September 27, 2024 • 33 mins
Welcome the amazing Tracey Washington Bagley to the show! Tracey is the executive producer on the WABC show, Here & Now! Listen in and get inspired from this trailblazing icon!
Listen to the audio version of "The Inventress Podcast" on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and other major podcast platforms by visiting this link: theinventresspodcast - Listen on YouTube, Spotify - Linktree and don't forget to rate, review and subscribe wherever you listen.
Follow "The Inventress" on social media:
Lisa Ascolese
lisaascolese
@the_inventress
Have a new product or idea and need help? Book a consultation with Lisa Ascolese "The Inventress" and take your product from concept to fruition. Email Lisa@InventingAtoZ.com or visit www.InventingAtoZ.com
Listen to the audio version of "The Inventress Podcast" on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and other major podcast platforms by visiting this link: theinventresspodcast - Listen on YouTube, Spotify - Linktree and don't forget to rate, review and subscribe wherever you listen.
Follow "The Inventress" on social media:
Lisa Ascolese
lisaascolese
@the_inventress
Have a new product or idea and need help? Book a consultation with Lisa Ascolese "The Inventress" and take your product from concept to fruition. Email Lisa@InventingAtoZ.com or visit www.InventingAtoZ.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hi, everybody. This is Lisa Askleys, the inventress, the CEO
and founder of Inventing a to Z, and here we
are today on my podcast, The Inventors Podcast, and super
excited to introduce you to my friend, a great guest,
phenomenal woman, executive producer, executive producer and producer and producer,
(00:26):
My good friend, executive producer Here and Now ABC with
Sandra Bookman. But there's a lot more to share. Executive producer, producer,
producer Tracy Washington Bagwig.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Hi, hiy, how are you? How nice to see you, Lisa,
Nice to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
It's nice to have you here. I am so excited
to talk about all of the things you're doing. First
and foremost, so I want to talk about the fact
that you are the executive producer for the show Here
and Now on ABC Television with Sandra Bookman, and have
been for I don't even how many years is it, Tracy.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So now we're up to thirteen years. And before that
I was producing Like It Is, which was legendary focused
on communities of color. The show Like it Is with
Guil Noble grew out of the civil.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Rights era, so it was on since sixty seven.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
I wasn't producing it then, but I did get to
produce with Gil for ten years prior to here and
now in twenty eleven with my girl, Santra Perk.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
And what an amazing job you have done all through
the years. And just think you know, even hired my
daughter Gianna years ago. Yeah, that was a great intern
as an intern. Now many years later she's the mommy
with twins and the whole thing. Yeah. But Tracy and
you are doing other things. You have produced your own movie,
and that's Nico Newark, right.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Yes, so I got a chance to direct. It was
just a labor of love. I always wanted to direct
the movie. Couldn't figure out how that would ever happen.
But my good friend and publicist who's been bugging me
for years with clients to get on a show. I
love him dearly, Angela Ellerby give me a yeah and
(02:15):
said Tracy, I know some people that are pulling together
a short film. Would you like to direct? I'm like,
I've always wanted to direct. What's it about? So he said,
it's about the Newark Riots. But it's a story, a
kid's story based on a kids story. Nico who grew
up in a diner and he becomes friends with He's
(02:40):
Greek and Puerto Rican, but he becomes friends with an
African American kid. And this is in the midst of
the rioting that was going on in Newark. So there
was really a race riot. And so it took a
look at the script and the rest is history. It
was just fun, fun, fun, and at the same time
really took me out of my comfort zone somewhat.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, but you and I talked a long time ago,
and I remember you saying that it was the dream
of yours and I think you did mention it to
your mom. May she rest in peace, right.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
One of these days I am going to direct a movie.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yes, I told her that in a movie theater.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
It was the weirdest thing because she used to always
like to read the credits, and so did my dad.
Matter of fact, that's how I learned to read. My
dad and I used to watch shows when I was
about four or five, and at the end he would
make me read the names.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
On the credit roll.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
And so my family we were always watching credits, never
knowing that one day my name would be in, you know,
on a credit roll. But anyway, we're in a theater
and my mom's standing there watching a credit roll and
I told her, I said, Mom, one day, I'm going
to direct a movie and I'm going to have Steve Roglinski,
who was my editor at the time at ABC and
Philadelphia WPBI. I'm going to have Steve and Joel Schwarzberg,
(04:01):
my other brother in work.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
He'll shoot it. And it all came to pass. It
really happened. So it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
And were those guys involved with the production as well.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
So Joel didn't get a chance to shoot because he
was working on a different project, but Steve did edit
the movie. And this is like thirty years later, unreal.
So you put it out there and it's stuck. It
just it happens.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
You can't hide from it. I was telling somebody that earlier,
when you speak something into existence and you really want
it to happen, and it's part of who you are,
you know, I believe that this has been designated to
you for many, many years. It was yours from the
very beginning. And you what was happening from meeting Joel
to your other you know, your the other Steve, right,
(04:52):
and here you are here you weren't actually doing it. Yeah,
and reading the credits. I love that. You know, our
parents have a way of teaching us without telling us,
educating us, right, yeah, I love that too. So Tracy,
I want to go and I want to ask you
about the film. I don't want to leave that yet.
This is so funny. It's such a small world. Angelo
Ellerby and myself are friends who were just at the
(05:14):
book signing and I saw you in some pictures. I
did not know Angelo Ellerby was the one who offered
you the script.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yes, he is the reason that got that opportunity.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
And he used to call me when I was producing
like it is, and he would pitch a story, you know,
a guest and gil Nobel was very meticulous about who
was on the show, and for the most part they
were repeat guests, and he was really reluctant to bring
in new people. And so I think I talked to
Angelo for a good ten years and I'd always say, well,
i'll try, I'll pass you along to Guil and he
(05:46):
can never get anybody on the show. And then once
I took on here and now you know, Gil Noble
unfortunately passed.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Away, and then the sky was the.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Limit and Angela and I have been like, you know,
almost like brothers and sisters.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Zero idea, it's crazy, all like, didn't I had no idea,
but that it's amazing. And just to you know, to
talk about him for a second. Are you going to
be in Newark because they're naming a street after him
next week?
