May 5, 2025 • 36 mins
The Real Rundown!In this episode of Goldy’s Closet, Goldy Locks sits down with Steve Vesey, the morning news anchor who’s somehow always smiling, even when the world’s on fire. They dive into Steve’s wild ride through broadcasting, the behind-the-scenes chaos of live TV, and how he keeps his head up while delivering tough stories. Steve opens up about his raw childhood, the family moments that shaped him, and why staying connected to the community keeps him grounded. This convo’s packed with laughs, grit, and the real-life hustle behind the polished anchor desk! Don’t miss it.Golden Nuggets!
- Steve Veasey embodies positivity and resilience in broadcasting.
- Joy is a choice, and optimism is a superpower.
- The importance of maintaining a work-life balance as a parent.
- Broadcasting requires adaptability and quick thinking.
- Personal experiences shape our perspectives and careers.
- Finding ways to bring positivity to heavy news stories is crucial.
- Everyone has a story worth telling, regardless of their background.
- Childhood experiences can significantly influence adult behavior and choices.
- Community connection is vital for news anchors.
- It's important to treat everyone with respect and kindness.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Good morning, good afternoon, or whatever it is for you
Golden peeps at your Golden Girl Goldilocks. First off, I
want to apologize out of the gate.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I got a new microphone for this podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I did not have it adjusted the way that it should,
so I edited out as much of my muffled voice
that I possibly could. But bear with me on the
stuff that's a little hot. It's nothing wrong with being
a little hot. And speaking of a little hot. Today's
guest is someone who truly redefines what it means to light.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Up a room or in his case, an entire region
before most of us have had our coffee.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Steve vc is the co anchor of WFMJ Today, a
cum laude graduate of Ohio University and a multi award
winning sports anchor with over a decade of experience in
New York at WETM and Elmira and WIVB in Buffalo.
I first crossed paths with Steve when our band opened
(01:28):
for Saliva.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
It was the Waterford, Ohio Beer and Wine.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Festival where he interviewed me in the festival founder live
on air. What blew me away wasn't just his professionalism
at five thirty in the Morning. It was his flawless,
fun and brilliant delivery. He gave me one of the
best interviews of my career, and even more impressively, stayed
connected afterwards, Wow by supporting my work online and let's
(01:54):
be honest in a refreshingly non creepy way. Steve is
the walking and body of positivity, resilience and grace, carrying
the same energy he brings to Morning TV into his
family life despite a background that didn't always make it easy.
Trust me, you're about to hear from one of the
most inspiring and genuinely magnetic people and broadcasting today. Steve
(02:17):
VC is living proof that joy is a choice and
optimism is a superpower. Whether he's waking up an entire
city or lifting up his own family, Steve shows us
that the real magic happens when passion meets purpose. Steve,
thank you for the energy, the honesty, and the heart
that you shared in this podcast today, and for reminding
(02:39):
all of us that no matter where you come from,
you can choose to.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Light the way forward.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Now Goldie's Closet, Episode two fifty five, please welcome mister
Steve VC. Yeah, first off, I apologize, it's say no
I just what a dumb assumption.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
My dadd used to always say, you know, when you assume.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I was when I worked at a country club when
I was in high in high school and my manager's
name was Maryland, and so her thing was when you assume,
you make an ass out of you and Maryland.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
So that's what I always think of.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
That's a great lesson. You know. One of the reasons
that I really wanted you to have be on the.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Podcast was you have such an interesting and different life
than other people. I enter into that sometimes and that's
just the television world, and it's it's it's to the second,
like your stuff is to the second.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
And when I do TV that that's it's not a minute,
it's not it's like it's on.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
How How does that affect your daily life or how
does that?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I think it makes you a superhuman?
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Do you get do you get annoyed with other people
when they're not punctual?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Does that annoy you?
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Are you on time for things now forever in a
day or once your dad day?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Are you taking.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Any or is I'm chronically late? So I know that's
it's terrible.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
So but no, I do I think that my brain
is just kind of wired that way at this point,
like everything's down to the minute.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
I know how long every drive takes. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
It's it's weird, like I have numbers floating around, like
the meme where the.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Person's there and all the numbers are everywhere. I feel
like that's me all the time.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
And it's probably I never really thought about it being
tied to TV, but it probably is.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
What time do you go to bed every night?
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I wish it was early enough.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
I I like, if I in a perfect world, I'm
in bed at eight as I wake up at around three ish,
depending on the day. But I also have four kids
and they have sports and baseball season's honestly the worst.
My my youngest is in little league now and they
have games that go until like nine, nine o'clock at
(04:53):
night sometimes, So, uh, it is not ideal.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I'm constantly chasing sleep.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
If your youngest is doing that, then how old are
your oldest and they're not going to be in bed
at eight o'clock? How does your family respect that and
handle that and how do you make that work?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
They have always been good, so when they were young,
I was a TV sports guy in the finger Lakes
area of New York. Then in Buffalo, and so I
was working at night or I was just gone, so
it was a different dynamic that was, don't wake up
too early and be loud because Dad's sleeping late. And
(05:31):
then we came here and I shifted to morning news,
and then it was hey, once eight thirty or nine
hits summertimes hard because it's still light outside. They want
to get out and they want to be loud, and
I'm a lowed person, so my spawn is loud. So
then it's like, okay, well it's like eight o'clock. You
(05:51):
got to wind it down or move it somewhere to
another part of the house. So it's it's a battle.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
How did you get into broadcasting? What did you do
before this?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
I know you just mentioned your New York stuff, and
I didn't know that, So take us back a little bit.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Sure, So, I I was like a jock growing up,
and I wanted to I didn't I wanted to do
something with sports, and.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
I didn't know what it was.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
And it's funny because of the pivot that I've made now,
but it's I I wanted. I just wanted to get
into something with sports. And then I was taking my
college visits and there was this one university that scared
the living crap out of me that said, like, what
was it like one in four people who major in
broadcasting actually get an on air job and I and
(06:38):
it's still to this day like one of the last
times that I let somebody who thought they knew better
than me dictate my decision. So I went to Ohio University,
which is a good broadcasting school, but I went as
a business major, as a marketing major, and because that
one visit scared me, and then after a little while,
(07:00):
first off I hated business classes, and then after a
little while, I'm like, you know what, screw that, I
didn't even know who I was. I'm I'm gonna be
that one and four or whatever. So and then I
got into sports broadcasting through that, I worked in the
Finger Lakes for a while in a little city called Elmira,
New York.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Finger Lakes. What is this? Finger Lakes in.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
The middle of New York State. There are like literal
lakes that look like this. I was near the middle Finger,
which was Seneca Lake. Watkins Glenn International for any NASCAR
fans is right there. So I got to cover that
as a twenty two year old, which was awesome for
me and kind of got my feet, but I didn't
know where I wanted to go with it. You know,
when you're young, you want to be on Sports Center
(07:43):
on ESPN or something like that. But and I was there,
and I turned down a couple jobs that would have
been good stepping stones for me because I wanted to
anchor a little bit more and I have some fun.
