Ira Joe Fisher

Ira Joe Fisher (born October 31, 1947 in Salamanca, New York) was the weather reporter for CBS's The Saturday Early Show, a position he held from 1999 until 2006. He was known for his ability to write backwards on "Plexiglass 2000" weather presentations. Fisher frequently entertained crowds on the plaza outside the CBS studios. He lives in Connecticut with wife, Shelly, and has four children, Joshua, Shelby, Ashley, and Dylan.

Background

Fisher spent his entire childhood in Cattaraugus County, New York, a rural area well south of Buffalo. He was born in Salamanca, got his first job at WGGO in said city, and graduated high school from Little Valley Central School in 1965.

Fisher has been a college professor, author, columnist, poet, disc jockey, reporter, actor, and weatherman. Ira Joe has a master’s degree in fine arts from New England College. Fisher currently teaches at Pace University and at the University of Connecticut.

Television career

Fisher began his television career at KHQ-TV in Spokane, Washington in 1970 as a reporter and host of "The Noon Show". He worked there for 10 years, until 1980. He worked at WKRC-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio between 1980 and 1983. While there, he was a weather reporter and co-host of PM Magazine. He also worked at WKRC radio as a commentator. From 1983 to 1985, Fisher served as a weatherman and feature reporter at WABC in New York City; during this time, he also worked on "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee".

Fisher returned to WKRC-TV from 1985 to 1989, where he hosted "The Ira Joe Fisher Show", a daily talk/variety show. From 1989-1995, he served as a weather and feature reporter on WNBC-TV in New York City. In 1995, he moved to WCBS where he remained until 2003. At different times during his tenure there, he served as the weather anchor for every one of the station's newscasts.

Fisher was fired from WCBS in 2003. After that, he appeared on the "CBS News Saturday Early Show" and as a voiceover artist for the "CBS Morning News" and "The Early Show" until 2007. He is now teaching at Pace University.

Poetry

Fisher is the author of two works of poetry: a chapbook titled "Remembering Rew", and a full-length collection, "Some Holy Weight in the Village Air" ( [http://www.athanata.com Athanata Arts] 2006). He holds an MFA from New England College and teaches poetry at the University of Connecticut in Stamford and at Pace University.

External links

* [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/18/earlyshow/saturday/main667554.shtml Biography at cbsnews.com]
* [http://www.littlevalleyny.com Little Valley Area Chamber of Commerce]