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I know, yes, I plan to be there.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Yeah, that's wild circle. So I want to talk about
where you are with this film. Now, what's happening, is
it being funded? Tell me what's what's what's the next step.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
So we've been in a few film festivals. We were
in the Greek International Film Festival. We got accepted to
the Newark Film Festival. But it's my understanding that they're
kind of putting things on hold a little bit, so
they're going virtual. But next year will actually be a
part of the Selective Films and you can go see
(06:53):
it in person. So that's exciting. I know that the producer,
Nick spissto god. I forgot how to say his last name. Anyway,
the producer just submitted the film to Sundance Film so
(07:14):
who knows, oh man, Yeah, I don't know if that's
gonna deciprious.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
So so dreams do come true?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Right, Yes? Dreams do come true.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Now, I want to ask you, so, when growing up,
was this always a passion of yours? I mean, because
you've been in television for so many years.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Well it sounds crazy, but I'm going to tell it anyway.
I remember being in my bedroom and I was probably
about six, and I said to myself, I'm going to
be famous one day. Now I don't consider myself famous,
but it was just it's a weird thank you, I said,
I want to be famous.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
And so there was that.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
And then I was always the kid that asked a
lot of questions. Like my mother said, I was on
a bus with her and she I was about three,
and I asked so many questions.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
And she said, this is the last question.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
And she said this little old lady said, I'm sorry,
but that's not the way. She's smart. She's inquisitive and
you have to let her ask questions. So my mother said,
it was so bad that I would answer my own questions.
I would ask a question that I would answer it,
and it drove them crazy. And even as I got older,
they're like, oh God, here comes Tracy with her questions.
(08:35):
And then I always when I visited my grandparents, I
kept a little like it was like a little reporter's
on pad and they had a little drawer where they
kept it for me every time I would visit, and
I'd sit there and write and write and write and write. Right,
So I didn't know it was going to become a
journalist or a producer. But I guess all of that was,
(08:56):
you know, just budding in me. And part of it
is my mother was a New York City school teacher
at Lafia High School for thirty years in Brooklyn, and
she taught me how to write. And I was in
Catholic school and she'd, you know, say you gotta redo
that you have smudges, it has to be neat, and
she'd tear up the papers, had.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
To write them again. So there's that side of me.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
And then my dad, he was a salesman, but you know,
for his hobbies he was a photographer and again I
was very young, and he would set up a dark
room and I'd watch him open the film, put it
in the trays and it would, you know, appear. I
thought he was a magician. So we did the photography
(09:40):
together and then he'd love my dad, love love, love music.
My mom too, but my father was really into like
jazz and then R and B and and he'd make
me sit and listen to different, you know, artists. But
at the same time, when he bought new stereo equipment
as they called it then back then, he made a
(10:00):
point of teaching me how to connect everything. So this
is the red side of the wire, this is the black,
this is how you hook up the speakers. And my
mother would saying she doesn't need to know that. And
then he had speakers all over the house. We had
like a control room almost where there was a music
in the garage, music in the bathroom, music in the basement,
(10:22):
and he had little switches and so it was like
different zones. So now that I think about it, is
like the combination of the two of them. And my
brother is an engineer here channel seven two, so the
combination of the two of them, it's like it was
just they were planning the seeds and not even knowing it.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
That's right, that's right, the culmination. They bred you to
do this. Maybe they knew. Maybe they didn't know.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
I mean they didn't know.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
They didn't know, of course they didn't.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
They didn't know you too.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
I mean, the nice thing is you were so inquisitive
as a child and they had the opportunity to give you,
feed you information. What an incredible opportunity. What a blessing
to have.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Had parents like that, right, Yeah, And I talk about
my parents a lot because they're not here anymore.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
And they were young parents.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
They had me at sixteen and a half, and they
were so good at being parents that I used to
tease them and say, you guys took that way too serious.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
But you know, but I'm glad they did. Right.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
But they were all about exposing my mom, particularly with entertainment.
She would take me the Broadway and just and I was,
you know, dancing school and I got to sing and
perform and all of that, right, And they were just
so focused on being parents. My dad wanted me to
understand sports and make me watch football, basketball. He said,
(11:50):
I want you to be a woman that understands sports
and not one that doesn't get it.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
You know. So I give a lot of credit to them.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
They made you, helped you to become multifaceted, which you are.
And all of it happens, you know, with what you're
doing at work in your independent business and you're writing
and you're producing. It's absolutely amazing. So I know people
are out there listening, and everybody is everybody's interested in television,
(12:21):
you know, everybody. I don't know one person who doesn't
love the art of television, how it's done, how it's created.
So what would you say, Tracy, to anyone who's trying
to get into the world of producing television behind a camera,
in front of a camera, writing speaking, what would be
your advice?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Well, first and foremost, let's take a look at the
way in which the industry is changing. A lot of
young people don't watch television per se, which has older
people in the business a little concerned. But you know,
I've always said, you know what, there's people are still
looking for content, even if you're on your phone on
(13:00):
an app. Someone has to create content. And what producers
do is we're storytellers. So we go out we find
stories whatever's of interest to us, you know, like we're like, Okay,
let's dig deeper, let's ask the right questions and bring
this story to someone. So, even though younger generation may
be getting their content differently, you still have to create content.
(13:25):
I think that those that want to get into television
or media whatever we want to.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
However we want to phrase it.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
You need to figure out is it your passion to
be in front of the camera or behind the camera.
I think a lot of times there are some that
will say it's not for me because they're thinking that
the only avenue is to be on air talent. I
personally love the behind the scenes because I feel like
(13:53):
I'm more so from the creative side, even though I
was in news for four years at News twelve, Long
Island the first launch and we're burying Long Island. I
love when I got introduced to long form television, which
is where you get more than two minutes to feature
to tell a story, and you're adding music and beautiful pictures.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
I was like, Okay, I really like this.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
So long form is more like a twenty twenty you know,
magazine show. You're watching here and now. You know Here
and Now is recorded in a studio. It's a weekly show,
but it's not live. So we recorded in a studio
and then I sit with an editor and say, Okay,
(14:38):
this is the feel i'd like for this segment.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Let's add music.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Here's some footage to make this, as we say, pop,
so it'll be interesting. And I always feel like the
most serious or bland. Story can be more interesting if
you if you give people the right feeling right, so
they feel like they have to watch something. There's a hook, right,
(15:02):
a reason why they need to stay with this particular story.
So it's really it starts with where your passion is
and you have to love this.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
You can't. This is not a feel where you can
kind of sort of like it, because the hours can
be long.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
And it can be stressful because there are a lot
of players.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
No one person can pull together a show.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
We're only as good as our editors, our photographers, our
lighting people, our camera guys or women, our directors. Like
you need everybody. Even an intern is just as important
as the talent because in the end, we all come
together to create this show or in film, this movie.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
And one piece can't happen without the other, right, So
you have to have the right team.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Right, your only I always say, I love it. It
is corny. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
You know what, Brittany can't stand when I say that,
but it's true. Don't say that. I go, but it's
the truth.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
It's the truth.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
It's the truth. You can't pull all the pieces together.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
You can't, I said to an intern if you missed
time something.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
If I ask you how long was that SoundBite?