I mean, we were there was a It was a
great Nobody tells you about the vibe when everybody you're
working with in TVs is from somewhere else and you're
all just transplanting in this little city that none of
(08:03):
us had ever heard of. And those first two crews
that I worked with were incredibly Yeah in the Finger Lakes,
So it was it was.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
It was so much fun.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
So I stuck around there a little longer, and then
I got a gig in Buffalo as the main sports
guy there. I wanted to cover big league sports, so
got to cover the Bills and the unfortunately the Sabers,
who were terrible at the time and still haven't made
the playoffs. But traveling around and to cover an NFL
team was it was a lot of fun. The access
we got. It's tiring. It's a lot of work too,
(08:36):
but that was fun. And then I had sort of
the decision made for me because the parent company was
starting to cut back on the budget and you kind
of see the riding on the wall. A couple of
friends were showing the door or non renewed. I guess
their contracts just weren't renewed. I got I was probably
like fourth or fifth in that line of people that
(08:59):
they ushered out the door. And I grew up around here,
so it was it was kind of funny. I had
like a slight contact. I reached out, sent like my
demo reel and it was the weekend morning guy. All
of a sudden, I kind of knew I had to pivot.
As my kids got older, I want to be going
to cover somebody else in sports. I wanted to see
(09:19):
my own kids, so so I knew that I had
to pivot at some point. So it just kind of
worked out all right. And I've been here for nine
years now. So I'm a morning news anchor for the
NBC affiliate in Youngstown, Ohio, and I basically I show
up at four thirty in the morning, I'm on air
at five. My makeup routine's hilarious because it is like
(09:40):
guerrilla warfare style.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
I sit at the desk and I'm.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Like, ah, do you do your own makeup?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
I do, yeah, not well, and I don't have any
on right now, so I'm a little shiny, but I
it's so I'm on air for two hours every day
and then i have some other stuff that I have
to record and everything, and then get ready for the
the next day's show and do whatever else for the rest.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Of my day.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
We I had the privilege of being interviewed.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
By you, and I mean you just spot on flawless machine.
I saw so much chaos behind the scenes.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
No one would have ever known it. But it's like
you're I mean, dude, you're operating everything like.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
I would assume that you said you have some extra
things to do that you're programming too, So I mean,
how did did you learn all of that when you
were in broadcast with sports or is it like you're
now in young Youngstown and you have to put on
the where are these other hats because it's a smaller station,
or where did you.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Learn that in school? Or was it hands on? Or
how did that all come about?
Speaker 3 (10:39):
So I like, I have to run my own teleprompter here.
I never had to do even even in the smallest
the smallest market that I worked in, didn't have to
do it in collegize. So this that was a learning
curve for me even coming here. But it's I don't know,
it's I I think that I got better at it.
I like really honed it in when I was in Buffalo.
There's there was a right one of my friends that
(11:01):
was a long time photographer with the Buffalo News. It
was It's funny because the NFL Draft is going on
today and this is one of my favorite memories is
during the draft and we everybody is lined up, like
all the local affiliates, the national guys, regional networks, and
we all are in a line and he got.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
This amazing video. We're i mean shoulder to shoulder just
you can't see it.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
It's like two feet from each other, and we all
hit within I don't know, thirty seconds of each other.
So we're all talking at the same time and trying
to tune each other out, remember what we want to
say and hit on our main points and send it
to our sound bites and everything. So I got used
to being that duck swimming along where everything's going really
fast underneath, but you have it's all calm waters that
(11:47):
everybody sees on air. So I mean, I figured if
I could do that, then I can do just about anything,
no matter who's talking to me in my ear at
the time, no matter you know, what guests didn't show
up or what camera didn't work or whatever.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
So it just kind of you roll with it. It's
live TV. It's fun.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
So and you have this just super positive disposition and
vibe and attitude and I love that. And you're so
not creepy to me, which I can count on the
corebringer you know, it's about what.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
No, you're just a delightful guy.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
I've got a friend who works in healthcare and he's
about as high up in healthcare as they come, and
he just.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Knows a lot of stuff. I'm assuming that you know
a lot of stuff.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
How is it when you have to report on things
sometimes when maybe you don't personally agree with the viewpoint
that kind of has to be made or the overall tone, Like,
how do you separate yourself from that without it affecting
you or bringing home to your family? Because I think
a lot of people listening and watching that you know,
(12:51):
they just have jobs where they get frustrated at and
you just seem to make everything a party and everything fun.
But I know, and again we're not talking about your
current job or position, and this.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Could be all along like how have you separated that?
How have you kept it separate?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
The hardest part, the hardest time that I ever had
with it was during the pandemic because we weren't allowed
to have in studio guests, so everything was through zoom
and you lose a little of that personal connection.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
But I mean, it was just felt like.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Every story was just beat you over the head with
something negative, and it was hard not to let it
drag you down. It's I would I had many conversations
with my producer. We had some of our best creative meetings.
Oddly enough, we're during the pandemic because we were trying
to find ways to still make people smile because we'll
think about it, like the news block itself was, oh,
(13:40):
this is spreading and these people are dying, and this
is happening, and this is we're not allowed to go
anywhere here and you have to wear a mask to
this and it's just like, oh, beat us down, beat
us down more, beat us down more.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
It was just nothing positive.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
So you've felt the responsibility to try to work in
the positivity.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
I'm mister positive.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
I'm the morning show guy, right, So like people they
to have anybody read the news, but if people tune
in to hear somebody that has a slightly different perspective
or does things a little bit differently, or maybe just
wants to, you know, be just a regular guy that
isn't necessarily this stuffy suit that that has this natural
(14:17):
TV voice.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
So I I just that I struggled with that.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
It was it was hard for forever, but it was
hard for everybody, the ones that I really struggle with now.
And I think it's nothing controversial in terms of like viewpoint,
Like when when we have to read a story, I
have to read a story on air about somebody who
did something to children or something like that like those,
I mean, it's it's news. It's when somebody does something terrible. Unfortunately,
(14:44):
that's stuff we have to report. It is so unbelievably
hard for me not to make a face. Sometimes we'll
think about it when when you're talking. Sometimes I'm not
able to read ahead and I'm hearing about we don't
go into great detail.
Speaker 4 (14:59):
Thank god.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
But but even like you know, tap dancing around whatever
somebody did the horrible uh, it makes me feel some
sort of way. And it's so it's challenging to stay
neutral when when you're reading something about somebody who did
something terrible and you're just, yeah, you're not earning while
you're while you're sitting there and trying to trying to
(15:22):
be neutral.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
You know, professional wrestlers would not make good anchor people.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
That's the it's the complete opposite because you have to
go the other direction and really play it up even
if you're not into it.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
What was one of the stories that really got you
during the pandemic that you remember that sticks out? Was
there one in particular that just like you remember and
then you remember trying to counteract it in some way.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
It's actually the stories that I remember from the pandemic
are the ones that we did that were positive that
like such as I So, there was a couple locally
that had been dating and they had this whole like
dream that they were, you know, middle aged, they'd met
and fallen in love and they had this big dream
(16:05):
wedding and they couldn't do it, and so they went
out and they.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Got they did. They made the best of it. They
got these pictures.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
There's a park in Youngstown called Mill Creek Park. It's
has this big silver suspension bridge that the bride was
obsessed with.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
It's like her fairy tale.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
And so they found a way, even though even through
like the no contact and anything and not having their
dream wedding, to still get the wedding pictures that she
wanted out.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
At no contact.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
God, just I know, right, so it is I'm so
I know, I'm sorry for bringing back back.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Well bring it up. I asked you.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
It's just like I just I just go back to
that time and it was just I mean, I'm not
going to get into it. My viewers lean a certain way,
but I just like I just wonder, like, sometimes, what
that all the people that we couldn't see that pass stead.
