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| Profession | Media Personalities |
If it were anyone else, their sexuality would not be a matter of national interest, but Shepard Smith is no ordinary man. As far as journalists in the United States go, Smith is one of the most popular personalities in the industry. Not just because he worked for arguably the leading media outfit in the country, Fox News, for more than two decades, but because during his time at the renowned conservative media outlet, he remained a symbol of truth in the notoriously biased company.
As a result, Shepard Smith has earned a place as one of the most recognizable media personalities to both liberals and conservatives. This, in turn, has made Shepard Smith’s life a subject of interest, especially when it comes to his personal life, particularly his sexuality. We took a look at some details about the personal life of the journalist, including his partner and why he left Fox News.
Is Shepard Smith Gay?
For much of his adult life, Shepard Smith has opted for a very private personal life, all that was seen was his professional side. Very few knew much about the man behind the journalist, so in April 2017, when Smith publicly disclosed he was gay in a speech at the University of Mississippi’s Meek School of Journalism, it was a little surprising to many.
According to Shepard Smith, he had never considered himself to be closeted, but rather considers his sexuality as his business and didn’t see a reason to make a fuss about it. He, however, admitted concerns about the acceptability and worried about how the news would go down with his employers, bearing in mind that FOX News is a conservative setup.
Who is His Partner?
The former Fox News star journalist has been in a relationship with his gay partner for more than seven years. Though Shepard Smith insists he never “hid” his sexuality, not many knew he was gay. His partner is Giovanni Graziano, a production assistant who worked with Smith for a little over a year at Fox News.
Graziano is a graduate of Broadcast Journalism from Penn State University. He started his career working as a Communication Intern for Keymarket Communication. He also worked as a News Intern for FOX 5 Washington DC before he joined Fox News Channel, where he spent three years and met Shepard Smith.
After most insiders at Fox became aware of there relationship, Gio was moved to an affiliate Varney & Company to avoid a conflict of interest. At Varney, Graziano worked as an Associate Producer for the Fox Business Network.
He is in a longterm relationship
Before he shared his sexuality with the world, the only known relationship in Shepard Smith’s past was a marriage to Virginia Donald back in 1987. They were together as a married couple from 1987 to 1993, during which they gave birth to no children.
While it is presumed that the renowned journalist was in a couple of relationships after his marriage ended, none has been confirmed by him. However, we now know that he is currently in a homosexual relationship with, Giovanni Graziano, who is also in the media industry. The two of them began dating in 2012.
Despite their significant age difference (Smith is 23 years older), the couple has been together for more than seven years. While they do not have any known children, they do have a dog, Lucia.
Why Did Shepard Smith Leave Fox News?
Having joined Fox News before it went live for the first time in 1996, it came as a considerable surprise when Shepard Smith abruptly announced his departure in 2019. The announcement, which came while during an episode of Shepard Smith Reporting, was met with shock by both members of the industry and longtime viewers of the Fox News Channel.
The sudden nature of the announcement spurred rumors about why the veteran journalist left the media outlet where he has spent 23 years of his life. Some of them include suggestions that Shepard Smith left Fox News because he was tired of the network’s politics. Another suggested he left as a result of a clash with Fox News star, Tucker Carlson.
Ultimately, the exact reason for his departure is unknown, and if his track record is anything to go by, he might not share his reasons for years to come.
Sadly, those looking to watch Shepard Smith on TV again might have to wait a while. His non-compete contract agreement with Fox News prevents him from joining a rival network for some time.
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