February 15, 2024 • 42 mins
Now Amy Robach has T.J. Holmes under the microscope. In this in depth sit down with Amy, T.J. is now the subject, opens up, and reveals the truth.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to the podcast, everybody. Amy and TJ both here,
and I'm excited about the day's podcast. How about you, TJ. H.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I'll get back to you here shortly about it. They'll
know how this is.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Going to go TVD. And the reason why he said
that is because we actually talked about this topic together
and both agreed upon it before we sat down. It
started and correct me if I'm wrong here, TJ. When
we were on text with each other and we were
(00:36):
exploring our feelings, and you suggested, because yes we know
each other, Yes we'd known each other for a long time,
but it doesn't mean we knew everything about each other.
And you said to me one night, ask me anything,
and I'll answer it. I'll be honest, and nothing's off
the table, and it's funny. Even as somebody who interviewed
(00:57):
people for a living, I was intimidated. I didn't know
what to ask, what not to ask, and so I
just kind of went for it. And you were extremely honest,
and it was a nice way to further our relationship,
to deepen our relationship, would you agree.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
I didn't realize it at the time because I thought
you'd take advantage of something like that. Because I meant
it every time I said it, and I had to
egg you on and push you to ask me a question.
But yeah, you're of all people, let's know about nothing
I'm hiding from you, so I don't need to hold
my tongue or be careful. So it was a relief
to be asked anything by you.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
We're going to take turns, and I will put myself
in the hot seat. But this episode, I actually realized
as I sat down, I got a ton of questions
I don't know the answer to, and we agreed that
we wouldn't obviously let each other know what the other
is going to ask, So I don't even know where
you're gonna go with your questions, or what themes you're
(01:49):
gonna have, or any of that. And the same goes
for you. And you ready to get started? Yeah, all right,
let's jump in. Let's dive in head first. How would
you describe your life to someone who didn't know you?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
A life worth living that has the highest of highs
and the lowest of lows, but not one I would
ever take back. It was full of opportunity and love
and family. And I took those lessons with me and
led to great success, but then some of my greatest failures.
(02:31):
Those are the lessons I had to learn on my
own and not things I got from the family and
love coming up. So I have lived a a wonderful
life that I wish everybody had all the highs, and
actually I wish some of the lows because they were
some of the biggest lessons.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
What do you need that you don't currently have?
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Probably a scheduled colin. My sister got on to me
of this two days ago, sent the text as if
I had one. I said no, and she said, well,
you're getting older, you need to get one. So that's
the only thing I can think of.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
I like what Tish asked you to do. That's good advice.
What from your childhood would you say shaped you the most.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
The most is a tough one. Maybe my experience my
time internal Arkansas country, little town about twenty miles outside
of where I grew up. That's where my granddad was,
and I was very close to him and coming up,
and I spent so much time in that back and
forth and that family element internal Arkansas that I think
(03:45):
so much of what I saw and experienced their shaped
to me. I think about uncles, and aunts and cousins
and things that I do that I got from them
that I don't even realize. So I would say just
having my granddad, that guy and such close proximity to me,
a guy who only had a third grade education but
got seven kids through college, and who was a great
(04:07):
entrepreneur and a businessman and did well for himself, and
he was just that experience is huge for me in
my childhood.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
You have a quote from him on your arm one
of your tattoos.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
That's a long story. The tattoo only says make them
all happy. And that's a reminder. I lost my grandad
in twenty sixteen, but he was maybe the closest person
to that point that I had lost. But a childhood
memory of mine sitting out a window, I was probably
six seven years old and just sitting at his feet
around the holidays and he's just, you know, he's holding
(04:39):
court and just talking trash like it always does. And
he said to me, why would you ever get married
and try to make one woman happy when you can
stay single and make them all happy. Now that's my
granddad And I was six or seven. Oh my gosh,
he was just messing around, being silly and joking, but
(05:00):
it was to this day a memory from birth to
eighteen years old. I don't have more vividly than that one.
And it was just a very special and cool and
funny moment with my granddad. And I got the tattoo
after I lost him in to honor them.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
What is your first memory?
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Falling down the steps in kindergarten at a circus field
trip and a big dude in cowboy boots having to
stand at the railing as I was going down the
step to keep me from falling over down maybe a
few stories to the level below. That is my first
(05:41):
childhood memory. Falling, Yeah, falling down some steps and being
saved by a white guy and cowboy boots. No wonder,
I'm messed up.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Oh my goodness. It's funny because they say your first
memory is usually a traumatic one and that's why you
remember first one. I remember, Wow, Okay, were you born
with swagger?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Get my mom in near and ask for that. My
guess is yes, I was born. My due date was
August sixteenth, nineteen seventy seven. That will sound familiar to
some folks because that ends up being the day that
Elvis Presley died August sixteenth, nineteen seventy seven, so I
always know the anniversary of his death. It was forty
seven years this year because I'll be forty seven. But
(06:22):
I ended up being born on August nineteenth, so I
always joke I just wanted Elvis to have his moment.
I didn't want to come into the world and try
to take take some of the spotlight away. So I
guess I had swagger from birth. If you want to
put that story together.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Maybe you're Elvis reincarnated. Whoa thinking of that? He went
upstairs to meet the big guy and then came back down.
You never know. I think it's possible. What is something
that you would like to change about yourself?
Speaker 2 (06:49):
My sleeping habits, that's just a health habit I would
like to change. I'm getting better about it, but I
have a hard I have a difficult time forgiving and
giving people a second chance who aren't already in my
circle of my world. Like I meet new people or whatever,
somebody I'm not that close to. I don't they screw
(07:10):
me once and I don't necessarily let that person back in.
But I want to do better about being more forgiving. Okay,
that's what I'm.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Saying, what is something you'd like to change about me?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I don't want to change anything about you, baby, You're perfect.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
I think you said that a little too quickly.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
That is my answer.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
I won't follow up, what do you miss most about
your life? Before the tabloids released those pictures of.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Us anonymity, there was a an ease, I should say,
I think a complacency, which you can argue that that's
all what we all want. We all say we want adventure,
we want something new, we want but truly we just
we'd like to be comfortable and not stress the hell
out all the time. But I think there was an
(07:59):
ease and a comfort just generally speaking to life in
the direction it was going. That's that I think I
let sometimes creep back into my head. But I would
never go back to that.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Well, I was just going to ask the next question,
would you go back to your old job if you could?
Speaker 2 (08:17):
That is, there's a lot of ifs in there, and
does that include working with you? Does that include working
with some of the same folks that are still there
that would involve that would have all a lot, But
generally speaking, I can't I can't see a path of
doing that now. I shouldn't say a path. Obviously, nobody's
(08:39):
over there is thinking about us coming back. But I
don't like I couldn't set up a scenario that actually
makes sense. Okay, Uh.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
What is the biggest misconception people have about you?
Speaker 2 (08:50):
That I'm outgoing, that I am the life of the
party and an extrovert.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Okay, I would agree with that. What is the hardest
decision you've ever had to make?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
The don't know. There have been a lot of difficult
decisions that shaped life and would have changed the course
of my life altogether. I had to make a decision
to where I was even gonna go to college. I
had to make a decision to take that job or
not that job. I had to make a decision to
(09:23):
get married. I had to make this decision to get divorced.
Made those decisions twice, actually right those old things came.
I think one of the biggest turning points in my
life that I always wonder about is I had an
opportunity to go back to Little Rock, to my home
state at least Arkansas, and be main anchor at a
(09:46):
station there. And at the same time I had an
offer to go to CNN to be an anchor and
I actually that was a fifty to fifty shot, and
a lot of people thought I was crazy, and one
of my best friends at the time I ended up
having to talk me out of Arkansas saying, look, they'll
always be there. CNN doesn't always come calling, is what
(10:07):
he told me. But I was at that point in
my life to where I was twenty five twenty no, no, no, twenty,
I was twenty eight. I was twenty eight at the time,
twenty eight years old, willing to go back to Little
Rock and be the big fish in a small pond
and live out a quieter existence. I was willing to
do that, and I almost did it. So that was
(10:29):
a very hard decision that I think back to and wow,
that really really changed would have changed to the direction
of my life in a lot of ways.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Yeah, that certainly what I've What would you say is
your biggest turnoff? I'm talking about when you are.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Dating someone smoking I can't deal with.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Oh I did know the answer to that.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Yeah, this non starter.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
I was trying to ask questions I didn't know the
answer to, but I actually knew the answer to that. Yeah,
just forgot all right, what's your biggest turn on.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
If a woman can't put on that sounds weird to
be sitting here with my girlfriend talking about if this woman.