I know it would have been wonderful for them to
have visitors one last time.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Or I'm just like whatever, keep keep going. We're at
the bridge, no contact.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Yeah, people to do that, and they found a way
to make it special and make it memorable and make
it something that.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
Was like and even talking to him. And it's funny
because I ran into them.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
At at the grocery store, oh gosh, probably two three years,
two years after I did the story, and they were
they were just like still so unbelievably happy, beaming and everything,
and and it's what we were talking about earlier. You
just like some people just oose positivity. And I've always
been drawn to people like that, and so that that
(17:39):
one stuck out to me for sure. There was another
guy who was is now a former uh employee at
a at a children's museum in Youngstown who goes by
the name mister Ralph.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Everybody in Youngstown knows who mister Ralph is, but he.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Like, I called him one day and I'm like, dude,
we need somebody to make us smile, and you're my guy,
so what do you think? And we just kind of
kicked ideas around and he ended up coming on my
show every Friday for months.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Yea.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
As we had to do it remotely, and we set
things up and we we kind of tried to go
as outside the box as we could and still stay
within the parameters of what we had to do. And
he we would talk a little bit and he would
do like a fun science experiment live on air. And
so during the pandemic, that was like one of the
things that I look forward to every week because everything
(18:32):
was so heavy. And but every Friday, right before the weekend,
we knew that that mister Ralph was going to be
on our show and he was going to have an experiment.
And then the first time that he was able to
come in and do it in the studio again when
we had to get it was just, I don't know,
like one of the coolest things. So it was so
I remember that the happy stories like I I, everything
(18:52):
else kind of blended in.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
And what was your childhood? Like, did you have a
traumatic childhood?
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Hell? Yeah, okay, because I meant child No, I'm.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Just saying like, because I tend to always see things
a little too bright, and people are like, what's up
with you?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
But when I mean, I won't get into it.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
But like it wasn't so it wasn't so bright and
like I used, but I am cynical, and uh, you know,
I always try. I forced myself to see the cup overflowing,
even though by by nature I'm pessimistic and negative and
I have to battle that every day.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Because of how I grew up.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
It was very whatever next story, But I like to
I had a therapist as a young young child because
I was doing I was doing modeling and acting when
I was three and thrown into that.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
I wanted to be in it. I wasn't thrown into it.
I begged for it.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
But you know, all those movies and being around adult
Steve and just it messes with a little kid's head.
And then there was a lot of abuse and trauma
in there and all kinds of things. But this one
therapist said that you're stunny disposition and always seeing everything
as positive or trying too.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
She said, that's a gift from the wound. And I
thought that was a beautiful.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Phrase to kind of sum up people that didn't necessarily
have it, you know, so without digging into too much
of it, you did have a few rocks thrown into
the cogs then when you were a kid, and you've
chosen to just move forward, and damn it.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
There's so many people that I know that they just
live God dang.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
It, it's on the calendar and they just they look
forward to anniversaries of depressing things and they celebrate it,
and they anticipate it, and it's just like there's a
reason that the rear view mirror is, you know, smaller
than the windshield.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
I love that metaphor in comparison.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
And it's like there's so much beauty out there and
great shit that we can focus on.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
So, all right, your childhood it shaped you.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
Then, Yeah, I mean it's and it was more my
teenage years. So my mom got cancer and died like
that when I was sixteen. My parents had divorced, like
what six years earlier or so I saw my dad
every once in a while, but he was an alcoholic
and so having come back into my home and then
he didn't really know how to process at all. And uh,
(21:07):
he got married to some lady he barely knew, and
she like brought another bad vibe into the into the
house and everything. Uh no, she just like she was
the like ruler of the house. All of a sudden.
I'm very my mom died of lung cancer. I'm very
anti smoking. I uh, and she openly smoked multiple packs
(21:32):
a day in my house and it was just it
was just not a good thing.
Speaker 4 (21:36):
And then my my.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Dad passed away a couple of years later, and it
happens I mean, it's just the hand that that you're dealt.
So I and I grew up in a small town too.
A lot of a lot of people my immediate friend group, like,
we were all focused. We were all gonna, you know,
move on and do better things and go out into
the world and save the day. Didn't really have much ambition,
(21:58):
So it was kind of like a like a too
pronged attack, a little bit that you know, hey, there's
the guy with dead parents who came from the small town.
He's probably just gonna stay there, so I uh, But
for me, it was always like that. They're like, you
don't fail, like you don't uh. There wasn't there's never
going to be me veering down that path that I
(22:19):
just gave up or saw only the negative or anything.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
It's you.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
You just kind of you process it. It wasn't easy,
Don't get me wrong. It wasn't like I just moved
turned the page when I was sixteen. Everything was hunky dory.
But it was you kind of take that and you
let it fuel you in some ways. And now, like,
like I'm on, I talk about my kids all the time.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
I have four kids.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
I remember because I remember what it was like to
be at the center of the jump circle in high
school right before a game and look over and there
was nobody there for me, and it and I still.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
Like even now, like God, I hate that feeling. I
hate it. That's one of the reasons why me falling
into the shift.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
While I hate waking up at three in the morning,
don't get me wrong, there's nothing good about that, it
does give me the chance that I'm always able to
be there for whatever. I've been able to coach almost
all my kids to some extent and still do. And uh,
I and I'm there for every game, like I'm not
traveling on the road to and and missing stuff and
(23:24):
and and it was.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
So I get everything happens for a reason, I guess,
and and yes, but I just and I've I've talked
briefly with some of the kids about it, just trying
to make sure that they understand and appreciate that while
we live in a community where where most of the
parents get to as much stuff as possible, and we
see all these familiar faces in the sands and all
(23:48):
their stuff and and we were just in Myrtle Beach
last weekend for my daughter's volleyball tournaments and and all
these families went as well, you know, twelve hours away
from where we are to to go and see and
I'm that we have that opportunity, but uh, it's I
don't know, like there's just no other alternative for me.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
What's a misconception that people have about a news anchor
that you'd like to settle the score?
Speaker 2 (24:11):
What's something besides the fact that you're a millionaire.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
I know that's the biggest one, honestly, Like, like people
think that I'm like driving around and I like have
a Bugatti and I'm in this mansion or whatever, and
I'm like, good, I'm in Youngstown, Ohio, which I grew
up around here, so I'm allowed to say that.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
But it's like, I'm not I'm not breaking it in. Uh,
it's uh, you love what you do, though.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
You yeah, absolutely, and you have to get used to
I'm sure you you've gotten it, you know, throughout your career,
just like the lack of you know, being anonymous and
going like it's It's funny too because I've seen it
on different levels in the three cities that I've worked in,
the like when people approached me when I was a
(24:56):
sports guy in Buffalo, it was Bill's fans exclusive that
wanted to come and Sabers fan sometimes that wanted to
come and talk to me about like the left guard
and wow, he's just ruining everything. And here it's just
uh my wife puts him into different categories in the
in the grocery store, like the people who are just
staring at you, the people who follow you, the people
(25:16):
who will come up and talk to you and then
not let go. Uh, there's the huggers, there's there's just
it's I mean, I expect it. It's fine, it's it's
it's part of the gig.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Right.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
So I'm in a smaller town, like a mid market,
and it's that means people are watching and they like it.
So if they come up and talk to me, I'll
gladly have a conversation back. Every once in a while, though,
I'm in like a crazy hurry to get somewhere, and
I put on my hood, I admit it, and like
I put on my hood and I put on sunglasses
(25:46):
and I'm going for the two things I need and
I get the hell out of there because all the
trips and sometimes now.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
I get that I was going to say are you
ever in a mood where you're not as happy or like?
