John Rinaldi "Lil John"
BigChuckLilJohn.com/Lil-Johns-page
2026
Known throughout Northeast Ohio as Lil John, co-host of the Emmy award winning Big Chuck & Lil John Show.
Prior to joining Big Chuck Schodowski as the programs co-host in September 1978, John served as a regular in various skits and productions on Fox 8's Hoolihan and Big Chuck Show, the forerunner to the Big Chuck & Lil John show.
A graduate of Cleveland's John Adams High School, John attended Ohio State University and graduated in 1968 with a degree in marketing. In 190 John opened a jewelry store in downtown Cleveland, with his wife Sherry. Rinaldi Jewelry moved closer to John's home in Solon in 2004. Valentines Day of 2017 John closed his jewelry store and Semi-Retired, not able to disassociate himself from jewelry entirely. Jewelry has been John's business and passion since 1968.
John has won twelve local Emmy's, and a Cleveland Addy. He was inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1996. John received the Silver Circle award, and the Cleveland Association of Broadcasters award for Excellence in Broadcasting in 1995. John has earned more than two hundred and fifty service awards, for his active involvement in numerous community service and fund raising projects. John serves as the celebrity chairman for several charity golf outings. In 2022 John served his 5oth year as the Whooly Bear race coordinator at the Vermillion Whooly Bear Festival.
A native of Cleveland and a resident of Solon, John enjoys sports and making people laugh. He and his wife have two sons, John and Dino, and five grandchildren. John stands 4'3" tall, and weights 115 lb.
Laughing My Way Through Life...
Great stories from one of Cleveland’s funniest people …
Best known as co-host of the long-running “Big Chuck & Lil’ John Show,” John Rinaldi has spent a lifetime making people laugh—including three generations of fans on Cleveland television every Friday night.
He also wrestled bears … crashed a hot-air balloon … fought heavyweight champ Mike Tyson … played the bongos with heavyweight champ Larry Holmes … and was almost killed by Elvis impersonators … all while helping to raise millions of dollars for charity and winning several Emmy awards.
And that was just in his spare time!
This regular guy known to everybody in Northeast Ohio simply as “Lil’ John” made a huge impact on Cleveland’s popular culture over four decades with his jumbo-sized personality and small physical stature.
“Having a sense of humor and not taking myself too seriously have always been important to me—especially at four feet three inches tall,” he says. “I’ve learned to roll with whatever life throws at me and always find a reason to laugh.”
He loves to share that laughter …
“I’ve had enough fun to fill several lifetimes,” he says. “And these stories are some of my all-time favorite moments.”