Arsenio Hall

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Lore & Background

Hall was born on February 12, 1956, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Fred and Annie Hall; his father was a Baptist minister. He performed as a magician when he was a child. He graduated from Warrensville Heights High School in 1973, after briefly attending John F. Kennedy High School, and later attended Ohio University and Kent State University. He moved to Chicago, then Los Angeles, to pursue comedy, making his television debut on *Soul!* and appearing on *Soul Train*. In 1984, he was the announcer/sidekick for Alan Thicke on *Thicke of the Night*. He was the original voice of Winston Zeddemore in *The Real Ghostbusters* from 1986 to 1987. In 1988, he co-starred in *Coming to America* with Eddie Murphy. He set up Arsenio Hall Communications in 1987 and signed a two-year, multi-picture agreement with Paramount Pictures.

Reader's Guide

Arsenio Hall's significance lies in his role as a pioneering late-night talk show host. From January 2, 1989, to May 27, 1994, he hosted *The Arsenio Hall Show*, a breakout success that rated especially high among the coveted younger demographic. The show was known for its audience's distinctive chant of 'Woof, woof, woof!'—which originated in the Cleveland Browns' Dawg Pound—while pumping their fists. By 1991, Hall said the chant had become 'so popular it's getting on people's nerves.' He also had a rivalry with Jay Leno after Leno was named host of *The Tonight Show*, during which Hall said he would 'kick Jay's ass' in ratings. In the early 1990s, Hall was a supporter of gay rights and used his fame to help fight prejudice against HIV/AIDS, filming a public service announcement with Magic Johnson. After his show ended, he had leading roles on *Martial Law* (1998–2000) and hosted the revival of *Star Search* (2003–2004), where he popularized the catchphrase 'Hit me with the digits!' In 2012, he won *The Celebrity Apprentice 5*, representing the Magic Johnson Foundation. A revival of *The Arsenio Hall Show* premiered September 9, 2013, but was canceled after one season due to low ratings; the last taping aired May 30, 2014.

Did You Know?

• Hall performed as a magician when he was a child.
• The 'Woof, woof, woof!' chant originated from the Cleveland Browns' Dawg Pound.
• Hall won The Celebrity Apprentice 5 in 2012, donating the $250,000 grand prize to the Magic Johnson Foundation.
• Hall filed a $5 million defamation lawsuit against Sinéad O'Connor in 2016, which he dropped after she apologized.
• Hall was the original voice of Winston Zeddemore in The Real Ghostbusters from 1986 to 1987.

From Cleveland to Late-Night Stardom

Arsenio Hall was born on February 12, 1956, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Fred and Annie Hall; his father was a Baptist minister. As a child, Hall performed as a magician, showing an early comfort with entertaining crowds. He graduated from Warrensville Heights High School in 1973 after briefly attending John F. Kennedy High School, then went on to study at both Ohio University and Kent State University. His comedy path led him through Chicago and into Los Angeles, where he made his television debut on Soul! and made a couple of appearances on Soul Train. In 1984, he served as announcer and sidekick for Alan Thicke on the short-lived Thicke of the Night—a role Hall has joked confused him with game-show host Monty Hall. He also appeared on five weeks of the NBC game show Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour (1983–1984) and voiced Winston Zeddemore on The Real Ghostbusters from 1986 to 1987. By 1987, Hall had founded Arsenio Hall Communications and signed a two-year, multi-picture agreement with Paramount Pictures to develop films under an exclusive deal.

The Arsenio Hall Show and the 'Woof' Phenomenon

After Joan Rivers departed Fox's late-night program in 1987, the network cycled through several interim hosts before canceling the series in 1988. Hall was tapped to host in the fall of 1987, and his energetic, audience-driven style proved so popular that he was offered his own syndicated show. The Arsenio Hall Show premiered on January 2, 1989, under a Paramount contract, and ran until May 27, 1994. It became a breakout hit, particularly strong with younger viewers. The show's signature element was the audience's 'Woof, woof, woof!' chant—punctuated by fist-pumping—drawn from the Cleveland Browns' Dawg Pound in the east end zone. By 1991, the ritual had become a pop-culture stamp of approval so recognizable that it appeared in films like Pretty Woman and The Hard Way. Hall himself joked the chant had become 'so popular it's getting on people's nerves.' His rivalry with Jay Leno, newly named host of The Tonight Show, added fuel to the late-night landscape, with Hall publicly declaring he would 'kick Jay's ass' in the ratings.

Advocacy, Allyship, and the Magic Johnson Foundation

Long before gay rights became a mainstream conversation—particularly within Black culture—Hall was a vocal supporter of the community. In the early 1990s, this stance was tested when gay rights activists protested an episode of The Arsenio Hall Show, criticizing him for not featuring enough openly gay guests and for occasionally playing gay characters. Hall responded passionately, pointing out that he had hosted Elton John and other gay celebrities, as well as guests who preferred to keep their orientation private. The audience's thunderous 'woof' chants of support underscored the show's inclusive spirit. Hall also channeled his platform into the fight against HIV/AIDS stigma, particularly after Magic Johnson publicly contracted the virus. Together, Hall and Johnson filmed a public service announcement about the disease that aired in the early 1990s. Years later, in 2012, Hall competed on The Celebrity Apprentice's fifth season representing the Magic Johnson Foundation, a charity dedicated to advancing economic and social equality by engaging minorities in every aspect of their communities and increasing academic and innovation opportunities.

Film, Television, and a Career Beyond the Late-Night Chair

Hall's film work includes co-starring alongside Eddie Murphy in Coming to America (1988) and its sequel Coming 2 America (2021), as well as appearing in Harlem Nights (1989) and the sitcom Martial Law (1998–2000) opposite Sammo Hung. After his late-night run, he hosted the MTV Video Music Awards between 1988 and 1991, starred in the short-lived sitcom Arsenio (1997), and revived Star Search (2003–2004), where he popularized the catchphrase 'Hit me with the digits!' His range extended to a self-deprecating cameo on Chappelle's Show in March 2004, where he played himself in a dinner scene imagining 'what Arsenio is doing right now.' He also guest-co-hosted Wednesday evenings on The Tim Conway Jr. Show on KLSX 97.1 FM, hosted MyNetworkTV's The World's Funniest Moments and TV One's 100 Greatest Black Power Moves, and appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher in May 2012 discussing the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Hall was considered to host the syndicated Deal or No Deal and filmed six pilot episodes, though Howie Mandel ultimately won the role. He also filled in as guest host for NBC's Access Hollywood Live and CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight, and made regular appearances on The Jay Leno Show and Lopez Tonight.