Quick Facts
Biography
Jerry Penacoli (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and entertainment reporter.
Reporting career
Before going national, Penacoli served as a newscaster and talk show host in several markets starting in Jacksonville, Florida, then WTVJ in Miami, where Jerry served as host of PM Magazine in the early 1980s, and then Philadelphia. He was an evening news anchor for the Philadelphia TV station KYW-TV (an NBC affiliate at the time) from the mid-1980s until he moved to New York City in 1990. He later relocated to Hollywood in 1992.
Penacoli worked on the tabloid show Hard Copy from 1996 to 1999. He also served as the first male host of Lifetime's "Attitudes" with Linda Dano. Prior to Warner Brothers, his broadcasting career included stints at E! Entertainment television, where he hosted the entertainment network's live coverage of premieres and events, and Paramount Television. He also co-hosted Richard Simmons' Dream Maker with Richard Simmons and Kat Carney in Fall 1999. As of February 4, 2013 he's been co-host on the syndicated morning television program "Daytime" out of Tampa, Florida, which is seen in more than 130 U.S. markets.
Acting career
His credits include several daytime soaps as principal characters and guest-starring roles on numerous sitcoms and dramas as well as film roles, including Woman on Top with Penélope Cruz and Galaxy Quest with Tim Allen and Sigourney Weaver.
Penacoli was a special guest as the host of The Scoop in an episode of Williams Street's Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!.
Personal life
Penacoli was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Marlton, New Jersey. He attended grade school at St. Joan of Arc grade school in Marlton and high school at Holy Cross High School in Delran, New Jersey. Penacoli resides in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and is an artist in his spare time. On January 12, 2011, Penacoli revealed on Extra that he was diagnosed last fall with stage three melanoma, and he documented the fight for his life with an intimate video diary. A strange mole that went unchecked for some time ended up turning into a life-threatening skin cancer for Jerry. "Two surgeries later I ended up with one nasty infection, stuck in the hospital with a 104-degree fever, on intravenous antibiotics," said Penacoli. He announced that he is currently cancer-free.