Plain Jayne

A Memoir

By: Jayne Kennedy

Narrated by: Jayne Kennedy

From award-winning actress and sports broadcaster Jayne Kennedy comes a compelling, inspirational, and unflinchingly honest memoir about her rise in Hollywood and beyond.

Jayne Kennedy is one of the most photographed, glamorous, and intriguing women ever to set foot in Hollywood. Perhaps best known for her groundbreaking work in 1978–1980 on the Emmy Award–winning CBS program The NFL Today, she’s an icon and trailblazer in every sense of the word. From becoming the first Black woman to win Miss Ohio USA, to being the only woman to host the long-running syndicated television show Greatest Sports Legends, and pioneering the fitness industry with her bestselling Love Your Body exercise videos and fitness programs, nobody has had a career trajectory quite like Jayne. And she has never gone on the record about her personal experiences and the resulting joys and scars—until now.

Her candid and conversational storytelling will endear her once again to her existing fans as well as open her up to a new audience that will admire her message of resilience and empowerment. Jayne has long been a beacon of Black and female excellence and has opened doors for female talent and media executives. Inducted into the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in their Television and the Media Landscape exhibit, Jayne is indeed a pioneer. Tracing her upbringing in Ohio and her journey shattering glass ceilings in American contemporary culture, Plain Jayne is a breathtaking story of endurance, survival, and achievement.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2025 Jayne Kennedy (P)2025 Audible, Inc.

Your journey

Everything was gracious and lots of wisdom transparency, things we never thought about with her

Not forgotten

This was a nice review by a woman who was revered by many other females, especially us black teenage girls looking for strong pioneers who resembled us. Well done!

Plain Jayne

A Book I didn't know I needed to read. What a wonderful story and a life well lived. What an open and transparent view. Watching Jayne as a young man in the 70's and 80s it never dawned on me that she was a trail blazer. Great book!

Stolen truths will rise like the sun

An in depth biography of the first woman sport caster on prime time television who was usurped from adoring fans and athletes in the prime of her career The journey of success, personal tribulations and perseverance of this trailblazing queen reminds us all to ... NEVER, EVER QUIT! .

Jayne Kennedy Pioneer

I Love Jayne's Honesty and Caring Heart From the Outside You think Especially If Your Only 10 Years Old Like I Was In 1978 that She's On TV she has the Dream Life and she's Beautiful she has It all But the Longer You Live and If You Read her Book You Know that's a Fairy Tale No Such thing as the Perfect Life. But She Forged ahead and Broke the Glass Ceiling Opening all Doors For all Women to walk through