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Sam Rubin (February 16, 1960 – May 10, 2024) was an American journalist who served as the entertainment reporter for the KTLA Morning News and as a television host of entertainment talk shows and specials. He reported on the entertainment industry for over thirty years and interviewed many Hollywood stars. He was also the co-author of two biographies, one on the former first lady Jacqueline Onassis and another about actress Mia Farrow.
Rubin was known for his frequent jokes about movies and TV, including personnel at competing TV stations. In a 1992 interview, he climbed into a bed between Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold. At times, Rubin's remarks agitated KTLA colleagues and management. In 1993, he joked that Hal Fishman, one of KTLA's main evening news anchors, "once wore a skirt for a co-anchor job in Spokane" making a comparison between Fishman and actor Dustin Hoffman (referring to Hoffman in Tootsie). The remark irked Fishman, who enlisted his lawyer, noted that he was "not a cross-dresser", said that he had never spent any significant amount of time in Spokane, and hinted at possibly leaving the station. Rubin apologized and was reprimanded by KTLA. In 1998, 2002, and 2004, KTLA suspended Rubin for comments he made about KTLA's assistant news director, KABC-TV's general manager, and the station's new set, respectively.
Twice in the 1990s, KTLA tapped Rubin to co-host new local shows. In 1993, it debuted The Morning Show at 9 a.m., which was hosted by the KTLA Morning News team but was strictly a talk show. The program was intended for national syndication but found little interest, so KTLA canceled it within a year. In 1998, Sam joined Stephanie Edwards for The Live Show, which ran 26 weeks. In addition, he hosted and produced award show specials for KTLA.
During a live on-air interview with actor Samuel L. Jackson on February 10, 2014, Rubin mistakenly asked Jackson about the success of the trailer advertised at the Super Bowl, which featured African American actor and former Jackson co-star Laurence Fishburne, who had reprised his role as Morpheus from The Matrix franchise for a car commercial. Jackson was offended by the mistaken reference and, in response, berated Rubin. In his apology, Rubin claimed he was referring to another commercial which did feature Jackson. That commercial, for , was also screened at the Super Bowl. Rubin said he had not brought it up during the interview itself because he felt "stupid". At the same time, he said that Jackson had misinterpreted what he said. Rubin, nevertheless, chastised himself for what he called "a very amateur mistake".
As an entertainment correspondent at KTLA, he frequently appeared on other media outlets, including KNX, The Joan Rivers Show, and the WGN Morning News. He was also the regular Hollywood entertainment reporter in the UK on ITV's This Morning as well as for Australia's Nine Network on Today and Today Extra.
Though edgy, Rubin was considered to have conventional tastes. He was known for rarely being probing in interviews and generally being positive, which made him a favorite among Hollywood publicists; his easygoing manner was known to put celebrities at ease. Henry Winkler noted that he could make guests "open up like a flower". Rubin went on paid Film promotion, unlike most journalists who shun the practice for ethical reasons. In 2012, he attended a press event for the film The Place Beyond the Pines at the urging of his daughter, who was 17. She wanted her father to ask her favorite actor, Ryan Gosling, questions.
He was honored during his career with a Golden Mike Award for best entertainment reporter and a lifetime achievement award from the Los Angeles Press Club in 2010. Rubin made appearances as himself in several films, including Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) and America's Sweethearts (2001).
On May 28, a petition was initiated on Change.org to commemorate Rubin with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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