Hello again!

So this week, I am continuing the interviews. This time it's TCGS's own producer and oft-mocked bad Catholic, Maureen McMurray. Just like last week, the responses are all in Maureen's words. Also, I'm keeping the questions the same for all three interviews, if only because I enjoy comparing their answers. Who knows, maybe it'll start a controversy.

Maureen: Maureen McMurray.

MM: I don't have one, I really don't! I was the fourth kid, and everyone else in my family has a middle name except for me. I never got an explanation...it's just Maureen McMurray!

MM: Easygoing...yet restless. Because I like to travel a lot and I'm always looking for the next thing? So that's definitely a contradiction but I'm throwing it out there anyway. And....sensitive. (Laughs)

KTI: Okay, pick one word to describe Lino and one word to describe Lou.

MM: Lou is very introspective. For Lino I would say uncertain.

MM: The best thing is, on a day to day basis like when the show is absolutely at its best, when we get on the air it just feels like friends hanging out. And it's fun, and we get to laugh. I would say without a doubt, like the best part of the job is just getting to come in when we're all getting along, like really just being friends and screwing around. Just laughing, laughing in the office and then going on the air and pulling off a show that makes the listeners laugh and makes us laugh. It's just the people...the thing that brought me back-- well the listeners, for sure, just because the listeners are pretty awesome. When they call in it makes a show really fun. But I think it's also, and it sounds kinda corny to say it, but it IS the people that work here because everyone has such funny, strong personalities. It is without a doubt the funniest group of people I've ever worked with...which I think a lot of people think is strange because it's The Catholic Channel.

MM: The worst part is when you think things are going to click, and then it doesn't work out on the air. When you're so convinced that this is going to be a home run idea and it's going to be awesome, then for whatever reason, whether it be technical issues or...it just fails because it's live radio. So it's kind of like the best part of it is that it's live radio, which makes it fun because every day is different. But what's not so great is that you don't have control over the show, so a million things could go wrong.

MM: I would...WORLD TOUR! (laughs) A couple things-- I think it would be fun to spend an extended period of time in Rome. Like, cause we do the Rome shows maybe one week or something like that, but I think it would be fun to just really spend more time there. So I don't really know if that actually could happen? But I think I'd also like to get a bus--this is the other thing--get some sort of bus, or an RV, something like that, and paint it up with like Catholic Guy whatever and go across the country. Go across the country like down south, head over along the coast, go up through Canada and just spend a couple months on the road just visiting Catholic places and actually going out and hanging out with people we couldn't otherwise. So I'd like to literally take the show on the road and spend months in an RV with the crew.

MM: Probably the first time we went to Rome, that was really amazing because we had an opportunity, all of us at that time, it was Tom (old crew member)...although I think Tom had already been there? But I think he like went to Rome and didn't go to the Vatican or St. Peter's Basilica or something really crazy? So both Lou and I, it was our first time there. And having Lino who had lived in Rome forever to be our tour guide? It was so much fun, it was hysterical, but I also learned a TON on that trip. Lino was just a great tour guide. To really see him in his element was really memorable and just a blast.

MM: When I was little, this is really random...you're probably too young to even remember this. Back I think it was like in the '80s they had a show called "Solid Gold" and they had the Solid Gold dancers. They would play top 40 hits and these women would be dressed up like head to toe in these shimmering gold outfits. I really wanted to be a Solid Gold dancer when I was little. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out.

MM: I don't know if listeners know how I met my husband. Do they? I met my husband because I was working with a girl at the time whose boyfriend was in a band. And she would be like, "Come to the show, come to the show" and I was like, "Eh, I don't feel like it." Then one day she said, "there's a guy in the band, he's actually single." And she showed me a photo of him? I was like, "ooh." So I was very interested in going, and that night I went to the show and I kind of hung out like a groupie afterwards. I met him, and I knew he was from Oklahoma and was really into old country music. I happened to be working for a show at the time that Merle Haggard was going to be on that week? So I just snared him by saying (high girly voice), "You know if you want, you can meet Merle Haggard" and he was like, "Okay!" I don't think I told him until well after we were dating that I totally had seen him on the internet earlier, and the only reason I went to the show was to see him. So he came and met Merle Haggard, but secretly just came cause he wanted to see me. And that's how I met him, I was kinda a groupie. Then the next day, like a crazy person I went into work after just having one conversation with him and was all, "I'm in LOVE, Mrs. Maureen Danny [last name]" which is funny cause I never even changed my name. But I was like, he's the man I'm going to marry.

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Awwww.

A big thanks to Maureen for taking time to be interviewed! In the office, I really admire her positive attitude and drive to accomplish things for the show. I became a fan of TCGS before she came back to produce and, in my opinion, the shows keep getting better and better thanks to her.

Next entry, I'll finally interview the man, myth, and legend himself -- Mr. Lino Rulli.

Have a great week!

Krista the Intern (or Kristern, as Lino has now declared)