Ep 43: Sports Journalism, Gaining Confidence, and Asking Tough Questions with Danielle Trotta

With over 15 years of broadcast experience, Danielle Trotta has covered NASCAR, NFL, NBA, MLB, PGA, collegiate athletics, Supercross, and Moto GP for some of the biggest broadcasting companies worldwide. On this week’s episode of If I’m Honest, Julia Landauer learns how Danielle got into sports broadcasting, how she ramped up her knowledge of NASCAR, and which NASCAR drivers are particularly engaging to interview. Danielle discusses why and how she makes sure to ask the hard questions while reporting, including the influence that listeners have on her. Danielle and Julia share their love for storytelling, relate to each other on how getting older helps them gain confidence, and explain how sports are a unifying force.

You can follow Danielle on X at @DanielleTrotta (https://twitter.com/DanielleTrotta) and on Instagram at @DanielleKTrotta (https://www.instagram.com/daniellektrotta).

Learn more about Julia Landauer at https://julialandauer.com/.

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hello everybody, and welcome back to another episode of If
I'm Honest with Julia Landauer. This episode is so intense
and honest and heartwarming and absolutely lovely and we have
Danielle Trotta on the show with us.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
So.

Speaker 1 (00:20):
Danielle has over fifteen years of broadcast experience. She's covered NASCAR,
the NFL, NBA, MLBPGA, Collegiate Athletics, Supercross, and Moto GP
for some of the biggest broadcasting companies worldwide. She can
be heard daily as a co host of Serious XM's
on Track alongside Larry McReynolds on Serious XM Nascar Radio.
She also currently reports for Meekham, the largest car auction

(00:43):
in the world, and they're held monthly around the country
and broadcast on Motor Trend and are streaming on HBO Max.
A native of Westchester, New York, Danielle and her husband,
Robbie Benton, called Charlotte home and share a passion for motorsports.
Danielle attended Carmel High School in Carmel, Indiana, where she
was part of three consecutive States championships in swimming and diving.
Danielle is a graduate of the University of North Carolina

(01:04):
at Charlotte with a degree in mass communications. She joined
Fox Sports in July of twenty ten as a reporter
for NASCAR Race Hub and progressed into a co hosting
role in twenty twelve. In twenty fourteen, as Speed launched
into what was now known as FS one, Danielle added
to her responsibilities hosting multiple shows. In twenty fifteen, she
ventured into the NFL for the first time as a

(01:24):
sideline reporter for the NFL on Fox. In twenty eighteen,
Danielle added to her duties hosting a nightly sports talk
show on NBC Sports Boston, and in October of twenty
twenty one, Danielle began filming My Dream Car, which premiered
on Fox Business Channel in April twenty twenty two and
is still airing. This conversation was so incredible because I've
known Danielle since twenty sixteen when I was in NASCAR

(01:46):
Next and we got to go on set and report
with them, and I've really really admired her career, her
dedication to her journalistic practices. I got to learn a
lot about her as I was preparing for this episode,
and we talked about everything from how to prepare for
something that you're working on. We talked about how sports

(02:07):
are a unifying factor and really helps bring people together,
especially during our otherwise divisive culture that we're living in
right now. We talked about how she got into NASCAR
and how she prepared for all of the incredible work
that she did that was camera facing. We also talked
about coming into your own as a woman and how

(02:27):
to really carve your own path and to make decisions
for yourself that you are proud of and that you
won't regret. We talked about how comparison is the thief
of joy. I mean, it was deep, it was honest.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
It was raw.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
I was just really really pleased to have Danielle on
our show, and so I hope you really enjoy this episode. Danielle,
thank you so much for joining me on.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
If I'm honest, Well, if I'm honest, Julia, I am
the one that's honored because I've always been a big
fan of yours and followed your career. I love your podcast,
all the speaking engagement you're doing your work at NASCAR.
I'm like your number one fan. So when you asked,
it was an easy yes.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
Oh my goodness, I am honored, and I was trying
to remember we met. Was it during my NASCAR Next
stuff in twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
I want to say, yeah, you came by with that
whole group of guys and you stopped by race Hub
and uh, do you remember that?

Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah? Yeah I do. I do.

Speaker 2 (03:23):
And they brought all of you guys in, and I
think you were the only girl in the group. I
was so you stood out and I naturally gravitated towards you,
and I'm like, of course, oh my gosh, I have
to get to know this girl. And then like you
talk about your Ivy League education and like the reality
stuff you've done, and you were so multifaceted, you were
so interesting. You had such a cool story that I

(03:45):
wanted to share with people, and I just connected with
you and I've been a fan ever since. So that
was how long ago was that, Julia? That was a while?

Speaker 1 (03:52):
I feel like eight years. It's so sad to realize
just how quickly time goes by, But I remember that
like it was yesterday, Like it was so fun to
be racing full time. It was quite an honor to
get the recognition of NASCAR Next. And you know, I
think it was a lot of young people, like my
teammate at the time, Todd Gilliland, and then there were
the older folks. I feel like it was Matt Tiffed,

(04:15):
Gary Klute, Alan Day and I were like the grandpa's
and grandma's of the group. Everyone else was like in
their mid teenage years. But it was so fun, and
we got to be on the TV sets and we
got to meet such cool people like you, so really
really special. And I also just learned that you're from Westchester,
New York, which is just above New York City for

(04:35):
people who don't know, and I'm from New York City,
so I didn't realize.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
We also have that.

Speaker 1 (04:40):
Close geographic origin story.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
That's why we connect. We're a bunch of New York girls,
and I feel like New York girls. My family was
like I was born in Nurshell, Okay, but then my parents'
apartment was in Brooklyn, and that's where my great grandmother
lived and we had a life city and yeah, yea,
what neighborhood in Brooklyn? My dad is from Morris Park, Okay,

(05:07):
in Bronx. Okay, I'll have to ask my parents, like
where our little apartment was, what part of the Bronx.
What part of the Bronx we were in, or Brooklyn,
but we had so much family, like in around the area.
And we left there when I was like six months,
then lived in Nurshell for a little bit, and then
moved to somers I don't know if you ever that
was kind of upper Westchester.

Speaker 1 (05:27):
Okay, I'm not as familiar.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, so it was such a great place to grow up.

Speaker 1 (05:33):
I mean, I love the Northeast. I love the Northeast
so much. I miss it every day.

Speaker 2 (05:38):
I like the weather in Charlotte a lot better, though,
which I think, yeah.

Speaker 1 (05:43):
Fair, So tell me a little bit more about that.
So you kind of moved around a little bit as
a kid, and I corrected at around age ten, you
guys left the Northeast is that accurate?

Speaker 2 (05:53):
Around fifth grade? And then my dad's job took us
to Indianapolis. So I spent fifth grade to freshman year
of college in Indianapolis. So really your formative years in
a suburb right outside Indy called Carmel, and it was
such a great place. Again, I mean, I was very
blessed a lot like Westchester and great school system and

(06:16):
played a lot of sports. That's where I got into
television and radio. They had eight My high school had
a fully functioning twenty four hour cable access television and
radio stations. So cool, I know, and I knew that's
what I wanted to do. So they had a program
where I like, you started freshman year, by the time

(06:36):
you were a senior, you could intern at a TV
station in Indy, which is a top twenty five market.

