Rose Ann Scamardella
Encyclopedia
Rose Ann Scamardella is a former anchorwoman of WABC-TV
's Eyewitness News
in New York City
, and the inspiration for Gilda Radner
's character "Roseanne Roseannadanna
" on Saturday Night Live
.
with a B.A. in sociology
in 1968. After working for a stockbroker for "a couple of years" by her own account, she became the personnel director of an export company. By 1972, referred to in The Village Voice
as "Roseann" Scamardella, she was working as what the paper identified only as a "television journalist".
Accounts of her hiring at WABC-TV
Eyewitness News
vary. Howard Weinberg, a producer then with the Educational Broadcasting Corporation, owner of WNET
, recounts that he "responded to concerns for newsroom diversity and [the WABC] News Director's complaints that he couldn't find an Italian-American correspondent; [I] found Rose Ann, ... coached her, worked with her."
Scamardella said in 1975 that while she was employed at the export firm and working to get her master's degree in sociology at New York University
, "I get this call that the Human Rights Commission
is looking for an Italian-American girl. ... So they took me, sitting on discrimination
cases. Then the news director here at ABC at the time, Al Primo, was looking for an Italian girl. ... Al talked to me for about five minutes and hired me. I went on the air two weeks later, scared stiff. I got no training at all. [Correspondent] Geraldo
[Rivera] took me around on some stories a few nights, but that was it."
Scamardella began as a reporter and later became an anchor for the broadcast in 1978. She was mostly known as a co-anchor with Ernie Anastos
on the weeknight 11 p.m. edition of Eyewitness News during the late 1970s and early 1980s. She remained in that position until leaving WABC-TV in 1983.
She returned to New York local television in May 1999 to present a two-part report on the plight of Albania
n refugees in Brooklyn for WNYW-TV's Ten O' Clock News. She went on to teach at the Salisbury School
in Salisbury, CT
during the 1990s and into 2000.
After this, Scamardella co-hosted a television show, Crossroads Magazine. She was partnered with Father John Gatzak on the show, which was produced in cooperation with the Office of Radio and Television of the Archdiocese of Hartford
; it was transmitted on two Connecticut
television stations, CW20 and MyTV9
. She left in 2007.
Scamardella was the inspiration for the name of Gilda Radner
's character "Roseanne Roseannadanna" on Saturday Night Live in the late 1970s.
man for the 52nd Assembly District. They married sometime after his 1972 election into office. Pesce became an administrative judge in the 1990s, in the Brooklyn
Civil Court system, later leaving that post. By 1999, when Pesce signed a restraining order against the New York City transit union in case of a strike, he and Scamardella had been divorced for some time and had a daughter, Vanessa, who was then a senior at Georgetown University
. In 1996, Pesce's fiancee, Bonnie Wolters, had been among those killed in the crash of TWA Flight 800
off Long Island.
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
's Eyewitness News
Eyewitness News
Eyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and the inspiration for Gilda Radner
Gilda Radner
Gilda Susan Radner was an American comedian and actress, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, for which she won an Emmy Award in 1978.-Early life:...
's character "Roseanne Roseannadanna
Roseanne Roseannadanna
"Roseanne Roseannadanna" was one of several recurring characters created by Gilda Radner who appeared in the Weekend Update segments of the early seasons of the NBC comedy television show, Saturday Night Live. Like Radner's earlier character, Emily Litella, Roseanne was brought in to give editorial...
" on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
.
Biography
Rose Ann Scamardella graduated from Marymount Manhattan CollegeMarymount Manhattan College
Marymount Manhattan College is an urban, coeducational, independent, private, liberal arts college located in Manhattan, New York City, New York with a focus in performing arts. The mission of the College is to educate a socially and economically diverse student body by fostering intellectual...
with a B.A. in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
in 1968. After working for a stockbroker for "a couple of years" by her own account, she became the personnel director of an export company. By 1972, referred to in The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
as "Roseann" Scamardella, she was working as what the paper identified only as a "television journalist".