If I'm to ask the question, it's fair if she
can't put on jeans and a white T shirt and
belly up to the bar, have a draft beer and
watch a football game on a Saturday. We're not gonna work.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Out, but if she does, it's a good start, all right.
That's a point in my corner. What do you look
for in a partner?
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Like?
Speaker 1 (11:29):
What are the qualities that matter to you the most?
Speaker 2 (11:33):
You have to There has to be a at this point.
We all say we want to be happy and seeking happiness,
but I find it to be peace and anybody that
disrupts my piece is a problem for me these days.
So what I look for. I look for somebody who
is self aware, self confident, certainly not clingy. I guess
(11:57):
independent is one way to say that. But you just
can't disrupt my piece. I need someone who is comfortable
with who she is because I don't need to have
to deal with you and your issues. You have to.
I learned that later on in life with so many
relationships partners I've had the problem is I'm not healthy
(12:20):
enough to help anybody else, So I need somebody who
is in her own good place so it doesn't disrupt
the work I've done and the piece I have finally
been able to get.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
This sounds like an interview question, but I'm actually curious
what the answer is. What would you tell twenty two
year old TJ just getting out of.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
College, have a good time, homie, have a good time. Absolutely,
what did go get them? Have a good time? Enjoy yourself?
I can say is you know, look, I'll be careful,
do the best you can. Try not to hurt yourself
if I hurt anybody else. But other than that, I can't.
I would not be sitting here with you, the love
(13:06):
of my life, if that twenty two year old TJ
took my advice and did anything different. Yeah, you gotta
go on that path and go on that journey, and
you don't know where you're gonna end up.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So I won't ask the questions do you have any regrets,
because the answer would be no.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
The only one is I kind of regret that I
didn't continue playing football out of junior high school. It
sounds crazy, but I was. I stuck with basketball. It's
already always a pretty good basketball player, and I had
some smaller college opportunities out of high school. But as
(13:42):
good as I was in basketball, I was a better
football player. And if I actually broke my ankle, and
I said to hell with this after I broke my ankle,
but if I had continued with football, I kind of
wonder I wouldn't call it a regret. But that's the
one thing.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
Do you think we would have been friends in high school?
Speaker 2 (14:03):
I should qualify that by saying where were we attending
high school? Some neighborhoods, some blocks, some cities. Maybe we
would have never been rolling with the same crowd, but
generally too, I think what your question is, yes, what
we would have cut up and clowned and gotten in
a lot of trouble, But yeah, personality wise, and you
(14:24):
and I, yeah we would have been fine.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I think we would have been the kids who were
separated in class for talking to You always said, but
I thought you were going to take the opportunity to
point out that you were in middle school when I
was in high school.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
But uh no, you said, would we have been good
in high school together?
Speaker 1 (14:40):
I just thought you might take the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Oh, it's fun and it was college. You were in
college when I was in junior high school. No, we
did some numbers.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah, because junior high school to you was ninth grade
and that's seventh or nine. Yeah, I see that was
different for me. Middle school was six to eight. So
in my world, I was you were in high school.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
When I was in When you were a freshman in
college was what.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Year nineteen ninety one?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
You know what I was doing. I was in Junior
High West Junior High in West Memphis, Arkansas. Yes, home
of the Blue Imps. That's where I was when you
were freshman in college. So wow, I guess I did
have swagger right.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
All right? I would tease some of the questions I'm
going to ask you, but I don't want you to
prep for them. So stay tuned. We'll be right back.
Welcome back everyone, TJ. Remaining on a hot seat, and
I'm gonna just dig right in. So what do you
(15:39):
worry about most?
Speaker 2 (15:41):
TJ? Uh bean being okay? My health and business and
professional success?
Speaker 1 (15:58):
What is something you could say right now that would
surprise me?
Speaker 2 (16:02):
I say that surprises you. You would be surprised to know.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
That.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
As soon as we get done with our work today,
in this podcast that I need to take up an
issue with you from an email that I sent you earlier.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Great, that just sounds so much fun, Like maybe I'm
going to extend this even further.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
My response is you asked, can't wait for that?
Speaker 1 (16:35):
All right? Who would you like to interview most on
this podcast?
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Diane Warren, Jimmy Allen, Matt, and Rachel. I'll leave it
at that. You said who is one? But those are
three that popped into three or four that popped into
my mind immediately. All right, and I say, Matt and Rachel.
Maybe some do know, but Matt, Matt James, we will
I have him on with Rachel. I'm actually looking forward
to it they having that conversation with him.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Yeah, they're good people, and I think we've had some
shared experiences. What is your most embarrassing moment?
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Most? There have been a lot of embarrassing moments. I
picked one, but all right, I'll pick the one in
which I was new to k In TV out in
the Bay Area, the NBC station out there. I was
fairly new. I was filling in for the main anchor
on the late news and they did not update the
(17:33):
prompter at the top of the show. His name was
still in the prompter, and I introduced myself by calling
myself his name.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
I have heard that story of before, but it's always
good to repeat. I didn't I forgot you were going
to go there, But yes.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
I didn't know it was. But that's the most embarrassing
thing that's come to mind.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Is there a video of that anywhere?
Speaker 2 (17:51):
I mean, I don't know it was tapes and whatnot
back then, so it's probably long gone, but.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Beta tapes or something, so man, that would have been
fun to watch. All right. I don't know the answer
to this. Do you care what people think about you?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Yes? We all do. We can't help it. If anybody
says no, they don't, then well I think it's rare
that people don't care what people think about them, but
I think everybody does. It's just a matter of how
much are you willing to adjust who you are to
try to be liked? And that's I guess that's where
(18:27):
it stops. I care up to that point.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Yeah, I was gonna ask how much do you care?
How much does it affect you?
Speaker 2 (18:33):
Not very much these days, because I don't know what
people think of me, because I don't spend time reading anything,
as you know. But I obviously I'm aware that folks
out there will continue to say particular things about us,
and there'll be a narrative that's some a narrative that
some won't ever get away from. But care, Yeah, And
we have to care to a certain degree more in
(18:55):
that we actually work in public life to where what
somebody thinks of you or somebody we've seen it a
hashtag costs people's jobs and careers and opportunities. And we'll
think some think that's okay, and some deserve that, an
others say some don't. But the point just being it's
(19:16):
what people think of us is not just a personal impact.
It can be a professional one.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
What would you say is your worst habit.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Worst habit, worst habit, worst habit? I have a bad
habit of blank ah worse. I mean, oh god, I mean,
I'm trying to think of the habits have bad. A
sleeping habit. Not sleeping is not a habit.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Well, it can be, and it kind of is for you.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
But that's awful. It's it's there's a countdown clock going
for me every single day that's going to expire at
about four thirty am. So the closer I get to
that time, is how much sleep I'm going to lose.
So if it's ten o'clock at night, eleven o'clock at night, midnight,
(20:08):
some people can go to bed at midnight and this
I'll just sleep in until seven or eight. I go
to bed at midnight. I go to bed at one,
doesn't matter. I am getting up at four point thirty.
So I have this kind of countdown in my head
every single day. And you've seen this. I don't have
to set my alarm. I just pop up. And so
I don't know how that's a habit, that's a that's
(20:29):
a health habit I need to change. But that's an
awful one.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
And that countdown clock does not help. Isn't that just
anxiety producing?
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Well, it probably keeps me from falling asleep faster. I
think a lot of people can at least relate to
staring at like it's midnight and that, oh god, I
have to get up at five, and then you're so
stressed that you're missing sleep that you can't sleep. So
I don't necessarily have that of anxiety about it.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
What is your biggest pet peeve about other people? Folks
that stand on an escalator. We'll get that twice as
fas as folks if you just walk.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Okay. So I wrote an escalator down with you one
time and you said to me, this isn't a ride.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
It's not an amusement park ride.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
I was confused, and You're like, what are you waiting on?
