2014 LUMINARY AWARD
A Passion for Entertainment Journalism FOR PRESS CLUB LUMINARY AWARD WINNER NANCY O’DELL, JOURNALISM IS ABOUT TELLING STORIES | BY ALEX BEN BLOCK
wo decades afer she started as a While attending Clemson University, part-time reporter at a TV station where she would graduate Summa Cum in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Laude as a marketing major, O’Dell was Nancy O’Dell loves her job as an- named Miss South Carolina and competed Tchor of “Entertainment Tonight.” However, in Miss America. she admits she is frustrated by those who Afer graduation, she began working in suggest covering show business isn’t real advertising and marketing at WPDE-TV journalism. in Myrtle Beach, a small station where she Te winner of the Los Angeles Press Club’s began reporting on weekends. -VNJOBSZ"XBSE CFJOHQSFTFOUFE I found I loved journalism,” says O’Dell. at the National Arts & Entertainment “It was constantly changing, where in ad- Journalism Awards ceremony, says those vertising you were doing the same thing people don’t understand that covering over and over.” entertainment takes as much dedication as She discovered that telling stories re- covering “hard news.” quired a lot of research—which she still “It requires the same amount of work,” calls “studying”—which meant constantly says O’Dell, “the same amount of talent, learning. It turned out to be her passion, O’Dell with husband Keith Zubchevich and Maria Shriver at a Best Buddies event. Anthony Shriver is the founder and chair of the Best and ofen the same amount of investigation so much so that one of her reports led to a Buddies organization when you are doing a story. And it requires change in state law. the same amount of storytelling, which is When she was ofered a full-time job pursue the thing I’m enjoying most, which Kickof Show and the Kentucky Derby with O’Dell. “I don’t know if I’m a workaholic. I what I really love.” at WCBD-TV in Charleston, S.C., a news was storytelling, will I ever be happy in my Bob Costas and throughout the years, has certainly make sure to balance my career It was her love of storytelling that director at another station told her not to career?” says O’Dell. “So I didn’t let him hosted Miss USA and Miss Universe. She is out with my family. I won’t feel like a good got O’Dell into journalism in the first take the job because “successful reporters deter me. You have to make your own path.” the recipient of two Emmy Awards. person or complete if I didn’t make time for place. She grew up dreaming of being a are few,” she recalls. He urged her to stay O’Dell’s path led to Miami, where she “I defnitely have a hard work ethic,” says my family. Tat’s really important to me.” marketing executive. “I thought it would in advertising. was an investigative reporter and an eve- be so fascinating,” recalls O’Dell. “I remember thinking, ‘Gosh, if I don’t ning anchor for NBC afliate WTVJ, and JO TIFXFOUUPi"DDFTT)PMMZXPPE w XIFSFTIFXBTBODIPSGPSZFBST She contributed to the NBC News shows “Today” and “Dateline.” She consistently anchors live events including the national pre-Emmy show, Fox’s New Year’s Eve spe- cial, the Golden Globes Arrivals Special GPSZFBSTJOBSPXBOE GPSZFBST ćF Tournament of Roses Parade. She currently contributes to CBS Tis Morning and is ex- ecutive producer of ReconNETions and Ce- lebrities at Home on HGTV, of which she is Left: Nancy O’Dell greets Mary Hart, also host. She was chosen by Oprah Win- Appearing on the red the former host of Entertainment frey and Mark Burnett to host “Your Own carpet, herself. Tonight Show” on the OWN Network. NBC Sports O’Dell was chosen to host “Your Own Show” Above: interviewing Jack Nicholson UBQQFE/BODZUPIPTUUIFJSMJWF/'- Covering the Rose Bowl Parade with Al Roker on OWN. the Oprah Winfrey Network
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O’Dell has been married to her husband, Keith Zubchevich, who works at Conviva, for nine years. She has a daughter and two stepsons. It was the birth of her daughter, and the unexpected changes pregnancy brought about, that inspired O’Dell to write Full Of Love: Mom-to-Mom Tips I Wish Someone Told Me When I Was Pregnant JO4IF GPMMPXFEUIBUJOXJUIBCPPLPOUIFJN- portance of keeping memories and creating photo albums. Her own mother, who was also her closest friend, created 75 scrapbooks about her life, family and career, which O’Dell shares with her children. Nancy O’Dell was a local reporter for a station in Charleston, South Carolina. When her mother became ill and was eventually diagnosed with ALS, it also inspired O’Dell to create two apps and a don’t want to say,” says O’Dell. “You’re not changed O’Dell’s life. She knew little about book titled, Little Ashby: Star Reporter, a talking head. We’re very involved, which the disease but quickly got involved and which allows children to follow the story of a is why I appreciate the news background I now is an ALS Ambassador and national cub reporter. Santa’s Big Premiere, published have.” vice president of the Muscular Dystrophy last year, is the frst in a series of books to be That was especially true when the Association. published as a result. Little Ashby: Star Re- Internet came along. O’Dell says it “scared "ęFSIFSNPUIFSEJFEJO 0%FMM porter shot to the Top 20 on the book charts me a little at frst because the facts do get and her family formed a foundation in JOUIFJ5VOFT"QQ4UPSFJO muddy, people are jumping in so quickly to her mother’s name called Betty’s Battle: When she was growing up, O’Dell get the news out there. So I am very careful Fighting ALS. remembers watching “Entertainment to ask where did this story come from, who “Life has its ups and downs,” says O’Dell Tonight” and thinking “what a cool job that was the source. I double and triple check. philosophically. “Te same year my mother would be to have. It was really the show of It’s very important to me to get it right.” died, God gave me my baby girl. I don’t record. It was the show that started it all in think I could have handled the year oth- television entertainment journalism.” erwise if I didn’t know that I needed to be 4IFTUBSUFEBU&5JO0%FMMTEBZ Brad Bessey—Luminary there to love my daughter. I was so heart- begins with a conference call at 5:30 a.m., Award Presenter broken by my mom’s passing.” after which she drives her daughter to O’Dell remains involved in other school three days a week. She’s at the E.T. Brad Bessey is the executive producer charities as well, including Best Buddies, PGGJDFNPTUEBZTCZBNBOEWPJDFT of the Emmy Award-winning, No. 1 syndicated entertainment newsmaga- which enhances the lives of those with Down her thoughts and opinions about every idea zine “Entertainment Tonight” as well as Syndrome and intellectual disabilities. and story. the executive producer of “The Insider,” a It was talking to her daughter that “We’re never forced to say anything we multiplatform entertainment news series and magazine show. In 2010, he was named executive producer of “The Talk” on CBS, network television’s frst daytime talk show in over a decade. Under Bessey’s leadership, “The Talk” received a 2012 Daytime Emmy nomina- tion for Outstanding Talk Show, Enter- tainment. Bessey has also produced several “ET” specials and over a dozen VH1 specials and A&E Biographies. Concurrently, Bessey contributed his expertise to the CBS Television Distribution develop- ment team. He is a member of the Writ- ers Guild of America and The Academy Above, President Obama and First Lady, of Television Arts & Sciences. He is a Michelle frequent guest lecturer at UCLA and Right: Mother-daughter portrait of O’Dell, USC as well as his alma mater Cal Poly, her mother Betty and daughter Ashby San Luis Obispo.
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