Let the talks begin, and they did last night. The New York Times had the kick-off of its tenth annual Arts & Leisure Weekend, and I was in the front row listening to Kevin Spacey and Katie Couric. Here were some of highlights of what I thought was intriguing:
Kevin
I didn’t know that Kevin started his career as a stand-up comic. He also lives in London and is the artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre company. Kevin recently brought The Social Network to the public in his role as executive producer. In case you forgot, he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal in American Beauty. He is particularly proud to be a part of productions that depict challenges of the times like the two just mentioned.
When someone asked him, ‘Would you appear on Dancing with the Stars? he chuckled and said, “Slim chance.”
Who would he like to co-star with in a movie that he hasn’t yet? “Ed Norton,” was his first response–he has great respect for Ed’s work. Next for Kevin, you can see him in a theatrical production of Richard III, directed by Sam Mendes which will tour the world over the next two years.
Katie
A news anchor and single mother of two daughters, Katie charmed the audience with her warmth and candor. When questioned about the “rocky time” she went through while transitioning from The Today Show to CBS news anchor, she candidly spoke about mistakes made. If she had to do it over again, she would have made the broadcast more traditional because people weren’t ready for the changes they instituted. She confessed that she doesn’t have a thick skin and is a sensitive person–this was a difficult time for her.
Other topics brought up were her interview with Sarah Palin and the fact that she will make a cameo appearance on Glee. She appreciates the program because it brings to surface issues that teenagers are dealing with. Some of her proudest work is mobilizing funds for Colon Cancer research.
Katie has had a lot of mentors through the years–she talked about Barbara Walters being very kind to her and Tim Russert giving her one of her first breaks, and others.
What is the secret to Katie’s success? She believes that you should do your job well, and like her mom says, “Let them know you are there.”
Fondly, Helene
To watch our interview with Meredith Vieira, click here!
