(bright upbeat music) (bright upbeat music continues) - Your story matters.

That's a phrase you'll hear often from our guest.

Season eight of "The Whitney Reynolds Show" debuts right here on WTVP, Monday, January 6th, at 10:30 PM.

And Whitney Reynolds joins us via Zoom from Chicago to talk about her show and what makes it unique.

Good to see you, Whitney.

- So great to be with you.

I love WTVP.

I told you this right before we started taping, that y'all were one of my first yeses before I became a nationally syndicated show.

So very soft spot for all the viewers out there.

- Yeah, in a little bit, I wanna talk about you kind of bootstrapping this thing and going out and doing a lot of work just to get it on the air.

But first I wanna talk a little bit about your show.

And I mean, there's a lot of interview shows out there.

Some famous ones have come from Chicago, like "Oprah" and "Jerry Springer."

I have a feeling you're probably closer to Oprah than Jerry.

But tell us what your show is about and what makes it unique.

- You know, I was one of those little girls that knew I was going to be in television.

It was a weird thing to be like an 8-year-old, and other people are playing with Barbies, and you're dressing up as Sally Jessy Raphael.

But what was interesting is, growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, not only did I have this dream, which was very unusual for people when I would tell 'em, they were like, wait, really?

But then my family and I went through something very difficult, and although I'm not currently open about that, because it involves more people than just me, however, I would say, coming up very soon, I think the viewers will know eventually what really pruned this messaging.

But I still had the dream, and the dream started becoming a reality.

And the reality was, at first, I went and interned at "Good Morning America," and then I was a morning anchor outside of Dallas, learned how to talk on TV, had the gift to gab.

But it was when I landed in Chicago, and I had the opportunity to own a TV show, which was very unique because I was 23 at the time, and I had this opportunity with NBC, and they said, "You need to own it, though."

And so I really, I stepped into "Weekends with Whitney" at the time, and I realized very fast, I thought of that little girl in Oklahoma that went through something very delicate, and it was almost like something thumped me over the head and said, "You gotta turn it more.

You need to be that safe space for stories that your family needed."

And that's really when I did the mission switch, and I moved over to the PBS platform.

And that's when we developed "The Whitney Reynolds Show."

- So at what point did you decide that you wanna go from TV reporter, anchor, to hosting your own show?

Was there one event that that said, you know, this is it, I'm gonna do something different?

Because I know what the grind is like in smaller markets.

And was it just burnout, or did something happen?

- No, there was many things, and it's funny, because as I'm starting to really work on crafting my story and connecting the dots for other people about how, you know, this show developed, it's one that I always knew this would happen.

But it's funny 'cause when you're in school, there's not a degree to be a talk show host.

There's a degree for television, communication, the traditional jobs.

But this is where I have to say that if people really listen to their gift and combine that with actually making it happen, somehow it makes a way.

And that's really what happened.

I moved to Chicago during the recession.

The job that I thought I was moving here for got cut.

And I started an online Facebook show that would keep my resume relevant.

Well, that online show turned into a job, but then it also had me a little following online, so I kept it up.

And when I was keeping it up, I was with the right people that worked at the right place and said, "Come pitch us this 'Weekends with Whitney' idea."

And I did, I walked in a borrowed suit and oversized heels, because as we know, not all the jobs pay the best.

And at that point, I was barely paying rent in Chicago.

And so I walked in, and I remember I pitched my little PBS angel, and he said, "Yes, but," he said, "you have to own it."

And so when that opportunity came, I thought, this is not an accident.

Like you don't get to walk into NBC Tower in Chicago, and they say, "Yes, if you own it," and then create something.

And I think it was just like the right timing to do it.

And the crazy thing is my director is still my director.

The guy that helped me get the show off the ground is still with me today.

My supervising producer, one of my very first, still with me today.

And so we've been able to watch it grow.

It's been really neat, though, because the mission has just...

It's like, it's not your average talk show in the sense of even when we have celebrities on, and we do, they're coming on for more.

They're gonna go deep, and they're gonna be in with one of these topics that really helps move the dial forward for our viewers.

- Well, in doing some research, I watched some of your old shows and saw a preview of season eight, which, again, begins next week.

