Joanne Herring (born July 3, 1929) is a Houston socialite, political activist, businesswoman, and former talk show host.
In the 1980s Herring played a role in helping U.S. Representative Charlie Wilson persuade the U.S. American government to train and arm resistance fighters in Afghanistan to fend off Soviet troops, which invaded and then occupied the country in 1979. These events inspired the book Charlie Wilson' War ; Herring is portrayed by a...
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Joanne Herring (born July 3, 1929) is a Houston socialite, political activist, businesswoman, and former talk show host.
In the 1980s Herring played a role in helping U.S. Representative Charlie Wilson persuade the U.S. American government to train and arm resistance fighters in Afghanistan to fend off Soviet troops, which invaded and then occupied the country in 1979. These events inspired the book Charlie Wilson' War ; Herring is portrayed by actress Julia Roberts in the 2007 film adaptation.
Born in Houston as Joanne Johnson, Herring grew up in the city's affluent River Oaks neighborhood, and her childhood acquaintances included James A. Baker, III, who would later serve as Secretary of State. She enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin, but left after her sophomore year to marry real estate developer Robert King.
A fixture on the Houston social circuit, Herring became notorious for the lavish, decadent birthday party her husband threw for her in 1959. The "Roman orgy"-themed...
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