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Right, and you guess because you don't want to tell
me that you really didn't time it. That's going to
trickle down to the control room, and then it's gonna
it's gonna cause a.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Problem for everyone.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
And if we're live, we would be in a lot
of trouble because we wouldn't be able to get to
a commercial break or we would step on a commercial break.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Like all of it is important.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
There's so much that goes on behind the scenes, and
most people don't don't know any of it. It looks simple.
It looks like, oh, you just sat there and you
showed up, your people showed up. You even you even
have to pull people in to your show. I mean,
you've had the most fascinating people on your show, Tracy.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
So yeah, I'm often asked, well, what is a producer?
I mean, I didn't know, and I started which I
started in college, Ohio University. You know, go podcasts. But anyway,
producing is really taking a show from A to Z.
So it starts with an idea. You could be driving
in your car and you're like, oh, I want to
(17:18):
do a story on small businesses in I don't know, Princeton, whatever, right, Okay,
So it starts with an idea, but then you have
to book guests.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Right, who are you going to talk to?
Speaker 3 (17:32):
What stories are compelling, what stories are gonna seem are
gonna are going to actually translate well visually right, because
they might have a good story, but you don't have
any video to back it up or whatever.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
It's just all these different moving parts.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
And then you have to hope that whoever you speak
to is going to be interesting, and then your host
has to introduce that person. So there's a script that
needs to be written. I write the questions for the
and again, after everything is recorded, you sit with an editor.
They piece it all together. I skipped over to photographers
(18:09):
and the lighting people. So there's just a lot that
goes on behind scenes.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
That's so interesting and I've seen some of it and
it's it blows my mind. And you know, and when
you talk about putting all of these moving parts together,
and I'm sure people come to you all the time
and say, Tracy, can I be on your show? And
you know, everybody wants to be on television. Everybody wants
to be on your show, But like you said, there
are so many moving parts and although the person may
(18:36):
be interesting, it may not. It may not be appropriate
for what you're running that month. I do the same
thing with I explained the same thing with QBC and
AGEN and these shows. It's not that the person's product
is not interesting, but it doesn't fit. It may not
fit that program because there's so much and there's so
much that goes into it. I'm the effort and is
(18:58):
it going to fit?
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Know?
Speaker 1 (19:00):
And it's so interesting. And I love that you're saying
you're driving down the street and it hits you, because
that's the creative right. You have to be creative to
build a show. Driving down Princeton you see something or
something hits you. That's the innovation and that's what that's
what you bring together as a phenomenal, well produced, well
(19:21):
produced show.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Right, well, right, we thank you.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
When I try to teach 'A interns, particularly, they say,
you know, we could have a number of good stories.
But then when you sit down and you decide on
a particular show, where are these stories going to fall?
So you have segments in a show, you have the
opening segment before you go to commercial break. That's how
(19:46):
we we pull together here now, so it's coming up
on here and now today blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Right, and then you go to break and so then
you come back.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
So what's going to be that first story that's going
to stop someone from I'm grabbing this, right, I'm not
interested in that.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
So what's the hook?
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Why should they There's so many different places to turn
to apps, channel, whatever it is, right, So I want
them to feel like I cannot turn the channel or
I cannot close this app and move on to somewhere else. Right,
this is the This is very important, right. So it's
(20:27):
how you stack the show. And then there's an emotion.
There's a flow to it, so you don't want to
take them from something really really serious and then go
to bacon a pie. Right, So you know there's there's
a flow throughout the show.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
So there's there's a skill set to that. It takes
time to kind of figure that out.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
How do you train your interns? I mean that's that's
how do I love it?
Speaker 2 (20:53):
That's my favorite part. Yeah, my favorite park.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
You're so good at it. You're so good at thanks.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
That's my favorite part because nine times out of ten
they've been chosen because.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
They're eager, and they have a good attitude.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
And they're you know, they they enjoy being around people.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
You can't be.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
I don't think a really good producer be an introvert,
like you can be shy. I was always shy, right,
but very inquisitive and I love people, so you know,
I always tell them, like, just throw the ideas out there.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
There are really no bad ideas.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
I mean, we may say, oh, that's not going to work,
but just throw it up there and let's see. And
so I teach them the mechanics of television because there's
technical aspects. You know, we have a rundown on our
computer system which each story and the script and the
timing and all of that. So you got to be
(21:50):
pretty good at math too. But and then there's the
other side of it, what makes a good interviewer, Right,
So I talked different things like, Okay, when you sit
down and interview someone, do you want to hold up
a pad, a reporters pad, and ask them questions or
(22:10):
do you want to kind of put it to the
side and take it away so that it feels more
like a conversation and they feel more comfortable with you.
It's more like two friends talking. So it depends on
are you covering a fire or are you trying to
You're getting you know, you want somebody to tell their
life story, right, there's a skill set with that and
(22:31):
it really just comes with practice.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Now do they interview? So you have these interviews the interns,
So when they're bringing in a speaker, so you Oprah
Winfrey behind you. There's nobody, nobody you haven't spoken with
and had on your show. An interviews absolutely amazing to me.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
And I wish I had heard of it not yet yet.
Okay I met her, but I didn't.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Yeah, so, but I mean, you have had the most
oh yeah people on your show, and you're so cool.
You're so cool about it because I've seen you in action.
So wait, I want to ask you two the questions.
So the interns in training them to ask questions. And
on the other hand, how are you cool when you
(23:17):
have Blair Underwood? Now, how do you keep together? Because
they come to you first, they're they're meeting Tracy first.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Yeah, I that's the other that's the other hidden secret.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
A lot of people don't know a lot of.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Times the host, they especially if it's a show where
you're go into the field. The producers are the ones
that do the interview, and then the host will you know,
put their what we call their track, their voice on
a story, but they actually didn't do the interview.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
So that's the fun part.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
I think I've interviewed Denzel Washington three times.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
But you have to.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
I just finished talking to my new intern, Chelsea about
keeping your cool, and she's been doing well because I said,
you know, you have to just say to yourself, Okay,
they're human, but I'm here to do a job, and
so you know, you it's difficult, but they do really well.