I saw your clip with Dan Aykroyd.

Can you tell us a little bit about that?

He's obviously, big celebrity, funny guy, but you know, you said there's other things in there, too.

- Yeah, one thing I love about my interview with Dan is they didn't tell me it was gonna be in front of, like, a live audience.

But it was a VIP night, he was launching one of his new brands, and so we really wanted to understand about how you switch different lanes and how you can dabble into one and like, if there's a way that you eventually hang your hat with one, how do you move forward?

So we went there with all that.

But what was funny is because I was the last interview, they let in all the VIP guests, so it was hilarious.

Before I knew it...

I think I'm funny, but you know, my kids, my eight-year-olds maybe don't laugh at my jokes as much as I would want them to, maybe more like Mom jokes.

But by the time we wrapped our interview, people clapped, and they were laughing, and I thought, oh my goodness, we just did this in front of a lot of people.

And I think he could feel the energy.

I felt the energy.

And we went there with, you know, with this transition kind of mindset and how you do it, because he's one that not only was from Canada and made his way to the United States and was extremely successful with Second City, but has also been one to keep moving forward in different directions and evolving.

And I think that's a lesson we can all learn is how to keep evolving.

- Talking about evolving, when you went into NBC Tower to pitch your show, did you have the format that you have now, or has your show evolved since that initial pitch?

- Oh man, it has so evolved.

I laugh.

When I was on NBC Chicago Nonstop, that was the channel, it's like 5.2, we even had a theme song.

I would jump out of planes.

I would eat sushi.

I would be doing all these things 'cause it was really like a weekend experience with Whitney.

But where I really found my sweet spot in the interviews was when I was able to go a little deeper.

Like when we were making that sushi roll, and we found out that, you know, the person I was interviewing immigrated here, and his story about how his great-grandfather taught him.

And that's when I realized, I'm really liking the deeper story here.

And so when I had that little thump over the head moment in Chicago, it was one that I thought, where could my show really be successful with digging deep with hope?

Because that's what we do with every story.

And at that time, I did not think it was probably the weekend format or the current network I was on.

And PBS is one that's really great about really educating and taking the viewers on an experience.

And that's really where we felt home.

So I remember when I then moved it over to PBS, and I pitched another person, and they named it "The Whitney Reynolds Show," which I wanted to call it "Topics Today," because I didn't want it to be about me.

But I am so grateful that they made it "The Whitney Reynolds Show," because going back to that theme of evolving, as we keep going, you know, we want to be the strongest voice of hope.

So it's really been beautiful to watch how much it has grown and how we're just taking all these little markets and these viewers with us to know that their story matters.

- When you're doing, you know, digging deeper like you're doing, and doing a lot of these stories that are emotional, were you ready for that transition from making sushi and jumping out of airplanes to really diving deep into issues that a certain person is having?

- You know, it was my childhood.

And you know, I mentioned this earlier.

So I did a TED Talk at Wrigley in the Cubs Stadium, and it was on what, like the ethics in storytelling.

And so by the time people get to my show, it's not that a pretty bow is tied around their story, but there has been resolution, and they know what they've learned and how they can help our viewers.

And with my story, it's one that there's still some kinks that, like I said, more authors, but we're getting there.

As a family, we are one that's like, okay, we're almost there.

We're almost ready to tell people the why.

But what I realized whenever I went there with this show and with telling these deep stories is that if we can move the dial forward for one viewer, and I always go, I tell my team this when I'm interviewing them, the mission is to move the dial forward to help people connect the dot points in their story, even the really delicate ones that can help the people after us.

And so when I made that transition, I thought to that little girl, I thought to that little girl in Oklahoma that was going through some trauma, and I realized this one is for all the little girls that need to know there's hope out there, and for all the moms and the parents, the families, to know that even those difficult moments, there can be a lesson learned in those that will help not only you but others after you.

- Especially for folks who haven't watched your show before, can you give them an example of maybe one of your favorite topics or favorite interviews and kind of tell us how that went?

- Well, you know, all of 'em...

I have twins, I have kids that are twins, and I have to say, when I think about my show and my topics and my stories, I consider them almost like kids.

