Today we’d like to introduce you to Kirk Gimenez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m a straight-up immigrant from Barquisimeto, Venezuela who made history as the first Hispanic hired by ESPN to anchor in English way back in 2003! I moved to Miami when I was four years old on July 4th! How American is that?! I attended South Miami Middle School and South Miami High School. I then went to Miami-Dade College and got my AA. I paid my own way and finished my bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Miami in 1996. I spent five years working as an overnight news producer at WTVJ where I worked from midnight to 10am. I practiced my on-camera delivery every day! I sent my resume tape to hundreds of English stations during those 5 years. I was told I was too Hispanic by some. I kept at it, UNTIL my first break – all the way across the country in Washington State in a small town called Tri-Cities back in the year 2000. I worked as a sports anchor, main news reporter and fill-in weather man.
After two years there, I moved back to Miami and got a job at my first station, WTVJ as a sports producer and sports reporter. I didn’t last long there as I hired an agent who helped me get an audition at ESPN. Some couldn’t believe that a Hispanic guy was auditioning to anchor in English. “Aren’t you auditioning for ESPN Deportes?” they would ask me. I got the job! I was the first Hispanic ever hired by ESPN to anchor in English! Yes, I’m a bit of a trailblazer. I anchored ESPNews for four years from 2003-2007. I LOVED anchoring all of the sports highlights, but I would shine during the baseball highlights. I spoke Spanish on the air. When David Ortiz hit a home run, I would yell “DOMINICANOOO!” When Miguel Cabrera hit a home run, I would yell, “VENEZOLANOOOO!” If Ivan Rodriguez hit a home run, I would yell, “BORICUAAAA!” And so on and so on, repping all of the Hispanic nationalities, depending on who hit the Home Run in the highlight. All my co-anchors loved it. The MLB players loved it! Here was a guy, me, representing who they really were while doing the highlights on ESPNews. You know who didn’t love my style and Spanish? – the ESPN executives and producers. They would ask me if I had to speak Spanish like that. I said yes because I was very proud and I was representing all of those MLB players who were Latino like me.
And on top of that, I was educating the viewers who maybe didn’t know where their favorite MLB player was from. After fighting that fight for four years, ESPN did not renew my contract. The executive, who shall remain nameless, told me, “I don’t feel comfortable watching you on the air.” Luckily, I landed a job in New York with the Mets and SNY. One problem – the executives told me I had to speak English. No Spanish allowed. I couldn’t even roll my RRRRs in my Spanish Sazon style! I was not allowed to be myself. I was at that job for eight years. It’s only now that I realize that my truly, authentic Latino voice was taken from me. It’s only now, in 2022, that I feel like I have regained that proud, Latino-American voice. And I feel like I regained my voice only after I launched my very own free smart TV channel called Xizzle TV where I decided to make Lifestyle, Entertainment and positive TV for Latinos in English. You can find Xizzle TV on Roku and Amazon Fire TV. And also on the BINGEnetworks.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I can humbly say that I’m a talented TV anchor, journalist, speaker, interviewer and host. Some have called me the male Oprah! Of course, I’m nowhere near as successful. I’m just a warm, caring interviewer who really cares about telling people’s stories. But maybe someday, I’ll be for Latinos what Oprah was for the African-American community – someone who transcends race and culture to become a true American success story that can inspire future generations.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the fact that Miami truly embraces its multi-cultural roots and all of its people and immigrants. I love how as a beach bum and yogi, I can hit one of the multiple beaches to live the beach life and still be in the business, crypto and entrepreneurial capital of America. The only thing bad about living in Miami is —- THE TRAFFIC! You can’t escape it! It’s a small price to pay for living in Paradise.
Contact Info:
- Website: xizzle.tv
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirkgimenez/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kirkgimenez
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/KirkGimenez
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUZjBgezRNi9FWeDhel5GsQ
