La La Anthony Joins Hollywood to Mourn as MTV Star Ananda Lewis’ Loses Battle to Cancer at 52

In the 90s, many MTV VJs gained prominence and at one point were even more popular than any sports athletes. Alan Hunter, J.J. Jackson, Mark Goodman, Nina Blackwood, and Martha Quinn were the early pioneers. La La Anthony too gained popularity with her VJ stint with MTV in 2001. But before her, it was Ananda Lewis who catapulted to success and earned titles from the New York Times. Sadly, the former VJ lost her battle to breast cancer, and it was her sister who shared the news.

Her sister Lakshmi Emory shared the news on Facebook, writing, “She’s free, and in His heavenly arms. Lord, rest her soul.” Ananda Lewis was just 52 years old and is survived by her son, Langston, with Harry Smith, brother of Will Smith. Lewis was born in Los Angeles in 1973, and after graduating from Howard University in 1995, became a host on BET’s “Teen Summit” series, which got her noticed by MTV. In 1997, she became one of the most popular hosts on the channel and interviewed the likes of Destiny’s Child, Britney Spears, NSYNC, and many more.

After being named “the hip-hop generation’s reigning It Girl,” by the New York Times, she left MTV in 2001 to host her talk show, “The Ananda Lewis Show.” La La Anthony was quick to share, “Rest in Paradise Ananda .” In her Instagram story, she left a heartfelt message for Lewis for being the one to pave the way for VJs.

“Thank you for paving the way for so many like myself. Love you always.” Anthony began her career as a radio host before moving to MTV in 2001. There she worked for two years, which established her because of co-hosting shows Direct Effect and Total Request Live. News of Lewis’s passing away was painful, as she had been dealing with breast cancer for the past several years.

First revealing her diagnosis in 2020, “I have been fighting to get cancer out of my body for almost two years,” she said in an Instagram video at the time. The Los Angeles-born presenter announced in October last year that her breast cancer had spread and progressed to stage 4.

More about Ananda Lewis and her battle with cancer

Before La La Anthony took over the duties of hosting Total Request Live, it was Lewis who did it during her stint. She joined the network in 1997 and was also the host of Hot Zone, and was responsible for interviewing rising and established talents for the network. Later, she left MTV and in 2001, she became the host of her own talk show, “The Ananda Lewis Show,” which ran from 2001 to 2002.

Lewis would later join Entertainment Tonight’s spinoff, “The Insider,” as a correspondent from 2004 to 2005. The former talk show host shared in 2020 that she was doing “100% alternative and natural protocols and treatments” at the time. She later candidly admitted that a longstanding fear of radiation had deterred her from undergoing regular mammograms. A decision she later expressed profound regret over.

In October 2024, during a roundtable discussion on CNN, Lewis revealed her cancer had advanced to stage IV. And eight months later, her sister shared the news of her passing away.

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