Like I really cannot pick a favorite one.

I get asked this all the time.

Because as an executive producer, I pour my heart, my soul, my love, and my storytelling into every show.

And I love kind of going at it with this unique angle.

But as I think about season eight and what your viewers will expect, you know, the season opener, we really, like, wanted to open it up so people understand kind of who we are as a show and why these stories in delicate chapters matter.

And so our season opener is one that I'm really excited that starts it for your viewers.

But you know, as I think about what we went through, we did shows from like Hard Past, Clear Future, and you know, Chef Curtis Duffy, Michelin Star chef, walks us through kind of how he got behind the kitchen door, and it really was one of finding hope in doing busing and cleaning.

And that's what really found his joy, because his dad actually, his parents had a murder-suicide story.

And in the midst of that tragic loss, as he's busing tables and doing cleaning, he found, okay, this is something that I can channel my energy into.

And it's been something now, as he's a Michelin Star chef, that he's very vulnerable and open with.

And he just went there in his documentary, went there with us.

And so he's a fantastic interview, too.

But there's not always... And I lead with some of these hard ones, but there are great stories of inspiration, too, that are not tragic, and you're gonna find that as well.

Because we do believe everyone has a story, and their story matters.

So some of these are really happy stories that connects the dots for people, too.

So we go back to our roots.

We feature people that learned a lot from their history and how they're moving forward with that.

Really, the self-discovery is something that we hope our viewers walk away with with season eight.

- A lot of people ask me, you know, doing this show, how do you find your interviewees?

How do you determine what your topic is going to be?

What's that like for you?

Do you have people approaching you?

Do you go out and try and find these people?

A little bit of both, how does that work?

- We are in a really fortunate stage as a show, because we have become this safe space for people that just wanna be seen and heard as well.

So we get so many submissions.

And I tell you, there is not one submission that comes through...

It might not make our show, or it might not make it all the way to TV, but we always remind people that your story does matter.

And we always respond back with that.

But with becoming this national show and the way we've been able to reach people on a weekly basis, we are getting people from everywhere submitting their stories.

And like I said, it is not just the celebrities we want.

We want the everyday people.

We had someone fly in from Australia last season, and he was one that, like, literally flew in.

He was staying on Michigan Avenue for a day, came into our studio in North Lawndale, and then flew back out to Australia.

So we are in a very interesting point of the show of, like, being that vessel for people that have that delicate story, that want to share it.

And we do read all of 'em, but we do have a team of producers that helps us scout, and we tape the season ahead.

So we're always searching for those really amazing stories that just remind people that they have that story within them, too.

- And besides looking for more people to tell their stories, you know, since you started with basically nothing in Chicago and worked your way up, what are some of your goals for, you know, five, 10 years from now?

- Yeah, that is what we're walking into.

I can name it, and then, you know, for a long time, it was to be right where we are now.

No, nope, nope, we are going to be the strongest voice of hope for the nation.

That is the Whitney Reynolds mission.

So when people think about hopeful television, they think of "The Whitney Reynolds Show."

When they think, "Hey, I need that boost today.

I need to know that I can get through what I'm going through, or I just need that extra, like, pep in my step," that is "The Whitney Reynolds Show."

When people get on social media, and they're seeing the filters, they're seeing the main trophy stories, I need them to have a reality check and turn on "The Whitney Reynolds Show" and understand that we all have these moments.

And so that is really as a show and as a... And you know, it's interesting because I consider myself, like, the strongest voice of hope in media.

It's not just television, because what we're realizing is we're reaching people through Instagram.

We do these shorts with our stories.

So, like, you can see season eight in short form, under 90 seconds, and that's reaching millions of people every week, which is crazy, and so really just being that dose of hope that people need.

- And what's it like owning your own show and being your own boss and being the... You know, you're the pilot.

You can take this wherever you want.

I mean, it's gotta be great freedom, but is there also stress with that?

- Oh, absolutely, I just got my blood work back today from my doctor's appointment yesterday, the joys of almost turning 40.

We did the whole panel, and it was interesting, because as I was looking through different things, and don't worry, everything was good, everybody, but as I was looking at things that were maybe a little higher, I started Googling these words I didn't know.

