If there is a fun story to report on channel 7's Eyewitness News, chances are you will see the ever smiling, beautiful Lauren Glassberg doing her job! Lauren has been with WABC's Eyewitness News since March of 2000 often doing upbeat stories and restaurant revues as well as substitute co-anchoring when she is needed. I recently had the pleasure to chat with Lauren about her life and journalistic career!
MICK: Did you always want to be a journalist?
LAUREN: Yes, I did want to be a journalist. I wasn't so sure I wanted to be a TV journalist though!
MICK: In the beginning of your career, you covered the Whitewater scandal in Arkansas. What was it like covering a big National story like that right off the bat?
LAUREN: It was actually my second job which still meant I was pretty green! It meant a lot of preparation. It was the kind of story you really had to study to understand it. It is still convoluted even to this day! It was really exciting because we knew we were part of a very big story. We used to practice as a news room remembering all of the players names, what crimes they were charged with, knowing what the scenario was going into it. That was pretty heavy stuff!
MICK: Do you enjoy anchoring the news what you are asked to fill in?
LAUREN: Yes I do! I'm happy to do any job they ask me to do. The morning hours tend to be a little tough which I think everybody will admit to when they have to do a morning shift. I'm happy to keep my feet wet in doing that but I also enjoy reporting it because that's when you get to meet so many interesting people.
MICK: How do you get your ideas for the various stories that you do?
LAUREN: I cover stories that most people want covered so I get pitched a lot. Publicists write to me, viewers write to me about stories they think are interesting. So finding the stories actually comes a little bit easy!
MICK: What is your favorite restaurant?
LAUREN: I cover restaurants so that would be very unfair for me to say! But this is a good opportunity for me to say one of my favorite restaurants is Delicatessen [54 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012] because my brother owns it and it's a fun spot! It's in NoLita. It's a trendy, fun, affordable, cool, hip place on the corner of Prince and Lafayette.
MICK: What do you do on an off day?
LAUREN: I will usually go for a run; I work out. And I love to eat! That's something I like to do when I'm not working and covering food. It's a little more enjoyable when I'm not under the gun! My whole family lives in New York so there's a lot of family time as well.
MICK: Do you have any hobbies?
LAUREN: I like to cook! I think takes up most of my time besides working out. I would also like to start collecting art because I love looking at art! I like modern art, photography, paintings of all different sorts. I like to head to the galleries in Chelsea!
MICK: Are you married?
LAUREN: I'm not married.
MICK: What are your plans for your career in the future?
LAUREN: I'm actually doing exactly what I want to be do. I'm very content right now. Maybe one day I'm like to tell some stories that last more than a minute and thirty seconds because you get attached to your subjects. You want to spend a little more time with them!
MICK: Last year you had a small role on a TV soap opera [WABC's One Life To Live]. Are there any more plans to act?
LAUREN: I hope not! I have to say that I found acting extremely challenging even though I was only on for about 14 seconds! They were very hard and I don't think I was a natural! I have a total new found respect for acting!
MICK: Is there anyone famous that you would like to interview?
LAUREN: Sure I'd love to interview President Obama. But fame isn't necessary what makes it for a good interview. I can interview someone who is 95 years old who has great stories to tell with lots of personality. To me, if you can tell their story and tell it fairly and do them justice, that's a really rewarding experience.
MICK: What would you consider the highlight of your career so far?
LAUREN: I'm not sure there is one specific story that I would call a highlight. I think just making it back here to New York and being on the air at Channel 7 which is the station I grew up watching. This has been the highlight just coming home and being here for 10 years now! That's pretty rare, especially in the news business!
MICK: What was your most embarrassing moment on TV?
LAUREN: I had an embarrassing moment last Saturday when I was a little sleepy doing the news!! I once ate a bug live when I was on the air. That was in Arkansas. It was during a live broadcast when I swallowed a bug. The person I was interviewing made note of that on live TV. I wanted to ignore it but he wouldn't let me get away with it!
Read more about Lauren at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauren_Glassberg
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/bio?section=resources/inside_station/newsteam&id=5771946
Lauren's smile is contagious...very sexy woman !!
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