Speaker 1 (06:42):
Oh my god. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (06:44):
So yeah, I mean there was just a lot of
opportunities the way it all kind of lined up at
the time. I mean, to move around as a kid,
it's scary and I always I still have an obsession
with twins. And I think my obsession comes from the
fact that, like, when I moved around as a kid,
it over and you don't always have a group of friends,
and so you have to reintroduce yourself and meet new

(07:04):
people and mind girls you connect with. That's hard, you know,
especially through your adolescent years for teens. Yeah, and so
I always would get jealous and I'd see twins because
I'm like, oh, you just have like a best friend
and it's always with you.

Speaker 1 (07:19):
A built it nobody. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
Looking like now as an adult, I can acclimate to
new environments quickly, and there's a lot of positives to it.
But then I went off to college, went to Emerson
in Boston. While I was in school, my parents, my
dad's jobs with them from Indy to Charlotte. So when
I graduated, okay, Charlotte, and so that's how that happened.

Speaker 1 (07:43):
Okay, So backing up a little bit, you said that
you knew that you always wanted to do broadcasting and
to like if you got into it, like when you
were freshman in high school, Like, how did you know
that that was what you wanted to dedicate your life to.

Speaker 2 (07:56):
Yeah, I've never wanted to do anything else. I think
there was like this aha moment in maybe like sixth
or seventh grade. I mean I was pretty young and
we were watching my dad's a big stick and ball guy.
Racing was not a part of my life, funny enough,
you know this being a city girl in New York,
that's not really the thing. So, like my dad's first

(08:18):
car was the New York City subway. There just wasn't
car leveling. Racing is not a thing. So he was
like a big basketball guy and he never had a son,
and so he threw me into every sport. We've watched
sports together. And I remember watching the NBA on NBC
on a Saturday on the couch with Dad and like,
Hannah Storm and Bob Costas are doing the pregame show

(08:39):
and I was like there was a light bulb moment
when I was watching Hannah post the pre rate or
the pre game and I was like, Dad, that's what
I want to do. And He's like, okay, and that
was it. Literally, have never wanted to do, never done
anything professionally, Like I waited tables and you know, had
the odd kid job stuff through high school and college.

(09:01):
But professionally, I've never wanted to or have done really
anything else.

Speaker 1 (09:05):
That's amazing and and like when I think about my
own career, like I also knew very early on, like
I think it was by the time I was twelve
in go karting w I was like, this is what
I want to pursue. And for me, it really having
that singular goal really guided basically everything I did. Like
you know, when it came to school thinking about subjects

(09:26):
I want to learn, is like how can this help
me in racing? Or after school hanging out with friends
for a little bit, but then going home and exercising
and making sure I was eating healthy and like not
doing any experimental stuff in high school because I knew
I wanted to be healthy and everything. Do you feel
that each kind of step in most of the decisions
you made also were kind of like how do we

(09:47):
make this dream of reality?

Speaker 2 (09:49):
Yeah? I would say so. I was also an athlete,
and high school I was on the swimming and diving team,
So between swimming and diving and television production, I felt
like I is. You know, I didn't always know I
wanted to cover sports as a journalist. I thought I
had going to news or entertainment. I wasn't exactly sure
where the career path would take me. I was I

(10:11):
thought participating competitive sports now helps me so much in
as a reporter and a host in covering the story.
Not that I ever became like you did and reached
this like professional athlete status, but I think you do
understand the dynamics of competing and teamwork and discipline and

(10:32):
taking care of yourself and being mentally focused, and you know,
getting along with others, being creative, working together for a
common goal. All of those things like playing sports growing
up certainly helped me. I think, and then you know,
knowing that I wanted to pursue this so young, it
made my college path much easier. I didn't go like

(10:52):
a big school undecided and then waste two years trying
to figure it out or change majors. A bunch of times.
It was a very singular focus path, so I only
applied to colleges that had great journalistic programs. And yeah,
I mean there was a little bit of tunnel vision.
And sometimes I feel bad for my friends professionally that
are a bit of drifters and they're just trying to

(11:14):
like find their niche and find their way. You know,
mine was always, even at a young age, there was
a pretty clear path. I didn't know how I was
going to get there quote quote, you know, air quote,
but I at least knew what I wanted to do,
which was why the internship senior year at the ABC
affiliate INDI was so big. Because now I'm actually around

(11:36):
people at eighteen years old, seventeen years old, this is
their career path and they're like award winning journalists. I'm
just learning, like absorbing everything I can. I'm on set,
I'm in the field, I'm on the news desk, I'm
in an editing day, I'm hanging out with photographers. So
I really started to hone my skill set at eighteen,
which I think gave me such an accelerated learning curve.

(11:59):
Once I graduated college and got into the business, I
was like, yeah, I know how to edit, I know
how to shoot, I know how to do stand ups.
Like obviously I had to finesse and perfect right, and
I'm very you know, because it's all about reps. I
can't say I was on camera a lot, but in
terms of like news gathering and conducting myself and figuring
out how to put a story together, I had been
around professionals that we're doing that.

Speaker 1 (12:21):
Yeah. No, that's a really good point. And I like
what you said about kind of sometimes feeling bad for
your friends who maybe were looking for that direction, because
I think it is quite a luxury in some ways
to know and have such a clear vision of what
you want to do, and it gives some clarity and

(12:42):
direction in what's otherwise a kind of chaotic world, right,
And so I totally agree with you. As I've gotten older, though,
I have also kind of thought about how there were
things that I missed out on because I was focused,
and I wouldn't change it. But I think about, like,
you know what, I be a little more go with
the flow or be able to unplug and relax a

(13:03):
little better if if I spent more time experimenting or
like thinking about like I don't even know what, I
don't know. So I do think it's I do think
there's a balance. But yeah, I agree that I feel
quite lucky that I had this direction. And to your point,
even if you don't know how to get there, when
you have that north star, you've got your eyes where

(13:25):
you want to go, right, like in the racing saying
like eyes up, eyes where you want to go. You
then figure out how to take the steps and figure
it out, and if one thing doesn't work, you just
try another thing.

Speaker 2 (13:35):
Yeah, I think that's true. And I am, you know,
pretty religious and just kind of spiritual. And I take
zero credit for having that north star at such an
early age. I think it was the Lord's gift, like
he was like okay, And I feel strongly that it
is our innate goal in life to find your gift.

(13:57):
And then the next step is how do you use
that gift to help others? I look like two pretty
big guiding principles I think in my life. So once
it was like knowing what it was. Then it was
perfecting the skill set, and now it's taking that skill
set fifteen years into the business and saying, Okay, what
impact am I making to help others. I don't want
to look back one day and say, and people say

(14:18):
this about NASCAR and racing all the time. I want
to look back and say, yes, this career provided me
an amazing life and an amazing lifestyle for me and
my family. But I also want to feel like I
informed and entertained. Whether it's making you laugh on the
radio and the car on your way to work, or
saying something stupid that you can relate to, and or

(14:39):
informing you if there's a really important or big news
story and whatever it is, if it's to inform and entertain,
if I can in some way help enrich that for you,
then my career, I feel like is very meaningful. You know,
it fulfills me, and so in some ways it's selfish
because it's like a self fulfilling crop. See, this is

(15:00):
what I want to do, and I ultimately achieved it.
But there is and I'm not saying I'm a brain surgeon.
We're not we always say in TV, we're not curing cancer, right.
There is certainly a lot more noble work. But I
do think that we serve a purpose right for the
public and for NASCAR fans, which is really rewarding totally.

