_Catt Sadler

Decemeber 2007

I find it curious what people get nicknamed so why Catt instead of Katie or Cathy?

You know what? I...My nickname was Catt growing up from, like, my closest family and friends, but my name in school was Cathy. So I actually had a group of people that called me Catherine, like, some grandparents and not just a nickname, but-but through all my friends and at school to every teacher I was Cathy. Catt with 2 “t”s did not evolve until I was in my first television job, and it was the first time I was actually on air and a (tape skips) Kat on TV, not Cathy, and I'm like (tape skips) she said “Go by Catt, it's too common it's too much like...” (tape skips).

So did you get all that? Catt with 2 “t”s. That came to be my very first on air job at a Fox affiliate in Indianapolis, Indiana and I was covering teen issues (tape skips) “Cat..fuck (?)...Eye News at 10” and then Shelley said “No you should be Catt with 2 “t”s and so then I did some stand-up thing and I was Catt. So I remember it was a huge debate – Will you go with Catt Sadler as your on air career name or will you go with (unintelligible). Like I said, my family's always called me Catt so it's not...I would call it a semi-stage name.

Tape skips during question...

You know, I can't really compare it to growing up in Rome. (Tape skips) ...The years it changed but today...or...both my...my entire family's in real estate. My grandparents actually started (tape skips) ...so it's a busy, time-consuming profession so (tape skips). ...At um...I don't know I guess that's not true. My dad's always been in real estate. My mom has done real estate, she's owned her own appraisal company, she (tape skips). 

...Good to have your own independence, or...?

Yes. (Tape skips) Um... but we all...I think it was...I benefitted from that. (Tape skips). ...Fended for ourselves and we had chores and had to contribute and we had to have jobs and we were just a really busy family most... (tape skips).

 (interview interrupted, CS talks to someone in background).

Where were we? Yeah, so yeah my parents worked and, you know what? That's ok. The biggest thing I...I could say about that is that my mom worked really really hard and she (tape skips) ...Especially coming from Indiana, you know, and I'm not...18. I mean, you know, there was a time when women just didn't go out and get careers and have kids and do all of that and so my mom was definitely a major force in like (tape skips)....I wouldn't change a thing.

What did you want to do growing up?

Hm...that's funny, I...yes, this is it. I mean, it really is in-in most respects. (Tape skips). I have a videotape of my cousin and I. We would get out the video camera, like, when I was in (tape skips) ...and interview each other. That's just...I always had, like, a fork in my hand and I would always be asking people questions. I always wanted to be on camera, but there was a long time there where I wanted to be an actress. I was in plays and in theater and when-when Jessica asked me in this (tape skips) “What do you wanna be when you grow up? Blah blah blah” I said that I wanted to go to Northwestern. Why, I don't know, I'd never even been there. It was in Chicago so I thought it sounded good when I was like, 11. I wanted to go to Northwestern and then I wanted to be an actress on a soap opera. That was like...that was like my defining moment when I was 11 or 12, I was just convinced that I was gonna be an actress somehow. (Tape skips) ...Loved the theater, I loved movies, I loved music, I mean I'm just one of those girls (tape skips) ...All these things, that I also really loved (tape skips) ...Ever or if it was, you know, someone really important or whether it was just my grandpa (tape skips).

….Annie is near and dear to my heart, it was the first musical I was ever in, I played Molly the Orphan in 6th grade. (Tape skips) ...Was Les Miz, my mom took me to that. Love it. (Tape skips).

...Singing at the studio? Yeah you've heard it! (laughs) No, I don't even know! No no no no, this could end up somewhere terrible! I didn't say I was good, I said I like to sing. And that's the other thing, I always, like, I was never, like, good enough to, you know, do it professionally, but I just loved, I loved (tape skips).

...Mhm, but I was the Good Witch of the North.

(Tape skips).

...(Laughs) College is a little bit of a blur. I wish I would've taken college more seriously. (Tape skips) And I was really into boys (laughs) so, I mean, so I went to school, I appreciated my education and thank God I got through and got my degree but I was a little distracted and I...until- until, and this is the truth, until I did declare my journalism major (tape skips)...and I was really turned on to school. Big time. And then I got an in...(tape skips)...just by chance...some career (tape skips)...school and it was (tape skips)...it was kind of easy, I was in a band at the time too (tape skips) ...I was, like, working, I was interning, I was in the (tape skips)...and...(tape skips)...that is professionally isn't it? Yeah, that's true, I was in a band. We even, like, recorded some music (tape skips).... Anyway, so that was where I interned and...yup.

(Tape skips).