(24:16):
They just do It's it's weird, but I give them
an opportunity a lot of times to do what we
call pre interviews, so they'll set up a zoom or
a phone call and they're transcribing the interview so that
I'm better prepared, and then the host is better prepared
getting more information, and that really helps them sharpen their
(24:36):
interviewing skills.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Yeah, you know, you you really nailed it when you
said number one, bringing interns in who are excited and
are determined, right, and people can follow your lead, and
then you teach them that these are they are just people.
They're people, and you know everybody's really everybody wants the
same thing, right, We all want the same thing. We
(25:00):
want love, We want to you know, especially to have
the attention everything, right. So I mean, I love it.
I love it, and it's so interesting. It's so interesting
every single time I speak with you, just just and
I love picking your brain and finding out what you do.
I love it now.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Sometimes it's empty, but it's never empty.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
It's always it's there's always something going on there. You're
always thinking between you're puppy.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
And Racy Peanut. Yes, oh so cute, yescy Peanut.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
She makes me happy because you know, this is also
stressful at times, and at least I can go home,
and I think we all need that, Like, you know,
how do you how do you de stress? Yes, and
kind of separate yourself. I drive my daughter crazy because
all her life she's only known you know, television and
me coming home and saying, oh yeah, she never let
(25:50):
me forget that.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I was producing Houston Medical, which was a trauma series,
and I told her, you know, don't just jump on
a golf car cart which someone just because it looks
like fun.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Because the little girl you know, the golf cart rolled
over her head.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
And Danielle, you know, she's got dark humor. So the
girl was okay, but she she's like, Mom, you see
how you raised me. I had to hear about the
little girl with the golf cart to roll over her head,
and I said, I know. And I'm always telling you
put the seatbelt on because in news I saw bad
accidents and I won't let anybody in my car without
putting on their seatbelt.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
They if you don't wear a seatbelt, you have to
get out.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Because I covered way too many fatal accidents as a
production assistant sound tech ing truck operator for News twelve,
I was like, everybody's wearing a seatbelt. And then when
I started producing Houston Medical and the trauma senten it bring.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
And whenever the EMT you know, person would say unrestrained
driver or passenger, they were always in bad shape. When
they would say restrain driver passenger, they're talking, they might
hurting a little. And I said, nope, I don't care
even in the back because people will say I don't
(27:04):
wear a seatbelt in the back. I'm like, so this,
this career of mine is.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Also life changing because I also saw miracles.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
You know, I watched doctors remove this one girl was
at a party teenagers, someone's playing with a gun and she's,
you know, in the operating room getting brain surgery. And
three months later, you know, she's in college and starting
her freshman year.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
And I'm like, Okay, that was a miracle. So it's
life changing, but it's worked.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
But at the same time, you know, sometimes the crew
and I photographer, sound person, production assistant, we're in a
trauma center and they're really bad things going on, and
you have to still stay focused and get your story.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
The other side of that was I would have to.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Go to a family met as the person's being brought
in from the you know, metavac or whatever, and say,
we're a television crew, we're working on a series.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
We'd like to follow your loved one, and they're looking at.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
You like are you serious, Like I'm in the midst
of my worst nightmare.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
But a lot of times, well, first of all, it's
the way you approach someone.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
Secondly, they knew, oh, if there's cameras there, maybe my
loved one will get better care.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
So it kind of worked, right.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Oh, you know what's good point.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
So but but I had to have the nerve to ask, right,
do you mind if we follow you?
Speaker 2 (28:44):
And then what would happen.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
I became a part of those families because I got
attached to them because I'm still human, not just supredicart, right,
And so that was a beautiful part of it. And
it was the tough part too, because when people lost
loved when that was hard.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Yeah, so you've been through it. You know, you've been
through gamu in television, seeing everything, seeing the trump was,
seeing the good time, seeing the miracles. What a blessing, Tracy,
what a blessing.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
And then there's fun times. You know.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I grew up watching the Jackson five, and I even
this is funny. I even created my own girl group
that was the Jackson five, and we used to have
rehearsals and I told them that they couldn't perform. We
weren't gonna be able to perform certain songs unless we
got permission because we weren't allowed. And I was like,
I guess I understood some kind of copywriting. But anyway,
(29:38):
long story short, Yes, so my friends laugh about it.
We were like the Jacksons, and I kept saying we
got to write to someone and get permission to perform
these songs.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
But anyway, a few.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Years ago I got a chance to meet the Jackson's,
unfortunately not Michael, but it was the MJDA Musical and
I was at a private event and I spent like
an hour with them at the party, and I met
Michael Jackson's son Prince, and.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Oh, I don't believe.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
I was standing there with Marlon and Jackie and I
met Fido and I'm like, it's this real, Like this
is really is this really happening.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
So there's so.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
Many times that I pinched myself because I'm like, Wow,
this is really happening. And that's the great that's the wonderful,
wonderful side of this.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Oh my gosh, Tracy. The Jackson five, that was just
a dream. I went to Madison Square Garden to see
the Jackson five, went and they were performing with openers,
were Ohio players. The Ohio opened for the Jackson five
and we were able to get front row seats because
(30:49):
my boyfriend at the time, his mother worked for pan
Am and she got me remember that, and it was
that was a dream. That was a dream, and we
would always dream about, of course, meeting the Jackson five. Yes,
and you here you are looking.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
At right on magazine. Remember that my age, But you know,
it's just true.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
It's just my gosh.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
It's unreal.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
There's just so many people that I'm I'm like, you know,
I think back to interviewing Angela Basst and sitting there
talking to her, and I'm like.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Am I really talking to Angela Bassett? Okay?
Speaker 3 (31:28):
And I have to just get the questions out there
and and just act like I'm her next door neighbor.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Un believable. Now, how is Angela Bassett?
Speaker 3 (31:40):
She seemed wonderful, wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Tony Braxton, wonderful. Really, yeah,
It's just my cousins told me that I should, you know,
gather all my pictures and make like a coffee table
book because you kind of forget and then you know,
(32:02):
it comes back to you.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
But I've been blessed. I've really been blessed.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
You really are, you know when I talk about this
all the time, Journaling our journey, right, journaling same goes
for your coffee table book and taking a look at
what you've done. It's really important to do that, you know,
because otherwise you're just working, you're working towards I know
you love what you do, but you're just working. Taking
a moment to you know, flip through a book or
(32:29):
looking at a book or images or your journal to
see what you've done, because you've accomplished so much, Tracy,
And I'm saying so you, thank you, so super proud
of you.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Thank you. Same here, thank you.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
I can't wait to see you. We say this, but
we've got to get together for lunch. Maybe I'll see
you on the nineteenth.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Okay, yeah, that sounds good.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
But Tracy, it's been magnificent, magnificent speaking with you. And
I can't wait to see the movie. Can't wait to
see the movie. Let's coming.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Yeah, yes, yes, And I can send you a link
private link.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Okay, awesome, yay. And and here and now everybody, let's
you know, watch here.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
Now days at twelve on Channel seven and you can
always always catch catch it online ABC seven, n Y
dot com, backslash here and.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
Now love it. Tracy, thank you so much for coming
on the show. So appreciate you. And I'll see you.