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Move? Yeah, that must have been early on because you
know now now I know, do not stand on.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
The escalator when you're with TJ. What are you most
afraid of?
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I am a I am afraid of. I guess all
my fears have to do with sabine right, have to
do with family, have to do with health, have to
do with those things. But in day to day life,
I don't I've gotten away from that. And I used
to be that queste and five years ago would have
(22:01):
gotten a word to spawned a much different answer. But
it seems weird to be at a place where I'm
not daily or generally fearful or worried or scared of something.
Fear I don't know. I mean, I guess I'm supposed
I don't know. I guess I'm not supposed to say
I fear death, not necessarily. I mean, I don't think
about it like that I don't know. I don't know what.
(22:23):
I fear you're fearless. I won't say that, I mean
because I always think you right. This courage is is
is understanding, feeling, acknowledging the fear, and then doing it anyway.
I would like to think that. I mean, even this
venture of what we're doing here, there was a little
fearful of trying something new. But I don't necessarily think
(22:44):
that's what you mean. That sounds a smaller thing. But
I don't know what on a regular basis I fear
that's one I actually don't know.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
All right, honest answer there, Other than smoking, what would
be a relationship deal breaker for you? Other than well,
because that's what you had said before, a turnoff?
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Oh, other than smoking? I mean, try something. Is that
a challenge you rich your best shot? Other than a turnoff,
a turnoff and getting into a relationship or versus getting out,
I'm not thinking of it.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Yeah, this is like being in a relationship with somebody
and could somebody do something that is a relationship deal
breaker for you? Asking for a friend?
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Um, I think there is a trust element having to
do with right, you told me it's not a deal breaker,
but you told me something not long ago that you
had never told me, because you revealed to someone that
we were dating, and you hadn't told me that you
did that ahead of time, even though I'd asked you before.
(23:46):
We talked about it plenty, and you never told me
that those types of like, I feel like that was
a betrayal of a friendship, even more so than a
betrayal of the relationship, and that I don't want that
stuff to stack up. Yeah, so that would drive me
crazy because then everything I'm thinking, Well, I asked her
(24:07):
not to tell her parents that, and she did it. Anyway, Well,
I asked her to do this and she did It.
Is those little little things that would break down to
trust certainly that I've formed with you over a decade.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Now, yep, okay, that makes sense. What is the most
meaningful compliment you've.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Received being a good daddy?
Speaker 1 (24:29):
That makes sense, and you are a very good daddy.
What would you say is your biggest insecurity?
Speaker 2 (24:36):
I have bad feet ding That was just a have.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
A very bad toe.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
We know, we saw only said that to bye some time.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
That's okay, I'm going to be doing the same thing.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Come on with a real answer.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
What s biggest insecurity because you don't seem like a
very insecure person at all. In fact, I feel like
you are one of the most secure people I've ever met,
and yet I know you're human, So you have to
have some sort of insecurity that pecks away at you
a little bit here and there.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
I'm insecure about, you know what. And this made me
have something to do with our our business right for
so long, for too long, I attached my worth, my value,
my identity to the accolades or the adoration I was
getting publicly. So when that goes away in a way
(25:35):
it did to where we got more famous than ever,
but not for what our jobs were. I think that
it was definitely an insecurity that then many folks in
the public and in privately friends and family reassured you
(25:56):
and let you know, wow, that is that is not
what I am known for. That is not what people
are complimenting me for. That is not what people are
rooting for me for. That's not That's not it. And
we know that, and we've you know, I've talked plenty
about authors we read and lessons we learned. But it's
(26:18):
I think, yeah, I think that's an insecurity I had
and something I'd worked on in years prior to get
away from that and to make sure I always remember
who I am, which has nothing to do what I
ever did on air.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
You actually set this question up earlier with one of
your answers, but I already had it written down. Why
is it so hard for you to forgive? And I
put me in parentheses, But just in general.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
I don't know. I actually could probably go back somewhere
if I had to unpack this with a with a therapist.
But I have always been that way. I don't know.
I've always been that way. Just it's more so I
can forgive people who are I forgive my sister, my mom,
you man, close friends, we all get into beefs. But
(27:08):
when it's someone who's just I don't know that well.
If it's someone I just have a difficult time being
disappointed let down. Maybe those are some of my own expectations,
but I just don't let a whole lot of people in.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
What is your love language?
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I can't keep up with what these damn things are.
It's five of them, and then y'all say it six.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
If you had to pick between, I think physical touch,
words of affirmation.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
There are the gifts in there, right, gifts is in there?
Probably words of affirmation, words.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Of affirmation, this acts of service. I think I'm missing ones.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
Probably.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Oh quality time. Quality time is the other one.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Quality time is a big one for me.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Okay, yeah, so those two words of affirmation and quality time.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
The gifts isn't there? Okay, so all of them. I'm
trilingual when it comes to love languages.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
I like that, all right. When did you know you
loved me?
Speaker 2 (28:04):
I think from birth there was something. Oh, it was
kind of something on that August nineteenth and West Memphis
all those years ago, just a hole in my heart
from birth. Doctors couldn't figure it out.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
Oh my god, answer please, Look, I'm still not sure.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I'm dealing with yo. That was a joke. Everybody got
cold and Jesus sold.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
That very well. I kind of sucked my breath and
got stone cold.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Quiet. Oh he's just snorting about it over there. That's
a good laugh. That's a good laugh. Loved you for
a long time, loved you, been in love with you
in this way? When I knew that? And I'm thinking
of it in my mind, like when did I know
I'm in trouble? When did I know oh oh, this
(28:59):
needs to be a dressed I campinpoint, but I twenty
post pandemic twenty twenty. When was that, damn girl?
Speaker 1 (29:17):
I mean, we started working together in twenty twenty, like closely,
we always work together, but we actually shared in America that.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
I'm the twenty twenty It was early twenty twenty two.
We didn't start talking about it until much nutel later.
But when I thought that was an issue was for me?
Was twenty twenty two going into I don't know spring
certainly somewhere, but spring twenty twenty two is what I
(29:43):
would say.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
How do you motivate yourself when you're feeling down or
uninspired or just low? What do you do?
Speaker 2 (29:53):
I have learned now that I need to stop and
rest and take could beat. Usually I would try to
push through. I would pop another five hour energy, stay
up all night. But I've learned now that sometimes I'm
less productive by staying up for three hours and not
getting anything done instead of just taking one hour break
(30:14):
and being much more productive. So that's I've learned that
to motivate myself, I don't need a whole lot of it.
I need I get down and I get low. But
when I do that. I need rest, mental rest, physical rest.
But as far as motivation, You've seen this time and
time again that the alarm doesn't have to go off.
I don't hit snooze. If it does, I hit off
(30:38):
and jump out of the bit and I am off
and running. I don't need to go. Get tea first
and crust out of my eyes and I'm ready to go.
That's me every day.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
What is your best life advice for someone who is
starting out in adulthood? Like, what would you what would
be your best advice that, with everything you've learned, everything
we've been through, what would you say?
Speaker 2 (31:03):
I would tell folks, don't let perfect to get in
the way of good, which is some great advice I
got a while back. This point you have given all
we know. I don't know what to advise anybody. Cool luck,
(31:25):
but we went through. But no, you have to screw
up early and often make as many of them. Don't ever,
don't be afraid when you're eighteen nineteen twenty twenty one.
Don't be afraid then, because you can actually make a
mistake you can recover from. But screw up early. Don't
(31:48):
get scared early, and do it absolutely all and maybe
maybe you have time in life to correct some of
those mistakes you made early on.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Well, I wish I had gotten that advice about twenty
years ago. Okay, so lightning round when we come back,
stay with us. Okay, here we are with a lightning
(32:17):
round for TJ. Holmes favorite movie of all time?
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Ten Commandments.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Oh that's surprise.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Yes, Charleston heston you and Brennard that movie, favorite movie
all the time.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
I did not know that. Yep, very interesting. Okay. What's
the last thing that made you cry?