Speaker 1 (15:19):
And I think, you know, storytelling in general is so
powerful and like you know, you on TV broadcasters in
the booth, I mean, and you know, even just me
on stage when I do keynotes, like you know that
you're making that connection if you're able to build that
human connection with someone, especially right now because I feel
like especially post COVID and you know, everything going on

(15:41):
in the world social media and how that changes in
our personal dynamics. Like people are lonely. We are. We
are the loneliest we've been in recent history, and so
to be able to tell those stories and to let
people know that they're seen and that we all have
a lot more similarity in how we think about things,
what we're going through, what we experience, what our mindsets are,

(16:04):
then we have differences. I think there's something really powerful
and really warming about that to know that there are
that we are kind of building these connections for people.

Speaker 2 (16:15):
Well, I think two things. One, I would love to
attend one of your keynote speeches because I've seen clips
that you post on your social and they're hugely inspiring,
and I think have that moment in person would be
a really special and touching moment. I think there's a
lot of power in that. And the second thing I

(16:36):
think is I really do enjoy the path of sports journalism,
and I've dabbled a little bit in news. I always
said I wasn't smart enough to do weather. That's a
lot of math, and but it is uniform at a
time in our life, like you said, we're so many
things are divisive, yeah, and so many things are polarizing,

(16:57):
and I think news serves a very important platform. Don't
get me wrong. But you know a lot of cable
news channels, it's like, well, you watch us because you're
slanted politically this way, or this channel because you're slanted
politically the other way. And sports is such a unifier.
So you might be a Democrat, I might be a
Republican or vice versa. But we both love Nascar. You know,

(17:21):
we're both a big fan of cars, the Red Sox.
We both want to take in the Celtics game tonight,
and so it's a time where it doesn't matter what
your race is, your religion is, your gender is, your ages,
your political leaning. We just want to sit there and
enjoy game and relish in that moment and take it
in together collectively as people. So that part of the

(17:43):
job I really do enjoy. I talk to tons of
fans on serious XM radio every week from all different
walks of life, and politically they may lean very different ways,
but I found something that we have in common and
we can share that. And I've never been a full
time political journalists, so I don't know, but I would
imagine that it's a pretty exhausting job. I don't know.

(18:08):
Said there's joy, of course, and like the storytelling aspect
and trying to provide you know, inside and information, right,
but I don't know how much joy there is. I
would have to ask some one that does that full time.
But I think there's a lot of joy in covering
professional sports.

Speaker 1 (18:24):
Yeah, I agree, And I think, you know, to that point,
to go on a slight tangent like I think, also
what's so interesting is that two things. One I hadn't
realized that it's only more recently where news channels don't
have to provide both kind of like quote both sides
of the story or both sides of the aisle. And
so I was not a conscious person watching the news

(18:45):
when you did have to actually have like maybe the
more conservative leaning side and the more liberal leaning side.
And I think like that would be a much better
way to go about the news personally, I think. But
I also think that like you can firmly disagree with
someone's political stance, religious stance, whatever it is, and like
firmly believe they're wrong, but still respect each other and

(19:07):
still have things in common. It's not like a black
and white zero sum game. And so to your point,
I do I love when we can really lean into
those areas or industries or activities that kind of push
that other stuff aside and remind us all that we
are all human, we all are on this earth for
a lifetime, and you know, like however else you go

(19:30):
after that, But yeah, it's it's it's unifying as sports
sports are unifying, and so I'm I totally agree with that.

Speaker 2 (19:38):
Yeah, it's a unified and shared experience. I mean it's
sad in this day and age that people say, oh,
don't don't talk about politics or religion at a dinner
party or around the dinner table, or around you know,
mixed company. If people have views, isn't it sad that
we can't collectively, you know, do that and appreciate each
other's viewpoint Like maybe you you're on the other side,

(20:00):
Well maybe you'll teach me something and maybe I'll teach
you something and we find some kind of unifying common ground.
And I'm not blaming like the iteration of you know,
the invention of cable news, right, but I think it
plays a part into how we got to this point
where we're so divisive. But if you think about it,
you know, what is something common If you go and
go and walk into a dinner party, there's usually a

(20:22):
game on television, or people have Super Bowl parties, you know,
or they'll collectively all watch the Kentucky Derby or the
Daytona five hundred or you know, always those are things
like come on, let's all go watch the game, let's
go downtown, let's grab some tickets. It's just it's something
that unifies friends, families, foes. It's just it's a great,

(20:43):
great equalizer. It's a great unifier. And I did not
go in thinking I want, I want to cover something
that's that's very neutral, so I don't have to take
a side. In the early nineties, the landscape was In
early two thousands, the landscape was vastly dip. You know,
you could live next door to someone who leaned completely

(21:04):
different politically and you still had a ton in common.
And it's like, now, you know, those are fighting words
if you're on if you're you know, going to vote
the opposite way. Yeah, and it's scary and things have
gotten so violent violent. Yeah, that didn't exist when I
got into the industry, but it certainly wasn't like something
I you know, it wasn't deliberate by any means. I

(21:27):
just really gravitated to sports. Like when I first started,
there was news, there was weather, There was news weather
in sports, and I was always like bugging the photographers like, Hey,
can I go out with you to colts practice? Or
can I go out to Pacers practice? Or can I
go out to Indianapolis Motor Speedway and cover this? So
I just naturally was like interested enough. I think, you know,

(21:50):
looking back all these years later, that certainly is a blessing.

Speaker 1 (21:54):
Yeah, totally. And one other point to you know, talking
about how like people can be different and still great
friends or get along, like if I feel like with
a lot of people in a lot of situations, if
you don't know how someone labels themselves or what they
identify with ahead of time, more likely than not you're
going to find something in common. You're going to enjoy them.
And so people go in with preconceived notions and I

(22:14):
just think that's a detriment to any kind of human connection.
So it's it's a lot I hadn't I hadn't really
thought about choosing a career path and how those different
areas that you focus in on kind of might have
those different characteristics. So I want to get into more
of that in a bit, But we're going to take
a quick break and then we'll come back with Danielle
on If I'm On with Julia Landauer. We are back

(22:40):
on If I'm Honest with Julia Landauer with our guest
Danielle Trota. So we were just talking about how sports
are a huge equalizer and unifying force for people, and
so I want to jump in a little bit to
your process for learning about NASCAR, because you had mentioned
that you didn't grow up in a Nascar watching family.
And so you graduated from UNC Charlotte, you worked on WCNCWBTV,

(23:04):
and then in twenty ten joined NASCAR Race Hub. Can
you explain a little bit what NASCAR race Hub is?

Speaker 2 (23:11):
Was all that?

Speaker 1 (23:12):
And yeah, how you ramped up to learn and become
knowledgeable about Nascar?

Speaker 2 (23:17):
Yeah, and earlier My bio is correct. I did go
to Emerson, but then left in my senior year. I
came down to Charlotte to be with my family. So
graduated from UNC Charlotte factually correct correct. Yeah, So I
am not an Earnhardt. I am not a petty. I
do not come from a racing background or a family
at all, which I found out later was highly unusual.

(23:42):
But yeah, did not. I mean I didn't even know
what auto racing was. I wasn't even introduced to it until,
you know, senior year of high school. I mean, growing
up in Indie, Dad would take us to the five hundred.
That was like a very real So I remember going
to races as a little bit younger than that fourteen fifteen.