...Well I think that's an advantage to entering at kind of a (tape skips)....People like yourself go halfway across the country and go to a network and, like, I had friends who, you know, interned at the Today Show and all this stuff and I was just down the street at the local Fox affiliate. But for me, I was from Martinsville, Indiana, which is a small town where I was mostly raised, it was the big time. But it was so cool because even compared to the other local TV stations (tape skips)....tape and it's called Internvision and it was all he and I – Grant and I – going around to all the anchors and the news director and everybody that worked there and interviewing them and asking them questions and putting stuff on tape and (tape skips).

...Living, but I don't like that word. I don't know if that's my Christian upbringing or what. Gossip is bad. I prefer to call it...what do we call it? Celebrity news. Let's call it celebrity news. 'Cause it...it is gossip, but...well ok. Anyway. Regardless, that didn't answer your question. But...I have to give great thanks to (tape skips) ...I was still in college, I'd been on TV 3 times (tape skips) ...which I'm thinkin' “See my work? I've been on TV 3 times for, like a minute each time!” (tape skips).  ...Ok and what do you want to do with me? You know, I'm so not registering and it was like “No I was in town, I saw your work (tape skips) ...you, you know whatever. So I still blow him off, I wasn't sure, I was tryin' to graduate, I was tryin' to just pay the bills and be in this band (tape skips) … “This guy's been calling me from New York and he's with this firm called (unintelligible) and Adam falls out of his chair onto the floor and he's like “What?! They're calling you?! You're in college? I've been trying to get them to rep me for 5 years!” And I'm like... He goes, “You go home, you apologize, you call them, you send them a tape tomorrow.” I was like “Ok! Ok” And so to answer your question this long roundabout way of saying that, when I talk to Ezra and he explains to me “Listen if you...” (tape skips) ...Through the week, through the school and I was like, it was the first thing I got. “You mean visit,” (tape skips) … And it was the first time I had to, like, really think to myself (tape skips) ...and movies and music and entertainment (tape skips) you know? But that was when I kinda decided “Yeah, I hafta to start looking towards...” (tape skips) ...After I got the agent, I stayed with...in Indianapolis for a while (tape skips) ...moved to LA and quit my job, much to the dismay of my agent and everybody else (tape skips) “...you belong here in Hollywood, this is so you, you could make it, da da da da da.” And I can just be me? I get to be me? I don't have to like, be all stuffy and, you know, all that and they-they loved it and so I went (tape skips) ...(unintelligible) on air job at KDWB in San Francisco (tape skips) ...lied a little and told them I'd done a LOT of live TV and that of course I've read a teleprompter! And so I was in the fifth biggest market in the country when I was 23 years old, but I...I worked there for (tape skips)  and that's where I just got at least some of the experience to (tape skips) … and before I knew it I was back on air at that same Fox affiliate. (tape skips) … Fast forward four more years, I worked there and I had another baby. I had a lot of feedback from a lot of people in Hollywood that actually (tape skips) … one of those things that a lot of people think might not be the best (tape skips) … Overwhelming just sense of “This is what I'm intended to do.”  (Tape skips)

...Really? I mean, like, Rachel Perry from VH1? I like...I love her. I said “I love you! I watch you on the Top 20 Videos every weekend!” She's like “Who is this freak?” And I went out there (tape skips) ...you know? And I should be here and just (tape skips) you know, was in my pajamas at 6 o'clock at night (tape skips).

...what's the process of your day?

(Tape skips) … All of the gazillion emails that we get, you know now that you're (tape skips) … you know, a half hour after being here we usually (tape skips) … you know, other than...

… In my tag, I'm like “Oh her album could sell blah blah blah blah blah” and then I write “Well I bet her kids really don't care about that, they probably just want a happy, healthy mom. They could care...Britney Spears' kids could probably (tape skips) … Once we put our own little two-cents voice into it...I could kill my...he always spoils my tags! I'm trying not to be the boring host! And they won't let me say my opinion. Alright. Okay. (Laughs). See? But that's legal too, like,  if you ever say anything that's in any way derogatory to the celebrity then (unintelligible) like “Uh!” The attorneys start callin' him and he gets in trouble. But anyway...so we're writing until about 12:30, we go to the voice booth occasionally and voice-over teases for the show (tape skips) … And then one of my favorite hours of the day, we go to hair and makeup, which again is, you know, after being in (tape skips) you know, they transform me into this (tape skips) (laughs) and then we're in wardrobe from, you know, 2 to (tape skips) … we'll review scripts, we'll make changes to those scripts (tape skips) … that's pretty much the general day. And it's over, 4:30 (tape skips) ...I just described, as you all know, there are set visits that come up in the morning, there are (tape skips) ...that is the quicky version. (Tape skips).