That's the worst is when I say it's a mood
that I shouldn't be around humans. Steve and I just like,
I'm foul, but I need to go somewhere. And usually
I'm pretty lucky. God shines on me and I just
can be in and out. But there's nothing worse than
like when you're mentally not in a great space and
(26:16):
somebody does approach you and then God forbid, they say
something like a little sus like they're asking, they're asking
for it.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
That's that's hard.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
I had my winter weight.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
I I like so like I U, yeah, that's a
fun one.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
I'm a creature of sunshine.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
Like I love like spring, summerfall, but man, I hate
winter sometimes, especially after living in Buffalo for a few winters.
That was that that that's ruined winter for me forever.
But like, I gain a little weight, and people will
are just man, they have low filter, and I guess
part of it is that they kind of feel that
they know you and everything a little bit. But holy hell,
(26:52):
like I some people will say the worst things like hey, uh,
I want to lay out those donuts that the lawyer
brings in on Fridays because your button's getting a little tight.
Speaker 4 (27:03):
I'm like, thanks, Bud, appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
It's I'm always amazed at the sort of and just
the lack of a filter people having. It goes beyond
that too, Like we we signed autographs at a county
fair every year, and people come up to me and
say some of the like craziest things that you would
that you would I'm not even like comfortable like saying
stuff some of that stuff out loud, like things that
(27:27):
they do and the like with their wife and their
bedroom like telling me this. I will say though, like
I'm just I'm glad that I'm a dude in this
business because it's no absolutely, because there are some creepers
out there that that send them horrible comments. I've worked
with multiple women who've had to deal with stocker situations
(27:48):
legit like go to court.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Groundbreaking, or it could be something really simple that it
just taught you, like a huge lesson that we can
all learn from.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Ye I. It isn't really a story. It was a
conversation I had with a with a former boss, and
it's it taught me something about myself that was a
really good lesson because I was when I got to Buffalo,
I was really young. I mean I was like thirty,
but I but I was young for that job, the
(28:18):
job that I had, and like they were cutting staff
around me, they were pairing down our sports department, and
I just kind of like took it like I didn't.
I didn't feel like it was my place to step up.
And then he comes to me one day. I remember
this conversation. He sat down and like that I that
he needed me to do an extra like five minutes
(28:40):
a day, and five minutes on air in sports is
quite a long time, Like it's so we had at
we had our ten o'clock show was an hour long,
and I had like about a minute and a half
in at about like twenty after ten, and he wanted
to add an additional five minutes at n till eleven
(29:01):
every night. And this was like right as I was
losing my producer and they weren't replacing him. And I'm like,
so you want me to do to like literally almost
double the amount of content I'm doing a day, and
you wanted to be original with fewer staff members And
(29:24):
he's like, yeah, can you do it? And me being
like you know, gung ho guy, and believing in myself
was like, yeah, I'll do it. And then I had
to figure things out. And then that led to meetings
and meetings and meetings with like different than me, working
with staff members. A great friend of mine who recently
passed away, who worked there for a long time was
(29:45):
our satellite truck operator. Spent a lot of time with
him well on our training camp coverage. He got this
backdrop and we took out a desk in the sports
office and we made like a little elevated interview.
Speaker 4 (29:59):
Set and and it and it looked good. So I
ended up it.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
It was a lot of work, but I learned that
I should, first off, stand up for myself a little
bit more, and.
Speaker 4 (30:11):
Second that I could seriously do it.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
It just I was getting so burnt out from from
trying to to book all these extra interviews and having
people come in at like eight o'clock at night and
sit in this little interview set in our in our
sports office, and just to do a five minute interview
or a four minute interview every day.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
And it was man, it was a lot.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Like I I I still look back on it, and
I made it work, but I wish I would have
been down and say I just like, just give me
more help like that, that would be I'm not good
at asking for help. I always think that I can
do things like myself and that's fine, and but that
one got me into not into trouble, but like I
(30:54):
was trying to just keep my head above water some days,
just trying to to get everything you still want to break,
break news about them signing somebody you still want to
get to. You know, point A and point B, and
it was we talk about burning the candle at both ends.
Speaker 4 (31:07):
It was I have a much better work life balance.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Now that's a great story.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
Last thing I'll ask you, though, is what's the best
piece of advice that you've gotten throughout your career.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Who was it from and what was it.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
It's not really even in my career. It was I'll
go back to algic a little bit, because you know
of my because I didn't get enough time with my mom.
But she I remember her telling me, and I think
this was just her way of me making sure I
didn't get in trouble. But it's always in the back
of my head, and it's the first thing I thought
of when you asked the question was you never know
(31:39):
who's watching, is what she would always tell me, and
to always treat people with respect, treat people with kindness,
and it's not and it's evolved into just I'm not
doing it because somebody could be watching.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
But I mean I'm on TV.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
So like I always have to pretend, like, you know,
maybe somebody is does recognize me or something, so not
that I'm doing like drug deals on the street or
something I don't know, Like it's it's it's sort of
like the whole just treat everybody with respect, treat everybody
how you'd want them.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
To treat you.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
And then my professional model motto is that everyone has
a story. And I firmly believe that. Like I've interviewed
a ton of people who are like, well, I'm you
don't need to interview me, I don't you don't need
my perspective.
Speaker 4 (32:33):
I'm like, yes, I do.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
It's funny because it's it's I'm like the one person
who doesn't believe it about themselves, but but I believe
it about everybody else.
Speaker 4 (32:42):
Everybody. Everybody has a story, Everybody has a story.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Don't get job.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
As long as I have time, I'm in that when
somebody comes up and ask me a question, I'll talk
to them. I'll spend ten minutes with them, and I'll
hear their life story. And I really enjoy uh when
we have when we sign autographs of the fair for
for like a couple a couple of days every summer,
and people come up then enjoy watching the show and
(33:09):
they tell me a little bit about themselves or maybe
like I take a picture with their kid or something,
and I love hearing a little piece of somebody else.
So it's it's you're not in a bubble like so
many people have. I feel like they have blinders on.
They don't want to talk to anybody. They don't want
to hear anything. I want to hear everybody.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Except what's going on in their bedroom. You don't need it,
Well that part of don't.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
I don't need that many details. So I want their story.
I don't want every detail of their story. How about that?
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Well, you have been listening to Goldie's Closets. This has
been episode two fifty five with Steve Stephen VC not Vessy.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
I just want to thank everybody for listening, listening, and
wherever it is that you listen to this. Thank you
if you're driving to work, if you're at work.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
We've got so many people that are on the daily grind,
and I just can't thank you enough for letting me
into your.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
Home and your soul or your car coming into Goldie's closet.
But we're gonna thank everyone.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
Stay safe out there, always be free, and stay golden.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
And then you know what, we clap at the end,
you better do it. Could you a little up at clap?
Speaker 4 (34:19):
You've got friend, dude?
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Now what's up everyone?
Speaker 5 (34:25):
It's Goldie Impact Wrestling, TLC's cheap skates. Ted Nugent's running
wild from him somewhere in the woods.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
And maybe you've seen our band, Goldilocks Band.
Speaker 5 (34:34):
We're out there, we're on tour, but now we're connecting
on cameo.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
So I want to tell you that I am here
to be your humble servant. And that's whatever you.
Speaker 5 (34:42):
Need said for you for a friend, a shout out,
a golden shout out. You name it here and on
it now, just reminding you keep it classy, keep it cool,
and keep it.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Above the belt. But I want to offer you something
a little bit, a little bit different.
Speaker 5 (34:56):
Just remember if I'm not on the road and I've
got access to these next we can always have. You
want to make this the most amazing experience for you ever,
because you deserve it, your friends deserve it, your loved
(35:18):
ones deserve it.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
And just remember, I can sing you a few lines
of a song.
