Lu Parker
Encyclopedia
Frances Louise "Lu" Parker (born December 3, 1970) is a broadcast journalist and former Miss USA
from South Carolina
.
, Parker attended the College of Charleston
, where she was a sister of Alpha Delta Pi
and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She then went on to receive a Masters of Art in Education from The Citadel
. After graduating, Parker taught English Literature at North Charleston High School.
Her first television broadcasting job was for WCSC-TV
in Charleston, South Carolina
, where she was an education reporter and fill-in anchor.
, Parker was crowned Miss USA 1994
, becoming the third South Carolinian to be awarded the honor. She continued on to compete in the 1994 Miss Universe
Pageant in Manila, Philippines, where she placed among the top 6 finalists and finished 4th overall.
TV hired Parker to serve as a weekend anchor and reporter. Parker was promoted to main anchor in 2000. She obtained a job as the host for San Antonio's "Great Day SA" February 2003 which is San Antonio's top-rated live entertainment morning show. In January 2005, she joined Frank Buckley to co-anchor KTLA
's "KTLA Prime News" on weekends. In 2007, Lu began to co-anchor the weekday "KTLA Morning News" at 5:00 A.M and 6:00 A.M. with Cher Calvin
. In January, 2008 she became the main weather anchor for KTLA Prime News. She later returned to anchor the weekend evening news alongside Lynette Romero when Markina Brown was hired as the new weeknight meteorologist.
Parker has made appearances on "Larry King Live
" and E!
Entertainment Television. She also supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association
(MDA).
, Mayor of Los Angeles
, in March 2009. Her employer, KTLA, was reportedly unaware of this fact until May 2009. Ms. Parker reported several stories on Villaraigosa's political future before being reassigned, as had Mirthala Salinas, a television reporter with whom the Mayor had a romantic relationship two years earlier.
Miss USA 1994
Miss USA 1994, the 43rd Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the South Padre Island Convention Centre on South Padre Island, Texas on 11 February 1994...
from South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
.
Early life
Born in Anderson, South CarolinaAnderson, South Carolina
Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was estimated at 26,242 in 2006, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 70,530...
, Parker attended the College of Charleston
College of Charleston
The College of Charleston is a public, sea-grant and space-grant university located in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina, United States...
, where she was a sister of Alpha Delta Pi
Alpha Delta Pi
Alpha Delta Pi is a fraternity founded on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The Executive office for this sorority is located on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Alpha Delta Pi is one of the two "Macon Magnolias," a term used to celebrate the bonds it shares with Phi Mu...
and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She then went on to receive a Masters of Art in Education from The Citadel
The Citadel (military college)
The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, also known simply as The Citadel, is a state-supported, comprehensive college located in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. It is one of the six senior military colleges in the United States...
. After graduating, Parker taught English Literature at North Charleston High School.
Her first television broadcasting job was for WCSC-TV
WCSC-TV
WCSC-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for South Carolina's Lowcountry area licensed to Charleston. Its broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 47 from a transmitter in Awendaw. The station can also be seen on Time Warner channel 5 as well as Comcast and Knology...
in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, where she was an education reporter and fill-in anchor.
Pageant participation
After winning Miss South Carolina USAMiss South Carolina USA
The Miss South Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state South Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant has been produced by RPM Productions since 1980....
, Parker was crowned Miss USA 1994
Miss USA 1994
Miss USA 1994, the 43rd Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the South Padre Island Convention Centre on South Padre Island, Texas on 11 February 1994...
, becoming the third South Carolinian to be awarded the honor. She continued on to compete in the 1994 Miss Universe
Miss Universe 1994
Miss Universe 1994, the 43rd Miss Universe pageant, was held at the Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center, in Manila, Philippines on May 20, 1994...
Pageant in Manila, Philippines, where she placed among the top 6 finalists and finished 4th overall.
Communications career
In San Antonio, KABBKABB
KABB is the Fox Network affiliate television station in San Antonio, Texas. It is co-owned with The CW Television Network affiliate KMYS by the Sinclair Broadcast Group...
TV hired Parker to serve as a weekend anchor and reporter. Parker was promoted to main anchor in 2000. She obtained a job as the host for San Antonio's "Great Day SA" February 2003 which is San Antonio's top-rated live entertainment morning show. In January 2005, she joined Frank Buckley to co-anchor KTLA
KTLA
KTLA, virtual channel 5, is a television station in Los Angeles, California, USA. Owned by the Tribune Company, KTLA is an affiliate of the CW Television Network. KTLA's studios are on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson...
's "KTLA Prime News" on weekends. In 2007, Lu began to co-anchor the weekday "KTLA Morning News" at 5:00 A.M and 6:00 A.M. with Cher Calvin
Cher Calvin
- Biography :Calvin is the daughter of former actor Roger Calvin. She started with KTLA in January, 2005. She was a former news anchor of Studio 23's "News Central" and one of the hosts of the fashion magazine show "F" on ABS-CBN.Calvin came to KTLA from KVVU-TV Fox 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where...
. In January, 2008 she became the main weather anchor for KTLA Prime News. She later returned to anchor the weekend evening news alongside Lynette Romero when Markina Brown was hired as the new weeknight meteorologist.
Parker has made appearances on "Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
" and E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
Entertainment Television. She also supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association
Muscular Dystrophy Association
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is an American organization which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating health professionals and the general public...
(MDA).
Personal
Parker began a relationship with Antonio VillaraigosaAntonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa , born Antonio Ramón Villar, Jr., is the 41st and current Mayor of Los Angeles, California, the third Mexican American to have ever held office in the city of Los Angeles and the first in over 130 years. He is also the current president of the United States Conference of...
, Mayor of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, in March 2009. Her employer, KTLA, was reportedly unaware of this fact until May 2009. Ms. Parker reported several stories on Villaraigosa's political future before being reassigned, as had Mirthala Salinas, a television reporter with whom the Mayor had a romantic relationship two years earlier.
Animal advocacy
In 2010 Parker founded the Lu Parker project, whose stated mission is to "improve the lives of at-risk youth and homeless animals through direct service, education, and advocacy."External links
- Official Lu Parker website
- Official KTLA On-Air Talent Bio
- Lu Parker's blog posts at The Huffington PostThe Huffington PostThe Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
- The Lu Parker Project