(24:03):
But when I joined the Speed Channel and NASCAR Race Up,
I really thought my path was going to take me
to ESPN. My agent was like, we're going syn tapes everywhere,
and I'm like, yeah, ESPN, I'm going to be covering
baseball and football and basketball and Speed called, which is
owned by Fox. Speed Channel is now FS one, and

(24:25):
they were like, hey, what does she think about NASCAR?
And it was based right up the road in Charlotte.
It was a national network and I never even thought
when I was in local news all these years, never
even made the connection, like NASCAR was not on my
radar at all. I thought it was cool. We covered
it obviously at the Charlotte station News State because we're

(24:46):
in NASCAR's backyard. Like you're going to sha in highlights
of the race and toss to a Dale Junior SoundBite,
but that's not really covering the sport twenty four seven,
three sixty five to a niche channel, which Speed was
auto racing twenty four seven. In car culture, I'd be
like working at the NFL network or MLB Network or
NBA TV. That was Speed. And I remember the second

(25:10):
day on the job, like crying in the bathroom and
calling my agent and being like, I made a huge mistake.
Can you get me out of this? And he was like,
you're lockdown girl. For three years so figure it out, Like,
oh my god. But and it's not that I didn't
like it. I just didn't realize how vertical the mountain
was in terms of knowledge. And Juliet, you know this,

(25:30):
like if race fans wre die Hard, they know the terminology,
they know the people, they know the tracks, they know
the culture, they know the cars, they know the pedigree
of the teams. And I didn't really. I mean I
knew enough just to barely keep my head above water,
but certainly not at the level that we were covering
it on NASCAR Race Hub. And that was very daunting.

(25:52):
But I realized quickly, like instead of looking at the
top of the mountain and being so intimidated, just take
one step a day, like literally just climb and learn
your assignment. Go to Michael Waltrip Racing and learn about
that driver or that team today, and then next if
you're at Hendrick, learn about that and then like, just
take your assignments and the knowledge eventually compounds itself. And

(26:15):
I would subscribe to serious XM NASCAR radio and it's
still fifteen years later on in my car twenty four
hours a day, so you're absorbing it even if you're
driving and you're half listening. But like they have all
the industry insiders on. We talked to all the drivers,
team owners, crew chiefs. So I'm learning a little bit.
And then I'd go home and not just watch my

(26:37):
little report on the show, but I'd watch the entire show.
At the time, I wasn't hosting. I was just reporting.
Steve Burns was the solo host. They made me a
co host like three years later, but for the first
two years it was just like learn as much as
you can each day, and then the track once it's
like not so overwhelming, and start to get to know

(26:59):
people and learn, you know. So it was a very
gradual process once I learned how to tackle it. And
I also had people like Larry Mcreynald, Steve Burns, Jeff Hammond,
Chad Canows, people my host's co host and analysts at
the time that said, no questions, a dumb question. We
know you're new, and we know you really are trying hard,

(27:19):
so don't feel bad, Like, come into our office. There's
always an open door policy, and ask us anything and
everything you want to know. And I think they actually
like I was probably asking really dumb questers, but I
think they appreciated, like this girl's actually interested in what
we do, and I think she really does care in
her heart's in the right place, and so they were

(27:40):
really willing to help. And it, you know, two and
a half years in, I started to get my legs
under me. But it's you know, diving into the NASCAR world.
It's a process.

Speaker 1 (27:52):
Yeah, And you know, I think what you said is
so relevant regardless of what you're working on or what
industry that you just have to take it step by step.
And that's something that I talk about all the time,
you know, like break down the big daunting project into digestible,
bite sized pieces and tackle them. And you know, we
talked earlier about how having this north Star is so

(28:15):
helpful and kind of a luxury, but it also can
be scary, can be overwhelming because there's so much to
take in and so that balance of north Star but
then also like keep making sure you're looking like right
where you're walking almost and like you know, figuring out
the little steps to take. But that's really cool. Were
there specific drivers that you really enjoyed interviewing or talking

(28:39):
with or hearing from, whether it was on air or
off air.

Speaker 2 (28:43):
We did a piece. Jason Leffler died in a tragic
racing accident several years after, but he was one of
my first interviews and it was just a walk and
talk at his shop. We lost him so young, but
such a kind soul, and I could tell guys that
you know, you show up, you interview, they do the

(29:05):
interview and there's nothing wrong with it, right, like you
can err it. It's good. Hopefully people learn a little something.
But Jason really took time to make me feel welcome
and show me around the shop, like what does the
fab shop do, what does the paint shop do? Here's
pitcrew practice, like giving me a peek behind the curtain. Hey,
bring your cameras, And so we ended up just doing
this very organic walk and talk piece, and my producers

(29:29):
were like, we've never seen anyone that do that. Like
that was great, and it was because of his kindness
and his willingness to give me access. Normally, you do
your little sit down and you each have a chair
and they light it and it looks pretty and you
have a little conversation. But Jason was like willing to
let me do something different, just because I was naturally curious.

(29:49):
When we film that, oh, can you show me this?
And so I was like, Hey, just mic us up
and let the cameras catch what they catch. I just
want Jason to give me like a day in the
life of what he does at the shop. And he
was with a small team, so he was doing a
little bit of everything. Motorsports or Joe Gibbs Racing or
Team penske.

Speaker 1 (30:06):
Gon will allow you to do that, probably not if
I was a betting woman, I would say no.

Speaker 2 (30:12):
Yeah, we'd usually have to film on the catwalk or
the gift shop or something, or the beautiful marble lobbies
at all these he meth race teams. But it was
the little things, like I remember Justin Algeyer was really
great to me from the Xfinity series. Early on, Kevin
Harvick and Delana Harvick invited me up. Kevin Harvick's a
future Hall of Famer Huge Cup Series driver. He owned

(30:36):
his own team on the side and ran some of
the lower series and I drive up to Cernersville, and
this was maybe year three, but he and Delana were
again open their doors, full access. He was wonderful and
they were both very welcoming to me. I thought Clint
Boyer who's now a play by play guy for NASCAR
on Fox. I'd never really met a character like that.

(30:58):
He's kind of aver on speed on the track and off.
He lives, talks bags and moves fast. You got to
keep up with him like he's firing and he'll take
you in all these different tangents and you just have
to try to like make something out of it and
follow where his brain is going. But he's a fan favorite.

Speaker 1 (31:16):
He's real sassy too.

Speaker 2 (31:18):
Very sassy. They were all very different. But people ask
me all the time, like who do you like who's
been a jerk to you? And in fifteen years nobody,
And I'm sure people won't believe that, but it's true.
You know the drivers, they're all pretty chill, they're all
pretty kind, and you learn to navigate like I'm not

(31:39):
going to ask Bill Belichick for his playbook and like
right team against the Dolphins, that's proprietary information, right, So
there are certain things I'm not going to ask you
what you're setup is for the race this weekend at Texas,
But if I can ask you your mindset, your approach,
what part of your game are you working on? Who

(31:59):
do you lean on for a support system, What does
it mean now to be a dad as you transition
into you know, being a father and a husband as
well as a right you know, you try to find
things to humanize these guys, but also each one ticks
a little bit different. I find what it is that
really makes Julia light up or really makes Clint Boyer
excited to talk about like, but that that takes time.

(32:22):
I think I just so much coming at me early
that I just tried to take it like one step
at a time. But everybody was really fun and entertaining
and cool in their own unique kind of way.

Speaker 1 (32:35):
That's cool, And I mean you mentioned your own curiosity.
I think you can't downplay the importance of the interviewer
or journalist or whoever's asking the questions, because if you know,
if you're just listening to someone ask random questions that
aren't connected and you're not genuinely curious, like the person
you're talking with is going to feel that and then
they're not going to be as engaged. So I think,

(32:56):
you know, kudos to you as well for being an
engaging into your you know, reporter, whatever you were at
any given time. But that's really cool to hear. That's
cool to hear that they've had such fun experiences with
different drivers. I also heard I I chatted with Alanis
King on another episode and she also talked about how
gracious Kyle Busch was to her. And you know, Kyle

(33:20):
Busch has this kind of hard exterior persona stereotype, and
so to hear that it just it was really cool.
And so I think to several different driver's points. I've
heard them make this before. It's like when they're the
track they're on, they're in their job, and like the
way they are doing a job is going to be
a little different than how they are inter personally. So
to be able to kind of lend those lines I

(33:40):
think as a really great reporter is super super cool.

