Norah O'Donnell

to CBS. I said I really want to do 60 Minutes. My agent said to me, “That’s
great, but everyone wants to do 60 Minutes.” I said, “I know, but could
you just check and see if they say I have a shot at doing 60 Minutes”
I got a call back and they wanted to meet with me. So this has been a
dream of mine that became a reality. I’ve worked incredibly hard to land
this interview, which I’ve been working on for a year and a half.
You have three young children
including twins. How is the
new schedule impacting your
parenting situation
The schedule has actually
been great. For the first time
I actually have a relatively set
schedule. The regular routine
has helped a lot in terms of
managing my life at work and
at home.
What is a typical day like for
you You get up at what time
At about four, and then get
here at about five.
Was that an adjustment for
you
No, because I was doing that
on the road. I have young
children, so a lot of time they
were up in the middle of the
night too. It doesn’t ever get
easy waking up that early on
a regular basis. By Thursday
or Friday it really does start to
wear on me and now I get up
on the weekends at four or five
as well, so you just naturally
wake up. It becomes routine.
So you’re up at four....
Up at four, probably in here
at five, get ready–meaning hair
and make-up–I get a binder with
every segment… They also email it
to me the night before so I’ve read
everything already. All the segments
get briefed again in the morning.
I go over things with the senior
producer, then I’ll meet with the
executive producer about things to
add or subtract from the show. Then
starting at 6:20 we’ll do affiliate
teases. Then we kick off the show
from 7 to 9. Then we have post show
tapes and post affiliate tapes. There
are days where I have the shoots too.
Yesterday, I didn’t have time to go
to the bathroom until 11:30. So I was
thinking today that I have to start
managing my calendar so there’s
one day that I can kind of leave right
after the show, because the day can
kind of stretch on forever.
I understand that you’re a runner.
Norah’s Favorites
Favorite Novel: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. I also love Ken
Follett’s books and Philippa Gregory’s
books.
Favorite Biography: The Wise Men: Six
Friends and the World They Made by
Walter Isaacson and Evan Thomas. It’s a
biography of all the people who shaped
foreign policy post World War 11. I’ve got
a signed first edition of the book.
Favorite Movie: Life is Beautiful
Favorite Broadway Show: Cats or Le Mis
Favorite Singer: Barbra Streisand
Favorite Song: I have lots of favorites
but one is, “Box of Rain” by the
Grateful Dead
Favorite Guilty Pleasure: Brie cheese
Yes, I am.
When do you have time and where do you run
That’s actually on my agenda for today. I’m trying to figure out how to
fit it in. I can sneak in an hour run once or twice during the week and on
the weekend. Sunday I ran nine miles, which is the farthest I’ve run in
probably 15 years. Generally I run in Central Park.
What do you do to relax
Run, work out, read. But I
generally don’t relax that much.
I don’t watch much tv. I am very
envious of those people who
have watched the latest HBO
series. I’ve watched Homeland.
Many times my husband and I
will watch Homeland and we’ll
finish and I’ll say, “Lets watch
the next episode.” But he’ll
say, “We have to go to bed!
You have to get up at four and
its ten o clock at night! You’re
crazy.” I’m like, “I know, but its
so good and I wont be able to
watch it again.”
I grab dinner with my husband
on a Saturday night. But on a
regular night when I’m home,
I take the kids to swim lessons
and I put them to bed at 8
or 8:30. I’m generally falling
asleep with them in their bed.
It can be exhausting.
You’re married to a noted
restaurateur. What are the
meals like in your house
They’re very good. He
probably cooks twice a week.
Monday night he made some
farfalle pasta with arugula and
broccoli and peppers and some
sausage. Generally speaking on
Sunday nights he would make a
large stir fry with vegetables.
Do you cook
Yes. My kids like my tomato
sauce. I make lentil soup. I can
make banana bread and all kinds
of muffins. It’s really healthy stuff
that I just like to eat.
My husband and I wrote a
cookbook together for babies
(Baby Love: Healthy, Easy, Delicious
Meals for Your Baby and Toddler),
so I can do that kind of stuff.
So now that you have done 60
Minutes, what’s left on your career
to-do list
What’s left on my career list is to
get CBS This Morning on the #2 slot
and then the #1 slot. We’re gonna
prove that this show can be #1.
22June 2013
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