Florence Anthony (R) with husband Michael Spinks.
The charismatic and renowned American journalist Florence “Flo” Anthony passed away on August 6 at the age of 74.
Affectionately known as “Flo,” she was an extraordinary gossip columnist, radio host, television personality, author, and publicist. From her beginnings at the Philadelphia Sun, she rose to become one of the most recognized entertainment journalists.
A girl from the legendary East Harlem neighborhood of New York City, she worked with boxing legends such as Muhammad Ali, Butch Lewis, Michael Spinks, Larry Holmes, Mike McCallum, and Matthew Saad Muhammad. In the mid-1980s, she transitioned to entertainment journalism.
She became the first African American reporter to work in the gossip section of the New York Post and the first African American to write a column for The National Examiner, where she distinguished herself through her connections with Michael Jackson and O.J. Simpson. Whitney Houston, and Donald Trump led to her appearing on television news programs such as Inside Edition, The Insider, and Entertainment Tonight.
She was on E! Entertainment's The Gossip Show and also on E! True Hollywood Story, sharing stories about La Toya Jackson, Robin Givens, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown, and many others.
As a writer, Anthony was a regular contributor to the New York Daily News, where she covered the entertainment section of its popular "Confidential" column. She also wrote a weekly column that appeared in the New York Amsterdam News, the Philadelphia Sunday Sun, BRE magazine, the Columbus Times, and the Oklahoma Eagle. In addition, she managed Steven Hoffenberg's website PostPublishing.buzz, contributed to Resident magazine, served as editor and editor-in-chief of Black Noir magazine, and editor-in-chief of Black Elegance magazine.
She frequently appeared on cable and local television news programs, such as Good Day New York, where she commented on the latest entertainment news and celebrity culture.
Flo Anthony had been in a relationship with former world champion Michael Spinks since the late 1980s. They had married in early 2026 and resided in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York City.
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