George Robert Stephanopoulos is a prominent American television personality and former political advisor for the Democratic party. He is currently an anchor on Good Morning America alongside Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan. Additionally, Stephanopoulos hosts the Sunday morning political news program, This Week, on ABC.
February 10, 1961: Birth of George Stephanopoulos
George Robert Stephanopoulos was born on February 10, 1961.
1978: Stephanopoulos Graduates High School
George Stephanopoulos graduated from Orange High School in Pepper Pike, Ohio in 1978.
1982: Stephanopoulos Earns Bachelor's Degree from Columbia University
Stephanopoulos graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Columbia University in New York in 1982.
1984: Stephanopoulos Receives Master's Degree from Oxford University
In 1984, Stephanopoulos earned a Master of Arts in Theology from Balliol College at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.
1988: Stephanopoulos Works on Dukakis Presidential Campaign
Stephanopoulos worked on Michael Dukakis's U.S. presidential campaign in 1988.
September 1991: Stephanopoulos's First Meeting with Clinton
Stephanopoulos's memoir recounts his experiences with Clinton, starting from their initial encounter in September 1991.
1992: Stephanopoulos Joins Clinton's Presidential Campaign
In 1992, Stephanopoulos played a key role as a communications director for Bill Clinton's presidential campaign.
1992: Stephanopoulos Leads Clinton's Presidential Campaign
Stephanopoulos was a key figure in Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, alongside David Wilhelm and James Carville.
1993: "The War Room" Documentary Release
The documentary film "The War Room", depicting Stephanopoulos's role in Clinton's 1992 campaign, was released in 1993 and nominated for an Academy Award.
February 25, 1994: Stephanopoulos Discusses Madison Guaranty Investigation
On February 25, 1994, Stephanopoulos participated in a conference call with Harold Ickes and Roger Altman concerning the Resolution Trust Corporation's selection of Jay Stephens to lead the Madison Guaranty investigation, which would later develop into the Whitewater controversy.
October 1994: Stephanopoulos Featured in "Friends" Episode
In the fourth episode of the first season of the NBC television series "Friends," titled "The One with George Stephanopoulos" and originally broadcast on October 19, 1994, the female characters unexpectedly receive George Stephanopoulos's pizza delivery by mistake. This incident prompts them to playfully observe him from across the street.
1994: Stephanopoulos's Real Estate Deal Scrutinized
In 1994, columnist Jack Anderson brought to light a commercial real estate deal involving George Stephanopoulos. The deal, valued at $835,000, involved a two-story apartment and an eyewear retailer, financed with a loan from a bank owned by Hugh McColl. The loan's favorable terms raised concerns and sparked scrutiny.
1994: Stephanopoulos Defends Clinton Against Sexual Harassment Allegations
In the wake of Paula Jones's sexual harassment accusations against Bill Clinton in 1994, Stephanopoulos and James Carville publicly challenged her claims and worked to minimize the media coverage of her press conference.
1995: Stephanopoulos Faces Legal Trouble Over Car Accident
In 1995, Stephanopoulos was arrested and charged following a car accident in Washington, D.C. He faced charges of leaving the scene of an accident and driving with expired documents.
1995: Stephanopoulos's Influence on Film and Television Characters
Michael J. Fox's character, Lewis Rothschild, in the 1995 film "The American President," written by Aaron Sorkin, was modeled after George Stephanopoulos. Sorkin also drew inspiration from Stephanopoulos for Rob Lowe's character, Sam Seaborn, on the television drama series "The West Wing."
December 1996: Stephanopoulos Departs from White House
In December 1996, Stephanopoulos left his position in the White House.
December 1996: Stephanopoulos Departs from the White House
Stephanopoulos's time in the White House, as documented in his memoir, concluded in December 1996.
1996: Stephanopoulos Inspires Character in "Primary Colors"
George Stephanopoulos served as the inspiration for the character Henry Burton in Joe Klein's 1996 novel "Primary Colors."
1996: Stephanopoulos Resigns from Clinton Administration
Stephanopoulos resigned from his White House position shortly after Clinton's re-election in 1996.
