Pamela Brown, an American television reporter and newscaster currently serving as CNN’s chief investigative correspondent and anchor, comes from a family with an athletic background.
The CNN’s newscaster, Pamela Ashley Brown, was born on November 29, 1983, in Lexington, Kentucky, to late parents John Y. Brown Jr. and Phyllis George.
Pamela Brown’s late parents, John Y. Brown Jr. and Phyllis George, were no strangers to the media. Long before being known as the parents of the CNN journalist, they had already made names for themselves in their respective fields.
Her father, John Brown Jr., was an American politician and entrepreneur who served as the 55th governor of Kentucky and built KFC into a multimillion-dollar restaurant chain.
However, while many knew of his contribution as a great politician and businessman, very few knew that the late John Brown showcased his amazing skills playing multiple sports in high school and college.
Pamela’s father, John Brown, began his sports journey at a young age.
While attending Lafayette High School in Lexington, he became a seventeen-time letterman in baseball, basketball, golf, football, and other sports.
Similarly, John continued his sports career while attending the University of Kentucky, where he was a member of the golf team.
While Pamela’s father, John, ended his sports career to focus on legal services and business, he remained a pivotal figure in the sports industry, serving as the owner of several professional basketball teams, including the NBA’s Boston Celtics, the ABA’s Kentucky Colonels, and the Buffalo Braves, now known as the Los Angeles Clippers.
John Brown Jr. passed away on November 22, 2022, days before his 89th birthday.
Likewise, her late mother, Phyllis George, Miss America 1971, became one of the first American women to hold an on-air position in national televised sports broadcasting, contributing significantly to the sports field.
Pamela Brown’s Late Mother, Phyllis, Began Her Sportscasting Career In 1974
The late Phyllis George began her career as a sports reporter, joining CBS Sports in 1974.
Moreover, Phyllis joined the cast of The NFL Today, co-hosting live pregame shows before NFL games, becoming one of the first women to have a nationally recognized role in television sports coverage.
As a former beauty queen with limited experience in television, Phyllis faced criticism for lacking the typical credentials of a sportscaster, which eventually led to her being replaced by Jayne Kennedy.
However, she returned to the show in 1980 and remained until 1984, becoming a role model for women who wanted to pursue careers in sportscasting.
Furthermore, in 1985, Phyllis George became the permanent anchor for the CBS Morning news program, The CBS Morning News.
Although the late Phyllis George wasn’t an athlete, her contributions to the world of sports as a pioneering CBS sportscaster were immense.
In addition to her sportscasting journey, Phyllis excelled as a businesswoman; she founded Chicken by George and the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft.
She was an avid folk and traditional arts collector and also wrote and co-authored five books, three about crafts, one on dieting, The I Love America Diet, and her final book, Never Say Never.
Phyllis George passed away on May 14, 2020, at the age of 70 at the Albert B. Chandler Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, following complications from polycythemia vera, a rare blood cancer.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Pamela Brown officially began co-hosting The Situation Room with Blitzer in March 2025.
- She has an older brother, Lincoln, and three half-siblings from her father’s prior marriage.
- Pamela Brown and her longtime husband, Adam Wright, have two sons and a daughter.
- She earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of North Carolina and served as a reporter on the university’s Carolina Week.