In a perfect world, I would do both. Often. Because (tape skips) … no better training than live television. Again I think that's one of the reasons (tape skips) … because I did do … but there's something to be said about being in studio and having that command and that presence (tape skips) ...There's also nothing better (tape skips) … reading your own thoughts that aren't written for you and (tape skips) … A little bit of both. I won't like, I definitely wouldn't get more than (tape skips) … there is that you're not in your head so much and you're actually listening to what they're saying. So when you (tape skips) … get what you think you're gonna get. Does that make sense? (Tape skips) … And some people, like, have a rule, you know, “I always have at least 5 questions prepared” and, you know, you'll end up asking 20 questions.

...I admire people like Oprah Winfrey, without question. I-I've kinda...I've...I used to watch her religiously because I used to do morning news and I was home by noon or 1 everyday and that was like my one indulgence was to watch her show. I haven't seen her as much lately but I got to hear her speak once in public in San Francisco and she gave a speech called “The Phenomenal Woman” and it was one of the most inspirational speeches I'd ever heard. She just is such an empowering person, she's just so inspirational, she's so positive, she's God-fearing, she's just, I think, all things that are good. I've never met her personally, so I'm just going based on what I know about her persona, but (tape skips) …

...Thing with what I do today on the Daily 10 but I understand it serves a purpose and it js just entertainment but in the long run, I aspire to do more meaningful television, like Oprah. Not have my own 1-hour show and take over the world the way she has, although if I could I would. But people like Oprah inspire me. And you mean in the business or do you mean...

Just anyone. I mean, family...

(Tape skips) … A lot of empathy for...classy women. Meryl Streep is one of my most favorite actresses. She's so unaffected and so about the art and she's just so...you cannot touch her talent. She's just that that good. Totally admire her. Oprah Winfrey (tape skips)

… that's a tough...I have so many mixed feelings about this that I couldn't possibly sum up (tape skips) … Celebrity is simply about exposure. I mean celebrity is about somehow being employed in this industry in at least, you know, having some (tape skips) … celebrities being on the cover of magazines and having endorsements and doing work. Not always good work. But it's just that, it's-it's all about the quantity of exposure that you have. I think.

(Tape skips) … That's what celebrity is, right? I mean, it's not real. I mean it is. Fame isn't real. No, fame is real. It's all manufactured. (Tape skips) ...I sound like I'm down about it, don't I?

Do you consider yourself a celebrity?

No. No, but people tell me I am. It's just a really weird thing, you know what I mean?

Have you ever (tape skips) … people come up to you?

Oh yeah. I mean, I guess so, that makes me...I mean, when you're on TV in 120 countries, I guess that makes you recognizable. (Tape skips) … Weird to me. So...I guess so. That's exposure. And that's what we were just saying...how much are you seen, how much (tape skips) … Sounds like I'm really detached but this...some LA Times (tape skips) (laughs) … I was on the list with 10 other people (tape skips) … I never talked to this person, I don't know how, but I guess they watch TV, you know, and have that opinion and that's just, like, wild to me. So weird. But I think (tape skips) ...wanna be that person that's affected and diva and ugh! 

How do you balance the family life with...

(Tape skips) It's another to be awake and worrying about them, and I don't. 'Cause (tape skips) … hands on dad, he's spends a good amount of time with them every week. And so, it's about, I'll tell you what else it's about, it's about a boss, truly, that has his own kids and gets it. (Tape skips) … I get tired. Yeah I'm still up at 6 when my co-hosts probably are sleepin' until 9:30 and, you know, whatever, but...I'm sure they get up early to do things also but...(Tape skips) ...you're gonna use that now aren't you? (Tape skips)

… That's a good one. That's a good one. That might be one that I actually write down and give you. 'Cause I don't think I could name that off the top of my head and I wanna give that some thought 'cause that's a really (tape skips) …

Is this today's headline? In the bigger sense? (Tape skips) … culture.  (Tape skips) Pity party this and pity party that 'cause of all the gazillion reasons I just told you that I have to be grateful for, and it's the truth (tape skips) … I could've, I could've let emotions and circumstances (tape skips)

(laughs) … You mean...In my whole life? Is there anything I would change about my life?

Yeah.

(Tape skips).

...I'll admit, my parents were divorced, my mom was married four times, I moved around a lot, I actually, if I really wanted to look back, sometimes I'm a little like “Gosh, I got gypped, I just really did want that perfect family life (tape skips) … I'm tellin' you, where I come from, especially, in a small town where a lot of people don't (tape skips) … in that county, you know what I mean? I know that the adversities that I went through when I was younger, even (tape skips) … made me who I am today you know what I  mean? So I don't think I'd change it. Like, it was perf- (tape skips) … what is happening today is happening for a reason. (Tape skips)

… Like I said I wanna do more, but right now it's workin'. It's workin. (Tape skips) … I have to go get hair extensions put in my hair. How 'bout them apples? (Tape skips)

… Let's do it, it's fun, it's making, it's forcing me to be introspective.

 


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