Speaker 2 (33:44):
Kyle, We'll keep you on your toes. He For people
that don't know him, he's a little hot under the collar.
He is polarizing. He's been kind of dubbed his NASCAR's
villain in the past, but also one of the greatest talents,
and you know, I think with that comes his own
kind of unique persona. We've covered the good and the bad,

(34:04):
and sometimes you don't know what you're going to get.
He's always been wonderful to me. I think Kyle actually also,
even though he has that heart exterior, as you said,
I think he and Tony Stewart are alike in this
way that if you ask him a really smart question,
he's going to give you a very thoughtful answer. And

(34:29):
he actually they both he and Tony actually respect the
tough question, you know, they really do and take some
time to be able to in a nice way to
be like, you haven't been running well lately? Why do
you suck? The fans are calling in on Serious XM
on My show and they're like, what's wrong? Like right now,
Kyle's really struggling, And a lot of people called in

(34:52):
like what's wrong with Kyle? Why does he suck? So
I know that it's my responsibility the next time Kyle
Busch is on my show to find way to ask
him that. And does anyone want to talk about their troubles?
Does anyone want to talk about their struggles?

Speaker 1 (35:07):
No?

Speaker 2 (35:09):
But I think Kyle knows that you are coming from
a very respectful place, genuine concern and saying, Kyle, your
fans want to know obviously, we want to see you
return to your old form. You know, at this point
in your career. What are you missing? He's going to
give you a really great answer. But you also, I
think as a reporter have to not have fear. And

(35:30):
I see so many interviews where the reporter is scared
to ask the tough question. People are paying for Serious XM.
This is not free, This is not you know, AM
radio for this service. So are you going to continue
to pay for serious XM if you're not getting what

(35:53):
you're looking for as a consumer? Are you going to
keep paying partical television? If we're not telling you the
story that you want to hear? Like, I feel like
I have a responsibility to ask the tough question, right,
and so many people are scared to do that. Where
I think if you come from a really honest place
of like genuine care and concern and just curiosity and
ask it in a really respectful way, They're they're not gonna, oh,

(36:18):
screw you, Julian out of here? How dare you ask
me that? That? Isn't that mean? Right?

Speaker 1 (36:23):
So digging into that a little bit because again, I
think that's a relevant hurdle that people have to get over. Like,
if you know you've talked about how to ask something respectfully,
come from a place of caring, but in terms of
you know, actually going through and asking when you're scared,
did you ever did you ever feel earlier in your
career like you had to get over that fear? And

(36:47):
if not, you know, did you do you do anything
that that kind of helps you get through it or
helps you just go for even though you might be scared.

Speaker 2 (36:55):
Yeah, it took me a good decade.

Speaker 1 (36:59):
And it must be so reassuring for people because like,
you have to work through fear. It's not something you
can just neglect. So please continue.

Speaker 2 (37:05):
Sorry, yes, yes, yes, I am entering my no fear phase.
And I'm in my early forties. I don't know if
there's this you know people say, like women's in their
forties they start, you know, transitioning into this like I
don't give an f phase, like I don't care what
you think about me, like, and I am starting to
just feel as a woman, more confident in who I

(37:26):
am as a person, but also in my journalistic ability.
So that comes with age, It comes with time, It
comes with experience, life experience, work experience. But I have
had this breakthrough in the last few years where and
I think talk radio helped me get to this place.
But yeah, like early on in covering the sport, especially

(37:48):
with Box, there was this reluctance because I didn't know
if I had earned their respect yet. I wanted the
drivers to really feel like they knew me because there's
a lot of I gotcha journalists out there. You can
cook me, and I had to make sure I had
enough of a rapport with them where they were like

(38:09):
I can trust Danielle. You know she's not trying to
do get you know, some gotcha moment and it has
to be a part of a larger conversation. I'm not
gonna when you walk in the door it's the first question,
you know. Like that's the other thing too, like kind
of build up to that moment you know what the

(38:29):
crux of the interview is going to be. But I
think there's a huge kind of process in getting there,
Like I kind of ease in, build up to a crescendo,
and then I kind of bring you back down and
try to keep it light at the end, Like there
is really a true art I think to a really
great interview. One of the tips is for anyone listening,

(38:49):
don't do it early, like I see people just run
up to Kyle like, what the hell happened? You totally
wrecked off turn two? What were you thinking? It's like, ah,
you know you're yeah, poor form. You're gonna catch him
off guard and he's gonna be like, who are you?
Screw you? So I think it's understanding the art form.
But I think too, it's having them understand you. And

(39:10):
as time went on that became easier. But when I
started working for Serious XM, because it's such a two
way like television, I'm just it's a one way mister.
You know. Radio is like, hey, I give my opinion,
you call in and give me yours. And knowing that
there was this responsibility that anytime I open up the
phone lines, they'd be like, dud yell, you didn't ask

(39:31):
Julie about this? You know this was the talk. Everyone
wants to know why she did this? Yeah, I'm too
scared to ask. People just feel like they wasted fifteen
minutes of their day. They've been waiting all show to
listen to this interview. Oh my god, she has Kyle
Busch coming up. She's going to ask him why they
suck so bad? Right now? What is it? And if

(39:52):
I don't, I feel like I've let down the listener.
I have a responsibility to ask those questions. So it's
a really fun place to be. I'm enjoying, like embracing
this no fear.

Speaker 1 (40:03):
Face that is so great to hear. I can agree.
I feel like, even just in my thirties, way fewer
shits are given to other people's opinion. And I've heard that,
you know, I'm not a parent, but I've heard that
like when you become a parent, you also as a
whole other level of like you are there to serve
and protect your family, and like your your cares for

(40:25):
other people's perspectives or opinions goes down quite a bit.
But I think that's also just really great advice and
awesome perspective. We're going to take up another quick break,
but we'll be right back with Danielle. We are back
on if I'm honest with Julia Landauer, with the most

(40:46):
incredible Danielle, who has been giving so much great perspective
and advice. And you mentioned before the break that you
feel like as a woman, you're coming into your own
a little bit more and more recently, and that does
come with age, I feel, and I'll preface this by
saying like, I'm a big advocate for women's empowerment, as
you know, and I think helping everyone thrive, but particularly

(41:09):
those underrepresented and underserved communities, is really important. One thing
that I have not loved in like being out in
the real world, is recognizing that in general, women more
often than men, tend to get labeled and put into boxes.

Speaker 2 (41:26):
Right.

Speaker 1 (41:26):
And I had read somewhere that you left Fox Sports
partially because you didn't want to be typecast as the
NASCAR girl, quote unquote, and I'm wondering if you can
dive into that a little bit more sure.