1998: Stephanopoulos-Inspired Character Portrayed in Film Adaptation
In 1998, the film adaptation of "Primary Colors" featured Adrian Lester portraying the character Henry Burton, who was inspired by George Stephanopoulos.
1999: Stephanopoulos Sued for Defamation by Gennifer Flowers
Gennifer Flowers filed a defamation lawsuit against Stephanopoulos and James Carville in 1999. The lawsuit stemmed from comments they made regarding her allegations of an affair with Bill Clinton.
1999: Stephanopoulos Publishes Memoir "All Too Human: A Political Education"
Stephanopoulos released his memoir, "All Too Human: A Political Education," in 1999, which became a New York Times bestseller.
2000: Stephanopoulos Named One of "Most Wanted" Bachelors
In 2000, George Stephanopoulos gained recognition as one of the most eligible bachelors of the 1990s, alongside John F. Kennedy Jr. He was featured in People magazine's "Most Wanted" list, along with George Clooney.
2001: Stephanopoulos Marries Ali Wentworth
George Stephanopoulos married actress, comedian, and writer Ali Wentworth in 2001. The ceremony took place at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York City.
September 2002: Stephanopoulos Becomes Host of "This Week"
Stephanopoulos became the host of "This Week" in September 2002.
2002: Stephanopoulos and Wentworth Welcome Their First Daughter
In 2002, George Stephanopoulos and Ali Wentworth welcomed their first daughter.
2003: Stephanopoulos Delivers Keynote Address at Columbia University
George Stephanopoulos returned to his alma mater, Columbia University, in 2003, to deliver the keynote address at Columbia College's Class Day.
December 2005: Stephanopoulos Named "Chief Washington Correspondent"
In December 2005, Stephanopoulos was officially named "Chief Washington Correspondent" by ABC News.
2005: Stephanopoulos and Wentworth Welcome Their Second Daughter
In 2005, the family of George Stephanopoulos and Ali Wentworth expanded with the arrival of their second daughter.
2005: Ted Koppel Offered "This Week" Host Job
ABC News executives reportedly offered the "This Week" host position to Ted Koppel, former "Nightline" anchor, in 2005 in response to the program's ratings struggles.
May 2007: Receives Honorary Doctor of Laws from St. John's University
In May 2007, George Stephanopoulos was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from St. John's University, located in New York City.
April 16, 2008: Stephanopoulos Co-Moderates Democratic Presidential Debate
Stephanopoulos and Charles Gibson co-moderated the Democratic presidential debate between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton on April 16, 2008.
2008: Stephanopoulos Launches "George's Bottom Line" Blog
Stephanopoulos started a political blog, "George's Bottom Line," on the ABC News website during the 2008 presidential campaign.
January 11, 2009: "This Week" Surpasses "Meet the Press" in Ratings
"This Week" with George Stephanopoulos surpassed "Meet the Press" in ratings on January 11, 2009, following his interview with Barack Obama.
December 14, 2009: Stephanopoulos Begins Co-anchoring GMA
On December 14, 2009, George Stephanopoulos began his role as co-anchor of Good Morning America after accepting the position offered by ABC News president David Westin.
January 10, 2010: Stephanopoulos Announces Departure From This Week
On January 10, 2010, George Stephanopoulos made a public announcement that he would be leaving his position as the permanent host of This Week.
2010: Stephanopoulos Attends Jeffrey Epstein Dinner Party
In 2010, George Stephanopoulos was in attendance at a dinner party held at the residence of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The guest list included prominent figures such as Chelsea Handler, Woody Allen, Katie Couric, Prince Andrew, Charlie Rose, and Eva Andersson-Dubin.
December 2011: Stephanopoulos Returns as Host of This Week
In December 2011, it was announced that George Stephanopoulos would be returning to his role as host of This Week. This came after his successor, Christiane Amanpour, departed from the show due to declining ratings.
January 7, 2012: Stephanopoulos Co-moderates Presidential Debate
On January 7, 2012, George Stephanopoulos took on the role of co-moderator for a debate featuring Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum. During the debate, Stephanopoulos repeatedly questioned Romney on whether he believed the Supreme Court should overturn a 1965 ruling regarding contraception.