Speaker 5 (35:22):
It can be from from anywhere like uh, it can
be from song where the.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
Way or it could be.
Speaker 4 (35:35):
Fun where.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
It could even be Honor Highway way.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
It need to be from there. Oh, and keep in mind,
not all requests are the same. Maybe your motivation comes
with a harder edge. Maybe you need a more jagged
little pill. There's nothing that I love more than playing
the heel.
Speaker 5 (36:04):
So if you need your message delivered with more Oh,
what's the word I'm looking for?
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Intention? Please specify. I can't wait to connect with you
on cameo. Thanks so much for being here Day Golden
Good morning, good afternoon, or whatever it is for you
Golden peeps at your Golden Girl Goldilocks. First off, I
want to apologize out of the gate.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I got a new microphone for this podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I did not have it adjusted the way that it should,
so I edited out as much of my muffled voice
that I possibly could. But bear with me on the
stuff that's a little hot. It's nothing wrong with being
a little hot. And speaking of a little hot. Today's
guest is someone who truly redefines what it means to light.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Up a room or in his case, an entire region
before most of us have had our coffee.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Steve vc is the co anchor of WFMJ Today, a
cum laude graduate of Ohio University and a multi award
winning sports anchor with over a decade of experience in
New York at WETM and Elmira and WIVB in Buffalo.
I first crossed paths with Steve when our band opened
(01:28):
for Saliva.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
It was the Waterford, Ohio Beer and Wine.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Festival where he interviewed me in the festival founder live
on air. What blew me away wasn't just his professionalism
at five thirty in the Morning. It was his flawless,
fun and brilliant delivery. He gave me one of the
best interviews of my career, and even more impressively, stayed
connected afterwards, Wow by supporting my work online and let's
(01:54):
be honest in a refreshingly non creepy way. Steve is
the walking and body of positivity, resilience and grace, carrying
the same energy he brings to Morning TV into his
family life despite a background that didn't always make it easy.
Trust me, you're about to hear from one of the
most inspiring and genuinely magnetic people and broadcasting today. Steve
(02:17):
VC is living proof that joy is a choice and
optimism is a superpower. Whether he's waking up an entire
city or lifting up his own family, Steve shows us
that the real magic happens when passion meets purpose. Steve,
thank you for the energy, the honesty, and the heart
that you shared in this podcast today, and for reminding
(02:39):
all of us that no matter where you come from,
you can choose to.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Light the way forward.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Now Goldie's Closet, Episode two fifty five, please welcome mister
Steve VC. Yeah, first off, I apologize, it's say no
I just what a dumb assumption.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
My dadd used to always say, you know, when you assume.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I was when I worked at a country club when
I was in high in high school and my manager's
name was Maryland, and so her thing was when you assume,
you make an ass out of you and Maryland.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
So that's what I always think of.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
That's a great lesson. You know. One of the reasons
that I really wanted you to have be on the.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Podcast was you have such an interesting and different life
than other people. I enter into that sometimes and that's
just the television world, and it's it's it's to the second,
like your stuff is to the second.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
And when I do TV that that's it's not a minute,
it's not it's like it's on.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
How How does that affect your daily life or how
does that?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I think it makes you a superhuman?
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Do you get do you get annoyed with other people
when they're not punctual?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Does that annoy you?
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Are you on time for things now forever in a
day or once your dad day?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Are you taking.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Any or is I'm chronically late? So I know that's
it's terrible.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
So but no, I do I think that my brain
is just kind of wired that way at this point,
like everything's down to the minute.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
I know how long every drive takes. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
It's it's weird, like I have numbers floating around, like
the meme where the.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Person's there and all the numbers are everywhere. I feel
like that's me all the time.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
And it's probably I never really thought about it being
tied to TV, but it probably is.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
What time do you go to bed every night?
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I wish it was early enough.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
I I like, if I in a perfect world, I'm
in bed at eight as I wake up at around three ish,
depending on the day. But I also have four kids
and they have sports and baseball season's honestly the worst.
My my youngest is in little league now and they
have games that go until like nine, nine o'clock at
(04:53):
night sometimes, So, uh, it is not ideal.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I'm constantly chasing sleep.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
If your youngest is doing that, then how old are
your oldest and they're not going to be in bed
at eight o'clock? How does your family respect that and
handle that and how do you make that work?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
They have always been good, so when they were young,
I was a TV sports guy in the finger Lakes
area of New York. Then in Buffalo, and so I
was working at night or I was just gone, so
it was a different dynamic that was, don't wake up
too early and be loud because Dad's sleeping late. And
(05:31):
then we came here and I shifted to morning news,
and then it was hey, once eight thirty or nine
hits summertimes hard because it's still light outside. They want
to get out and they want to be loud, and
I'm a lowed person, so my spawn is loud. So
then it's like, okay, well it's like eight o'clock. You
(05:51):
got to wind it down or move it somewhere to
another part of the house. So it's it's a battle.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
How did you get into broadcasting? What did you do
before this?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
I know you just mentioned your New York stuff, and
I didn't know that, So take us back a little bit.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Sure, So, I I was like a jock growing up,
and I wanted to I didn't I wanted to do
something with sports, and.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
I didn't know what it was.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
And it's funny because of the pivot that I've made now,
but it's I I wanted. I just wanted to get
into something with sports. And then I was taking my
college visits and there was this one university that scared
the living crap out of me that said, like, what
was it like one in four people who major in
broadcasting actually get an on air job and I and
(06:38):
it's still to this day like one of the last
times that I let somebody who thought they knew better
than me dictate my decision. So I went to Ohio University,
which is a good broadcasting school, but I went as
a business major, as a marketing major, and because that
one visit scared me, and then after a little while,
(07:00):
first off I hated business classes, and then after a
little while, I'm like, you know what, screw that, I
didn't even know who I was. I'm I'm gonna be
that one and four or whatever. So and then I
got into sports broadcasting through that, I worked in the
Finger Lakes for a while in a little city called Elmira,
New York.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Finger Lakes. What is this? Finger Lakes in.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
The middle of New York State. There are like literal
lakes that look like this. I was near the middle Finger,
which was Seneca Lake. Watkins Glenn International for any NASCAR
fans is right there. So I got to cover that
as a twenty two year old, which was awesome for
me and kind of got my feet, but I didn't
know where I wanted to go with it. You know,
when you're young, you want to be on Sports Center
(07:43):
on ESPN or something like that. But and I was there,
and I turned down a couple jobs that would have
been good stepping stones for me because I wanted to
anchor a little bit more and I have some fun.
I mean, we were there was a It was a
great Nobody tells you about the vibe when everybody you're
working with in TVs is from somewhere else and you're
all just transplanting in this little city that none of
(08:03):
us had ever heard of. And those first two crews
that I worked with were incredibly Yeah in the Finger Lakes,
So it was it was.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
It was so much fun.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
So I stuck around there a little longer, and then
I got a gig in Buffalo as the main sports
guy there. I wanted to cover big league sports, so
got to cover the Bills and the unfortunately the Sabers,
who were terrible at the time and still haven't made
the playoffs. But traveling around and to cover an NFL
team was it was a lot of fun. The access
we got. It's tiring. It's a lot of work too,
(08:36):
but that was fun. And then I had sort of
the decision made for me because the parent company was
starting to cut back on the budget and you kind
of see the riding on the wall. A couple of
friends were showing the door or non renewed. I guess
their contracts just weren't renewed. I got I was probably
like fourth or fifth in that line of people that
(08:59):
they ushered out the door. And I grew up around here,
so it was it was kind of funny. I had
like a slight contact. I reached out, sent like my
demo reel and it was the weekend morning guy. All
of a sudden, I kind of knew I had to pivot.