Speaker 2 (41:40):
Yeah, it again was not something that I was necessarily
looking to do. I think it found me. I didn't
really go chase it, and my career progressed rapidly. I mean,
I started reporting on a show, then I started hosting
that show that grew into hosting the Xfinity pre Ratio,

(42:00):
which then led to hosting being the first female ever
to host the Cup pre ray show on Fox, and
you know, doing NFL Sideline. And my career was like
I was soaring. I mean it was great. I was
making more money than I ever thought I would, any
more opportunity than I thought I would having more reach
than I ever thought I would. So I think when
I decided that I wanted to pivot, people thought I

(42:23):
was crazy. Why would you? Why would you ruin a
good thing? Where are you going? This is? This is
working pretty well? And people told me that, But I
don't know, Julia, there was just something. For like a year,
there was this innate voice in the back of my mind.
I don't know where it came from, but I couldn't
turn it off, and that whisper became louder and louder

(42:43):
and louder, and I just didn't want to be the
eighty year old woman sitting on the rocking chair and going,
what if you know, what if I what if I
tried the NFL, What if I tried the NBA, What
if I tried to report on an Olympics? There were
so many other things that I wanted to do because
I came from a stick and ball background. You know,
I think of the you know, the NASCAR commercial or

(43:06):
Dale juniors were little, and he's like, this is all
I've ever known racing. You know, that was not me.
I'm the antithesis of that everything, but racing so journalistically,
there were so many stories I wanted to tell there
were so many people I wanted to interview, there were
so many things I wanted to experience, a Super Bowl,
a World Series, in NBA finals, and I kind of
was I was just at the end of my contract,

(43:27):
and I asked Fox, like, hey, can I get into
some of these other lanes? And sometimes sponts are open.
In some cases, they just didn't own those sports properties.
Every channel has their own, like the the NBA, NHL.
Every news network channel or sports network has there own
professional sports properties are collegiate and so things they just

(43:51):
weren't lining up. I mean, I of course went to
Fox first and said, hey, I'm interested in doing this.
Can we make it happen? And when I realized that
that was going to be difficult to do, and I
kind of hit this crossroads again. I had had this
thought and it was like, are you really gonna leave
all this money? And I jump off the boat no
freaking life jacket, but I did, and I had no

(44:14):
idea what I was gonna do and was pretty much
out of work. I did a small stand with ESPN
and covered some collegiate swimming and diving, which was amazing,
but outside of that and I was doing Serious XM.
I really had nothing for a year, and then went
to Boston started working for NBC Sports and got to
cover the Boston Celtics and be an NBA sideline reporter,

(44:35):
which is bucketless for me. Cover Tom Brady and the
Patriots in his last Super Bowl with New England, cover
the breakup when he left, which was messy and fascinating,
covers a journalists like the breakup with Bill and Brady.
Covered a world series with the Red Sox. So it
was like I was doing everything I wanted to do,

(44:57):
and I was still covering NASCAR and serious XM. I
wasn't on television doing it with a national network, but
I was able to keep my thumb in it while
not being just the NASCAR girl. And I didn't do
it because I didn't want everyone else to think like
cast you know, you know, cast me as just the
NASCAR girl. I just personally had so many other interests

(45:20):
that I didn't want to cast that way because I'm like, hey, wait,
I can do this and this and this and this
and this, and I got to check so many of
those boxes. So it was a leap of faith. It
was scary. I took huge pay cuts. I'm not going
to say financially it was the smartest decision, because I
absolutely was not. And I'm sure some people thought it

(45:40):
was a step backwards, but I had never done a
lot of that stuff, So you're not going to walk
in getting the top seat. You walk in getting the
seat that's open. And again I started getting promotions and
bigger shows and worked my way up and more people
called and things grew. But I know a lot of
people didn't understand that. But again it's that whole I
don't really care, like, yeah, well and it made sense

(46:03):
for me at the time.

Speaker 1 (46:05):
Well, and at the end of the day, each one
of us, I don't know what the proper phrase is,
but like we have to lay with ourselves at night,
Like we are the ones who are going to sleep
with our own consciousness and with our own conscience, sorry,
and our own understanding on if we really lived up
to our potential. Did we challenge ourselves the way we
want and just have that growth. And I think you
know to your point that you know you got your

(46:26):
big break in a NASCAR arena, but there is more
out there, and you had done so much more beforehand. Also,
and I think of it as like, you know, I
think about like the Beatles, for instance, I grew up
listening to a lot of the Beatles, and I really
liked there for a long time. I really liked their
earlier music more than their later music. It's like, why
would you change something that's so great, and like, because

(46:49):
artists need growth and people have growth. And I've talked
about this recently that like regret is so agonizing as
a feeling, emotion, sensation, whatever. And I think it's so
great that you knew, like you had the potential to
regret it if you just kind of stayed in that
comfortable place that was working so well. And I think

(47:09):
that's really admirable, like so admirable, and I think everyone
should be doing that, because yeah, at the end of
the day, it will be terrible if you're seventy eighty
nineties years old and you're like, shit, I wish I
had done other stuff.

Speaker 2 (47:23):
Yeah. The word you use there too was challenge yourself. Challenge,
and I continue to challenge myself. You know, I moved
to Boston. I leave my husband in Charlotte. We had
a long distance marriage for two years. That's incredibly hard.
I did challenge myself to be independent. I did challenge
myself to learn how to acclimate to a new city.

(47:46):
I had challenge myself to learn. Not that I hadn't
watched baseball, basketball, football, but it's on a different level
in Boston, like they know it, and if you don't
know it on their level, they that city and sports
will chew you up and space you out. And so
I had to eat, sleep, and breathe it and read
all the books and again, one step at a time,

(48:08):
learn my story to about this what am I covering
about the Celtics today? And like try it. Also, I
would read a lot of books written about the history
of these legacies because I wanted to have context. I mean,
even in my forties, I continue to challenge myself. Move
back to Charlotte and COVID. The opportunity with NBC kind
of dried up, just because you know a lot of

(48:30):
companies were going through that. Yes, during the pandemic and
cuts were made, but I wanted to move back home.
I was ready to this is weird, see my husband
again in.

Speaker 1 (48:40):
A radical concept.

Speaker 2 (48:43):
So I'm like perfect, So I move home and it
was the most amazing two years. But anyways, flash forward
of twenty twenty four. I just started with Mekam Auctions
and they're on motor trend. I knew nothing about car auctions.
There's like two major car auctions in the auction TV space.
There's Barrett Jackson and there's Meekam and I obviously they

(49:06):
were on in my office for years when I worked
at Speed like they were, you know, one of the two.
And my agent's like, what do you think? And I said,
I'll try one. I was filling in for someone and
thought I'll never do it again. It's a one off,
but I actually really liked it. I've had to learn
a whole new I mean, I've never not covered sports.
This is this is a live event, but it's not

(49:28):
a live sporting event. It's just a massive Like we
were in the the Arizona Cardinals NFL Stadium and Meekham
takes over the whole stadium and so the whole field
basically just becomes a showroom for and thousands and thousands
of cars. And so I'll just walk around on TV
and be like, hey, check this one out. It's a
super rare corvette you know make, and Maude and I

(49:50):
start telling you about the car, and you know it's
totally different and new, and you do have like on
your bad days, you're like, why am I starting over again?
Why am I challenge longing myself to just do something
I know absolutely nothing about? What were you thinking? Stick
with what you know? And then I snap out of
it and I'm like, this is healthy for my brain,
this is healthy for me as a journalist, Like, I

(50:13):
just want to keep pushing myself and trying new things.
Like you said, getting outside my comfort zone. I feel
like that's where you really grow. It's where I grow
as a person, It's where I grow professionally. And it's
freaking hard and it's freaking scary. I guess what, Sometimes
it doesn't always work out. You know, I'll get a
gig and I'll I'll love it and it ends. You know,

(50:34):
I filmed the show, it only lasted two seasons and
that network decided not to pick it up for another season.
It's you know, you're going to go down a path
and sometimes it's not going to last as long as like,
but I believe if he got closes one door, he's
going to open another. And then I kind of feel
like I'm starting the next new challenge again, right, and
it's not the easiest path. Sometimes that is the most

(50:57):
tortured path. Yeah, I'm enjoying myself. That's great.