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Probably you?
Speaker 1 (32:43):
I didn't say, who is the last person to make
you cry?
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Okay? Something you said? The last thing that made me cry?
Speaker 1 (32:50):
I duly noted. I'm not going to ask what it was,
because I probably just don't. I want to keep that
to ourselves. What song will get you on the dance floor?
Speaker 2 (32:59):
A sap rocky f problems?
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Okay? Favorite country you visited?
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Morocco?
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Maybe?
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Wait, there's a Brazil in there. Give me one a second. Maybe, Oh, Frances, for.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
So many good ones.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
I'm trying just what trip I enjoyed the most. Let's
go with France.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
Okay, And what what country do you still want to
visit that you haven't yet that's on the top of
your list.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Top Egypt is way up there.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
We are in sync with that, all right. I don't
know the answer to this favorite color black that's mine?
Speaker 2 (33:46):
What the hell?
Speaker 3 (33:47):
Man?
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I mean?
Speaker 1 (33:49):
You gotta have some silly ones.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
You see me. The color I wear most is probably
I do wear black most, but as far as being
on TV blue, I would go with a lot of blue. Okay.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Favorite holiday Thanksgiving? Oh, I knew that. Dang celebrity crush.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
There are so many. Mom oh god, Zazie Beats, Helen Muhren,
Emily Blunt, Angela Bassett.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
Wow, you can stop now, my god, Edgar Ramirez, Denzel Washington.
I should have qualified that question. Name your favorite or
your biggest celebrity crush? It's okay, I liked it. Last
thing you searched on Google?
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Damn, I don't know that's a good shot. Check yeah,
check it. Okay, you want to ask the next one while.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
You're do you believe in astrology?
Speaker 2 (34:54):
It's fun to play around with, but not really.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
It's so leo of you. Last book you read cover
to cover? Yeah, I'm really curious what this one is
cover to.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Cover with cover to cover? Hiesh. You know what Cover
to Cover? You know what it was? It was Will
Smith's biography, autobiography, Okay, because I had an interview coming
up with him, and yeah, cover to Cover. I think
that was the last one because I had read all
the singers stuff, Marchol Singer and yeah, I think i'd
read all that beforehand. I think that was it.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
I listened to that book. It's still I mean that
it is an amazing book. It's an amazing read. All right.
What's the last thing you googled?
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Art Malick?
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Please explain?
Speaker 2 (35:46):
He is the actor who plays the villain in True Lives.
Why did you google that? I was trying to remember
who he was. I had the movie on, and you
know I always have something on in the True Lies
is one of my absolute favorites. David Lee Curtis is
one of our absolute favorites of all time, and he
is the bad guy, the terrorist in it. But he
(36:08):
is a British actor and I was trying to look
up his background. That is the last thing that I googled.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
That is very funny. Okay, best gift you've ever received, man,
I got.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
A lot of crappy gifts.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Or they're so good you can't pick.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
The best I've ever received. That's todd I really do
not know.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
Do you have a gift that you remember about that?
Because have you ever gone through Christmas and you're like, wait,
someone asks you what your favorite gift is and you
can't even remember one of them? Was there a memorable gift?
Speaker 2 (36:41):
You know what I got? I got when I was
I don't know, five six seven. I got a a
Gi Joe set. They had like forty fifty pieces in it.
I cannot remember being that excited about a gift since.
But yeah, I've got a lot nice gifts, but the
greatest scale. I was trying to think that anybody ever
(37:02):
give me a car or a suit or a house
or pay my rent for the month or something. I've
never gotten anything on that scale.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Yeah, all right, but memorable? I like that. What would
your last meal be?
Speaker 2 (37:16):
I need a shrimps of each to start. I need
a caesar salad no croutons, dressing on the side with
anchovies as well. I need a lobster ravioli to go
along with my bone in filet let's cooked midrare. And
(37:39):
I need a bread pudding for dessert.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Okay that yes, none of those things surprise me, all right,
best way.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
To die as late as possible.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Okay, fair Favorite interview I hate when people ask me this,
but I'm asking it to you. Favorite interview of all time.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
All time, probably a series of them I did with
Alex Trebek. Favorite because I just learned so much from
him in the time I got to spend with him,
which was a lot. But that it will always stand out.
Have been so many over the years obviously for it.
But you enjoy them for different reasons. You enjoy some
of them because they made big headlines and we're good
(38:19):
for your career. Others because you got to meet great people,
and it is the whole range of emotions with Alex Trebek.
But he was somebody I've valued spending time with and
will always be a blessings. Been around him as much
as I was.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
Yeah, that was very cool that time you got with him.
We all learned a lot from you about him. A
dream car.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
That I've owned them, I think already. Well, I'm not
I'm a big car guy, but I'm not a big
exotic car guy. So I yeah, I had for a
few years a red Corps. Yeah, a bright red Corvette,
and that was car I missed that car a lot.
It was sick shift right, it was a six seed.
(39:04):
I can see it now, I can see me in
it now. But my dream car, I am a very
basic dude. I want a just a fully loaded white
Chevy Tahoe and I'll be happy the rest of my life.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Okay, best stress reliever.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
Running.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
That is very, very true. I love that this is
out of the lightning round because I just maybe want
to end on something, you know, insightful, something to leave
the listener with. What would you say is your biggest
takeaway takeaway from the aftermath of this past year.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
Biggest is the biggest. There are so many I have.
The takeaway has to be that this two shell pass.
People have told me that my entire life, or when
something comes up, and so many did tell me that
this time you can tell. Sometimes people say in passing,
and some people say it still being sincere, but others
(40:04):
say it from experience, and it really does. It never
feels like it when you're it's happening to you and
you in the moment, but it is absolutely true that
with time things pass, heels, wounds do heal, and there
is going to be a way forward. So I have.
I have learned that more than anything. It's actually true.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
And here is the question that so many of us
ask at the end of interviews. Is there anything I
didn't ask you that you'd like to say?
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Nope? And I love when the interview e would say that, no,
good to go. All right, my plane's taken off here
an now and half.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
Anyway, you covered it all great, good to hear. How
did that feel?
Speaker 2 (40:53):
How did it feel? It was fine? I mean, I'm
not gonna, you know, take issue with the interviewer. You're
the professional here.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
I like asking the questions. Which one do you prefer most?
Speaker 2 (41:04):
Asking or answering? Yes? Asking? Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Same.
Speaker 2 (41:07):
It's easier for me though, to answer them, because, like
I said, you can ask me anything. It wasn't too
much in here that was so so out of the
box or controversial or threw me off to where I
didn't feel like I could just open my mouth and speak.
I don't you know. There are times our entire careers
were on live television. You always to some degree have
to be mindful of what comes out of your mouth.
(41:29):
You can't be completely honest, you can't got to couch
it a little bit. And this is just an environment
here where I don't feel like I have to do that,
and this episode is not one where I felt that either.
Speaker 1 (41:40):
Well that's good. That makes that feels good?
Speaker 4 (41:43):
Is there?
Speaker 1 (41:43):
I'm curious? Is there a question you thought I was
going to ask that I didn't.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
Oh, no, okay, I don't think so.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
All right, more to come. I love it. Well, thank
you TJ for being our guest on the Amy and
TJ Podcast.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Thank you so much. I like what you guys are
doing here.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
I hope you come back next week or on a
couple of days. It'd be nice to have you around
in the studio. I know where to find you, all right, everybody.
You can find us on Instagram at Amy and TJ Podcast.
We're both on Gosh, we both joined TikTok. We have
our private Instagram accounts. There are numerous ways you all
can reach out, but we hope you will, and we
(42:19):
hope you have a fantastic day.
Welcome to the podcast, everybody. Amy and TJ both here,
and I'm excited about the day's podcast. How about you, TJ. H.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I'll get back to you here shortly about it. They'll
know how this is.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Going to go TVD. And the reason why he said
that is because we actually talked about this topic together
and both agreed upon it before we sat down. It
started and correct me if I'm wrong here, TJ. When
we were on text with each other and we were
(00:36):
exploring our feelings, and you suggested, because yes we know
each other, Yes we'd known each other for a long time,
but it doesn't mean we knew everything about each other.