Accounts of her hiring at WABC-TV
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
Eyewitness News
Eyewitness News
Eyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
vary. Howard Weinberg, a producer then with the Educational Broadcasting Corporation, owner of WNET
WNET
WNET, channel 13 is a non-commercial educational public television station licensed to Newark, New Jersey. With its signal covering the New York metropolitan area, WNET is a primary station of the Public Broadcasting Service and a primary provider of PBS programming...
, recounts that he "responded to concerns for newsroom diversity and [the WABC] News Director's complaints that he couldn't find an Italian-American correspondent; [I] found Rose Ann, ... coached her, worked with her."
Scamardella said in 1975 that while she was employed at the export firm and working to get her master's degree in sociology at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, "I get this call that the Human Rights Commission
Human rights commission
A Human Rights Commission is a body set up to investigate, promote or protect human rights.The term may refer to international, national or subnational bodies set up for this purpose, such as national human rights institutions or truth and reconciliation commissions.-International Human Rights...
is looking for an Italian-American girl. ... So they took me, sitting on discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
cases. Then the news director here at ABC at the time, Al Primo, was looking for an Italian girl. ... Al talked to me for about five minutes and hired me. I went on the air two weeks later, scared stiff. I got no training at all. [Correspondent] Geraldo
Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera is an American attorney, journalist, author, reporter, and former talk show host...
[Rivera] took me around on some stories a few nights, but that was it."
Scamardella began as a reporter and later became an anchor for the broadcast in 1978. She was mostly known as a co-anchor with Ernie Anastos
Ernie Anastos
Ernie Anastos is an American Emmy Award-winning New York City television news anchor. He was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, and has worked for several television stations in New York City during his career.-Career:...
on the weeknight 11 p.m. edition of Eyewitness News during the late 1970s and early 1980s. She remained in that position until leaving WABC-TV in 1983.
She returned to New York local television in May 1999 to present a two-part report on the plight of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
n refugees in Brooklyn for WNYW-TV's Ten O' Clock News. She went on to teach at the Salisbury School
Salisbury School
Salisbury School is an all-boys, private college-preparatory boarding school founded in 1901 and located in Salisbury, Connecticut. Its school newspaper is The Cupola. Its mascot is the Crimson Knight. The School's motto is Esse quam videri, which translates to To be rather than to seem to...
in Salisbury, CT
Salisbury, Connecticut
Salisbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The town is the northwest-most in the State of Connecticut. The MA-NY-CT Tri-State Marker is located just on the border of Salisbury...
during the 1990s and into 2000.
After this, Scamardella co-hosted a television show, Crossroads Magazine. She was partnered with Father John Gatzak on the show, which was produced in cooperation with the Office of Radio and Television of the Archdiocese of Hartford
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a particular church of the Latin Rite in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The archdiocese includes about 700,000 Catholics, more than 500 priests, 216 parishes and almost 300 deacons. This is roughly one-half the population of...
; it was transmitted on two Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
television stations, CW20 and MyTV9
WCTX
WCTX is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for the state of Connecticut that is licensed to New Haven. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter in Hamden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to ABC affiliate WTNH and the two...
. She left in 2007.
Scamardella was the inspiration for the name of Gilda Radner
Gilda Radner
Gilda Susan Radner was an American comedian and actress, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, for which she won an Emmy Award in 1978.-Early life:...
's character "Roseanne Roseannadanna" on Saturday Night Live in the late 1970s.
Personal
By 1975, Scamardella was married to Mike Pesce, then a New York State AssemblyNew York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
man for the 52nd Assembly District. They married sometime after his 1972 election into office. Pesce became an administrative judge in the 1990s, in the Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
Civil Court system, later leaving that post. By 1999, when Pesce signed a restraining order against the New York City transit union in case of a strike, he and Scamardella had been divorced for some time and had a daughter, Vanessa, who was then a senior at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. In 1996, Pesce's fiancee, Bonnie Wolters, had been among those killed in the crash of TWA Flight 800
TWA Flight 800
Trans World Airlines Flight 800 , a Boeing 747-131, exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, on July 17, 1996, at about 20:31 EDT, 12 minutes after takeoff, killing all 230 persons on board. At the time, it was the second-deadliest U.S...
off Long Island.