MeganHenderson's Blog

This post has been edited by an administrator

For those of you who missed seeing the first photos of Maria Sotolongo's BEAUTIFUL baby girl on Good Day this week.. i've posted a few more in the album section. I just simply can't get ENOUGH of little Ysabel Jane!

She was born Tuesday, December 11th and weighed 8lbs. Both Mom and baby are doing so well.They're now out of the hospital and resting comfortably at home. Can you believe Ysabel slept 4 hours straight on her first night? Needless to say.. Maria was thrilled!

Ysabel is a true miracle for so many reasons. Maria and her husband Phil are two of my dearest friends in the world.. and it has been such a gift to be with them from the very beginning of their amazing journey to parenthood.

They are proof that dreams really DO come true.

It's the same struggle.. different weekend.

My friends come to visit from out of state, but I can never decide where to go .. or what to do with them. Oh, the pressure!

You see, I want to give them a REAL taste of all things Texas. I feel like they need to leave here knowing why lone star living really IS the best.

Of course, the restaurants are easy. So is the shopping. And, of course, i'm always up for taking in one of the exciting sporting events going on across the Metroplex...  

But what i'm looking for are some unique ideas.  I'm talking those "secret treasures" that REALLY show off the greatness of North Texas and all it represents.

Can you help? (Something tells me i've come to the right place.)

I just wanted to thank all of the wonderful people who took the time to say hello (and there were a TON of you!) during the Idol auditions at Texas stadium Monday morning. My hat goes off to each and every one of the 12-15,000 folks who showed up.  

For those who weren't there, let me paint a picture: It was hot. It was humid. And it was EARLY! They were packed in line like sardines for hours. And hours. And hours. To say it was uncomfortable.. is an understatement.  

Still.. as I looked at the tens of thousands of faces around me -- all I could see were smiles. That morning, each and every one of them believed that they COULD be the next American Idol. And you could feel it. Most had more energy than a six pack of Red Bull!  

Only 400 made it to the next round that morning -- but I say congratulations to them all. They went after what they wanted. It took genuine guts to be there. And in the end, that's worth more than any golden ticket will ever be.

 

It's that time again. Well.. almost. Prepare yourself. Believe it or not.. we are already having staff meetings to get ready for the NEXT American Idol. Hard to believe, isn't it?

This upcoming season is going to be one of the biggest ever for us here at  Fox 4. In case you haven't heard, the show's producers are coming back to North Texas. Auditions will be held at Texas Stadium next month.

I'm excited to join Maria Sotolongo in bringing you some of our special coverage this season. We've got a ton of exciting things planned already.. so get ready! 

If you or someone you know has what it takes to be the next  American Idol, click here for more information:

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?con
tentId=3701174&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&p
ageId=1.1.1

We hope to see you out there!

Guilty pleasures.  

We all have them... but few of us will actually admit them.

And so..  in an effort to free myself from my own obscurity (and because I can't think of anything else to blog about)...  

Today I present to you my Top 10 list of Guilty Pleasures (in no particular order).

In exchange.. I hope you, too, will feel inspired to share some of your own.  

Go ahead. Be brave. You'll feel better.   

Why, I feel better already...     

 

1. Orbitz Gum (winter mint): I chew at least a pack a day (sometimes more) and buy it in bulk. I'm sure there's some Freudian explanation as to why.. but I prefer not to know it.  

2. Reality TV: From Dancing With the Stars... to Project Runway. You name it, I'm addicted. Yes, my name is Megan Henderson and I'm a Reality Show Junkie.  

3. Whip Cream: I eat it straight from the can. Often.  

4. TMZ.com: I check trashy entertainment gossip websites as often as I check the NY Times website (at least once a day).  

5. Family Dollar Store: there's just something about saving $1.25 on a package of paper towels that makes me giddy.  

6. Journey: Their ballads still make me cry.  

7. Pee Wee's Big Adventure:  Sadly, this movie still makes me laugh.  

8. Clay Aiken (sort of): I once downloaded one of his songs on to my ipod. No, I'm not proud of this. In fact, I solemnly swear it will NEVER happen again. Cross my heart.  

