali Velshi
- Ali Velshi on Conversations with Allan Wolper, WBGO.ORG, November 17, 2014