And you said to me one night, ask me anything,
and I'll answer it. I'll be honest, and nothing's off
the table, and it's funny. Even as somebody who interviewed
(00:57):
people for a living, I was intimidated. I didn't know
what to ask, what not to ask, and so I
just kind of went for it. And you were extremely honest,
and it was a nice way to further our relationship,
to deepen our relationship, would you agree.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
I didn't realize it at the time because I thought
you'd take advantage of something like that. Because I meant
it every time I said it, and I had to
egg you on and push you to ask me a question.
But yeah, you're of all people, let's know about nothing
I'm hiding from you, so I don't need to hold
my tongue or be careful. So it was a relief
to be asked anything by you.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
We're going to take turns, and I will put myself
in the hot seat. But this episode, I actually realized
as I sat down, I got a ton of questions
I don't know the answer to, and we agreed that
we wouldn't obviously let each other know what the other
is going to ask, So I don't even know where
you're gonna go with your questions, or what themes you're
(01:49):
gonna have, or any of that. And the same goes
for you. And you ready to get started? Yeah, all right,
let's jump in. Let's dive in head first. How would
you describe your life to someone who didn't know you?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
A life worth living that has the highest of highs
and the lowest of lows, but not one I would
ever take back. It was full of opportunity and love
and family. And I took those lessons with me and
led to great success, but then some of my greatest failures.
(02:31):
Those are the lessons I had to learn on my
own and not things I got from the family and
love coming up. So I have lived a a wonderful
life that I wish everybody had all the highs, and
actually I wish some of the lows because they were
some of the biggest lessons.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
What do you need that you don't currently have?
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Probably a scheduled colin. My sister got on to me
of this two days ago, sent the text as if
I had one. I said no, and she said, well,
you're getting older, you need to get one. So that's
the only thing I can think of.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
I like what Tish asked you to do. That's good advice.
What from your childhood would you say shaped you the most.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
The most is a tough one. Maybe my experience my
time internal Arkansas country, little town about twenty miles outside
of where I grew up. That's where my granddad was,
and I was very close to him and coming up,
and I spent so much time in that back and
forth and that family element internal Arkansas that I think
(03:45):
so much of what I saw and experienced their shaped
to me. I think about uncles, and aunts and cousins
and things that I do that I got from them
that I don't even realize. So I would say just
having my granddad, that guy and such close proximity to me,
a guy who only had a third grade education but
got seven kids through college, and who was a great
(04:07):
entrepreneur and a businessman and did well for himself, and
he was just that experience is huge for me in
my childhood.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
You have a quote from him on your arm one
of your tattoos.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
That's a long story. The tattoo only says make them
all happy. And that's a reminder. I lost my grandad
in twenty sixteen, but he was maybe the closest person
to that point that I had lost. But a childhood
memory of mine sitting out a window, I was probably
six seven years old and just sitting at his feet
around the holidays and he's just, you know, he's holding
(04:39):
court and just talking trash like it always does. And
he said to me, why would you ever get married
and try to make one woman happy when you can
stay single and make them all happy. Now that's my
granddad And I was six or seven. Oh my gosh,
he was just messing around, being silly and joking, but
(05:00):
it was to this day a memory from birth to
eighteen years old. I don't have more vividly than that one.
And it was just a very special and cool and
funny moment with my granddad. And I got the tattoo
after I lost him in to honor them.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
What is your first memory?
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Falling down the steps in kindergarten at a circus field
trip and a big dude in cowboy boots having to
stand at the railing as I was going down the
step to keep me from falling over down maybe a
few stories to the level below. That is my first
(05:41):
childhood memory. Falling, Yeah, falling down some steps and being
saved by a white guy and cowboy boots. No wonder,
I'm messed up.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Oh my goodness. It's funny because they say your first
memory is usually a traumatic one and that's why you
remember first one. I remember, Wow, Okay, were you born
with swagger?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Get my mom in near and ask for that. My
guess is yes, I was born. My due date was
August sixteenth, nineteen seventy seven. That will sound familiar to
some folks because that ends up being the day that
Elvis Presley died August sixteenth, nineteen seventy seven, so I
always know the anniversary of his death. It was forty
seven years this year because I'll be forty seven. But
(06:22):
I ended up being born on August nineteenth, so I
always joke I just wanted Elvis to have his moment.
I didn't want to come into the world and try
to take take some of the spotlight away. So I
guess I had swagger from birth. If you want to
put that story together.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Maybe you're Elvis reincarnated. Whoa thinking of that? He went
upstairs to meet the big guy and then came back down.
You never know. I think it's possible. What is something
that you would like to change about yourself?
Speaker 2 (06:49):
My sleeping habits, that's just a health habit I would
like to change. I'm getting better about it, but I
have a hard I have a difficult time forgiving and
giving people a second chance who aren't already in my
circle of my world. Like I meet new people or whatever,
somebody I'm not that close to. I don't they screw
(07:10):
me once and I don't necessarily let that person back in.
But I want to do better about being more forgiving. Okay,
that's what I'm.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Saying, what is something you'd like to change about me?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I don't want to change anything about you, baby, You're perfect.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
I think you said that a little too quickly.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
That is my answer.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
I won't follow up, what do you miss most about
your life? Before the tabloids released those pictures of.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Us anonymity, there was a an ease, I should say,
I think a complacency, which you can argue that that's
all what we all want. We all say we want adventure,
we want something new, we want but truly we just
we'd like to be comfortable and not stress the hell
out all the time. But I think there was an
(07:59):
ease and a comfort just generally speaking to life in
the direction it was going. That's that I think I
let sometimes creep back into my head. But I would
never go back to that.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Well, I was just going to ask the next question,
would you go back to your old job if you could?
Speaker 2 (08:17):
That is, there's a lot of ifs in there, and
does that include working with you? Does that include working
with some of the same folks that are still there
that would involve that would have all a lot, But
generally speaking, I can't I can't see a path of
doing that now. I shouldn't say a path. Obviously, nobody's
(08:39):
over there is thinking about us coming back. But I
don't like I couldn't set up a scenario that actually
makes sense. Okay, Uh.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
What is the biggest misconception people have about you?
Speaker 2 (08:50):
That I'm outgoing, that I am the life of the
party and an extrovert.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Okay, I would agree with that. What is the hardest
decision you've ever had to make?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
The don't know. There have been a lot of difficult
decisions that shaped life and would have changed the course
of my life altogether. I had to make a decision
to where I was even gonna go to college. I
had to make a decision to take that job or
not that job. I had to make a decision to
(09:23):
get married. I had to make this decision to get divorced.
Made those decisions twice, actually right those old things came.
I think one of the biggest turning points in my
life that I always wonder about is I had an
opportunity to go back to Little Rock, to my home
state at least Arkansas, and be main anchor at a
(09:46):
station there. And at the same time I had an
offer to go to CNN to be an anchor and
I actually that was a fifty to fifty shot, and
a lot of people thought I was crazy, and one
of my best friends at the time I ended up
having to talk me out of Arkansas saying, look, they'll
always be there. CNN doesn't always come calling, is what
(10:07):
he told me. But I was at that point in
my life to where I was twenty five twenty no, no, no, twenty,
I was twenty eight. I was twenty eight at the time,
twenty eight years old, willing to go back to Little
Rock and be the big fish in a small pond
and live out a quieter existence. I was willing to
do that, and I almost did it. So that was
(10:29):
a very hard decision that I think back to and wow,
that really really changed would have changed to the direction
of my life in a lot of ways.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Yeah, that certainly what I've What would you say is
your biggest turnoff? I'm talking about when you are.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Dating someone smoking I can't deal with.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Oh I did know the answer to that.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Yeah, this non starter.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
I was trying to ask questions I didn't know the
answer to, but I actually knew the answer to that. Yeah,
just forgot all right, what's your biggest turn on.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
If a woman can't put on that sounds weird to
be sitting here with my girlfriend talking about if this woman.
