Benjamin "A.J." Benza was born on June 2, 1962, in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, to parents Al and Lillian. Shortly after his birth, his family, which included his two sisters, Rosalie and Lorraine, relocated to West Islip, New York, on Long Island. Benza's early life was marked by a passion for learning, as he graduated from West Islip High School in 1980 and went on to attend C.W. Post College in Brookville, New York. While at college, he pursued a major in journalism and developed a strong interest in horticulture.
During his college years, Benza's creative side was piqued, and he devoted a significant amount of time to studying dramatic theatre. His love for music also led him to form a rock band, "Fred can wait," with childhood friends Whitey, Chico, and Fred. As the band's harmonica wizard, Benza mesmerized college crowds with his impressive lipwork and energetic performances.
After leaving the band, Benza landed a part-time job at Newsday, a newspaper on Long Island, where he wrote high school sports and freelanced as a bouncer on weekends at a club called Illusions in Mahwah, New Jersey. However, he soon quit the club and was hired full-time to write gossip for the Daily News.
Throughout the early 1990s, Benza continued to write before being recruited to host "Mysteries and Scandals" on the E! channel in Los Angeles. In 2004, he co-hosted High Stakes Poker alongside fellow commentator Gabe Kaplan. Today, Benza is a freelance writer, harmonica performer, and occasional actor in films and television. He currently resides in Los Angeles.