I'll see you next week.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Okay, whye bye
Hi, everybody. This is Lisa Askleys, the inventress, the CEO
and founder of Inventing a to Z, and here we
are today on my podcast, The Inventors Podcast, and super
excited to introduce you to my friend, a great guest,
phenomenal woman, executive producer, executive producer and producer and producer,
(00:26):
My good friend, executive producer Here and Now ABC with
Sandra Bookman. But there's a lot more to share. Executive producer, producer,
producer Tracy Washington Bagwig.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Hi, hiy, how are you? How nice to see you, Lisa,
Nice to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
It's nice to have you here. I am so excited
to talk about all of the things you're doing. First
and foremost, so I want to talk about the fact
that you are the executive producer for the show Here
and Now on ABC Television with Sandra Bookman, and have
been for I don't even how many years is it, Tracy.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So now we're up to thirteen years. And before that
I was producing Like It Is, which was legendary focused
on communities of color. The show Like it Is with
Guil Noble grew out of the civil.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Rights era, so it was on since sixty seven.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
I wasn't producing it then, but I did get to
produce with Gil for ten years prior to here and
now in twenty eleven with my girl, Santra Perk.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
And what an amazing job you have done all through
the years. And just think you know, even hired my
daughter Gianna years ago. Yeah, that was a great intern
as an intern. Now many years later she's the mommy
with twins and the whole thing. Yeah. But Tracy and
you are doing other things. You have produced your own movie,
and that's Nico Newark, right.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Yes, so I got a chance to direct. It was
just a labor of love. I always wanted to direct
the movie. Couldn't figure out how that would ever happen.
But my good friend and publicist who's been bugging me
for years with clients to get on a show. I
love him dearly, Angela Ellerby give me a yeah and
(02:15):
said Tracy, I know some people that are pulling together
a short film. Would you like to direct? I'm like,
I've always wanted to direct. What's it about? So he said,
it's about the Newark Riots. But it's a story, a
kid's story based on a kids story. Nico who grew
up in a diner and he becomes friends with He's
(02:40):
Greek and Puerto Rican, but he becomes friends with an
African American kid. And this is in the midst of
the rioting that was going on in Newark. So there
was really a race riot. And so it took a
look at the script and the rest is history. It
was just fun, fun, fun, and at the same time
really took me out of my comfort zone somewhat.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, but you and I talked a long time ago,
and I remember you saying that it was the dream
of yours and I think you did mention it to
your mom. May she rest in peace, right.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
One of these days I am going to direct a movie.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yes, I told her that in a movie theater.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
It was the weirdest thing because she used to always
like to read the credits, and so did my dad.
Matter of fact, that's how I learned to read. My
dad and I used to watch shows when I was
about four or five, and at the end he would
make me read the names.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
On the credit roll.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
And so my family we were always watching credits, never
knowing that one day my name would be in, you know,
on a credit roll. But anyway, we're in a theater
and my mom's standing there watching a credit roll and
I told her, I said, Mom, one day, I'm going
to direct a movie and I'm going to have Steve Roglinski,
who was my editor at the time at ABC and
Philadelphia WPBI. I'm going to have Steve and Joel Schwarzberg,
(04:01):
my other brother in work.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
He'll shoot it. And it all came to pass. It
really happened. So it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
And were those guys involved with the production as well.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
So Joel didn't get a chance to shoot because he
was working on a different project, but Steve did edit
the movie. And this is like thirty years later, unreal.
So you put it out there and it's stuck. It
just it happens.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
You can't hide from it. I was telling somebody that earlier,
when you speak something into existence and you really want
it to happen, and it's part of who you are,
you know, I believe that this has been designated to
you for many, many years. It was yours from the
very beginning. And you what was happening from meeting Joel
to your other you know, your the other Steve, right,
(04:52):
and here you are here you weren't actually doing it. Yeah,
and reading the credits. I love that. You know, our
parents have a way of teaching us without telling us,
educating us, right, yeah, I love that too. So Tracy,
I want to go and I want to ask you
about the film. I don't want to leave that yet.
This is so funny. It's such a small world. Angelo
Ellerby and myself are friends who were just at the
(05:14):
book signing and I saw you in some pictures. I
did not know Angelo Ellerby was the one who offered
you the script.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yes, he is the reason that got that opportunity.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
And he used to call me when I was producing
like it is, and he would pitch a story, you know,
a guest and gil Nobel was very meticulous about who
was on the show, and for the most part they
were repeat guests, and he was really reluctant to bring
in new people. And so I think I talked to
Angelo for a good ten years and I'd always say, well,
i'll try, I'll pass you along to Guil and he
(05:46):
can never get anybody on the show. And then once
I took on here and now you know, Gil Noble
unfortunately passed.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Away, and then the sky was the.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Limit and Angela and I have been like, you know,
almost like brothers and sisters.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Zero idea, it's crazy, all like, didn't I had no idea,
but that it's amazing. And just to you know, to
talk about him for a second. Are you going to
be in Newark because they're naming a street after him
next week?
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I know, yes, I plan to be there.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Yeah, that's wild circle. So I want to talk about
where you are with this film. Now, what's happening, is
it being funded? Tell me what's what's what's the next step.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
So we've been in a few film festivals. We were
in the Greek International Film Festival. We got accepted to
the Newark Film Festival. But it's my understanding that they're
kind of putting things on hold a little bit, so
they're going virtual. But next year will actually be a
part of the Selective Films and you can go see
(06:53):
it in person. So that's exciting. I know that the producer,
Nick spissto god. I forgot how to say his last name. Anyway,
the producer just submitted the film to Sundance Film so
(07:14):
who knows, oh man, Yeah, I don't know if that's
gonna deciprious.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
So so dreams do come true?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Right, Yes? Dreams do come true.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Now, I want to ask you, so, when growing up,
was this always a passion of yours? I mean, because
you've been in television for so many years.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Well it sounds crazy, but I'm going to tell it anyway.