9. Disneyland: I've gone nearly every year since I was a kid. To me, it's still the happiest place on earth.    

10. Shirley Temples: The princess of mocktails. The sweet, lovely taste of grenadine definitely outweighs the look of horror on the bartenders face whenever I order it.

Last Thursday, for the third time in as many weeks.. I, once again, spilled something on myself just minutes before the start of Good Day. And when I say minutes, I mean MINUTES. As in 4:56am.

I'm beginning to notice a trend. My mishaps tend to involve one of three things: makeup, hair products, or coffee. (Of course, there was the time I sat in my own chewing gum while filling in on the 9pm news. But that, as they say, is another story for another time...)

Back to the latest culprit: coffee. The victim? A tan pair of dress pants.

I'll be honest. I haven't been good at dealing with these clothing catastrophes in the past. Just two weeks ago, I spilled a larger cup of coffee all over myself and pretty much wanted to cry all morning long. I was wearing black, so you probably didn't notice. But I did. The darn stuff just would NOT dry. I kept running into the make-up room to blow dry my clothes during commercial breaks, but the humidity wasn't helping. Trust me when I say, sitting in a coffee-soaked sweater set for four hours is no fun. And when it dries.. it's downright torture for everyone who can smell you. (Yes, I take cream with my coffee.)

On the positive side, I think I might be making progress when it comes to dealing with these pre-show surprises. Don't get me wrong, I can't see myself NOT shrieking with horror the next time I get lipstick on my favorite dress. But I DO think I'm getting better at dodging the time bombs as they're going off. This last time, I was actually able to back away quick enough as to avoid my blouse. And the really sad part? I was kind of proud of myself. Seriously.

Thankfully... my co-anchor is calm, patient, kind, and doesn't mind cleaning up after me. Yes, Tim ACTUALLY went out and bought stain wipes to keep in his desk... just for me.

Now THAT'S what I call friendship.

Either that.. or someone who fears this klutz could be contagious.

A recent survey revealed that 72 percent of the public said that they possessed at least one good luck charm.  

I wore my lucky baseball cap today. Right when I got home from work, I took off my mask-o'-makeup (oh the RELIEF!).. put on my most comfy sweat pants.. and went digging for my lucky cap.   

I hadn't thought about it in a while. But as I drove home from work listening to all of the sports radio analysts talk about how they had lost all hope in the Mavs winning tonight -- suddenly, I thought of my cap.  

It's not a pretty thing. I actually bought it in college. It was once a dark maroon color, but is now more of a dark pink with a raggedy Arizona State emblem on the front.  

I hadn't unpacked it since I moved into my new place last year. But this afternoon as I sat in my living room.. eating lunch and watching Season 2 of  "Entourage"... I wore my hat. I did it for the Mavs. You see, i'm convinced that they CAN win tonight. And maybe.. just maybe.. my hat will help.    

So, what makes this hat so lucky??  Well, to be honest.. not much.  

The truth is, I decided years ago that it was "lucky" because I happened to wear it the season my underdog college football team went to the Rose Bowl. Sure.. we lost in the end. But the fact that we made it THAT far had everything to do with my cap. Not Jake Plummer. Not Pat Tillman. It HAD to be the hat.  

Ridiculous? Definitely.

But for whatever it's worth.. no matter how hard I try, I just can't throw that darn, ugly thing away -- which means i'll probably have it forever.

Lucky me.

Oprah.. Madonna.. and now Sanjaya.

Just one name says it all.  

There's no doubt about it. He just HAD to go. Thankfully, Wednesday was finally the night we said goodbye to the sweet spirited, but oh-so-untalented Sanjaya Malakar.  

This morning I talked via satellite to the 17-year old (you'll see clips on Friday's Good Day). Here's a little of what I learned:  

*After watching Tuesday's show, he had a feeling he was going to go. He said he got so emotional because he didn't want to leave his "Idol family."  