If I'm to ask the question, it's fair if she
can't put on jeans and a white T shirt and
belly up to the bar, have a draft beer and
watch a football game on a Saturday. We're not gonna work.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Out, but if she does, it's a good start, all right.
That's a point in my corner. What do you look
for in a partner?
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Like?
Speaker 1 (11:29):
What are the qualities that matter to you the most?
Speaker 2 (11:33):
You have to There has to be a at this point.
We all say we want to be happy and seeking happiness,
but I find it to be peace and anybody that
disrupts my piece is a problem for me these days.
So what I look for. I look for somebody who
is self aware, self confident, certainly not clingy. I guess
(11:57):
independent is one way to say that. But you just
can't disrupt my piece. I need someone who is comfortable
with who she is because I don't need to have
to deal with you and your issues. You have to.
I learned that later on in life with so many
relationships partners I've had the problem is I'm not healthy
(12:20):
enough to help anybody else, So I need somebody who
is in her own good place so it doesn't disrupt
the work I've done and the piece I have finally
been able to get.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
This sounds like an interview question, but I'm actually curious
what the answer is. What would you tell twenty two
year old TJ just getting out of.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
College, have a good time, homie, have a good time. Absolutely,
what did go get them? Have a good time? Enjoy yourself?
I can say is you know, look, I'll be careful,
do the best you can. Try not to hurt yourself
if I hurt anybody else. But other than that, I can't.
I would not be sitting here with you, the love
(13:06):
of my life, if that twenty two year old TJ
took my advice and did anything different. Yeah, you gotta
go on that path and go on that journey, and
you don't know where you're gonna end up.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So I won't ask the questions do you have any regrets,
because the answer would be no.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
The only one is I kind of regret that I
didn't continue playing football out of junior high school. It
sounds crazy, but I was. I stuck with basketball. It's
already always a pretty good basketball player, and I had
some smaller college opportunities out of high school. But as
(13:42):
good as I was in basketball, I was a better
football player. And if I actually broke my ankle, and
I said to hell with this after I broke my ankle,
but if I had continued with football, I kind of
wonder I wouldn't call it a regret. But that's the
one thing.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
Do you think we would have been friends in high school?
Speaker 2 (14:03):
I should qualify that by saying where were we attending
high school? Some neighborhoods, some blocks, some cities. Maybe we
would have never been rolling with the same crowd, but
generally too, I think what your question is, yes, what
we would have cut up and clowned and gotten in
a lot of trouble, But yeah, personality wise, and you
(14:24):
and I, yeah we would have been fine.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I think we would have been the kids who were
separated in class for talking to You always said, but
I thought you were going to take the opportunity to
point out that you were in middle school when I
was in high school.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
But uh no, you said, would we have been good
in high school together?
Speaker 1 (14:40):
I just thought you might take the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Oh, it's fun and it was college. You were in
college when I was in junior high school. No, we
did some numbers.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah, because junior high school to you was ninth grade
and that's seventh or nine. Yeah, I see that was
different for me. Middle school was six to eight. So
in my world, I was you were in high school.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
When I was in When you were a freshman in
college was what.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Year nineteen ninety one?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
You know what I was doing. I was in Junior
High West Junior High in West Memphis, Arkansas. Yes, home
of the Blue Imps. That's where I was when you
were freshman in college. So wow, I guess I did
have swagger right.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
All right? I would tease some of the questions I'm
going to ask you, but I don't want you to
prep for them. So stay tuned. We'll be right back.
Welcome back everyone, TJ. Remaining on a hot seat, and
I'm gonna just dig right in. So what do you
(15:39):
worry about most?
Speaker 2 (15:41):
TJ? Uh bean being okay? My health and business and
professional success?
Speaker 1 (15:58):
What is something you could say right now that would
surprise me?
Speaker 2 (16:02):
I say that surprises you. You would be surprised to know.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
That.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
As soon as we get done with our work today,
in this podcast that I need to take up an
issue with you from an email that I sent you earlier.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Great, that just sounds so much fun, Like maybe I'm
going to extend this even further.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
My response is you asked, can't wait for that?
Speaker 1 (16:35):
All right? Who would you like to interview most on
this podcast?
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Diane Warren, Jimmy Allen, Matt, and Rachel. I'll leave it
at that. You said who is one? But those are
three that popped into three or four that popped into
my mind immediately. All right, and I say, Matt and Rachel.
Maybe some do know, but Matt, Matt James, we will
I have him on with Rachel. I'm actually looking forward
to it they having that conversation with him.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Yeah, they're good people, and I think we've had some
shared experiences. What is your most embarrassing moment?
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Most? There have been a lot of embarrassing moments. I
picked one, but all right, I'll pick the one in
which I was new to k In TV out in
the Bay Area, the NBC station out there. I was
fairly new. I was filling in for the main anchor
on the late news and they did not update the
(17:33):
prompter at the top of the show. His name was
still in the prompter, and I introduced myself by calling
myself his name.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
I have heard that story of before, but it's always
good to repeat. I didn't I forgot you were going
to go there, But yes.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
I didn't know it was. But that's the most embarrassing
thing that's come to mind.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Is there a video of that anywhere?
Speaker 2 (17:51):
I mean, I don't know it was tapes and whatnot
back then, so it's probably long gone, but.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Beta tapes or something, so man, that would have been
fun to watch. All right. I don't know the answer
to this. Do you care what people think about you?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Yes? We all do. We can't help it. If anybody
says no, they don't, then well I think it's rare
that people don't care what people think about them, but
I think everybody does. It's just a matter of how
much are you willing to adjust who you are to
try to be liked? And that's I guess that's where
(18:27):
it stops. I care up to that point.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Yeah, I was gonna ask how much do you care?
How much does it affect you?
Speaker 2 (18:33):
Not very much these days, because I don't know what
people think of me, because I don't spend time reading anything,
as you know. But I obviously I'm aware that folks
out there will continue to say particular things about us,
and there'll be a narrative that's some a narrative that
some won't ever get away from. But care, Yeah, And
we have to care to a certain degree more in
(18:55):
that we actually work in public life to where what
somebody thinks of you or somebody we've seen it a
hashtag costs people's jobs and careers and opportunities. And we'll
think some think that's okay, and some deserve that, an
others say some don't. But the point just being it's
(19:16):
what people think of us is not just a personal impact.
It can be a professional one.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
What would you say is your worst habit.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Worst habit, worst habit, worst habit? I have a bad
habit of blank ah worse. I mean, oh god, I mean,
I'm trying to think of the habits have bad. A
sleeping habit. Not sleeping is not a habit.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Well, it can be, and it kind of is for you.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
But that's awful. It's it's there's a countdown clock going
for me every single day that's going to expire at
about four thirty am. So the closer I get to
that time, is how much sleep I'm going to lose.
So if it's ten o'clock at night, eleven o'clock at night, midnight,
(20:08):
some people can go to bed at midnight and this
I'll just sleep in until seven or eight. I go
to bed at midnight. I go to bed at one,
doesn't matter. I am getting up at four point thirty.
So I have this kind of countdown in my head
every single day. And you've seen this. I don't have
to set my alarm. I just pop up. And so
I don't know how that's a habit, that's a that's
(20:29):
a health habit I need to change. But that's an
awful one.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
And that countdown clock does not help. Isn't that just
anxiety producing?
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Well, it probably keeps me from falling asleep faster. I
think a lot of people can at least relate to
staring at like it's midnight and that, oh god, I
have to get up at five, and then you're so
stressed that you're missing sleep that you can't sleep. So
I don't necessarily have that of anxiety about it.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
What is your biggest pet peeve about other people? Folks
that stand on an escalator. We'll get that twice as
fas as folks if you just walk.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Okay. So I wrote an escalator down with you one
time and you said to me, this isn't a ride.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
It's not an amusement park ride.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
I was confused, and You're like, what are you waiting on?
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Move? Yeah, that must have been early on because you
know now now I know, do not stand on.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
The escalator when you're with TJ. What are you most
afraid of?