I remember being in my bedroom and I was probably
about six, and I said to myself, I'm going to
be famous one day. Now I don't consider myself famous,
but it was just it's a weird thank you, I said,
I want to be famous.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
And so there was that.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
And then I was always the kid that asked a
lot of questions. Like my mother said, I was on
a bus with her and she I was about three,
and I asked so many questions.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
And she said, this is the last question.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
And she said this little old lady said, I'm sorry,
but that's not the way. She's smart. She's inquisitive and
you have to let her ask questions. So my mother said,
it was so bad that I would answer my own questions.
I would ask a question that I would answer it,
and it drove them crazy. And even as I got older,
they're like, oh God, here comes Tracy with her questions.
(08:35):
And then I always when I visited my grandparents, I
kept a little like it was like a little reporter's
on pad and they had a little drawer where they
kept it for me every time I would visit, and
I'd sit there and write and write and write and write. Right,
So I didn't know it was going to become a
journalist or a producer. But I guess all of that was,
(08:56):
you know, just budding in me. And part of it
is my mother was a New York City school teacher
at Lafia High School for thirty years in Brooklyn, and
she taught me how to write. And I was in
Catholic school and she'd, you know, say you gotta redo
that you have smudges, it has to be neat, and
she'd tear up the papers, had.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
To write them again. So there's that side of me.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
And then my dad, he was a salesman, but you know,
for his hobbies he was a photographer and again I
was very young, and he would set up a dark
room and I'd watch him open the film, put it
in the trays and it would, you know, appear. I
thought he was a magician. So we did the photography
(09:40):
together and then he'd love my dad, love love, love music.
My mom too, but my father was really into like
jazz and then R and B and and he'd make
me sit and listen to different, you know, artists. But
at the same time, when he bought new stereo equipment
as they called it then back then, he made a
(10:00):
point of teaching me how to connect everything. So this
is the red side of the wire, this is the black,
this is how you hook up the speakers. And my
mother would saying she doesn't need to know that. And
then he had speakers all over the house. We had
like a control room almost where there was a music
in the garage, music in the bathroom, music in the basement,
(10:22):
and he had little switches and so it was like
different zones. So now that I think about it, is
like the combination of the two of them. And my
brother is an engineer here channel seven two, so the
combination of the two of them, it's like it was
just they were planning the seeds and not even knowing it.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
That's right, that's right, the culmination. They bred you to
do this. Maybe they knew. Maybe they didn't know.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
I mean they didn't know.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
They didn't know, of course they didn't.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
They didn't know you too.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
I mean, the nice thing is you were so inquisitive
as a child and they had the opportunity to give you,
feed you information. What an incredible opportunity. What a blessing
to have.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Had parents like that, right, Yeah, And I talk about
my parents a lot because they're not here anymore.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
And they were young parents.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
They had me at sixteen and a half, and they
were so good at being parents that I used to
tease them and say, you guys took that way too serious.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
But you know, but I'm glad they did. Right.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
But they were all about exposing my mom, particularly with entertainment.
She would take me the Broadway and just and I was,
you know, dancing school and I got to sing and
perform and all of that, right, And they were just
so focused on being parents. My dad wanted me to
understand sports and make me watch football, basketball. He said,
(11:50):
I want you to be a woman that understands sports
and not one that doesn't get it.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
You know. So I give a lot of credit to them.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
They made you, helped you to become multifaceted, which you are.
And all of it happens, you know, with what you're
doing at work in your independent business and you're writing
and you're producing. It's absolutely amazing. So I know people
are out there listening, and everybody is everybody's interested in television,
(12:21):
you know, everybody. I don't know one person who doesn't
love the art of television, how it's done, how it's created.
So what would you say, Tracy, to anyone who's trying
to get into the world of producing television behind a camera,
in front of a camera, writing speaking, what would be
your advice?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Well, first and foremost, let's take a look at the
way in which the industry is changing. A lot of
young people don't watch television per se, which has older
people in the business a little concerned. But you know,
I've always said, you know what, there's people are still
looking for content, even if you're on your phone on
(13:00):
an app. Someone has to create content. And what producers
do is we're storytellers. So we go out we find
stories whatever's of interest to us, you know, like we're like, Okay,
let's dig deeper, let's ask the right questions and bring
this story to someone. So, even though younger generation may
be getting their content differently, you still have to create content.
(13:25):
I think that those that want to get into television
or media whatever we want to.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
However we want to phrase it.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
You need to figure out is it your passion to
be in front of the camera or behind the camera.
I think a lot of times there are some that
will say it's not for me because they're thinking that
the only avenue is to be on air talent. I
personally love the behind the scenes because I feel like
(13:53):
I'm more so from the creative side, even though I
was in news for four years at News twelve, Long
Island the first launch and we're burying Long Island. I
love when I got introduced to long form television, which
is where you get more than two minutes to feature
to tell a story, and you're adding music and beautiful pictures.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
I was like, Okay, I really like this.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
So long form is more like a twenty twenty you know,
magazine show. You're watching here and now. You know Here
and Now is recorded in a studio. It's a weekly show,
but it's not live. So we recorded in a studio
and then I sit with an editor and say, Okay,
(14:38):
this is the feel i'd like for this segment.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Let's add music.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Here's some footage to make this, as we say, pop,
so it'll be interesting. And I always feel like the
most serious or bland. Story can be more interesting if
you if you give people the right feeling right, so
they feel like they have to watch something. There's a hook, right,
(15:02):
a reason why they need to stay with this particular story.
So it's really it starts with where your passion is
and you have to love this.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
You can't. This is not a feel where you can
kind of sort of like it, because the hours can
be long.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
And it can be stressful because there are a lot
of players.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
No one person can pull together a show.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
We're only as good as our editors, our photographers, our
lighting people, our camera guys or women, our directors. Like
you need everybody. Even an intern is just as important
as the talent because in the end, we all come
together to create this show or in film, this movie.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
And one piece can't happen without the other, right, So
you have to have the right team.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Right, your only I always say, I love it. It
is corny. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
You know what, Brittany can't stand when I say that,
but it's true. Don't say that. I go, but it's
the truth.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
It's the truth.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
It's the truth. You can't pull all the pieces together.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
You can't, I said to an intern if you missed
time something.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
If I ask you how long was that SoundBite?
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Right, and you guess because you don't want to tell
me that you really didn't time it. That's going to
trickle down to the control room, and then it's gonna
it's gonna cause a.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Problem for everyone.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
And if we're live, we would be in a lot
of trouble because we wouldn't be able to get to
a commercial break or we would step on a commercial break.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Like all of it is important.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
There's so much that goes on behind the scenes, and
most people don't don't know any of it. It looks simple.
