Jayne Kennedy Holds Nothing Back in Her Book – PLAIN JAYNE: A Memoir
Bonnie DeShong
I recently picked up Jayne Kennedy’s memoir, PLAIN JAYNE: A Memoir, and it was a game-changer for me. You might know Jayne as the stunning model, sportscaster, and actress who was married to Isaac Kennedy, but trust me, there’s so much more beneath the surface!
Jayne opens up in such an honest and sometimes blunt way that you can’t help but feel connected. She takes us back to her childhood with her parents, Virginia and Herbert Harrison, who managed to raise six resilient kids. I couldn’t help but smile when she described how her mom would send them outside all day, which reminded me so much of my own childhood in Central Illinois. Jayne writes, “We didn’t see inside until dinnertime,” capturing those nostalgic summer days filled with outdoor adventures and tin tub baths. Some of you won’t have a clue what a tin tub is, let alone taking a bath in one.
One of the gems in the book is learning about how Jayne and her sisters weren’t fully aware of their beauty. Her mom taught her to sew at just six years old, which became her superpower, crafting everything from school clothes to her wedding dress.
When I got the chance to chat with Jayne while she was in town, I found her incredibly warm and relatable, just like she is in her book. When I asked about her teenage years, she told me she was a junior in high school and class president by 17. “I ran for vice president at Girls Nation and won,” she shared, recalling the surreal experience of being sworn in by Spiro Agnew in the Senate chambers.
And can you imagine entering the pageant scene back then? As a Black woman at the 1970 Miss Ohio USA and later the Ms. USA pageant, it was an uphill battle. Jayne said, “My family wasn’t a rich family. We made all of our clothes. We did everything on our own. So, for the Ms. USA pageant in Miami, Mayor Carl Stokes, the first Black Mayor in the United States, his wife found out I didn’t have gowns, she and all of her friends went and bought a wardrobe for me and two wigs.”
Her journey with Isaac Kennedy to Los Angeles is like a classic Hollywood story with a twist of realism. They had a 10-year plan to network and rise fast. Stars like Marla Gibbs and Sammy Davis Jr. helped them meet the right people who could actually make things happen. She worked with Bob Hope, Dean Martin, and so many more.
Jayne’s candor, especially about tough topics, is what makes this memoir shine. I asked her what the hardest part to write was, and she bravely admitted, “The tape. I wasn’t going to put it in the book, but I came to realize that if I wanted people to believe all the other things that I talk about, I have to admit to this as well.” If you don’t know what she is talking about, read the book.
I had forgotten all that Jayne Kennedy did for not only Black women but truly all women during her career. She produced and starred in award-winning films, including Body & Soul, for which she won the NAACP Image Award for Best Actress. She is best known for her ground-breaking tenure on the Emmy Award-winning CBS’ The NFL Today. As one of the first national female sports anchors and the very first African-American female in that role. The combination of Brent Musburger, Jayne Kennedy, Irv Cross, and Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder is often referred to as the best pregame show on television—ever! In 2018, she was inducted into the prestigious Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture. In 2022, Jayne received the National Sports Media Association’s Roone Arledge Award for Innovation and Black Enterprise’s Women of Power Summit’s Legacy Award. And in August 2025, Jayne was honored with the Sam Lacy Pioneer Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Black Journalists.
In her book, Jayne describes her greatest achievement as being the mother of four very strong, independent women and married to a wonderful man, Bill Overton. She has found herself again through faith, determination, and love for herself.
“I think that everybody can get to this point when you speak honestly to yourself. There are so many of us who have difficulties and talents in life, but if you can learn to speak to yourself and believe in yourself, no one can ever stop you. If you want to go forward, all you have to do is tell yourself, “I can do this. I can do this.” Jayne KennedyPLAIN JAYNE: A Memoir is definitely a must-read. It’s not only informative but incredibly inspiring, highlighting how Jayne Kennedy shattered barriers and made her mark in sports broadcasting and entertainment. I’m giving it a 4 out of 5 winks of the EYE! It’s a heartfelt and relatable journey you’ll want to dive into.
Until next time, keep your EYE to the sky!