*He says he's surprised about all the attention he's getting. He calls it "unnatural" and says he still considers himself a small town kid from Washington.  

*When asked about being booed at a Dodger game last week.. he responded: "It was kind of weird, but I mean, how cool is it that we would have an affect on so many people?"  

*He doesn't have any hard feelings towards Simon or the other judges. He says he learned a lot from them and tried not to let the negativity affect him week after week.   And finally...  

*William Hung, watch your back. Sanjaya does plan to pursue a music career.  

Truth be told.. I for one will miss the kid.  

Because with Sanjaya's departure we also say goodbye to the crying girls in pigtails... the pony-hawk hair... and of course, the hula dancing.

I mean, who could forget the hula dancing?? I think i'm still speechless.

I wanted to share a couple of photos from one of my favorite events of the year! It was my pleasure to once again be a part of the Children's Cancer Fund Fashion Show. All of the money raised goes towards pediatric cancer research and treatment programs at Children's Medical Center Dallas and UT Southwestern.

A ton of celebrity escorts were involved in the event this year (Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith, the cast of Prison Break, and Stephen Baldwin... just to name a few) -- but the REAL stars of the show were the kids who are undergoing treatment for cancer.

Maria Sotolongo, Chris Yates and I had the pleasure of escorting a brave, beautiful little warrior by the name of Peyton White. She's 2 and a half years in remission and has the energy and sparkling personality to prove it!

"Princess Peyton" wanted to come up with a memorable exit for once we made it to the end of the runway. So we all decided that she should do a twirl.. Maria would blow fairy dust on her .. and then she would demonstrate her best curtsy!

As you can see from the photos.. she nailed it! :)

 

 

 

 

 

My first fill-in week on the night shift is officially in the books. (I'm having a great time, btw... but I DO miss the morning crew!). People keep asking how my body is adjusting to the new schedule? Well, honestly.. I'm still kinda waiting for that internal "you-are-free-to-sleep-through-the-night" pass to kick in.

Our bodies really are amazing. My alarm has been going off at 2am for over three years now -- and I guess I kinda figured that if and when I finally turned it off, I would just keep on snoozing...

Bedtime is now 12:30am instead of 7pm... which certainly FEELS a bit more "normal." I'm also no longer waking up every hour, on the hour (which is nice). But I am still waking up several times a night thinking i'm going to "miss" something. And how about sleeping in? Ahhh.. well... not so much...

So.. when you tune in at 6 and 9 pm and you notice the eye bags are still there, now you'll know why. Just know that, like the morning shift, i'm having a really great time earning them -- and really.. that's all that matters anyway!

Very rarely does a Good Day guest leave "Mr. Logical" (a.k.a. Tim Ryan) speechless. But during Tuesday's show, illusionist Craig Larges managed to do just that. He stopped by the studio to show us how to "unlock the hidden power of our minds."
 
Translation? He was promoting his book called, Ignite Your Intuition.
 
Craig says we ALL have the ability to do extraordinary things with our minds. In fact, he claims we can actually: tell what other people are thinking (how scary is that?) ... bend a spoon with intense concentration (ummmm... okay?).... and maybe, just maybe...if we concentrate REALLY hard ... do what Craig was able to do on Good Day --make a table float in mid air! (Now THAT'S a party trick!)
 
Sound crazy? I know. I'm with you. I was just as skeptical as you are (and let's be honest.. Tim is the KING of skepticism!) But somehow, Craig DID manage to leave us truly stumped with his skills. He actually levitated a small table, without any fancy tricks, right in front of our eyes. And let me tell you.. we practically examined that table with a microscope before the segment.
 
Both amazed and speechless, I just had to ask him off-camera to spill his secrets. His response? "You'll find it on page 174." (Apparently Craig's quite the businessman, too.)
 
