Mark McGrath: Extra Work

Anybody who's seen Sugar Ray frontman Mark McGrath on VH1 shows like Rock & Roll Jeopardy or I Love the 80's knows the man is gifted when it comes to entertainment trivia.

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"In high school I used to bring in all my music magazines," he says. "I was into pop culture--music, movies, TV. So I think of it as kind of an apprenticeship for what I'm doing now." What he's referring to is his new gig as co-host with Dayna Devon on the syndicated-TV showbiz news program Extra. Although some might see it as an odd fit for a rocker, he does have a degree in communications from the University of Southern California. Not that he's retained anything he learned. "In retrospect, I wish I could remember some of the stuff. I could use some pointers now." No worries--all those years on the road gave him the kind of life experience most TV journalists wish they had. "Simply by going out in Hollywood, going to premieres, being in a band, you meet a lot of people. So it's a bit of a truce--they've got a lot of dirt on me and I've got a lot of dirt on them." Now that brings new meaning to "inside scoop."

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Michelle Said