And it was like, oh, do you have a little stress?

And I'm like, absolutely.

Because that's the thing with owning a show and being charged with such a mission is it really does take an all hands on deck approach from my team and everyone that surrounds us.

And when I say all hands on deck, too, it's for the viewer at home that's watching this right now.

Those ratings matter as well, because the more eyeballs we get in front of, the more people start understanding these stories need to be heard.

And so it's one that with this mission and doing it and, you know, having your own studio, this is, like, not a PBS studio, this is the Whitney Reynolds Media Studio, it takes a lot of work when I'm negotiating insurance.

Like it cracks me up because, yes, we have a team, but there are a lot of things with being an entrepreneur that are difficult.

When Crain's named me 40 Under 40 last year, it was one of those moments that I was like, huh, they know I'm a business woman, too.

Because it is a lot of juggling.

It's a lot of spinning plates.

But it's something that's well worth it all whenever I get, you know, the feedback or the stories or the submissions of people either submitting their story or just giving that, like, I'm watching from, you know, Pittsburgh.

And I love that because we know that, you know, the little engine that could is chugging and taking others along with it.

- And that's great.

What I'm curious, you know, you mentioned you have twins, what do you want your twins to get from your personal story of starting out as a little girl in Oklahoma that had issues to now having your own show in Chicago?

- It's interesting raising city kids.

Because we live in Downtown Chicago.

And we do have a house with a, you know, a yard, a somewhat yard.

But it's interesting because growing up in Oklahoma and being completely different, there's a lot of things I hope they take away from it.

And I did a popup shop this last weekend with another show that I do on another network called "Whitney's Wishlist."

And I had the popup shop, and my kids were at the table with me.

And it was so cool because they got to see me take the time with the viewers and really let them, you know, be a part of what we're doing in Chicago.

And my daughter, Marlo, who was named after one of my favorite interviews with Marlo Thomas, Marlo is one that actually wants to be in television.

And I asked her why, and you know, some kids when they, when they wanna be, you know, it's the famous thing, and Marlo says, "I wanna tell deep stories, too."

And so I think, if I'm encouraging her to find her little voice, and even if it's that story like I have when I go grocery shopping and meet a woman on the bread aisle and take too much time, my kids are like, "Mom, Mom, Mom," you know, it's one of those things that like, if we can take the time and really listen to each other, especially in today's culture, you know, we live in a very interesting time where sometimes it's easier just to, like, put up our guard and say, "No, we are way too different than each other," but if we take that moment and really get to hear each other's story, we realize we're not that different.

And that's what I'm really excited about for my kids is they're learning that firsthand.

- So season eight coming up right here on WTVP next week, how many episodes are in season eight?

- There are six.

So there are six in season eight, and there'll be six in season nine.

And then you can always go to whitneyreynolds.com.

You can see those shorts that I was mentioning.

We also do some extended stuff on the PBS app.

So there's some things that just couldn't fit into that 26:45, and so we then put it up on the app.

So I would, you could definitely just, anything Whitney Reynolds, going back to the, them naming it "The Whitney Reynolds Show," all you have to do is, in the little search engine, put "Whitney Reynolds," and however you digest your media, you can find it, but of course, we want you to watch our new season on WTVP coming out next week.

- Yeah, with that new media, you know, back when you were out of school and doing small market TV, you know, Facebook, Instagram, all the other social media aspects were probably just getting started.

How's it been transitioning from just doing TV to realizing you have to do more than just TV, you have to do social media, the web, and all that good stuff?

- Going back to the mission, this is what I... And I preach this to my team, because our mission is to be the strongest voice of hope in television and to remind people that your story matters.

So it's very interesting 'cause with a click of a button on my Instagram, we can reach millions.

And so it's been learning how to understand how people digest it on the different platforms and how we still reach them with the topics that we're bringing on the PBS show, but just how they're digesting it.

And so for Instagram, I have hired a very talented editor that knows how to take a 12-minute interview and bring it down to 90 seconds in a way that you can still understand it and take away that hope.

- Do you enjoy social media?

Some people think it's an albatross.