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I am a I am afraid of. I guess all
my fears have to do with sabine right, have to
do with family, have to do with health, have to
do with those things. But in day to day life,
I don't I've gotten away from that. And I used
to be that queste and five years ago would have
(22:01):
gotten a word to spawned a much different answer. But
it seems weird to be at a place where I'm
not daily or generally fearful or worried or scared of something.
Fear I don't know. I mean, I guess I'm supposed
I don't know. I guess I'm not supposed to say
I fear death, not necessarily. I mean, I don't think
about it like that I don't know. I don't know what.
(22:23):
I fear you're fearless. I won't say that, I mean
because I always think you right. This courage is is
is understanding, feeling, acknowledging the fear, and then doing it anyway.
I would like to think that. I mean, even this
venture of what we're doing here, there was a little
fearful of trying something new. But I don't necessarily think
(22:44):
that's what you mean. That sounds a smaller thing. But
I don't know what on a regular basis I fear
that's one I actually don't know.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
All right, honest answer there, Other than smoking, what would
be a relationship deal breaker for you? Other than well,
because that's what you had said before, a turnoff?
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Oh, other than smoking? I mean, try something. Is that
a challenge you rich your best shot? Other than a turnoff,
a turnoff and getting into a relationship or versus getting out,
I'm not thinking of it.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Yeah, this is like being in a relationship with somebody
and could somebody do something that is a relationship deal
breaker for you? Asking for a friend?
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Um, I think there is a trust element having to
do with right, you told me it's not a deal breaker,
but you told me something not long ago that you
had never told me, because you revealed to someone that
we were dating, and you hadn't told me that you
did that ahead of time, even though I'd asked you before.
(23:46):
We talked about it plenty, and you never told me
that those types of like, I feel like that was
a betrayal of a friendship, even more so than a
betrayal of the relationship, and that I don't want that
stuff to stack up. Yeah, so that would drive me
crazy because then everything I'm thinking, Well, I asked her
(24:07):
not to tell her parents that, and she did it. Anyway, Well,
I asked her to do this and she did It.
Is those little little things that would break down to
trust certainly that I've formed with you over a decade.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Now, yep, okay, that makes sense. What is the most
meaningful compliment you've.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Received being a good daddy?
Speaker 1 (24:29):
That makes sense, and you are a very good daddy.
What would you say is your biggest insecurity?
Speaker 2 (24:36):
I have bad feet ding That was just a have.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
A very bad toe.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
We know, we saw only said that to bye some time.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
That's okay, I'm going to be doing the same thing.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Come on with a real answer.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
What s biggest insecurity because you don't seem like a
very insecure person at all. In fact, I feel like
you are one of the most secure people I've ever met,
and yet I know you're human, So you have to
have some sort of insecurity that pecks away at you
a little bit here and there.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
I'm insecure about, you know what. And this made me
have something to do with our our business right for
so long, for too long, I attached my worth, my value,
my identity to the accolades or the adoration I was
getting publicly. So when that goes away in a way
(25:35):
it did to where we got more famous than ever,
but not for what our jobs were. I think that
it was definitely an insecurity that then many folks in
the public and in privately friends and family reassured you
(25:56):
and let you know, wow, that is that is not
what I am known for. That is not what people
are complimenting me for. That is not what people are
rooting for me for. That's not That's not it. And
we know that, and we've you know, I've talked plenty
about authors we read and lessons we learned. But it's
(26:18):
I think, yeah, I think that's an insecurity I had
and something I'd worked on in years prior to get
away from that and to make sure I always remember
who I am, which has nothing to do what I
ever did on air.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
You actually set this question up earlier with one of
your answers, but I already had it written down. Why
is it so hard for you to forgive? And I
put me in parentheses, But just in general.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
I don't know. I actually could probably go back somewhere
if I had to unpack this with a with a therapist.
But I have always been that way. I don't know.
I've always been that way. Just it's more so I
can forgive people who are I forgive my sister, my mom,
you man, close friends, we all get into beefs. But
(27:08):
when it's someone who's just I don't know that well.
If it's someone I just have a difficult time being
disappointed let down. Maybe those are some of my own expectations,
but I just don't let a whole lot of people in.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
What is your love language?
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I can't keep up with what these damn things are.
It's five of them, and then y'all say it six.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
If you had to pick between, I think physical touch,
words of affirmation.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
There are the gifts in there, right, gifts is in there?
Probably words of affirmation, words.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Of affirmation, this acts of service. I think I'm missing ones.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
Probably.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Oh quality time. Quality time is the other one.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Quality time is a big one for me.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Okay, yeah, so those two words of affirmation and quality time.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
The gifts isn't there? Okay, so all of them. I'm
trilingual when it comes to love languages.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
I like that, all right. When did you know you
loved me?
Speaker 2 (28:04):
I think from birth there was something. Oh, it was
kind of something on that August nineteenth and West Memphis
all those years ago, just a hole in my heart
from birth. Doctors couldn't figure it out.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
Oh my god, answer please, Look, I'm still not sure.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I'm dealing with yo. That was a joke. Everybody got
cold and Jesus sold.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
That very well. I kind of sucked my breath and
got stone cold.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Quiet. Oh he's just snorting about it over there. That's
a good laugh. That's a good laugh. Loved you for
a long time, loved you, been in love with you
in this way? When I knew that? And I'm thinking
of it in my mind, like when did I know
I'm in trouble? When did I know oh oh, this
(28:59):
needs to be a dressed I campinpoint, but I twenty
post pandemic twenty twenty. When was that, damn girl?
Speaker 1 (29:17):
I mean, we started working together in twenty twenty, like closely,
we always work together, but we actually shared in America that.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
I'm the twenty twenty It was early twenty twenty two.
We didn't start talking about it until much nutel later.
But when I thought that was an issue was for me?
Was twenty twenty two going into I don't know spring
certainly somewhere, but spring twenty twenty two is what I
(29:43):
would say.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
How do you motivate yourself when you're feeling down or
uninspired or just low? What do you do?
Speaker 2 (29:53):
I have learned now that I need to stop and
rest and take could beat. Usually I would try to
push through. I would pop another five hour energy, stay
up all night. But I've learned now that sometimes I'm
less productive by staying up for three hours and not
getting anything done instead of just taking one hour break
(30:14):
and being much more productive. So that's I've learned that
to motivate myself, I don't need a whole lot of it.
I need I get down and I get low. But
when I do that. I need rest, mental rest, physical rest.
But as far as motivation, You've seen this time and
time again that the alarm doesn't have to go off.
I don't hit snooze. If it does, I hit off
(30:38):
and jump out of the bit and I am off
and running. I don't need to go. Get tea first
and crust out of my eyes and I'm ready to go.
That's me every day.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
What is your best life advice for someone who is
starting out in adulthood? Like, what would you what would
be your best advice that, with everything you've learned, everything
we've been through, what would you say?
Speaker 2 (31:03):
I would tell folks, don't let perfect to get in
the way of good, which is some great advice I
got a while back. This point you have given all
we know. I don't know what to advise anybody. Cool luck,
(31:25):
but we went through. But no, you have to screw
up early and often make as many of them. Don't ever,
don't be afraid when you're eighteen nineteen twenty twenty one.
Don't be afraid then, because you can actually make a
mistake you can recover from. But screw up early. Don't
(31:48):
get scared early, and do it absolutely all and maybe
maybe you have time in life to correct some of
those mistakes you made early on.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Well, I wish I had gotten that advice about twenty
years ago. Okay, so lightning round when we come back,
stay with us. Okay, here we are with a lightning
(32:17):
round for TJ. Holmes favorite movie of all time?
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Ten Commandments.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Oh that's surprise.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Yes, Charleston heston you and Brennard that movie, favorite movie
all the time.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
I did not know that. Yep, very interesting. Okay. What's
the last thing that made you cry?
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Probably you?
Speaker 1 (32:43):
I didn't say, who is the last person to make
you cry?
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Okay? Something you said? The last thing that made me cry?
Speaker 1 (32:50):
I duly noted. I'm not going to ask what it was,
because I probably just don't. I want to keep that
to ourselves. What song will get you on the dance floor?
Speaker 2 (32:59):
A sap rocky f problems?
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Okay? Favorite country you visited?
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Morocco?
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Maybe?
