When we last caught up with weatherwoman Rebecca Miller, she’d just been let go by Channel 5. Now she’s landed at The 33. Seemed like reason enough to conduct an interview via instant message. And so:
10:07 AM me: Got your ears on, good buddy?
becky: Yup! I’m here
10:08 AM me: Okay, so last time we typed, you had just been canned by those evil bastards. Your plan was to find Osama bin Laden, right?
10:09 AM becky: Ha-ha…something like that 🙂 Homeland security studies continue, though…you’re right !
10:10 AM me: Homeland Security! Right! I knew it was something like that. So you’re still taking classes to learn how to protect our homeland … but now you’re on Channel 33. Which, of course, makes the local airwaves 110 percent better. How’d that happen?
10:12 AM becky: You’re too kind. Back in March, The 33 contacted me to do some freelance work. One of my former co-workers from Ch 5 was their news director at the time. Back then, I was still under a non-compete, so I couldn’t help them. Then over the summer, my friend was made executive producer when David Duitch was brought in as news director. They called me again in September and asked again for me to freelance. My non-compete had just ended, so I was…and am…happy to help them out. It’s been a really nice place to work.
me: How often are you doing the weather for them?
10:15 AM becky: Right now, just on weekends. As soon as I started freelancing, Fred Barnhill, their weekend meteorologist left. So I’m doing weekends for them until they find a permanent replacement. It’s nice working two days a week and having 5 off!!!!
10:16 AM me: What’s that Dawn Tongish like in person? She seems like she’d be up for some high jinks. Same with Dave Crome. (Which is clearly a made-up name.)
10:21 AM becky: I tell you, they are so incredibly nice. Dawn is so sweet, and so is Terri Chappelle. I already knew Tom Crespo a bit, as he’s a fellow New Orleanian, and he’s great. Don’t know Dave Crome much; I only ran into him a couple times in the newsroom as he is always out working on stories when I’m there. But they have a very talented crew over there: Bob Goosmann, whom I’d never met, has been just wonderful. Everyone gets along with everyone else, too. It’s a very nice atmosphere.
10:22 AM me: I can tell someone is holding a gun to your head as you type that. It’s okay.
Two more questions.
You still baking cakes?
10:25 AM becky: Ha-ha! No…they’re all really nice! You never know how people will react to you when you’re the new person, but they’ve been just great. Yes! I am still baking cakes…I just did a wedding cake and a grooms’ cake this past weekend, and I made one for Jody Dean’s birthday. He had me on KLUV a couple Fridays ago and last Monday. He has been such a support for me, it’s the very least I can do.
| 6 minutes |
10:31 AM me: Sorry for the delay. My boss, Wick, just walked into my office and distracted me.
10:32 AM So Jody Dean just turned 60?
10:33 AM becky: You’re more than a decade off. Some of the music they play on KLUV is even before his time!
10:36 AM me: Okay, last question. I’m hoping to golf Friday. How’s the weather gonna be?
10:39 AM becky: It should be pretty nice….cool in the morning….mid 40s in the bigger cities…30s in Denton and Collin Counties. We’ll see highs in the mid 70s without much wind. Great golfing weather. Wow…I really thought you were going to ask me about the big event of the day: Amy Winehouse’s husband just got out of jail!!! Did you know that?
me: Who is Amy Winehouse?
10:41 AM Thanks, Becky.
becky: Ar-ar-ar…you’re welcome. And let me know when you’d like me to bake you a cake 🙂
