I woke up in the middle of the night to my kittens licking my face. Then I couldn't go back to sleep. My mind started drifting. On my list of to-do's for today was to write my E! News Blog. I started thinking about it and couldn't stop. See, I love writing, but committing is the tricky part. Meaning, what do I write about? When I get an assignment at E!, it's easy. Do as your told, Catt, and go interview The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. But when it's "Send us your new blog post, Catt," I get a severe case of performance anxiety. So, thanks to the genius of Twitter, I have decided to put the onus back on you guys!
What do you want me to write about? *wink,smile*
@sanbodean: Where does your positive outlook come from?
I remember reading an article about Goldie Hawn when I was a young girl. She described herself as a cheerleader for the human spirit. That really struck a chord with me. I think part of my eternally optimistic attitude is innate and comes from within. But I also know that happyness (as I like to spell it) is a conscious choice. I've been knocked down like anyone else. I've suffered through divorce. I've lost those that I've loved, I had to say goodbye to my dream job of hosting the D10, but at the end of the day, focusing on gratitude and seeing the beauty even in adversity tends to get me through.
@ashNEVAR: How many kids do you have?
I have two beautiful boys. Austin is 9 and Arion (sounds like Ah-Lion) is 5. These are two more reasons for my positivity. Kids are hard work. They keep you grounded—especially in a world of privilege like here in Hollywood. I'm packing lunches, attending youth basketball games and studying for vocabulary tests with my li'l dudes when I'm not working!
@ask_alexx: What advice do you have for someone who wants to do what you do?
The only real way to get good at being on TV, is by being on TV. It's a catch-22, really. I started in local news more than a decade ago. I worked 18 hour days. I read prompter for the first time on live TV in San Francisco in front of millions and am certain I pretty much sucked. I did live shot after live shot in the middle of Indiana farmlands and basically learned as I went a long. Don't get me wrong: Go get your degree in journalism or communications, so you know how to tell good stories. Learn everybody's job, not just the one you want. Learn how to write. Learn how to produce. Learn how to ask questions. Learn why TV writing is different than when you write for a newspaper. Understand that the glamour doesn't come early on, nor do you really want it to. It feels nice to know you earn your spot in this biz.
As always, big love.
Catt