LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ananda Lewis, the previous MTV and BET host who grew to become a beloved tv character within the Nineties along with her heat and authenticity, has died. She was 52.
Her sister, Lakshmi Emory, confirmed Lewis’ dying in a Facebook post Wednesday. Lewis had been battling breast most cancers.
“She’s free, and in His heavenly arms,” Emory wrote. “Lord, relaxation her soul.”
Lewis, a San Diego native, made a reputation for herself as a bunch on BET’s “Teen Summit,” which tackled points going through Black youth and featured group leaders, entertainers and politicians. She landed large interviews with Kobe Bryant, Tupac Shakur and Louis Farrakhan and then-first woman Hillary Clinton, which earned her an NAACP Picture Award.
After just a few seasons, Lewis took her skills over to MTV in 1997. She was a bunch and veejay on “MTV Stay.” “Scorching Zone” and “Whole Request Stay,” a every day prime 10 video countdown present.
Lewis instructed The Related Press that she felt some backlash after shifting from BET to MTV.
“I wouldn’t say in a robust manner as a result of I feel most individuals who have been in my fan base at ‘Teen Summit’ perceive that progress is important,” she stated. “One of many major issues we handled on a constant foundation, just like the underlying theme of all of the reveals is you’ve received to get on the market and stay your life. The underside line is that is about you, so how do you wish to develop and whom do you wish to become? My justification is that I say to children: ‘be your greatest and benefit from each alternative,’ so I couldn’t sit in a spot of not making the most of a chance.”
In 2001, Lewis instructed the AP that she wasn’t attempting to reinvent daytime speak along with her new syndicated collection, “The Ananda Lewis Present.”
“There’s solely a lot completely different you are able to do in daytime, which is what I’m studying. There’s a sure manner, I suppose, persons are used to doing issues and that manner’s not going to vary for some time,” she stated. “I feel there’s a components, and a few instances have confirmed that components works. So the target isn’t to reinvent the wheel however to make it spin a little bit extra easily.”
Lewis’ present lasted just one season. However just a few years later, she grew to become a correspondent for “The Insider,” a derivative of “Leisure Tonight.”
Lewis was open about her most cancers journey since she publicly shared her analysis in 2020. At the moment, the illness was initially stage 3 earlier than it superior to stage 4 final yr. She had been residing with breast most cancers for six years.
Lewis stated docs really useful a double mastectomy, however she opted for various strategies. She ultimately realized that was the unsuitable measure, turning into an advocate for being up-to-date with mammogram checkups.
“I want you to share this with the ladies in your life who could also be as cussed as I used to be about mammograms, and I want you to inform them that they must do it,” Lewis stated in her announcement. “Early detection, particularly for breast most cancers, adjustments your final result. It could save their life.”