As my kids got older, I want to be going
to cover somebody else in sports. I wanted to see
(09:19):
my own kids, so so I knew that I had
to pivot at some point. So it just kind of
worked out all right. And I've been here for nine
years now. So I'm a morning news anchor for the
NBC affiliate in Youngstown, Ohio, and I basically I show
up at four thirty in the morning, I'm on air
at five. My makeup routine's hilarious because it is like
(09:40):
guerrilla warfare style.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
I sit at the desk and I'm.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Like, ah, do you do your own makeup?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
I do, yeah, not well, and I don't have any
on right now, so I'm a little shiny, but I
it's so I'm on air for two hours every day
and then i have some other stuff that I have
to record and everything, and then get ready for the
the next day's show and do whatever else for the rest.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Of my day.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
We I had the privilege of being interviewed.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
By you, and I mean you just spot on flawless machine.
I saw so much chaos behind the scenes.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
No one would have ever known it. But it's like
you're I mean, dude, you're operating everything like.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
I would assume that you said you have some extra
things to do that you're programming too, So I mean,
how did did you learn all of that when you
were in broadcast with sports or is it like you're
now in young Youngstown and you have to put on
the where are these other hats because it's a smaller station,
or where did you.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Learn that in school? Or was it hands on? Or
how did that all come about?
Speaker 3 (10:39):
So I like, I have to run my own teleprompter here.
I never had to do even even in the smallest
the smallest market that I worked in, didn't have to
do it in collegize. So this that was a learning
curve for me even coming here. But it's I don't know,
it's I I think that I got better at it.
I like really honed it in when I was in Buffalo.
There's there was a right one of my friends that
(11:01):
was a long time photographer with the Buffalo News. It
was It's funny because the NFL Draft is going on
today and this is one of my favorite memories is
during the draft and we everybody is lined up, like
all the local affiliates, the national guys, regional networks, and
we all are in a line and he got.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
This amazing video. We're i mean shoulder to shoulder just
you can't see it.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
It's like two feet from each other, and we all
hit within I don't know, thirty seconds of each other.
So we're all talking at the same time and trying
to tune each other out, remember what we want to
say and hit on our main points and send it
to our sound bites and everything. So I got used
to being that duck swimming along where everything's going really
fast underneath, but you have it's all calm waters that
(11:47):
everybody sees on air. So I mean, I figured if
I could do that, then I can do just about anything,
no matter who's talking to me in my ear at
the time, no matter you know, what guests didn't show
up or what camera didn't work or whatever.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
So it just kind of you roll with it. It's
live TV. It's fun.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
So and you have this just super positive disposition and
vibe and attitude and I love that. And you're so
not creepy to me, which I can count on the
corebringer you know, it's about what.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
No, you're just a delightful guy.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
I've got a friend who works in healthcare and he's
about as high up in healthcare as they come, and
he just.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Knows a lot of stuff. I'm assuming that you know
a lot of stuff.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
How is it when you have to report on things
sometimes when maybe you don't personally agree with the viewpoint
that kind of has to be made or the overall tone, Like,
how do you separate yourself from that without it affecting
you or bringing home to your family? Because I think
a lot of people listening and watching that you know,
(12:51):
they just have jobs where they get frustrated at and
you just seem to make everything a party and everything fun.
But I know, and again we're not talking about your
current job or position, and this.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Could be all along like how have you separated that?
How have you kept it separate?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
The hardest part, the hardest time that I ever had
with it was during the pandemic because we weren't allowed
to have in studio guests, so everything was through zoom
and you lose a little of that personal connection.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
But I mean, it was just felt like.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Every story was just beat you over the head with
something negative, and it was hard not to let it
drag you down. It's I would I had many conversations
with my producer. We had some of our best creative meetings.
Oddly enough, we're during the pandemic because we were trying
to find ways to still make people smile because we'll
think about it, like the news block itself was, oh,
(13:40):
this is spreading and these people are dying, and this
is happening, and this is we're not allowed to go
anywhere here and you have to wear a mask to
this and it's just like, oh, beat us down, beat
us down more, beat us down more.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
It was just nothing positive.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
So you've felt the responsibility to try to work in
the positivity.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
I'm mister positive.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
I'm the morning show guy, right, So like people they
to have anybody read the news, but if people tune
in to hear somebody that has a slightly different perspective
or does things a little bit differently, or maybe just
wants to, you know, be just a regular guy that
isn't necessarily this stuffy suit that that has this natural
(14:17):
TV voice.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
So I I just that I struggled with that.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
It was it was hard for forever, but it was
hard for everybody, the ones that I really struggle with now.
And I think it's nothing controversial in terms of like viewpoint,
Like when when we have to read a story, I
have to read a story on air about somebody who
did something to children or something like that like those,
I mean, it's it's news. It's when somebody does something terrible. Unfortunately,
(14:44):
that's stuff we have to report. It is so unbelievably
hard for me not to make a face. Sometimes we'll
think about it when when you're talking. Sometimes I'm not
able to read ahead and I'm hearing about we don't
go into great detail.
Speaker 4 (14:59):
Thank god.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
But but even like you know, tap dancing around whatever
somebody did the horrible uh, it makes me feel some
sort of way. And it's so it's challenging to stay
neutral when when you're reading something about somebody who did
something terrible and you're just, yeah, you're not earning while
you're while you're sitting there and trying to trying to
(15:22):
be neutral.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
You know, professional wrestlers would not make good anchor people.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
That's the it's the complete opposite because you have to
go the other direction and really play it up even
if you're not into it.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
What was one of the stories that really got you
during the pandemic that you remember that sticks out? Was
there one in particular that just like you remember and
then you remember trying to counteract it in some way.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
It's actually the stories that I remember from the pandemic
are the ones that we did that were positive that
like such as I So, there was a couple locally
that had been dating and they had this whole like
dream that they were, you know, middle aged, they'd met
and fallen in love and they had this big dream
(16:05):
wedding and they couldn't do it, and so they went
out and they.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Got they did. They made the best of it. They
got these pictures.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
There's a park in Youngstown called Mill Creek Park. It's
has this big silver suspension bridge that the bride was
obsessed with.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
It's like her fairy tale.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
And so they found a way, even though even through
like the no contact and anything and not having their
dream wedding, to still get the wedding pictures that she
wanted out.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
At no contact.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
God, just I know, right, so it is I'm so
I know, I'm sorry for bringing back back.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Well bring it up. I asked you.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
It's just like I just I just go back to
that time and it was just I mean, I'm not
going to get into it. My viewers lean a certain way,
but I just like I just wonder, like, sometimes, what
that all the people that we couldn't see that pass stead.
I know it would have been wonderful for them to
have visitors one last time.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Or I'm just like whatever, keep keep going. We're at
the bridge, no contact.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Yeah, people to do that, and they found a way
to make it special and make it memorable and make
it something that.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
Was like and even talking to him. And it's funny
because I ran into them.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
At at the grocery store, oh gosh, probably two three years,
two years after I did the story, and they were
they were just like still so unbelievably happy, beaming and everything,
and and it's what we were talking about earlier. You
just like some people just oose positivity. And I've always
been drawn to people like that, and so that that
(17:39):
one stuck out to me for sure. There was another
guy who was is now a former uh employee at
a at a children's museum in Youngstown who goes by
the name mister Ralph.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Everybody in Youngstown knows who mister Ralph is, but he.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Like, I called him one day and I'm like, dude,
we need somebody to make us smile, and you're my guy,
so what do you think? And we just kind of
kicked ideas around and he ended up coming on my
show every Friday for months.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Yea.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
As we had to do it remotely, and we set
things up and we we kind of tried to go
as outside the box as we could and still stay
within the parameters of what we had to do. And
he we would talk a little bit and he would
do like a fun science experiment live on air. And
so during the pandemic, that was like one of the
things that I look forward to every week because everything
(18:32):
was so heavy. And but every Friday, right before the weekend,
we knew that that mister Ralph was going to be
on our show and he was going to have an experiment.
