Head cheerleader for the Democratic Party
Posted on 01/04/2004 8:30:03 PM PST by ZULU
Through Turmoil and Tragedy, a Peppy News Pro Wakes Us with a Smile
Premieres: Jan. 4, 9 p.m. Encores: Jan. 5, 12 a.m.; Jan. 6, 8 p.m.
She hates the P-word, but you can hardly describe Katie Couric without saying "perky." For millions of Americans, she and Today cohost Matt Lauer represent a human jolt of caffeine. Yet for all her cheeriness, she has been lauded as one of the best in the business, slipping easily between serious topics and infotainment. Catch this E! True Hollywood Story, when it premieres Sun., Jan. 4, at 9 p.m., and see how Couric started at the bottom and went nowhere fast. She was inexperienced and didn't make a good impression, but her persistence paid off, and soon viewers were all but clamoring for her to take the coanchor spot on Today. Follow Couric's career path from desk assistant at ABC to, at one point, highest-paid news personality on television. See how she grabbed opportunities when they presented themselves. And learn the secrets of her ambition.
Hear also how her life has been struck repeatedly by the tragedy of cancer: She has stood by friends as they suffered through it, she lost both a husband and a sister to it, and her efforts to raise awareness about the disease have saved countless lives. She's a widow, a mother, a personality and a reporter. Tune in to hear the true story of Katie Couric--the E! True Hollywood Story. But first, get to know her better with a few fun facts.
Facts & Figures: What You Need to Know About Tenacious Katie
• As a child, she was active in track, gymnastics and cheerleading. • In college, she served as an associate editor of her campus newspaper.
• Her first job out of college was an entry-level position as a desk assistant at ABC. • Eventually, she left ABC for the newly established cable news network CNN, along with a group of her colleagues from ABC News, but when the former president of CNN saw her on the air one day, he didn't like what he saw and ordered producers to never let her on again. • She transferred to CNN headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and in April 1982, she produced two weeks of live broadcasts from Cuba. • Despite her success behind the camera, she was never a star when she was on the air. She took reporting jobs in Miami, Florida, and in Washington, D.C., to hone her skills. • At a Washington cocktail party in 1988, she met a group of men and expressed disdain when they said they were lawyers. One told her he was an artist. It turned out he was a lawyer, but they began dating anyway. • Couric rose to national prominence during the Persian Gulf War as a correspondent for the Today show. At the same time, Today hosts Bryant Gumbel and Deborah Norville were having problems with their chemistry. Couric replaced Norville when she went on maternity leave.
• On April 4, 1991, she became the official cohost of Today. • In October 1992, during a tour of the White House with Barbara Bush, President George Bush walked by. Couric grabbed the opportunity and had a 12-minute exclusive interview about hard-hitting topics like his role in the Iran-Contra Affair. The interview made national news.
• While covering the O.J. Simpson trial for NBC, her husband ignored some medical problems. In April 1997, he was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer. • After her husband's death on their anniversary in January 1998, she took a month off before returning to the Today show. She wore a chain around her neck with her husband's ring on it. • In June 1998, NBC renegotiated her contract for four years at $7 million a year. When that contract was up, she reportedly signed another four-year deal--for $65 million. • On March 6, 2000, she made history by undergoing a colonoscopy live on television. Viewers actually saw the interior of her colon. Her report encouraged thousands of people to have tests done and won her a prestigious Peabody Award. • In June 2000, she met Tom Werner on a blind date. He now owns the Boston Red Sox. They split up, but then got back together again. • NBC entertainment President Jeff Zucker, her friend, has had a number of battles with cancer. Her sister, Virginia State Sen. Emily Couric was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died on Oct. 18, 2001.
She's a leftist fanatic - a major media news zombie - dort of a shortened version of Paula Zahn.
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Qati Khouriq
If "pro" is a shortening of "prostitute", I'd say that is accurate...
So, her astute question, "Has this changed you in any way?" to Elizabeth Smart comes under which heading?
Good idea.
Head cheerleader for the Democratic Party
Of course, if we talk about "evil women," we have to be sure that these are women. Outwardly, they SEEM to be women, but you never know.
What is this crap, something the editor of Tiger Beat rejected?
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