It looks like, oh, you just sat there and you
showed up, your people showed up. You even you even
have to pull people in to your show. I mean,
you've had the most fascinating people on your show, Tracy.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
So yeah, I'm often asked, well, what is a producer?
I mean, I didn't know, and I started which I
started in college, Ohio University. You know, go podcasts. But anyway,
producing is really taking a show from A to Z.
So it starts with an idea. You could be driving
in your car and you're like, oh, I want to
(17:18):
do a story on small businesses in I don't know, Princeton, whatever, right, Okay,
So it starts with an idea, but then you have
to book guests.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Right, who are you going to talk to?
Speaker 3 (17:32):
What stories are compelling, what stories are gonna seem are
gonna are going to actually translate well visually right, because
they might have a good story, but you don't have
any video to back it up or whatever.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
It's just all these different moving parts.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
And then you have to hope that whoever you speak
to is going to be interesting, and then your host
has to introduce that person. So there's a script that
needs to be written. I write the questions for the
and again, after everything is recorded, you sit with an editor.
They piece it all together. I skipped over to photographers
(18:09):
and the lighting people. So there's just a lot that
goes on behind scenes.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
That's so interesting and I've seen some of it and
it's it blows my mind. And you know, and when
you talk about putting all of these moving parts together,
and I'm sure people come to you all the time
and say, Tracy, can I be on your show? And
you know, everybody wants to be on television. Everybody wants
to be on your show, But like you said, there
are so many moving parts and although the person may
(18:36):
be interesting, it may not. It may not be appropriate
for what you're running that month. I do the same
thing with I explained the same thing with QBC and
AGEN and these shows. It's not that the person's product
is not interesting, but it doesn't fit. It may not
fit that program because there's so much and there's so
much that goes into it. I'm the effort and is
(18:58):
it going to fit?
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Know?
Speaker 1 (19:00):
And it's so interesting. And I love that you're saying
you're driving down the street and it hits you, because
that's the creative right. You have to be creative to
build a show. Driving down Princeton you see something or
something hits you. That's the innovation and that's what that's
what you bring together as a phenomenal, well produced, well
(19:21):
produced show.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Right, well, right, we thank you.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
When I try to teach 'A interns, particularly, they say,
you know, we could have a number of good stories.
But then when you sit down and you decide on
a particular show, where are these stories going to fall?
So you have segments in a show, you have the
opening segment before you go to commercial break. That's how
(19:46):
we we pull together here now, so it's coming up
on here and now today blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Right, and then you go to break and so then
you come back.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
So what's going to be that first story that's going
to stop someone from I'm grabbing this, right, I'm not
interested in that.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
So what's the hook?
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Why should they There's so many different places to turn
to apps, channel, whatever it is, right, So I want
them to feel like I cannot turn the channel or
I cannot close this app and move on to somewhere else. Right,
this is the This is very important, right. So it's
(20:27):
how you stack the show. And then there's an emotion.
There's a flow to it, so you don't want to
take them from something really really serious and then go
to bacon a pie. Right, So you know there's there's
a flow throughout the show.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
So there's there's a skill set to that. It takes
time to kind of figure that out.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
How do you train your interns? I mean that's that's
how do I love it?
Speaker 2 (20:53):
That's my favorite part. Yeah, my favorite park.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
You're so good at it. You're so good at thanks.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
That's my favorite part because nine times out of ten
they've been chosen because.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
They're eager, and they have a good attitude.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
And they're you know, they they enjoy being around people.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
You can't be.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
I don't think a really good producer be an introvert,
like you can be shy. I was always shy, right,
but very inquisitive and I love people, so you know,
I always tell them, like, just throw the ideas out there.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
There are really no bad ideas.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
I mean, we may say, oh, that's not going to work,
but just throw it up there and let's see. And
so I teach them the mechanics of television because there's
technical aspects. You know, we have a rundown on our
computer system which each story and the script and the
timing and all of that. So you got to be
(21:50):
pretty good at math too. But and then there's the
other side of it, what makes a good interviewer, Right,
So I talked different things like, Okay, when you sit
down and interview someone, do you want to hold up
a pad, a reporters pad, and ask them questions or
(22:10):
do you want to kind of put it to the
side and take it away so that it feels more
like a conversation and they feel more comfortable with you.
It's more like two friends talking. So it depends on
are you covering a fire or are you trying to
You're getting you know, you want somebody to tell their
life story, right, there's a skill set with that and
(22:31):
it really just comes with practice.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Now do they interview? So you have these interviews the interns,
So when they're bringing in a speaker, so you Oprah
Winfrey behind you. There's nobody, nobody you haven't spoken with
and had on your show. An interviews absolutely amazing to me.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
And I wish I had heard of it not yet yet.
Okay I met her, but I didn't.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Yeah, so, but I mean, you have had the most
oh yeah people on your show, and you're so cool.
You're so cool about it because I've seen you in action.
So wait, I want to ask you two the questions.
So the interns in training them to ask questions. And
on the other hand, how are you cool when you
(23:17):
have Blair Underwood? Now, how do you keep together? Because
they come to you first, they're they're meeting Tracy first.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Yeah, I that's the other that's the other hidden secret.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
A lot of people don't know a lot of.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Times the host, they especially if it's a show where
you're go into the field. The producers are the ones
that do the interview, and then the host will you know,
put their what we call their track, their voice on
a story, but they actually didn't do the interview.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
So that's the fun part.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
I think I've interviewed Denzel Washington three times.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
But you have to.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
I just finished talking to my new intern, Chelsea about
keeping your cool, and she's been doing well because I said,
you know, you have to just say to yourself, Okay,
they're human, but I'm here to do a job, and
so you know, you it's difficult, but they do really well.
(24:16):
They just do It's it's weird, but I give them
an opportunity a lot of times to do what we
call pre interviews, so they'll set up a zoom or
a phone call and they're transcribing the interview so that
I'm better prepared, and then the host is better prepared
getting more information, and that really helps them sharpen their
(24:36):
interviewing skills.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Yeah, you know, you you really nailed it when you
said number one, bringing interns in who are excited and
are determined, right, and people can follow your lead, and
then you teach them that these are they are just people.
They're people, and you know everybody's really everybody wants the
same thing, right, We all want the same thing. We
(25:00):
want love, We want to you know, especially to have
the attention everything, right. So I mean, I love it.
I love it, and it's so interesting. It's so interesting
every single time I speak with you, just just and
I love picking your brain and finding out what you do.