Speaker 1 (51:02):
But I really like that you mentioned like on your
hard days you question like why do you do this?
Because that is something or like even for me in
the pivoting from active driving to this next chapter, it's like,
I still have plenty of bad days where I like
wish it had worked out. Maybe I should have, you know,
kept pursuing it. And I'm interested in how you handle

(51:25):
those bad days. You mentioned that like this is good
for your growth. Do you give yourself mantras? Do you
remind yourself of the big picture? What are the specific
tactics you use to help yourself on those bad days?

Speaker 2 (51:41):
Yeah, I mean it's a really great question. I do
lean on my faith a lot because this business is
so temperamental, and I think it's just hard to trust people.
His business industry is very cutthroat. It's very competitive, and
doors open and closed, deals get made, deals get lost.

(52:03):
You don't really know who has your back and who
doesn't sometimes and it's tough. I'm sure you felt that
way with trying to find sponsors or does this team
really want me or it's just the best fit. Like,
it's sort of hard to know when to zig and
when to zag and who's really going to be there
for you when when the chips are down. But I've
leaned on my husband a lot, my family a lot.

(52:24):
It took a toll on my mental health after I
left Box for years, I suddenly had anxiety when I
never had things. I didn't even know what mental health was.
And so I'd really learned to stay positive and take
care of myself, and I really felt like God is
going to do a new thing. And a mantra that

(52:44):
sticks with me is, you know, if it's meant for you,
nothing or no one's going to stop that. All you
can do is present yourself in the best way, be
as mentally sharp as you can. I don't drink alcohol.
I try to make really smart life choices for my
mental health, to stay positive, work out to be physically
my best self, you know, be around people that love

(53:09):
and support me. I keep a really small circle. It's
very close by design, and I try not to focus
on other people in my same space. I think comparison
is the peep of joy. That's something that I fall
back on a lot and it's very hard, I'm sure
for you as a race car driver, Like you can't
focus on who is racing where, who got what seat,

(53:31):
who got one sponsor how is that helping you. I
can't worry about what job she got or what role
she's having, even if I feel I'm more qualified or
I could do a better job, or I'm better with
people or whatever. I can't focus on anyone else's race.
I have to run my race the way I run it,
And on the tough days, I just have to like

(53:51):
center and find myself and be like, you're really good
and you work really hard, and I do think if
you work hard and you're kind of people, things will
work out. Just keep going, Like even on the tough days,
it's like, don't quit. Keep going. That next big break
could be right around the corner. But if you give
up an now, you'll never know. And this business is competitive.

(54:13):
You're a line of work. It's tough, it's competitive, and
you have those days where you just I talk to
drivers all the time where money's driving up and drying up,
and they're just like they want to quit. Oh yeah,
that love, that passion, that desire to do what you
love to do. It's like it won't let you quit,
even on the days I want to quit. Like my soul,

(54:35):
my gut is like, girl, you are you know you're
not doing that. You're just having a bad day.

Speaker 1 (54:41):
How to get through the bad day.

Speaker 2 (54:44):
We're going to keep grinding. That's so true.

Speaker 1 (54:46):
Yeah, And I mean comparison is of excuse me, comparison
is the thief of joy. I think is just It's
a mantra that I live by a lot as well,
and it reminded me of I follow the influencer tanks
and she made the comment that if you're feeling jealous,
jealous of other people who got the gig or who
got the ride, like, think about it. Are you jealous

(55:06):
of their entire life? Of everything that you're aware of? Like,
are you jealous of everything? Because you can't just be
jealous of one thing. You don't know what they're going through,
You don't know what the backstory is, you don't know
what their struggles are, or even if you do, you
can't just focus on one thing that you wish you had,
because that's not how life works. And to me, I
find that a really helpful perspective to have, and I

(55:27):
think it also humbles you because if you like, I
love my husband, I love my friends, my family, like,
I'm very happy in majority of my life. Do I
wish I was the cup level racer.

Speaker 2 (55:37):
You bet?

Speaker 1 (55:38):
But overall my life is really good. And to get
out of our own heads about what's not working, what
could be better, I think is really important for our
long term satisfaction, our long term joy. How we build
relationships with the people that we really care about. And
it's way easier said than done, obviously, but I think

(56:00):
it's something if we practice every day all the time
in that appreciation for what we have, pushing ourselves to
work as hard as we can try to get what
we want. But yeah, recognizing that, you know, we only
have control over so much.

Speaker 2 (56:15):
Yeah, don't let someone's outsides affect your insides. I love
that one too, because on the outside you may have
all this fame, and which I'm not seeking fame, but
I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (56:28):
Like, yeah, recognition and that yeah, that platform, right.

Speaker 2 (56:32):
That platform, you know, And yeah, they may seem to
be like the perfect mom and the perfect wife and
have the perfect house and the perfect outfits and the
perfect career and you have no idea behind the scenes
what that girl's going through. Yeah, you know, I mean
so again, that's like the whole comparison is the thief
of joy. I'm not going to I really and I

(56:56):
will like block that stuff out on social media. You know,
it's funny if you mute somebody, they disappear.

Speaker 1 (57:04):
The mute button is so powerful and underutilized by most people.

Speaker 2 (57:08):
I think it's not because I'm not wanting to support
other women and like all your posts and share what
you're doing. It's just sometimes I have to look out
for my own well being totally, and if you're going
to throw me off my piece, you know, I should
not subject to myself to it. Not that I'm not
happy in supporting you from Afar, yeah, but yeah. The

(57:31):
other thing too, and I do this a lot, is
when you do get down, do exactly what you said,
Remind myself of what I do have, and your glass
becomes a lot more full. I have my health, I
have my husband, I have my family. I have work
that's very meaningful to me. I have a beautiful home

(57:53):
that I enjoy living in. That's another way I think
to fill your cup in a world that sometimes you know,
can suck all suck all the goods and make you
feel like you have nothing compared to her her, you know,
but when you take stock and you take inventory of
what you do have, it changes your whole perspective.

Speaker 1 (58:17):
Yep, one hundred percent. That is such a good way
to think about it, and I think a nice segue
into the last question I have for you before we
get to the if your honest segment, But what is
something that you want to challenge yourself with in the future,
whether that's short term or long term, Like what what
is the next or what is a next endeavor for

(58:40):
you professionally?

Speaker 2 (58:42):
I think at some point when I'm like too old
and wrinkled for anyone who hire me to be on television.

Speaker 1 (58:48):
I don't say any wrinkles, so we have a long
time until that happens.

