He’s a one-time pro football player, a manic bike rider, candidate for a master’s degree, newspaper columnist, television sports co-host, just sold a book to Hollywood and hosts his own TV talk show on international issues.
Talk about your Renaissance Man. Meet Reggie Rivers.
Rivers’ plate of life is overflowing. His novel about mobsters and pro football, “4th and Fixed,” was optioned as a movie last week; he’s getting his master’s degree in international studies at the University of Denver; he writes a column for this newspaper; he co-hosts KCNC-Channel 4’s “Countdown to Kickoff”; he rides 200 miles a week with his bicycle buddies; and he’s a frequent – and funny – motivational speaker.
I got weary just typing that list.
Those with long Denver memories recall Rivers as a special-teams player with the Denver Broncos, but his face is more familiar these days as host of “Drawing the Line” on KBDI-Channel 12.
Starting at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, he will become more worldly when he hosts Channel 12’s new weekly “Global Agenda,” a show morphed out of “Drawing.”
“Our original intention (with “Drawing the Line”) was to talk about government power versus civil liberties,” said Rivers. “Over time, more and more we were talking about international issues. My producer, Alison Hill, came up with the idea of doing an international show.” The first show covers the ongoing political strife in northern Uganda. Other topics, Rivers said, might include the Irish Republican Army, the European Union and the settlements in Israel.
Given public television’s chronically short budget, Rivers and his show will have to rely on local universities and touring experts for guests. “We don’t have a budget to fly people in, and we have no money to go on location in the Gaza Strip,” he noted.
Still, Rivers looks forward to the opportunity. “I’m no expert, but, like a lot of people, I’m curious. It’s challenging. It’s interesting. I learn things every week. I get to sit at a table with a bunch of smart people and listen to them talk about things. All I have to do is say, ‘What do you think, Bob?”‘
Around the dial
HGTV’s “Dream House” series features Boulder architects Brad Tomecek and Christopher Herr and their ultra-modern Box House project for 13 weeks, beginning Oct. 3 … Steffan Tubbs returns to his old stompin’ grounds at KOA 850-AM on Monday as co-anchor with April Zesbaugh of the station’s “Colorado Morning News” … Sportscaster Mark McIntosh signs copies of his “Kids Teach the Darndest Things” at Misty Hills Books as part of Olde Town Arvada’s harvest festival at noon Saturday … Quotable: “The world must learn to work together, or finally it will not work at all.” Dwight Eisenhower
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
