Clinton Kelly

A savvy fashion consultant in print and on television since the mid-1990s, Clinton Kelly rose to national fame as the co-host of the popular makeover program "What Not To Wear" (TLC 2003-2013). The program, which featured Kelly and fashion consultant Stacy London providing sensible if occasionally snarky tips to participants willing to have their wardrobes dismissed and replaced, helped to make the former writer and editor a household name, which he smartly parlayed into a variety of projects, from authoring several advice books on fashion to consulting duties on the 2010 Miss America pageant. In 2011, he became a co-host on the popular talk show "The Chew" (ABC 2011-18), which served as further proof of his skyrocketing status as one of American television's favorite personalities. Born in Panama City, Panama, Clinton Kelly was raised in the Long Island, New York hamlet of Port Jefferson Station, where he attended Comsewogue High School. After graduation in 1987, he earned a degree in communication from Boston College in 1991 before receiving a master's degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University three years later. As a professional, Kelly worked as a freelance writer at several publications before serving as editor at Marie Claire and deputy editor at Mademoiselle, where he also penned a column under the nom du plume of "Joe L'Amour." He then transitioned to the executive editor's chair at the Daily News Record, a New York-based men's fashion publication. While there, Kelly was tapped to replace Wayne Scot Lukas as co-host of TLC's "What Not To Wear" series. The reality/makeover program featured Kelly and co-host Stacy London as fashion consultants to participants, both famous and civilian, in need of sartorial advice. The breezy repartee and sibling-esque relationship between the hosts, as well as their viewer-friendly fashion choices, helped to make "What Not To Wear" one of the network's most popular programs for a decade until its final season in 2013. While serving on "What Not To Wear," Kelly and London penned Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding The Style That's Right for Your Body (2005), which was followed three years later by a solo effort, Freakin' Fabulous: How to Dress, Speak, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate and Generally be Better Than Everyone Else (2008), and a weekly style column for the Chicago Tribune's "RedEye" section. He soon expanded his brand to included consulting work on the TLC series "Miss America: Countdown to the Crown" (2008-09) and the 2010 Miss America pageant itself. Kelly also released his own fashion line, which include the popular Extended Tab 5 Trousers in 2008, before writing his third book, Oh No She Didn't, which detailed fashion faux pas, in 2010. As "What Not To Wear" ran its course, Kelly signed on as co-host of "The Chew," a weekly daytime talk show devoted to cooking and food. His witty banter with co-hosts Carla Hall, Daphne Oz, Michael Symon and Mario Batali quickly became one of the show's comic trademarks. In 2017, Kelly published a memoir entitled I Hate Everyone Except You.