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Wait, there's a Brazil in there. Give me one a second. Maybe, Oh, Frances, for.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
So many good ones.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
I'm trying just what trip I enjoyed the most. Let's
go with France.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
Okay, And what what country do you still want to
visit that you haven't yet that's on the top of
your list.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Top Egypt is way up there.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
We are in sync with that, all right. I don't
know the answer to this favorite color black that's mine?
Speaker 2 (33:46):
What the hell?
Speaker 3 (33:47):
Man?
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I mean?
Speaker 1 (33:49):
You gotta have some silly ones.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
You see me. The color I wear most is probably
I do wear black most, but as far as being
on TV blue, I would go with a lot of blue. Okay.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Favorite holiday Thanksgiving? Oh, I knew that. Dang celebrity crush.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
There are so many. Mom oh god, Zazie Beats, Helen Muhren,
Emily Blunt, Angela Bassett.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
Wow, you can stop now, my god, Edgar Ramirez, Denzel Washington.
I should have qualified that question. Name your favorite or
your biggest celebrity crush? It's okay, I liked it. Last
thing you searched on Google?
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Damn, I don't know that's a good shot. Check yeah,
check it. Okay, you want to ask the next one while.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
You're do you believe in astrology?
Speaker 2 (34:54):
It's fun to play around with, but not really.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
It's so leo of you. Last book you read cover
to cover? Yeah, I'm really curious what this one is
cover to.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Cover with cover to cover? Hiesh. You know what Cover
to Cover? You know what it was? It was Will
Smith's biography, autobiography, Okay, because I had an interview coming
up with him, and yeah, cover to Cover. I think
that was the last one because I had read all
the singers stuff, Marchol Singer and yeah, I think i'd
read all that beforehand. I think that was it.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
I listened to that book. It's still I mean that
it is an amazing book. It's an amazing read. All right.
What's the last thing you googled?
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Art Malick?
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Please explain?
Speaker 2 (35:46):
He is the actor who plays the villain in True Lives.
Why did you google that? I was trying to remember
who he was. I had the movie on, and you
know I always have something on in the True Lies
is one of my absolute favorites. David Lee Curtis is
one of our absolute favorites of all time, and he
is the bad guy, the terrorist in it. But he
(36:08):
is a British actor and I was trying to look
up his background. That is the last thing that I googled.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
That is very funny. Okay, best gift you've ever received, man,
I got.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
A lot of crappy gifts.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Or they're so good you can't pick.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
The best I've ever received. That's todd I really do
not know.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
Do you have a gift that you remember about that?
Because have you ever gone through Christmas and you're like, wait,
someone asks you what your favorite gift is and you
can't even remember one of them? Was there a memorable gift?
Speaker 2 (36:41):
You know what I got? I got when I was
I don't know, five six seven. I got a a
Gi Joe set. They had like forty fifty pieces in it.
I cannot remember being that excited about a gift since.
But yeah, I've got a lot nice gifts, but the
greatest scale. I was trying to think that anybody ever
(37:02):
give me a car or a suit or a house
or pay my rent for the month or something. I've
never gotten anything on that scale.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Yeah, all right, but memorable? I like that. What would
your last meal be?
Speaker 2 (37:16):
I need a shrimps of each to start. I need
a caesar salad no croutons, dressing on the side with
anchovies as well. I need a lobster ravioli to go
along with my bone in filet let's cooked midrare. And
(37:39):
I need a bread pudding for dessert.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Okay that yes, none of those things surprise me, all right,
best way.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
To die as late as possible.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Okay, fair Favorite interview I hate when people ask me this,
but I'm asking it to you. Favorite interview of all time.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
All time, probably a series of them I did with
Alex Trebek. Favorite because I just learned so much from
him in the time I got to spend with him,
which was a lot. But that it will always stand out.
Have been so many over the years obviously for it.
But you enjoy them for different reasons. You enjoy some
of them because they made big headlines and we're good
(38:19):
for your career. Others because you got to meet great people,
and it is the whole range of emotions with Alex Trebek.
But he was somebody I've valued spending time with and
will always be a blessings. Been around him as much
as I was.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
Yeah, that was very cool that time you got with him.
We all learned a lot from you about him. A
dream car.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
That I've owned them, I think already. Well, I'm not
I'm a big car guy, but I'm not a big
exotic car guy. So I yeah, I had for a
few years a red Corps. Yeah, a bright red Corvette,
and that was car I missed that car a lot.
It was sick shift right, it was a six seed.
(39:04):
I can see it now, I can see me in
it now. But my dream car, I am a very
basic dude. I want a just a fully loaded white
Chevy Tahoe and I'll be happy the rest of my life.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Okay, best stress reliever.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
Running.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
That is very, very true. I love that this is
out of the lightning round because I just maybe want
to end on something, you know, insightful, something to leave
the listener with. What would you say is your biggest
takeaway takeaway from the aftermath of this past year.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
Biggest is the biggest. There are so many I have.
The takeaway has to be that this two shell pass.
People have told me that my entire life, or when
something comes up, and so many did tell me that
this time you can tell. Sometimes people say in passing,
and some people say it still being sincere, but others
(40:04):
say it from experience, and it really does. It never
feels like it when you're it's happening to you and
you in the moment, but it is absolutely true that
with time things pass, heels, wounds do heal, and there
is going to be a way forward. So I have.
I have learned that more than anything. It's actually true.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
And here is the question that so many of us
ask at the end of interviews. Is there anything I
didn't ask you that you'd like to say?
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Nope? And I love when the interview e would say that, no,
good to go. All right, my plane's taken off here
an now and half.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
Anyway, you covered it all great, good to hear. How
did that feel?
Speaker 2 (40:53):
How did it feel? It was fine? I mean, I'm
not gonna, you know, take issue with the interviewer. You're
the professional here.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
I like asking the questions. Which one do you prefer most?
Speaker 2 (41:04):
Asking or answering? Yes? Asking? Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Same.
Speaker 2 (41:07):
It's easier for me though, to answer them, because, like
I said, you can ask me anything. It wasn't too
much in here that was so so out of the
box or controversial or threw me off to where I
didn't feel like I could just open my mouth and speak.
I don't you know. There are times our entire careers
were on live television. You always to some degree have
to be mindful of what comes out of your mouth.
(41:29):
You can't be completely honest, you can't got to couch
it a little bit. And this is just an environment
here where I don't feel like I have to do that,
and this episode is not one where I felt that either.
Speaker 1 (41:40):
Well that's good. That makes that feels good?
Speaker 4 (41:43):
Is there?
Speaker 1 (41:43):
I'm curious? Is there a question you thought I was
going to ask that I didn't.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
Oh, no, okay, I don't think so.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
All right, more to come. I love it. Well, thank
you TJ for being our guest on the Amy and
TJ Podcast.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Thank you so much. I like what you guys are
doing here.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
I hope you come back next week or on a
couple of days. It'd be nice to have you around
in the studio. I know where to find you, all right, everybody.
You can find us on Instagram at Amy and TJ Podcast.
We're both on Gosh, we both joined TikTok. We have
our private Instagram accounts. There are numerous ways you all
can reach out, but we hope you will, and we
(42:19):
hope you have a fantastic day.
Hosts And Creators
Amy Robach
T.J. Holmes
Popular Podcasts
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Decisions, Decisions
Welcome to "Decisions, Decisions," the podcast where boundaries are pushed, and conversations get candid! Join your favorite hosts, Mandii B and WeezyWTF, as they dive deep into the world of non-traditional relationships and explore the often-taboo topics surrounding dating, sex, and love. Every Monday, Mandii and Weezy invite you to unlearn the outdated narratives dictated by traditional patriarchal norms. With a blend of humor, vulnerability, and authenticity, they share their personal journeys navigating their 30s, tackling the complexities of modern relationships, and engaging in thought-provoking discussions that challenge societal expectations. From groundbreaking interviews with diverse guests to relatable stories that resonate with your experiences, "Decisions, Decisions" is your go-to source for open dialogue about what it truly means to love and connect in today's world. Get ready to reshape your understanding of relationships and embrace the freedom of authentic connections—tune in and join the conversation!