The Tonight Show With Jay Leno
After Winning Nationals And Worlds
Transcript by Kristin J.

Jay Leno: She won both the US and World figure skating at age 14. She now performs with the tour of world figure skating champions. So here she is in action on the ice. Check it out.

Jay Leno: Please welcome Tara Lipinski. Good to see you. Oh and happy birthday. Don't you have a birthday coming up?

Tara: No I just had one June 10th.

Jay: Oh ok so it just passed. So now you're 15.

Tara: Right.

Jay: Oh I said 14 before I'm sorry. Well listen congratulations on all of your sucesses.

Tara: Thank you

Jay: This has been a terrific year, huh.

Tara: It has.

Jay: Now, tell me where you're from. Tell me a little about your background.

Tara: Well, I have a home in Sugarland, Texas and I train in Detroit.

Jay: Ok.

Jay: That's quite a commute every day I imagine

Tara: (laughs) No.

Jay: Brothers and sisters?

Tara: No brothers and sisters. Five dogs.

Jay: What? Five dogs?

Tara: (nods her head)

Jay: What kind?

Tara: Golden Retriever, Yorkshiere Terrier, Two Biscons and a Maltese.

Jay: So what did you get for your birthday? Get good stuff.

Tara: Yeah, these two bracelets (leans her arm out)

Jay: ooh ooh those are very pretty. Now from like a boyfriend?

Tara: No. Friend.

Jay: Oh guy friend.

Tara: Uhuh

Jay: Ahhhhhhhh.

Tara: (laughs) No

Jay: No?

Tara: No their not boyfriends. Guy friends.

Jay: Just guy friends. They think their boyfriends. You think their guy friends. Well let me ask you about that necklace now. I see, you always wear that don't you?

Tara: Always. It's my good luck one.

Jay: Even when you're skating?

Tara: All the time.

Jay: Now it seems like when you're whipping around wouldnt it fly around, I mean it looks pretty delicate.

Tara: I don't even feel it.

Jay: Yeah.

Tara: It has all my special charms from my family and friends and everything. So, its my good luck.

Jay: Do you keep adding to it?

Tara: Um, sometimes, but not usually.

Jay: Eventually you'll have this huge clangity clang thing.

Tara: No. Than that would affect my skating.

Jay: Now what do you do in the summer? What do you do for fun? Are you taking the summer off? Theres no ice now. So you can't do anything.

Tara: No. I'm on tour, so I get done in three days. Than I go home and train for Olympic year.

Jay: Oh that's right the Olympics are coming. But you get to have any fun? Don't you get to do anything? You're 15 you should be out having fun.

Tara: Nine days in Disney world with a friend.

Jay: Oh thats a nightmare nine days in Disney World.

Tara: No it's not.

Jay: Nine days. I mean you go for one day and "ooh" and you stand in line and than you go home.

Tara: Nine days.

Jay: You stay the whole nine days?

Tara: Yes.

Jay: You could see everything even Bear Country Jamboree in nine days.

Tara: (laughs) Well I've gone for 12 years.

Jay: Really. Oh, wow. So, favorite ride?

Tara: Splash Mountain. I still haven't gone on one though.

Jay: Still haven't gone on one? Which?

Tara: Umm, Space Mountain. I'm not very good with Rollercoasters.

Jay: You're scared of Rollercoasters?

Tara: (shakes her head)

Jay: I mean I'm watching you spin around, how can you be scared of rollercoaster?

Tara: Theres much difference. Rollercoaster goes much faster.

Jay: You're whipping around pretty fast.

Tara: Not that fast.

Jay: Well how much faster can it be? I mean, do you get dizzy?

Tara: No, I just hate rollercoasters. It just makes me nauseous.

Jay: Oh ok, so you're not gonna. But this is the year you're gonna do it?

Tara: Yes, I hope so. I say that every year though.

Jay: Yeah

Tara: So I dont know.

Jay: So this is the year like one of those 12 step programs

Tara: (laugh) I said that last year and I didn't do it.

Jay: How about those teacups? Do you do that one?

Tara: Yeah, that's my favorite.

Jay: The teacups. Yeah, ya know I went on the teacups with this kid and I looked like a Gorilla sitting in a thimble. Cause there were all little kids and I looked like an idiot. But yeah, thats fun. The teacups are fun. So let me mention what I said before. You're the world champion at 14 and you're the youngest ever and you will remain the youngest champ ever because didn't they just change the rules?

Tara: Yeah, that you have to be 15 to go to Worlds.

Jay: But why? I mean what difference does it make?

Tara: I don't know. I kinda disagree with it. I think if you're a great skater and you can compete on a level that other skaters compete are I don't understand why you can't go to Worlds.

Jay: Yeah it's good to close the door, after you go through.

Tara: Yeah I guess but I still think it's unfair.

Jay: So how did you get interested in skating? Were you always interested in skating as a kid?

Tara: I started at 3 rollerskating, for a free Care-Bear.

Jay: For a free Care-Bear?

Tara: If you took a certain amount of lessons, you got a free Care-Bear.

Jay: Why wasn't I told about this?

< Tara: (laughs) It was a New Jersey thing.

Jay: Oh, okay it was a Jersey thing. So how old were you...so you were three?

Tara: Three.

Jay: Oh wow, okay. Now let me show you, we have a tape of this. Don't we have a tape of this? Here she is at three here she is. Look at how big the rollerskates are compared to your head.

Tara: Oh my god.

Jay: The skate is bigger than your head. Now look are you embarrassed by that?

Tara: (nods her head)

Jay: Why? That looks great. You have such poise, I mean to get out there and boom at age three whip around on those skates.

Tara: I guess so.

Jay: No what's the next big event, the Olympics?

Tara: That is gonna be my big goal for this year. But tomorrow I do a show in Anaheim for the tour.

Jay: Are the Olympics scary? Is it like "Oh my god"?

Tara: I've never been there so I don't know. But I hope that it's gonna be my year because I spent 12 years skating and it's always been my dream to go and be in the Olympic village and be an Olympian.

Jay: So it's in February. When would you go? How much ahead of time to get use to everything?

Tara: A week and a half.

Jay: Just a week and a half?

Tara: (nods head)

Jay: So who's your big competition?

Tara: Umm, I mean everyone thats out there is pretty good. Michelle Kwan and Vanessa Gusmeroli and alot of people.

Jay: Well listen, good luck. Will you come back and see us after you win?

Tara: Yes.

Jay: Oh that would be great. Come back and see us even if you don't win.

Tara: Thank You.

Jay: Thank you Tara

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