Robin Quivers Biography

Robin Ophelia Quivers (born August 8, 1952) is an American radio personality, author, and actress, best known for being the long-running news anchor and co-host of The Howard Stern Show.

Early life

Quivers was born on August 8, 1952 in Pikesville, Maryland to Louise Quivers, a homemaker and housekeeper, and Charles Quivers, Sr., a steelworker at Bethlehem Steel. Both their educations were limited to the seventh grade. In her 1995 autobiography "Quivers: A Life," Quivers revealed that she was a victim of parental abuse throughout her childhood.

Career

Military

In 1974, Quivers graduated from the University of Maryland with a major in nursing. Her first position was at the Maryland Shock Trauma facility of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System, describing her role as "a shock-trauma, intensive care kind of nurse, so I saw unpleasantness all the time." Knowing she could use her degree, Quivers joined the United States Air Force in July 1975, where she was appointed as a Second Lieutenant. She entered active duty on January 11, 1976 before she was promoted to First Lieutenant after six months of service. By June 1978, she had acquired the rank of Captain. Quivers was discharged a month later, though she remained a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, with no active duty, until 1990.

Radio

In 1979, Quivers returned to Baltimore where she studied at the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland and worked in a hospital. She landed her first job in the radio industry with a newscasting position at WIOO in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, followed by WCMB in nearby Harrisburg. She then moved back to Baltimore for a consumer reporter role at WFBR, where she also read newscasts with morning disc jockey Johnny Walker.

In March 1981, radio personality Howard Stern started his new morning program at WWDC in Washington, D.C.. He wished for an on-air newscaster to riff with him in the studio on the news and current affairs. It was then when station program director Denise Oliver played Quivers a tape of Stern interviewing a prostitute on the air. She "had never heard anything like it...I just said, 'where do I sign? I'll do anything just to meet this guy!'"

Personal life

Quivers currently resides in Manhattan, New York City. From the mid-1990s until April 2007, her long-time boyfriend Tony was a man mysteriously referred to on the radio show as "Mr. X." On April 23, 2007, Quivers called in to the Bubba the Love Sponge Show on Howard 101, announcing their separation.

In 1990, she underwent breast reduction surgery. In June 2007, Quivers began a strict vegan diet which she says helped to increase her energy and helped her to lose 60 pounds over a six-month period. Quivers was set to release a book about being a vegan in March but it was pushed back to October.

In August 2007, comedian Jim Florentine asked Quivers on the air to go on a date with him. Due to the attention this garnered, Quivers became tight-lipped about the topic. On July 28, 2008, Quivers announced on the radio show that she and Florentine had indeed ended their relationship. She stated that the breakup was amicable, that Florentine was "genuine and honest," and that it was he who initiated the break-up.

Quivers has made attempts at many different hobbies including race car driving. Robin claimed she would be a successful racer and even challenged radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge, an experienced driver, to a future race. Quivers eventually competed in the 2007 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race '07 finishing in last place of all drivers to cross the finish line.

To promote his book The Mirror Effect, Drew Pinsky tested many celebrities including the staff of The Howard Stern Show with a test that was included in his book. The test is designed to calculate one's degree of narcissism. Quivers has acquired the highest score of all the celebrities polled (Quivers scored 34 out of 40; the average for Americans is 15).

Comedian and Actor Jamie Foxx once slammed Quivers as a "house Negro" and a "nigger bitch" on his radio show The Foxxhole and mocked her molestation. Quivers said of the incident "I was called, I think, a house Negro. I think the times have changed and I think that you have to update your terms, because I don't know exactly what you're trying to say about me. And where have I sold out to? Again, I say exactly how I feel, exactly what I want. If it doesn't agree with what you think I should be saying, then there's something wrong with everyone thinking that just because my skin is a certain color, we all think alike. That, again, is a real problem."

Health

Quivers announced in May 2012 that she needed to have surgery to remove a tumor from her bladder. Shortly afterwards, Robin continued to provide commentary for the show from her New York home via an ISDN line. Stern stated that Quivers was such an instrumental part of the show that he'd quit radio if he ever lost her as a partner. On September 9, 2013, Quivers discussed her health status, saying that her cancer had been cured after successful surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. After seventeen months, Quivers returned to the studio on October 2, 2013.