Tina's Ten featuring Marianne McClary
Tina's Ten….
Questions for MARIANNE MCCLARY
Once upon a time, a group of strangers met in the shipping area of the old Ch. 31 station. It was the summer of 1995. Introductions were made, rehearsals were done and the rest is history. Two of those people are still part of the original crew of Good Day Sacramento (which was first called The Morning Show) and they are Marianne McClary and Tina Macuha (oh - that's me!). I've learned a lot from Marianne and her presence raises the bar - to be the best you can be. She's a great writer and such a pro on the air. I know many of you see her on TV but behind the scenes, she's pretty quick and funny. Enjoy these ten questions... Tina
1. TM: Where did you get your start in the TV business and how did you get to GDS?
MM: I was fortunate to be hired at the end of my internship! We had to work for 3 months at a TV station for college credit (read that: NO MONEY) after graduation, and I chose a smaller station near Seattle with a small staff, so interns got to do everything. An administrative assistant left as my internship was ending, so I got her job and worked my way from filing and processing timecards, to being on-air by annoyingly begging at every opportunity that came along.
2. TM: What are your first memories of GDS when it was in its infancy stages?
MM: I remember thinking, How the #$%& am I going to get through a 3½-hour live show? (If only I could see the future...) We had a fax machine on the set, and a Mr. Coffee coffeemaker behind us, no email, no fancy FacePads or TwitterPhones and we LIKED it!! (ha ha) We were desperate for guests, and even interviewed one of our programming managers one morning!.. but I also remember we got then-Mayor of Sacramento, Joe Serna in studio to play a little golf on a putting green (are you listening, KJ?) and thinking how cool that was.
We also sent home a cellist one day who purposely showed up without her cello. What's the point of that? Hence our in-house phrase, "performers who don't perform". (Note to potential guests: don't do that.)
3. TM: How has this show and the crew changed you?
MM: The show has made me more conscious of what's good TV. What makes a good interview? What do people care about looking at?-- from what I'm wearing, to what our guests say. I'm always looking to improve that, even after 16 years on the air here. It's also made me more polite in public on days when I tend to wear my CrankyPants. I'd rather have someone go home and tell her husband, "I met Marianne today, and she was SO nice!"... as opposed to, "That witch! I should've run her down with my shopping cart!" Nice is good.
Our crew is the best. They are upbeat, creative, and 99% of the time are in a great mood - and even if they're not, we all know this is the best job in the world. And sometimes they get free food, which makes them happier.
4. TM: What are your favorite things to do when you're not working?
MM: Sleep. Sleep. Watch HGTV. House projects. Maybe golf with hubby, too, and then go home and take a nap.
5. TM: Do you have any local charities that are near and dear to your heart?
MM: I love animal charities. Anyone who helps pets has a good heart. I have a friend who will stop her car in the middle of a busy street to help an animal, and now she has me doing the same thing! (She's single, so if there are any single critter-loving fellas out there...)
Good Day has a close relationship with the Sacramento SPCA, and I've MC'd events for Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue (http://www.homewardboundgoldens.org/), a wonderful organization that takes in and adopts out Golden Retrievers. There's also Fat Kitty City (http://fatkittycity.org/), a family who has turned their El Dorado County property into a kitty sanctuary as they try to find them homes. I rescued half a dozen 6-week-old sick, hungry kittens last year from a dilapidated home, brought them to FKC, who got them fixed up in no time. They're in serious need of financial support, and I think I about emptied my checking account for them that day! And for humans - hubby and I routinely clean out our clothes closets to donate to programs that help people find jobs and get back on their feet.
6. TM: There have been so many funny moments on GDS, which one or two come to mind?
MM: I love it when Cody and Mark do something ridiculous. I remember Cody dressing up like a crazy lab scientist with glasses, an Einstein-esque wig and white lab coat to see high school kids test their science projects on live TV.. it was the best! And Mark interviewing Rick Kushman about the Sacramento Food Banks's 'Run to Feed the Hungry', while they "ran" with the crowd in front of our green screen, and our crew would hand them water from the side. Every time they did that I would absolutely die. And there'll aways be that jellybean-pooping duck. 'Nuf said.
7. TM: Of all the celebrities that have come on the show, which one were you most excited to meet and why?
MM: I have to say meeting Sarah Ferguson, former Duchess of York was really the highlight. She's the highest-ranking human I've ever seen in person! She's had a few tough years but I remember thinking, she would be super fun to go have a Cosmo with. It was also fun meeting Dawn Wells, "Mary Ann" from "Gilligan's Island", since I spent my entire childhood having people asking me, 'Hey Marianne, where's the Professor?'
8. TM: You have created a reputation about being the Spelling Queen, why is that?
MM: I'm proud to be a good speller, even if it's nerdy! My dad taught high school English when I was little, and I don't remember him ever telling me how to spell a word. Ever. "Look it up"! "But how can I look it up if I don't know how to spell it?" "Sound it out, THEN look it up!" Plus, it would be hard to survive 12 years of Catholic school as a bad speller.
One morning on my way in to work, I saw a word misspelled on an electronic billboard on I-80. "Surprise" was spelled "Suprise". I found their webpage, sent them an email, and they called later to say thank you! Plus, it turns out they were one of our clients!
I get a kick out of viewers apologizing to me on Facebook when they misspell something or type too quickly, and believe me, they get all over me when I do the same, and deservedly so. But typos are one thing -- not writing and spelling well is another. It's so important to be good at it. Potential employers judge you on things like that, and so many opportunities can be lost. It's just one of the most basic things we should know. I lose my mind when I see the wrong "there/they're/their" in print. Ask the Good Day producers. They'll tell you.
9. TM: Going deep here… when I was going through breast cancer a couple of years ago, you told me you'd help share my story. I'll always be grateful to you for that and will never forget the segment. How did it affect you?
MM: I remember being stunned at the news. You were the closest person to me to ever face this, and I could tell you didn't even know where to begin to break this to Good Day fans. It helped me deal with it by taking over that project - launching the info page, interviewing you, putting together your story, providing the resources to our viewers. I was floored at how many people were inspired to write to you or get mammograms, or just go see their doctor!
In difficult times, I always want to jump ahead a year or two years and be done with the bad part - but the bad part is how we learn and grow. We can survive the thing that wants to bring us down. Your sense of humor throughout was amazing. I learned a lot about breast cancer, and about you - and that you're the strongest woman I know. (Oh, thanks, Teen, now I'm all crying - great :)
10. TM: Julissa Ortiz – what have you learned from her? (last question involves a co-worker)
MM: I have learned that everyone should wear a little leopard now and then! You feel so sassy! And that it's fun to tease her when UCLA beats USC in football, even if it's once every ten years.
You can follow Marianne on Twitter @ GoodDayMarianne
You can follow us on Twitter at @tvTina_Ju