Ronnie Virgets
Encyclopedia
Ronnie Virgets is a New Orleans, Louisiana
writer
, commentator, and journalist
. He is a native of New Orleans and has lived there for most of his life.
, St. Aloysius High School and graduated from Loyola University New Orleans
in 1965.
Virgets joined WDSU
TV NewsChannel 6 in September 2000 as a feature reporter for Sunday's 10 p.m. newscast. Before that he spent several years as WWL-TV
's feature reporter.
He has written for New Orleans area publications including The Times-Picayune
, Gambit Weekly
, New Orleans Magazine, and has published several books. He appears regularly on local radio and television, mostly discussing aspects of local culture.
Besides his local fame, Virgets has said that his proudest professional achievement was when he won a regional Emmy award for a 1992 story on the city of New Orleans.
Virgets served as host of Crescent City, a radio program broadcast in New Orleans on the local National Public Radio affiliate, WWNO
.
Virgets reigned as King of Krewe du Vieux
for New Orleans Mardi Gras
in 1996. Among his hobbies, Virgets enjoys fishing and thoroughbred racing. At one time, he owned greyhound racing dogs. Virgets and family appeared on the TV series Family Feud
in an episode first aired on 15 November 2006.
in August 2005, in his home in the Navarre
neighborhood of New Orleans. The area flooded severely when the Federal levees failed (see: Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans
), and a few days later he was rescued by boat. Virgets wrote an essay giving his impressions of how the storm and its devastation have impacted New Orleans, the Gulf Coast, people living in these areas, and himself. Diary of a Displaced Person: the First 72 Hours was read by Virgets for National Public Radio, and also appears as one of the chapters in his book, Lost Bread.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, commentator, and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He is a native of New Orleans and has lived there for most of his life.
Background
Virgets attended Sacred Heart AcademyAcademy of the Sacred Heart (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Academy of the Sacred Heart is an all-girls private, Roman Catholic high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. The school was founded in 1886. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans and is part of the network of Sacred Heart Schools...
, St. Aloysius High School and graduated from Loyola University New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational and Jesuit university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Originally established as Loyola College in 1904, the institution was chartered as a university in 1912. It bears the name of the Jesuit patron, Saint Ignatius of Loyola...
in 1965.
Virgets joined WDSU
WDSU
WDSU, virtual channel 6, is the NBC-affiliated television station for the New Orleans, Louisiana television market. It is owned by Hearst Television, which in turn is wholly owned by the Hearst Corporation. It broadcasts on UHF digital channel 43...
TV NewsChannel 6 in September 2000 as a feature reporter for Sunday's 10 p.m. newscast. Before that he spent several years as WWL-TV
WWL-TV
WWL-TV, virtual channel 4, is the CBS-affiliated television station serving New Orleans, Louisiana, southeast Louisiana and parts of southern and coastal Mississippi, and is the primary CBS station for South and Coastal Mississippi. It broadcasts on UHF digital channel 36...
's feature reporter.
He has written for New Orleans area publications including The Times-Picayune
New Orleans Times-Picayune
The Times-Picayune is a daily newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.-History:Established as The Picayune in 1837 by Francis Lumsden and George Wilkins Kendall, the paper's initial price was one picayune—a Spanish coin equivalent to 6¼¢ .Under Eliza Jane Nicholson, who inherited the...
, Gambit Weekly
Gambit Weekly
Gambit is a New Orleans, Louisiana-based free alternative weekly newspaper that was established in 1981 as Gambit Weekly. Gambit features reporting about local politics, news, food and drink, arts, music, film, events, environmental issues and other topics, as well as listings...
, New Orleans Magazine, and has published several books. He appears regularly on local radio and television, mostly discussing aspects of local culture.
Besides his local fame, Virgets has said that his proudest professional achievement was when he won a regional Emmy award for a 1992 story on the city of New Orleans.
Virgets served as host of Crescent City, a radio program broadcast in New Orleans on the local National Public Radio affiliate, WWNO
WWNO
WWNO is a public radio outlet in New Orleans, Louisiana that offers Classical, Fine Arts, Jazz, as well as informative programming like "Car Talk", and the highly acclaimed radio program "A Prairie Home Companion" with Garrison Keillor. The station produces a locally oriented variety program,...
.
Personal life
Virgets is divorced and has three children and three grandchildren.Virgets reigned as King of Krewe du Vieux
Krewe du Vieux
The Krewe du Vieux is a New Orleans Mardi Gras or Carnival krewe, originally and more fully known as the Krewe du Vieux Carré. The parade begins in the Marigny and slowly meanders its way through the Vieux Carre...
for New Orleans Mardi Gras
New Orleans Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a Carnival celebration well-known throughout the world.The New Orleans Carnival season, with roots in preparing for the start of the Christian season of Lent, starts after Twelfth Night, on Epiphany . It is a season of parades, balls , and king cake parties...
in 1996. Among his hobbies, Virgets enjoys fishing and thoroughbred racing. At one time, he owned greyhound racing dogs. Virgets and family appeared on the TV series Family Feud
Family Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
in an episode first aired on 15 November 2006.
Hurricane Katrina
Virgets "rode out" Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
in August 2005, in his home in the Navarre
Navarre, New Orleans
Navarre is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Lakeview District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: I-610, Canal Boulevard and Florida Boulevard to the north, Orleans Avenue to the east, City Park Avenue to the south and the...
neighborhood of New Orleans. The area flooded severely when the Federal levees failed (see: Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans
Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans
The effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans have been long-lasting. As the center of Katrina passed South-east of New Orleans on August 29, 2005, winds downtown were in the Category 3 range with frequent intense gusts and tidal surge. Hurricane force winds were experienced throughout the...
), and a few days later he was rescued by boat. Virgets wrote an essay giving his impressions of how the storm and its devastation have impacted New Orleans, the Gulf Coast, people living in these areas, and himself. Diary of a Displaced Person: the First 72 Hours was read by Virgets for National Public Radio, and also appears as one of the chapters in his book, Lost Bread.
Books by Ronnie Virgets
- Say Cap!: The New Orleans Views of Ronnie Virgets Published by Arthur Hardy Enterprises in 1997 (ISBN 0-930892-50-X)
- Lost Bread (Pain Perdu) Flavored with a Little Steen's Cane Syrup Published by Arthur Hardy Enterprises in 2006 (ISBN 0-930892-67-4)
External links
- Audio archives page for online access to past Crescent City episodes at WWNO/KTLN
- Link to Virgets' published columns at Gambit
- Audio recording of Virgets reading his essay The Point at neworleanspodcasting.com
- Audio recording of an interview of Virgets at neworleanspodcasting.com
- Audio recording of Fred Kasten's interview of Ronnie Virgets at WWNO.
- Article on Virgets at ashleymorris.typepad.com
- Virgets reads from his memoir about Hurricane Katrina at here-now.org
- Photograph of Ronnie Virgets reading at radio station WRBH
- Article on Ronnie Virgets' appearance on Family Feud
