Today
Interview Before Skating
November 26, 2001
Transcript by Angie

Katie: It's been nearly four years since Tara Lipinski won Olympic Gold. It was of course back in February 1998 in Nagano, Japan that Lipinski defeated favorite Michelle Kwan to take home the games top prize. At 18 she became the youngest figure skater in history to stand atop the Olympic poduim. She was so cute then and she's still so cute now. Tara Lipinski, good morning, how are you?

Tara: I'm doing good

Katie: Nice to see you Tara, I forgot you needed a mic. Listen, I know that you, after you won the gold in 1998 you decided to go professional. To quit amateur skating. Now with the Olympics, the winter Olympics in Salt Lake City are just 3 months away. Do you feel like, 'I coulda woulda shoulda'? Any regrets at all?

Tara: No, I feel like I accomplished everything I've wanted to and I don't think I could do it any better than I did. And um, now my familys kind of situated at home and we're so happy. And I had hip surgery last year so I'm really lucky that I'm not traing for Olympics right now.

Katie: Now remind everybody why you decieded to go professional following those Olympic games.

Tara: Well there was a few reasons. One was my family. My mom living with me in Detroit and my dad was living in Houston. We saw him like once every couple months so it was really hard. And then also just inuries and its hard on the body to keep such a high level.

Katie: Yea, have you been able though to make up the lost time in the last 4 years, or 3 years, to be able to spend a lot of time with your family as you said?

Tara: Yea. It's great. We don't really do anything special. We just go home and I have my closet and I have my bed ... (giggles) ... and we just sit and eat dinner and watch TV and its just, its nice.

Katie: That is nice. And you've also been busy. You've had some acting gigs. You did what? All my... um, up, wait...

Tara: I did 'The Young and the Restless' for a while..

Katie: Right. 'Young and the Restless'. I almost said 'All My Children'. Oops, so sorry! 'Young and the Restless', and you were on 'Touched by an Angel', right?

Tara: 'Touched by an Angel', yea. I did a couple sitcoms. And actually this summer though I did an independednt film in Paris which was a lot of fun just because I didn't play a skater and I just wanna, I wanna get into acting, but you have to show that you're not just an athlete coming in as an actress, so...

Katie: But you enjoyed it...

Tara: Oh I love it.

Katie: ...and it's something you would like to persue more.

Tara: Oh yea, thats like my next big goal.

Katie: But of course...

Tara: but still skating!

Katie: I was gonna say everybody still loves to see you skate. And you're gonna, they gonna have a lot of opportunities, your fans, in the next few months to see you. Tell me where they can see you skate.

Tara: Well, I just finished a cool show. I'm so excited about it. It's on November 10th on NBC. 4 o'clock. It's Aflac Hip Hop On Ice And, um, it was kinda my idea just to have a younger show targeting teens. We had hip hop music, and a really cool host. It was just like everyone in like street clothes, dancing. It was like a dance party, not a typical skating show.

Katie: And I think the song you are skating to this morning is from that show. Right? It's an updated version of 'Whats Going On'?

Tara: 'Whats Going On'. A lot of artists came together for it's a tribute for the September 11th fund and also the Aids Relief fund. So I said at the show, 'I'm gonna skate to it so you can hear it and go buy it.'

Katie: Alright, well it's pretty hard to skate in these heels so I'm gonna get off the ice and let you..

Tara: Awww, you're not gonna come skate with me?

Katie: I don't think so ... let you do your thing.

Tara: ok

Katie: Tara Lipinski...

Tara: Thank you.

Katie: Tara, thank you.

_____________________
© TaraRulz.com