And then the first time that he was able to
come in and do it in the studio again when
we had to get it was just, I don't know,
like one of the coolest things. So it was so
I remember that the happy stories like I I, everything
(18:52):
else kind of blended in.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
And what was your childhood? Like, did you have a
traumatic childhood?
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Hell? Yeah, okay, because I meant child No, I'm.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Just saying like, because I tend to always see things
a little too bright, and people are like, what's up
with you?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
But when I mean, I won't get into it.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
But like it wasn't so it wasn't so bright and
like I used, but I am cynical, and uh, you know,
I always try. I forced myself to see the cup overflowing,
even though by by nature I'm pessimistic and negative and
I have to battle that every day.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Because of how I grew up.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
It was very whatever next story, But I like to
I had a therapist as a young young child because
I was doing I was doing modeling and acting when
I was three and thrown into that.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
I wanted to be in it. I wasn't thrown into it.
I begged for it.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
But you know, all those movies and being around adult
Steve and just it messes with a little kid's head.
And then there was a lot of abuse and trauma
in there and all kinds of things. But this one
therapist said that you're stunny disposition and always seeing everything
as positive or trying too.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
She said, that's a gift from the wound. And I
thought that was a beautiful.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Phrase to kind of sum up people that didn't necessarily
have it, you know, so without digging into too much
of it, you did have a few rocks thrown into
the cogs then when you were a kid, and you've
chosen to just move forward, and damn it.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
There's so many people that I know that they just
live God dang.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
It, it's on the calendar and they just they look
forward to anniversaries of depressing things and they celebrate it,
and they anticipate it, and it's just like there's a
reason that the rear view mirror is, you know, smaller
than the windshield.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
I love that metaphor in comparison.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
And it's like there's so much beauty out there and
great shit that we can focus on.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
So, all right, your childhood it shaped you.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
Then, Yeah, I mean it's and it was more my
teenage years. So my mom got cancer and died like
that when I was sixteen. My parents had divorced, like
what six years earlier or so I saw my dad
every once in a while, but he was an alcoholic
and so having come back into my home and then
he didn't really know how to process at all. And uh,
(21:07):
he got married to some lady he barely knew, and
she like brought another bad vibe into the into the
house and everything. Uh no, she just like she was
the like ruler of the house. All of a sudden.
I'm very my mom died of lung cancer. I'm very
anti smoking. I uh, and she openly smoked multiple packs
(21:32):
a day in my house and it was just it
was just not a good thing.
Speaker 4 (21:36):
And then my my.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Dad passed away a couple of years later, and it
happens I mean, it's just the hand that that you're dealt.
So I and I grew up in a small town too.
A lot of a lot of people my immediate friend group, like,
we were all focused. We were all gonna, you know,
move on and do better things and go out into
the world and save the day. Didn't really have much ambition,
(21:58):
So it was kind of like a like a too
pronged attack, a little bit that you know, hey, there's
the guy with dead parents who came from the small town.
He's probably just gonna stay there, so I uh, But
for me, it was always like that. They're like, you
don't fail, like you don't uh. There wasn't there's never
going to be me veering down that path that I
(22:19):
just gave up or saw only the negative or anything.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
It's you.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
You just kind of you process it. It wasn't easy,
Don't get me wrong. It wasn't like I just moved
turned the page when I was sixteen. Everything was hunky dory.
But it was you kind of take that and you
let it fuel you in some ways. And now, like,
like I'm on, I talk about my kids all the time.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
I have four kids.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
I remember because I remember what it was like to
be at the center of the jump circle in high
school right before a game and look over and there
was nobody there for me, and it and I still.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
Like even now, like God, I hate that feeling. I
hate it. That's one of the reasons why me falling
into the shift.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
While I hate waking up at three in the morning,
don't get me wrong, there's nothing good about that, it
does give me the chance that I'm always able to
be there for whatever. I've been able to coach almost
all my kids to some extent and still do. And uh,
I and I'm there for every game, like I'm not
traveling on the road to and and missing stuff and
(23:24):
and and it was.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
So I get everything happens for a reason, I guess,
and and yes, but I just and I've I've talked
briefly with some of the kids about it, just trying
to make sure that they understand and appreciate that while
we live in a community where where most of the
parents get to as much stuff as possible, and we
see all these familiar faces in the sands and all
(23:48):
their stuff and and we were just in Myrtle Beach
last weekend for my daughter's volleyball tournaments and and all
these families went as well, you know, twelve hours away
from where we are to to go and see and
I'm that we have that opportunity, but uh, it's I
don't know, like there's just no other alternative for me.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
What's a misconception that people have about a news anchor
that you'd like to settle the score?
Speaker 2 (24:11):
What's something besides the fact that you're a millionaire.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
I know that's the biggest one, honestly, Like, like people
think that I'm like driving around and I like have
a Bugatti and I'm in this mansion or whatever, and
I'm like, good, I'm in Youngstown, Ohio, which I grew
up around here, so I'm allowed to say that.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
But it's like, I'm not I'm not breaking it in. Uh,
it's uh, you love what you do, though.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
You yeah, absolutely, and you have to get used to
I'm sure you you've gotten it, you know, throughout your career,
just like the lack of you know, being anonymous and
going like it's It's funny too because I've seen it
on different levels in the three cities that I've worked in,
the like when people approached me when I was a
(24:56):
sports guy in Buffalo, it was Bill's fans exclusive that
wanted to come and Sabers fan sometimes that wanted to
come and talk to me about like the left guard
and wow, he's just ruining everything. And here it's just
uh my wife puts him into different categories in the
in the grocery store, like the people who are just
staring at you, the people who follow you, the people
(25:16):
who will come up and talk to you and then
not let go. Uh, there's the huggers, there's there's just
it's I mean, I expect it. It's fine, it's it's
it's part of the gig.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Right.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
So I'm in a smaller town, like a mid market,
and it's that means people are watching and they like it.
So if they come up and talk to me, I'll
gladly have a conversation back. Every once in a while, though,
I'm in like a crazy hurry to get somewhere, and
I put on my hood, I admit it, and like
I put on my hood and I put on sunglasses
(25:46):
and I'm going for the two things I need and
I get the hell out of there because all the
trips and sometimes now.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
I get that I was going to say are you
ever in a mood where you're not as happy or like?
That's the worst is when I say it's a mood
that I shouldn't be around humans. Steve and I just like,
I'm foul, but I need to go somewhere. And usually
I'm pretty lucky. God shines on me and I just
can be in and out. But there's nothing worse than
like when you're mentally not in a great space and
(26:16):
somebody does approach you and then God forbid, they say
something like a little sus like they're asking, they're asking
for it.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
That's that's hard.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
I had my winter weight.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
I I like so like I U, yeah, that's a
fun one.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
I'm a creature of sunshine.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
Like I love like spring, summerfall, but man, I hate
winter sometimes, especially after living in Buffalo for a few winters.
That was that that that's ruined winter for me forever.
