"Tonight Show" Correspondent and Comedian Ross Mathews Headlines ValleyFest

ANNVILLE, PA (04/17/2012)(readMedia)-- "Tonight Show" correspondent, comedian, and "Chelsea Lately" panelist Ross Mathews headlines the opening night's entertainment at Lebanon Valley College's annual spring arts festival, ValleyFest. The show will be Friday, April 20 at 9 p.m. in Arnold Sports Center; tickets are $10 at the door or available online.

Over the last nine years, Mathews has interviewed some of the biggest stars in the world and has made the nation laugh all the while. Whether covering movie premieres, the Winter Olympic Games, the Academy Awards, jumping out of a plane, or shopping in London with pal Gwyneth Paltrow, Mathews' unique approach is always fresh, outrageous and fun. E! Entertainment Television named him one of the 30 Most Outrageous Celebrities, solidifying his spot as one of the most exciting personalities on television today.

In his senior year of college, Mathews interviewed for a position that would change his life - as an intern at "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," the #1 rated late-night talk show in the nation - and was hired.

Initially, the unpaid position came with duties that were in line with any internship: copies, faxes, coffee, etc. All of that changed, however, on Mathews' last day of internship, he was called into the office of the head writer and was told that they believed he had what it took to be on television. He left immediately with George Clooney for the premiere of "Ocean's Eleven," where he interviewed celebrities as they walked down the red carpet.

The "Ocean's Eleven" segment was such a hit that the producers asked him to cover another premiere, followed by the 2002 Winter Olympics, with things snowballing from there.

In addition to guest starring on NBC's "1 Vs 100" and "Phenomenon," Mathews also appeared as a guest co-host of ABC's "The View," as a contestant on the fifth season of VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club," as a celebrity correspondent the entertainment news programs Extra and CBS's "The Insider," as a recurring character on "Days of Our Lives," and as the co-host of The Game Show Network's "Big Saturday Night," E!'s "Live From the Red Carpet: The Screen Actors Guild Awards," and VH1's "Live Red Carpet: The Critic's Choice Awards."

Currently, Mathews continues his "Tonight Show" correspondent duties (he also serves as a "Creative Consultant" for the show) and is a weekly regular panelist on E!'s hit late-night talk show, "Chelsea Lately."

For a full schedule of ValleyFest activities, visit www.lvc.edu/valleyfest.

Posted Tuesday April 17, 2012 at 10:37 am by Lebanon Valley College
Last Updated Wednesday April 18, 2012 at 10:29 am