Billie Rae Bates is a renowned journalist with a diverse career spanning both print and broadcast media. She has conducted interviews with numerous actors, writers, and artists in the entertainment industry, including those from the Hollywood and comics industries. Her on-camera work has taken her to various locations, including TV shows based in Washington, D.C., and Detroit.
In the 1990s, Bates hosted several episodes of the half-hour "Red Cross Currents" TV series, which was produced by the Bay, Genesee, and Saginaw County chapters of the American Red Cross and aired on WNEM, Channel 5. After a period of print work, she returned to television in 2010, working as the host of the "Comics Continuum" half-hour entertainment series, which aired on several Midwestern channels. During her time on the show, she hosted on-the-road episodes from notable events such as the San Diego Comic-Con, C2E2 in Chicago, and Mega-Con in Orlando.
In addition to her hosting duties, Bates also worked as a correspondent for the series. In 2011, she began hosting and correspondent work for the Washington, D.C.-based "Fantastic Forum" series, which aired on several stations in D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia.
A graduate of Michigan State University's accredited School of Journalism, Bates has a long history of working as a professional writer and editor. She has spent 10 years at daily newspapers, including The Detroit News, The Saginaw News, and the Wausau (Wis.) Daily Herald, and has also worked in the corporate, ministry, and government fields. Bates is the author of four novels, two of which are set in Detroit, as well as the BRBTV series of fact books and reports, which cover a range of TV shows.
Bates has also created two web series, "Terrific TV Toys" and "Terrific non-TV Toys," which explore toys and collectibles related to classic TV shows. Since 2006, she has maintained a news blog focused on classic television and has also blogged for Congoo.com and the OohLifestyle.com. In addition, she has reviewed books for Foreword Reviews and has written two yearlong photo essays, "My Mother's Clothing" and "The Inexplicable Lives of Dolls."
More recently, Bates has written two books in the true-crime genre. She is also an actress, having appeared in several feature films, both big-budget and independent productions. A native of Michigan, Bates has lived in Detroit, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. and can be found at her website, BillieRae.com.
