Biografia
Billie Rae Bates is a journalist experienced in both print and broadcast media. Over the years, she has conducted interviews with a wide range of actors, Hollywood professionals, artists, and writers in the comics industry for her on-camera work with TV programs based in Washington, D.C., and Detroit.
In the 1990s, she hosted multiple episodes of the half-hour TV series "Red Cross Currents," produced by the Bay, Genesee, and Saginaw County chapters of the American Red Cross, which aired on WNEM, Channel 5. After years in print journalism, she returned to television in 2010 as a host for the newly launched "Comics Continuum" entertainment series in Detroit. The show aired on several Midwestern channels, and she hosted on-location episodes from events such as San Diego Comic-Con, C2E2 in Chicago, and Mega-Con in Orlando. She also contributed extensively as a correspondent before beginning hosting and correspondent duties in 2011 for the Washington, D.C.-based "Fantastic Forum" series, broadcast on stations in D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia.
A graduate of Michigan State University's accredited School of Journalism, Bates has built a career as a professional writer and editor spanning decades. She spent ten years working at daily newspapers including The Detroit News, The Saginaw News, and the Wausau (Wis.) Daily Herald, and has experience in corporate, ministry, and government sectors. She has authored four novels, two of which are set in Detroit, along with the BRBTV series of fact books and reports covering prime-time soaps like "Dynasty" and "Dallas," action-adventure series such as "The Dukes of Hazzard," "Wonder Woman," and "The Green Hornet," as well as numerous animated shows. Her passion for classic TV inspired the web series "Terrific TV Toys," which airs on YouTube and showcases toys, many from her own collection, related to vintage television programs. This led to a spinoff series titled "Terrific non-TV Toys." Since 2006, she has maintained a news blog dedicated to classic television and has contributed to Congoo.com and OohLifestyle.com. Bates has reviewed books for Foreword Reviews and created two yearlong photo essay projects: "My Mother's Clothing" and "The Inexplicable Lives of Dolls," both of which have garnered significant attention. More recently, she has authored two true-crime books.
Originally from Michigan, Bates has lived in Detroit, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C., and has also pursued acting, appearing in several feature films ranging from large-budget to independent productions.
More information is available at BillieRae.com.