2012: Stephanopoulos Donates to the Clinton Foundation
George Stephanopoulos made a $25,000 donation to the Clinton Foundation in 2012, but he did not disclose this information to ABC News, his employer, or his viewers.
2013: Stephanopoulos Appears as Himself in "House of Cards"
In 2013, George Stephanopoulos made a cameo appearance as himself in the television series "House of Cards."
2013: Stephanopoulos Donates to the Clinton Foundation
George Stephanopoulos made a $25,000 donation to the Clinton Foundation in 2013, but he did not disclose this information to ABC News, his employer, or his viewers.
2014: Stephanopoulos Donates to the Clinton Foundation
George Stephanopoulos made a $25,000 donation to the Clinton Foundation in 2014, but he did not disclose this information to ABC News, his employer, or his viewers.
2014: Stephanopoulos Appears as Himself in "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."
George Stephanopoulos made a guest appearance as himself in an episode of the television series "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." in 2014.
April 26, 2015: Stephanopoulos Interviews Peter Schweizer on Clinton Foundation
On April 26, 2015, George Stephanopoulos conducted an interview with Peter Schweizer, the author of "Clinton Cash," a book exploring allegations regarding donations to the Clinton Foundation. During the interview, Stephanopoulos failed to disclose his own donations to the Foundation.
February 2016: Stephanopoulos Withdraws From Moderating Republican Primary Debate
In February 2016, George Stephanopoulos decided to step down as a moderator for a scheduled Republican presidential primary debate. This decision followed concerns raised by Republican party leaders and candidates regarding potential bias and conflicts of interest stemming from his donations to the Clinton Foundation and his conduct during prior interviews and debates.
September 2016: Stephanopoulos Featured on Greek Postage Stamp
In September 2016, George Stephanopoulos was honored by being featured on a €1 (1 euro) Greek postage stamp, alongside other distinguished Greek-Americans.
July 2019: Stephanopoulos's Attendance at Jeffrey Epstein Dinner Party Revealed
Following the arrest of Jeffrey Epstein in July 2019, the guest list of a dinner party hosted by Epstein was made public. The list revealed that George Stephanopoulos had attended the event in 2010 alongside other notable figures.
April 1, 2020: Ali Wentworth Contracts COVID-19
Ali Wentworth, George Stephanopoulos's wife, shared on Instagram on April 1, 2020, that she had tested positive for COVID-19 and was self-isolating in their New York residence.
April 13, 2020: Stephanopoulos Tests Positive for COVID-19
On April 13, 2020, George Stephanopoulos revealed that he had tested positive for COVID-19. However, he confirmed that he was asymptomatic at the time.
2020: Stephanopoulos Steps Down as Chief Anchor
George Stephanopoulos concluded his tenure as Chief Anchor at ABC News in 2020 but retained his roles on GMA and This Week.
2021: Stephanopoulos Signs Deal to Stay With ABC
George Stephanopoulos signed a deal to remain with ABC until 2021, securing a noteworthy $105 million.
2021: Stephanopoulos Portrayed in "Impeachment: American Crime Story"
In 2021, actor George H. Xanthis portrayed George Stephanopoulos in two episodes of the FX true-crime anthology television series "Impeachment: American Crime Story." This marked Stephanopoulos's entry into the realm of biographical dramatizations.
July 2022: Stephanopoulos Mentioned in "Loot" Episode
In July 2022, the fourth episode of the first season of the Apple TV+ comedy series "Loot" was released. During the episode, the main character, Molly Novak, humorously remarked, "Sometimes I turn on the news and pretend George Stephanopoulos is my husband."
March 19, 2024: Trump Files Defamation Lawsuit Against ABC News and Stephanopoulos
On March 19, 2024, Donald Trump initiated a defamation lawsuit targeting ABC News and George Stephanopoulos. The lawsuit, seeking an unspecified sum, stemmed from a March 10 broadcast of "This Week" in which Stephanopoulos asserted that Trump had been found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump's legal action alleged that Stephanopoulos's statement damaged his reputation.