I love it now.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Sometimes it's empty, but it's never empty.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
It's always it's there's always something going on there. You're
always thinking between you're puppy.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
And Racy Peanut. Yes, oh so cute, yescy Peanut.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
She makes me happy because you know, this is also
stressful at times, and at least I can go home,
and I think we all need that, Like, you know,
how do you how do you de stress? Yes, and
kind of separate yourself. I drive my daughter crazy because
all her life she's only known you know, television and
me coming home and saying, oh yeah, she never let
(25:50):
me forget that.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I was producing Houston Medical, which was a trauma series,
and I told her, you know, don't just jump on
a golf car cart which someone just because it looks
like fun.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Because the little girl you know, the golf cart rolled
over her head.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
And Danielle, you know, she's got dark humor. So the
girl was okay, but she she's like, Mom, you see
how you raised me. I had to hear about the
little girl with the golf cart to roll over her head,
and I said, I know. And I'm always telling you
put the seatbelt on because in news I saw bad
accidents and I won't let anybody in my car without
putting on their seatbelt.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
They if you don't wear a seatbelt, you have to
get out.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Because I covered way too many fatal accidents as a
production assistant sound tech ing truck operator for News twelve,
I was like, everybody's wearing a seatbelt. And then when
I started producing Houston Medical and the trauma senten it bring.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
And whenever the EMT you know, person would say unrestrained
driver or passenger, they were always in bad shape. When
they would say restrain driver passenger, they're talking, they might
hurting a little. And I said, nope, I don't care
even in the back because people will say I don't
(27:04):
wear a seatbelt in the back. I'm like, so this,
this career of mine is.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Also life changing because I also saw miracles.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
You know, I watched doctors remove this one girl was
at a party teenagers, someone's playing with a gun and she's,
you know, in the operating room getting brain surgery. And
three months later, you know, she's in college and starting
her freshman year.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
And I'm like, Okay, that was a miracle. So it's
life changing, but it's worked.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
But at the same time, you know, sometimes the crew
and I photographer, sound person, production assistant, we're in a
trauma center and they're really bad things going on, and
you have to still stay focused and get your story.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
The other side of that was I would have to.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Go to a family met as the person's being brought
in from the you know, metavac or whatever, and say,
we're a television crew, we're working on a series.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
We'd like to follow your loved one, and they're looking at.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
You like are you serious, Like I'm in the midst
of my worst nightmare.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
But a lot of times, well, first of all, it's
the way you approach someone.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
Secondly, they knew, oh, if there's cameras there, maybe my
loved one will get better care.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
So it kind of worked, right.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Oh, you know what's good point.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
So but but I had to have the nerve to ask, right,
do you mind if we follow you?
Speaker 2 (28:44):
And then what would happen.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
I became a part of those families because I got
attached to them because I'm still human, not just supredicart, right,
And so that was a beautiful part of it. And
it was the tough part too, because when people lost
loved when that was hard.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Yeah, so you've been through it. You know, you've been
through gamu in television, seeing everything, seeing the trump was,
seeing the good time, seeing the miracles. What a blessing, Tracy,
what a blessing.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
And then there's fun times. You know.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I grew up watching the Jackson five, and I even
this is funny. I even created my own girl group
that was the Jackson five, and we used to have
rehearsals and I told them that they couldn't perform. We
weren't gonna be able to perform certain songs unless we
got permission because we weren't allowed. And I was like,
I guess I understood some kind of copywriting. But anyway,
(29:38):
long story short, Yes, so my friends laugh about it.
We were like the Jacksons, and I kept saying we
got to write to someone and get permission to perform
these songs.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
But anyway, a few.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Years ago I got a chance to meet the Jackson's,
unfortunately not Michael, but it was the MJDA Musical and
I was at a private event and I spent like
an hour with them at the party, and I met
Michael Jackson's son Prince, and.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Oh, I don't believe.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
I was standing there with Marlon and Jackie and I
met Fido and I'm like, it's this real, Like this
is really is this really happening.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
So there's so.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
Many times that I pinched myself because I'm like, Wow,
this is really happening. And that's the great that's the wonderful,
wonderful side of this.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Oh my gosh, Tracy. The Jackson five, that was just
a dream. I went to Madison Square Garden to see
the Jackson five, went and they were performing with openers,
were Ohio players. The Ohio opened for the Jackson five
and we were able to get front row seats because
(30:49):
my boyfriend at the time, his mother worked for pan
Am and she got me remember that, and it was
that was a dream. That was a dream, and we
would always dream about, of course, meeting the Jackson five. Yes,
and you here you are looking.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
At right on magazine. Remember that my age, But you know,
it's just true.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
It's just my gosh.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
It's unreal.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
There's just so many people that I'm I'm like, you know,
I think back to interviewing Angela Basst and sitting there
talking to her, and I'm like.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Am I really talking to Angela Bassett? Okay?
Speaker 3 (31:28):
And I have to just get the questions out there
and and just act like I'm her next door neighbor.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Un believable. Now, how is Angela Bassett?
Speaker 3 (31:40):
She seemed wonderful, wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Tony Braxton, wonderful. Really, yeah,
It's just my cousins told me that I should, you know,
gather all my pictures and make like a coffee table
book because you kind of forget and then you know,
(32:02):
it comes back to you.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
But I've been blessed. I've really been blessed.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
You really are, you know when I talk about this
all the time, Journaling our journey, right, journaling same goes
for your coffee table book and taking a look at
what you've done. It's really important to do that, you know,
because otherwise you're just working, you're working towards I know
you love what you do, but you're just working. Taking
a moment to you know, flip through a book or
(32:29):
looking at a book or images or your journal to
see what you've done, because you've accomplished so much, Tracy,
And I'm saying so you, thank you, so super proud
of you.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Thank you. Same here, thank you.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
I can't wait to see you. We say this, but
we've got to get together for lunch. Maybe I'll see
you on the nineteenth.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Okay, yeah, that sounds good.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
But Tracy, it's been magnificent, magnificent speaking with you. And
I can't wait to see the movie. Can't wait to
see the movie. Let's coming.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Yeah, yes, yes, And I can send you a link
private link.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Okay, awesome, yay. And and here and now everybody, let's
you know, watch here.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
Now days at twelve on Channel seven and you can
always always catch catch it online ABC seven, n Y
dot com, backslash here and.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
Now love it. Tracy, thank you so much for coming
on the show. So appreciate you. And I'll see you.
I'll see you next week.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Okay, whye bye
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