And so after the show.. I got home and quickly turned to page 174. So.. what deep, remarkable secrets did I find??  Well, here goes:
 
Excerpt from Ignite Your Intuition pg. 174, 175:
 
Table Tilting
 
"For this exercise you'll need a small, lightweight but sturdy table with 4 legs. Set the table on a flooring surface that will allow it to move about. For example, tile or hardwood would be fine .. position 4 people around the table.. all 4 need to place both hands flat on the table's top. The little finger of each hand should lightly touch the little finger of the hand of the person on either side of you. Start breathing in unison, counting aloud from 1 to 10 and then "will" that table to move. Imagine it tilting from side to side. Really concentrate on it. It may take some time, but don't give up. Keep with it. You may just feel movement at first, then it may begin to tilt and eventually "walk" around the room!"
 
"So what causes the table to move? Well, it's not spirits, as people at the turn of the century thought.. but it is ideomotor response. Your unconscious minds control the movement of the table. Your concentration causes your unconscious to send signals to your body which causes the table to move. The unconscious thought creates a physical reaction."
 
Hmmmmmm...
 
Now which one of you is going to try this at home? :)

Country superstar Garth Brooks has quite a few passions in life: his kids ... his wife ... his music ... and ice hockey.

Yes. I said hockey.

"So, do you ever hit the ice?" I asked. To which he replied,"The only thing that ever hits the ice is my butt!"

Good. We have something in common.

I met up with Garth while he was in Dallas for NHL All Star week. His Teammates for Kids Foundation is the official children's charity of the NHL. Before the big game, he helped donate a new playroom to Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth...then hosted a big fundraiser featuring his beautiful wife, Grammy-winning singer Trisha Yearwood.

Okay, so here's the scoop on Garth. You know all of those stories you've heard about what a "nice" guy he is? How he's SO down to earth? How this 'good ol' boy' is still just a country boy at heart?

Well, they're 110% true. I know. You wanted something JUICY, didn't you? Me too. :)

Case in point:

- He took off his cowboy hat to greet me. A small gesture, yes. But quite meaningful (and rare) in this day and age.

- He gushed about his wife without being prompted. The truth is, he ADORES her and you can feel it when he says her name.

- He gushed about his kids without being prompted. It's MORE than obvious that his 3 girls are his world.

- He actually asked if I had more time to listen to him tell a story, then apologized for talking too much. And it was about a CHARITY event no less. (Ummm, Garth ... that would be a YES. I have all the time you need.)

- He GENUINELY misses the music, but still chooses his family over all else. Enough said.


I've been a Garth fan for years. This week I became a Garth fan for life.

Seasons greetings!

With another year coming to a close, please allow me to get sappy for a moment...

I just wanted to write a quick note of thanks to all of you for your continued kindness and support. The truth is, it means more than you'll ever know.

I always say -- that I couldn't wake up at 2am for any other job in the world. Sleep deprived or not.. getting the chance to do what I love everyday, is an amazing blessing.

I hope you and your loved ones have a joyous Christmas and a blessed 2007. May THIS be the year all of your wishes come true.


Always,
Megan

"Whatever you do... DON'T call him K-Fed!"

Those were the orders I got from Mr. Britney Spears' producers just 30 seconds before our taped interview via satellite this week.

"No problem," I said. (Although I fully admit ... the defiant 5-year old girl inside of me almost did it anyway -- just to see what would happen.)

"Oh ... and one more thing," the producer said. "Absolutely NO personal questions!"

Oh no. Wait.

What do you mean no personal questions?!?

I mean ... how do you NOT get personal when you're interviewing Kevin Federline? A guy who's only claim-to-fame is his personal life?

Does that mean nothing Britney-related? Nothing about the new baby? Or the baby on the way?

Nothing about what it's like to be married to arguably one of THE biggest pop icons in the world?

Nothing about how it feels to have the paparazzi hounding you everywhere you go?

Nothing about what it's like to have your marriage scrutinized by the media day in and day out?

Nothing about what it's like to try and launch a music career when no one will take you seriously (for a number of reasons) -- but mainly because you're known only as "Mr. Britney Spears?"

What else WILL we talk about?!? Think fast, Megan.... THINK.... FAST!

