The Early Show
Interview Before Skating
February 15, 2002
Transcript by Angie

Early Show: After becoming the youngest person ever to win an Olympic Gold medal in figure skating Tara Lipinski joined the pro ranks and has so far won every professional comeptition she's entered. Tonight her attention will be focused on fellow skater, Scott Hamilton in the primetime special called Farewell to Stars On Ice. Tara Lipinski's across the street from our studio in Central Park at Woolman Rink. Tara, good morning.

Tara: Good morning!

Early Show: How are you doing?

Tara: Ok, a little cold.

Early Show: Yea, a little cold out there. Tell me about the special.

Tara: Well it's tomarrow night, it's on CBS, and it's wonderful. It's Target Stars On Ice and it's out 15th year, but um, it's very special because it's Scott's last year and he's kind of saying farwell fo all of us and um, it's a wonderful show.

Early Show: He's done so much for skating hasn't he?

Tara: He has. And he's been part of this since the very begining so I'm very lucky and honered that I had a chance to skate with him for 3 years on this tour, but um to be part of it this year is going to be very special.

Early Show: Well how has he influenced you Tara?

Tara: Well, you just learn so much. He is such a professional. He's been doing it for so long I've realized, you know, how important the audience is and now in my third year I go out every night and I have such a passion for it and I love performing.

Early Show: It was so fun to watch you at the '98 Olympics and you won the gold medal. Tell me how you have evolved as a skater since then.

Tara: Um, well after that differnt kind of focus. You go into the professional world and it's all about the audience. It's not about 9 judges anymore. So you really have to come out every year with something new and different and fun so um, that's what I've been trying to do.

Early Show: Tell me about the hip surgery you had recently, right? Kind of traumatic for you wasn't it?

Tara: Yea. It's been bothering me, actually it started before the Olympics, but um, it got pregressivly worse afterwards. And it's been something that needed to be fixed and we didn't realized how bad it was and um, I have to say it's been the hardest thing I've ever done but hopefully I'll come back strong.

Early Show: Alright Tara. Well we're excited to see you skate this morning. Glad you well enough to do it. We're going to let you skate around and get started. While Tara gets ready we wanna tell you that she will be skating to the song, its called 'Dance With Me' by Debelah Morgan. Here's Tara Lipinski.

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