But like, I gain a little weight, and people will
are just man, they have low filter, and I guess
part of it is that they kind of feel that
they know you and everything a little bit. But holy hell,
(26:52):
like I some people will say the worst things like hey, uh,
I want to lay out those donuts that the lawyer
brings in on Fridays because your button's getting a little tight.
Speaker 4 (27:03):
I'm like, thanks, Bud, appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
It's I'm always amazed at the sort of and just
the lack of a filter people having. It goes beyond
that too, Like we we signed autographs at a county
fair every year, and people come up to me and
say some of the like craziest things that you would
that you would I'm not even like comfortable like saying
stuff some of that stuff out loud, like things that
(27:27):
they do and the like with their wife and their
bedroom like telling me this. I will say though, like
I'm just I'm glad that I'm a dude in this
business because it's no absolutely, because there are some creepers
out there that that send them horrible comments. I've worked
with multiple women who've had to deal with stocker situations
(27:48):
legit like go to court.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Groundbreaking, or it could be something really simple that it
just taught you, like a huge lesson that we can
all learn from.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Ye I. It isn't really a story. It was a
conversation I had with a with a former boss, and
it's it taught me something about myself that was a
really good lesson because I was when I got to Buffalo,
I was really young. I mean I was like thirty,
but I but I was young for that job, the
(28:18):
job that I had, and like they were cutting staff
around me, they were pairing down our sports department, and
I just kind of like took it like I didn't.
I didn't feel like it was my place to step up.
And then he comes to me one day. I remember
this conversation. He sat down and like that I that
he needed me to do an extra like five minutes
(28:40):
a day, and five minutes on air in sports is
quite a long time, Like it's so we had at
we had our ten o'clock show was an hour long,
and I had like about a minute and a half
in at about like twenty after ten, and he wanted
to add an additional five minutes at n till eleven
(29:01):
every night. And this was like right as I was
losing my producer and they weren't replacing him. And I'm like,
so you want me to do to like literally almost
double the amount of content I'm doing a day, and
you wanted to be original with fewer staff members And
(29:24):
he's like, yeah, can you do it? And me being
like you know, gung ho guy, and believing in myself
was like, yeah, I'll do it. And then I had
to figure things out. And then that led to meetings
and meetings and meetings with like different than me, working
with staff members. A great friend of mine who recently
passed away, who worked there for a long time was
(29:45):
our satellite truck operator. Spent a lot of time with
him well on our training camp coverage. He got this
backdrop and we took out a desk in the sports
office and we made like a little elevated interview.
Speaker 4 (29:59):
Set and and it and it looked good. So I
ended up it.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
It was a lot of work, but I learned that
I should, first off, stand up for myself a little
bit more, and.
Speaker 4 (30:11):
Second that I could seriously do it.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
It just I was getting so burnt out from from
trying to to book all these extra interviews and having
people come in at like eight o'clock at night and
sit in this little interview set in our in our
sports office, and just to do a five minute interview
or a four minute interview every day.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
And it was man, it was a lot.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Like I I I still look back on it, and
I made it work, but I wish I would have
been down and say I just like, just give me
more help like that, that would be I'm not good
at asking for help. I always think that I can
do things like myself and that's fine, and but that
one got me into not into trouble, but like I
(30:54):
was trying to just keep my head above water some days,
just trying to to get everything you still want to break,
break news about them signing somebody you still want to
get to. You know, point A and point B, and
it was we talk about burning the candle at both ends.
Speaker 4 (31:07):
It was I have a much better work life balance.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Now that's a great story.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
Last thing I'll ask you, though, is what's the best
piece of advice that you've gotten throughout your career.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Who was it from and what was it.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
It's not really even in my career. It was I'll
go back to algic a little bit, because you know
of my because I didn't get enough time with my mom.
But she I remember her telling me, and I think
this was just her way of me making sure I
didn't get in trouble. But it's always in the back
of my head, and it's the first thing I thought
of when you asked the question was you never know
(31:39):
who's watching, is what she would always tell me, and
to always treat people with respect, treat people with kindness,
and it's not and it's evolved into just I'm not
doing it because somebody could be watching.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
But I mean I'm on TV.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
So like I always have to pretend, like, you know,
maybe somebody is does recognize me or something, so not
that I'm doing like drug deals on the street or
something I don't know, Like it's it's it's sort of
like the whole just treat everybody with respect, treat everybody
how you'd want them.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
To treat you.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
And then my professional model motto is that everyone has
a story. And I firmly believe that. Like I've interviewed
a ton of people who are like, well, I'm you
don't need to interview me, I don't you don't need
my perspective.
Speaker 4 (32:33):
I'm like, yes, I do.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
It's funny because it's it's I'm like the one person
who doesn't believe it about themselves, but but I believe
it about everybody else.
Speaker 4 (32:42):
Everybody. Everybody has a story, Everybody has a story.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Don't get job.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
As long as I have time, I'm in that when
somebody comes up and ask me a question, I'll talk
to them. I'll spend ten minutes with them, and I'll
hear their life story. And I really enjoy uh when
we have when we sign autographs of the fair for
for like a couple a couple of days every summer,
and people come up then enjoy watching the show and
(33:09):
they tell me a little bit about themselves or maybe
like I take a picture with their kid or something,
and I love hearing a little piece of somebody else.
So it's it's you're not in a bubble like so
many people have. I feel like they have blinders on.
They don't want to talk to anybody. They don't want
to hear anything. I want to hear everybody.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Except what's going on in their bedroom. You don't need it,
Well that part of don't.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
I don't need that many details. So I want their story.
I don't want every detail of their story. How about that?
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Well, you have been listening to Goldie's Closets. This has
been episode two fifty five with Steve Stephen VC not Vessy.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
I just want to thank everybody for listening, listening, and
wherever it is that you listen to this. Thank you
if you're driving to work, if you're at work.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
We've got so many people that are on the daily grind,
and I just can't thank you enough for letting me
into your.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
Home and your soul or your car coming into Goldie's closet.
But we're gonna thank everyone.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
Stay safe out there, always be free, and stay golden.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
And then you know what, we clap at the end,
you better do it. Could you a little up at clap?
Speaker 4 (34:19):
You've got friend, dude?
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Now what's up everyone?
Speaker 5 (34:25):
It's Goldie Impact Wrestling, TLC's cheap skates. Ted Nugent's running
wild from him somewhere in the woods.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
And maybe you've seen our band, Goldilocks Band.
Speaker 5 (34:34):
We're out there, we're on tour, but now we're connecting
on cameo.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
So I want to tell you that I am here
to be your humble servant. And that's whatever you.
Speaker 5 (34:42):
Need said for you for a friend, a shout out,
a golden shout out. You name it here and on
it now, just reminding you keep it classy, keep it cool,
and keep it.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Above the belt. But I want to offer you something
a little bit, a little bit different.
Speaker 5 (34:56):
Just remember if I'm not on the road and I've
got access to these next we can always have. You
want to make this the most amazing experience for you ever,
because you deserve it, your friends deserve it, your loved
(35:18):
ones deserve it.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
And just remember, I can sing you a few lines
of a song.
Speaker 5 (35:22):
It can be from from anywhere like uh, it can
be from song where the.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
Way or it could be.
Speaker 4 (35:35):
Fun where.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
It could even be Honor Highway way.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
It need to be from there. Oh, and keep in mind,
not all requests are the same. Maybe your motivation comes
with a harder edge. Maybe you need a more jagged
little pill. There's nothing that I love more than playing
the heel.
Speaker 5 (36:04):
So if you need your message delivered with more Oh,
what's the word I'm looking for?
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Intention? Please specify. I can't wait to connect with you
on cameo. Thanks so much for being here Day Golden
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