Okay. I got it.

I'll ask about the music ... his new record label ... his last trip to Dallas...

Then ... when he's least expecting it -- I'll work in a question that could POTENTIALLY reveal something interesting about his personal life. Easy, right? Wrong.


(Cue the voice of Fox 4)

Voice: "And now I present to you another excerpt from 'Megan's Interviews that Never Were.'"

(We join this painful conversation already in progress...)

Megan: "So.. Kevin. What do you want the public to know about you?"

Kevin: "Ummmm..... uhhhhhhh......that I don't eat donuts."

Megan: "Okay. So you eat healthy foods?"

Kevin: "No..... (dramatic pause).....but I don't eat donuts."

Megan: "All right. What did you eat for breakfast this morning?"

Kevin: "Ummmm....... donuts."


Ta-da! (Curtains close.)


And so another celebrity interview bites the dust.

Ahhhh... well........ can't blame a girl for trying! :)

Next time you're at the grocery store or out at your favorite restaurant - pay attention! There's a good chance you could run into one of the stars of "Prison Break."

Don't believe me? Check this out...

In just TWO weeks time - I ran into "T-Bag" at breakfast ... spotted "Tweener" in the car next to me ... saw "Captain Brad Bellick" at NorthPark Center ... AND bumped into "Fernando Sucre" at my one of my favorite hangouts.

They're EVERYWHERE I tell you!

Of course, you've gotta watch the show to know who to look for. And the truth is, up until a few weeks ago - I probably wouldn't have known Michael Scofield from Michael Flatley. (He was the Lord of the Dance, right? Wait. Okay. Yes! I just googled him. Michael Flatley was definitely the Lord of the Dance.) I digress...

Anyway, I had never actually SEEN an episode of "Prison Break" until I was told I'd be spending a day on set with the cast. And what a group they were! Kind, humble, accommodating - and so excited to be shooting season two in North Texas.

You'll see some of my interviews this week on Good Day - but there was SO much more you won't see. Here's a little "behind the scenes" scoop on the actors I sat down with:

Wentworth Miller (Michael Scofield): You know all those tattoos he wears? He hates them. And for good reason! He has to spend 4 hours in make-up everytime they're featured on the show. Turns out, Mr. Miller is also quite domestic. He loves doing his own laundry ... but has a problem losing socks.

Amaury Nolasco (Fernando Sucre): He was one of my favorites! Amaury is from Puerto Rico so he's loving this North Texas heat. He's also incredibly charming, fun.. and a big flirt!

Wade Williams (Captain Brad Bellick): Wade got his start on Broadway and proved it when he start singing opera in the middle of our interview. What a voice!

Lane Garrison (Tweener): Lane graduated from JJ Pearce H.S. in Richardson. He says there are two places he MUST visit when he comes home to North Texas: Whataburger and Dairy Queen. (His personal story of making it in Hollywood is so inspiring! You can see it Tuesday, 8/8 on Good Day.)

Dominic Purcell (Lincoln Burrows): When Dominic's not working, he's teaching his 3 young kids how to surf. He spends just about every weekend back home with his family in Los Angeles.

Sarah Wayne Callies (Dr. Sara Tancredi): Sarah says her first goal when she moved to Dallas, was to find a house with a yard big enough to fit her dog (and husband!).

Paul Adelstein (Agent Paul Kellerman): Paul spent a lot of time with real-life secret service agents to prepare for his role on the show. He's also engaged to actress Liza Weil who plays Paris Geller on "Gilmore Girls."

Robert Knepper (T-Bag): Robert is an old acquaintance of our own Maria Sotolongo. He's an intense guy who takes his craft very seriously. But there is a "soft" side too. Just mention his young daughter.. and he's a goner!

After meeting the cast and watching the show.. I can honestly say, I am now officially a Prison Break FAN!

Of course, there's just something about having a North Texas backdrop that makes this season even MORE special. Be sure to check out the first episode, August 21st on Fox 4. You won't be disappointed!