Speaker 2 (58:52):
HD is a bitch when that comes. I do think
the next step for me could be like overseeing production
or a managerial role. It's kind of like you think
about an actor, who is you know starring in movies

(59:13):
for so long, or you know an actor and actress
in film, and then you always see this right like
now they're the writer, Now they're the producer, now they're
co directing like, it's kind of like this progression because
when you've lived on this side for so long, you're like, oh, well,
now I want to transition to this side. I don't
even need a speaking part. I can write, and I

(59:33):
can produce and I can direct, And I do think
there is this power in having somebody with all of
this on camera experience. You know, I have and I
love so many of my bosses, and I work with
so many amazing, wonderful people, but not many of them
have my shared experience. Right, They're managing a lot of
on air talent, but that's never something they've done. Now

(59:56):
they have so many other great you know, they have
so much value. Is a very business minded and they
work well so many people in production and logistics, and
they've accomplished so much in their role. So I'm not
taking that away, but I think with the skill set
that I bring, transferring that and leading a team and
leading a group and coming up with content and putting

(01:00:18):
on live events, like I know every facet of the industry,
So why not pivot and kind of impact the industry
once I get into my sixties, seventies, eighties, it's kind
of my second career path, Like at some point, I
think diving into like the production managerial side of sports
networks and who knows where the heck our landscape is

(01:00:38):
going true televisions, you know, or is it going to
be all streaming? Are we all going to be on
an app? It's a very fascinating industry that is moving
at light speed. So who knows where we're going to
be in twenty years. But I think being a part
of content creation and leading people and putting on a
big show, Like, I know everything it takes to do it,

(01:01:02):
So I think it'd be really fun to help young people,
you know, as they kind of move up the ladder
and lead a team whenever that day comes. Yeah, I
haven't even explored it or thought anything about it yet,
but I know that one day, like I can see
that being kind of the next step. That's so cool.

Speaker 1 (01:01:20):
Well, we have put it out there, we're manifesting it.
It is out in the universe now, and so I
am so excited for that. We are going to dive
into our if your Honest segment with this rapid fire
four questions, I lied five questions for you. What is
a show that you recently watched and loved?

Speaker 2 (01:01:41):
Right now? I'm really into Palm Royale on Apple TV.
Plus I just saw that. I'm intrigued. It's good. I
didn't think Risin Wig because it's a it's a different
role for her. She's such like she has such a
comedic background. Isn't that the theme of what you and
I are talking about?

Speaker 1 (01:01:57):
Oh my gosh, that's so aligned with what we were
talking about.

Speaker 2 (01:02:00):
Yeah, we didn't plan this. I didn't know what Julia
was gonna ask, but perfect example. She's co producer, co
writer on the project. She's a star, and it's a
totally like it's a huge shift from what she we
know her to do. Yeah, but it's like, you know,
Palm Beach society back in the sixties and seventies and

(01:02:21):
the costumes and just how simple life was. But of course,
you know, it's made for TV drama, so there's a
good dose of that as well. But it's you know,
you watch one episode and before you know what, you're
just binging everything and asking your husband if he wants
to watch with you.

Speaker 1 (01:02:36):
I love that. Okay, Yeah, I watched the trailer two
days ago, so I will now officially add it to
my list. All right, Number two, what is your go
to weekend breakfast.

Speaker 2 (01:02:50):
Weekends are usually at the race track. Oh that's true,
but Andy, the at track caterer chef has prepared. But
if i'm I'm going through like a big and it's
not a phase because I always really enjoy it. But
I'm like a hard boiled egg, avocado toast. Girls, you'll

(01:03:10):
never see me getting pancakes and waffles and grits and
sausage and gravy. That's not my I like to keep
it light, keep it kind of.

Speaker 1 (01:03:22):
Yeah, I can't do a sweet breakfast. I used to.
I used to like and I love a pancake. I
love a waffle, but like I need, I need protein to.

Speaker 2 (01:03:32):
Start the day.

Speaker 1 (01:03:32):
So I hear you, all right, what is your favorite
city that you've done on air work in?

Speaker 2 (01:03:39):
Oh? Leave the city that I've done work in, I mean,
Boston is right up there. Boston is a freaking cool city.
Like you can go to the beach, you can go downtown.
They have this section of Boston that's like New York's
version of Little Italy. Mm hmm, I've yeah, the North

(01:04:01):
End they call it, And oh my, you just feel
transported to somewhere like in Italy and it's just bars
of beautiful or rows of beautiful bakeries and bars and
the most amazing Italian food. I'm Italian, so but then
also like a huge sports town. They have, theater, they
have I mean, it's just a city that has literally everything.

(01:04:23):
That one was pretty cool. The first time I ever
covered a NASCAR race and Sonoma, I figured out what
all buzz was about, going I don't even drink, like
I'm not a wine drinker. When I did drink, there
is something pretty special up there in Napa and Sonoma.
I mean just breathtaking. And then to see there's just
a racetrack in the middle of it. The scenics are, yeah,

(01:04:47):
pretty incredible.

Speaker 1 (01:04:49):
I'm biased also, but I love northern California and like
the hills. I think until you see those hills, like
they're like a golden color in that area, like especially
in the fall or in the summer at that point,
and then like in the wetter season, like they turn
this like lush green yellow. I mean, it's it's stunning
and the hills are beautiful. So I approve the answer,

(01:05:09):
and I'm gonna follow up question for that is in Charlotte,
since you are Italian and you are our expert here.
What is your favorite Italian restaurant in Charlotte if you have.

Speaker 2 (01:05:22):
One, Yeah, there's a few. So there's like a little
hole in the wall and a shopping center off Park Road,
like kind of between Dilworth and South Park area called
Porto Fino, a Harris Teeter shopping center, which is a
local grocery chain down here in the South. You would

(01:05:44):
never think, but it is often amazing, amazing goodness at
a really affordable price, and the portions are massive and
oh so good. You just walk in and the smell
and the fresh bread. Uptown there's another really special one.
It's more high end fine dining. But Luce l u
See it's off Tryon Street. Luce is really good. Those

(01:06:09):
would be my probably my two go tos. I've heard
a few people have said there's like some there's a
new one opening up in South Park and I forget
the name off the top of my head that I
need to try, but Bord of Fino and Luce. If
you're in Charlotte and you love Italian, I promise you
cannot go on. Oh that's great.

Speaker 1 (01:06:27):
Well I have not tried either, and so I'm excited
to add this to a list. The last question I
have for you is what is something you're grateful for
right now?

Speaker 2 (01:06:36):
My friendship with you. I'm glad that we got this.

Speaker 1 (01:06:39):
That makes me feel so warm and fuzzy.

Speaker 2 (01:06:41):
Percent so and honest and authentic. I got so excited
when I saw your text because my husband I are
just huge fans of you. I admire you. I think
you're just so talented and I know pivoting is not easy,
but girl, you make a pivot look good. Thank you,

(01:07:01):
professional woman to do. I feel like you've lived many
lives and you're still what in your thirties. I have
always followed you and just been a huge fan ever
since I got to know you, and I haven't seen
you in forever.

Speaker 1 (01:07:13):
I know we have to change that.

Speaker 2 (01:07:15):
I'm so glad that this all worked out and we
could come together today and just hang out and do
girl talk. This has been so much fun.

Speaker 1 (01:07:22):
It's been so much fun, and I really appreciate you
kind of diving into some of the kind of less obvious,
more nuanced elements of your career of you know, storytelling
for people, bringing people together. Your perspective is so helpful
and honest, and that is the theme of this show.
So I really appreciate that. Thank you. And the last

(01:07:44):
thing would be like, where can people find you on
social media? And I'll link all of this.

Speaker 2 (01:07:49):
Yeah, so I am Danielle Tratta on Twitter that there
is another daniel Trata and last I checked, she lived
in Boston and she stole it on Instagram, so do
you well? So on Twitter it's at Danielle Trada, but
on Instagram it's at Danielle K Trada. Perfect.

Speaker 1 (01:08:07):
Well, everyone check out Danielle. Danielle, thank you so much.
This was so wonderful everyone. If you liked this episode,
please share it with a friend. Please let us know
what you thought in the comments lead review. As always,
thank you for letting us be honest with you and
I look forward to seeing you next week.