Others say, hey, it's free advertising.

What are your thoughts?

- Depends what day you ask me.

(Mark chuckles) You know, it's funny, as luckily, I'm a very confident 5'1" woman, but in the same story, I can be chubby and too thin.

In the same story, I can be too loud, and I can be a feminist, in the same story.

And so it's very interesting.

One thing I've had to learn is how to turn off the comments and just be and understand, and I don't really turn off the comments, the comments are there, but in my own head, and not go through that dialogue.

And that was something, and they say the closer you get to 40, the more confidence you get and the more you care less, I guess, about some of those internal, you know, struggles or comments that people say.

And that's one thing that I would say that I did struggle with whenever the world was turning very fast and our social media blew up very fast.

It was one of those things of navigating knowing my self worth internally first and knowing that I'm who I am, who I am, and not letting other people tell me who I am.

- Well, I can tell you as you get older, your skin will thicken, so don't worry about that.

Don't worry about the naysayers.

I gotta ask you, though, about your interview style and when you were, you know, going to school at Baylor and taking your journalism classes and, again, doing the small market TV after that.

How did you develop your interview skills?

Did it come naturally, or do you emulate someone famous?

How does that work for you?

- So I love it now because I'm one of those people that I don't really know why someone gave me my first yes, but I'm super grateful.

Because that first small market taught me a lot about learning how to talk on TV and learning how to teleprompter read and being able to edit live when someone typed in the wrong word, and you're like, I can't say that on TV, but that's in my script.

So I learned all those skills at a very young age.

'Cause I graduated from Baylor in three years, and, one, because it was very expensive, but when I graduated in three years, and then I went to "Good Morning America" as an intern, at "Good Morning America," I realized that I really did wanna be on TV.

So, you know, one of those internships, you can learn like, I'm a good producer, but I realized, hey, I am good at telling those stories.

And so it was kind of this combination of understanding the gifts but still wanting that dream to be on TV.

And when I was younger it kind of was that, it was just always laid on my heart.

But the way my career grew in different times, like even the small market of being the morning anchor, that taught me so much.

Because I would go in at two in the morning to produce the show, that then I would anchor at 5:00.

Well, it was 5:30, and then it got moved back to 5:00.

And I even got so efficient with producing and anchoring it that I bought a convertible so I could blow dry my hair on the way to work.

I would go wet head and just go in and then... You know, so it was one of those things that every step really taught me something.

I was a weakened anchor for a very small stint in another small market.

And that taught me about the difficulty of other personalities in the newsroom, because at my first job, I got along with everybody.

And the second one, it was, you know, people that had sat on that anchor seat for a long time didn't like a new, young anchor coming in, and especially one that lived in Chicago and was driving out to their smaller market.

So that taught me a lot, too.

And I realized that when I had the opportunity to do a talk show and produce it myself, I needed a lot of strong people around me.

And that's why I say my director's still with me, 'cause he's one of the strongest forces I know.

One thing that I can say is really cool is I've grown into, like, a raspy voice, and very confident with who I am on air, and I like that.

I look at timid Whitney, and that's the funny thing is you can find 23-year-old Whitney on television, and you can find 38-year-old Whitney.

And I have to say, I really like how we've developed over the years.

- Yeah, you gotta learn by doing in this business.

And luckily, with those first jobs out of school, you can screw up a lot more than you can when you're 38 years old.

- Yeah, absolutely.

And now being a national show, like, there's so many stringent...

I have so many check marks that things have to get checked off before airtime.

It's interesting, but I'm glad we have all that.

- All right, well, again, "The Whitney Reynolds Show" debuts, season eight debuts, I should say, next week, Monday, January 6th, at 10:30 PM.

Check your local listings for replays and all that good stuff.

Whitney, we appreciate you being on.

And, boy, best of luck.

We can't wait for season nine.

- I'm appreciative for you and your market.

Thank you so much, and remember, your story matters, too, Mark.

- All right, Whitney Reynolds, thanks very much for your time.

And we wanna thank you for joining us.

"You Gotta See This!"

is next.

Check us out anytime on Facebook and Instagram and at wtvp.org.

Have a good night.

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