| Spotlight www.webdigestweekly.com |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Jeff Rago Hot in Hollywood One of the most exciting and most popular journalists in Hollywood today is Jeff Rago. With his open nature, candid personality, and genuinely honest sense of humor, his celebrity interviews are always sure to entertain. His work on Extra has made him a mover and shaker in Tinsel Town and Jeff loves to share what drives him with his audience. I couldn’t resist the temptation to ask him for an interview, and I had no idea that he’d have the time to do one with me, but he did not disappoint. Jeff proved to be every bit as friendly and as engaging as I expected him to be. Having watched his work on television, I knew he would be a delight in this forum. As his website says, Jeff is a “lightly seasoned yet never fried” producer and journalist who just knows how to reel people into his orbit. Everyone likes him and I can certainly understand why he’s hot in Hollywood. Without further adieu, please welcome to WDW Jeff Rago! |
| All photos used are courtesy of Jeff Rago. |
| No content on this page may be copied or reproduced without expressed written consent. Copyright and Trademark laws apply. All rights reserved. |
| CP: And what’s next for you? JR: The web series is on the forefront right now…and maybe a vacation. CP: Okay…Now a few nosy questions for the fans: Married/Single/Divorced/Involved? JR: Involved. CP: Do you have any children? JR: No. CP: What are your hobbies? JR: I have definitely become a little social media obsessed over the last year if you can call that a hobby. I am not a techie by nature so I am intrigued by the whole culture. CP: Who are your heroes? JR: My inner circle. They know who they are. These are the people I laugh with and cry with and who take me as I am. They are my heroes because they’ve chosen to come on this journey with me and I have chosen to be on their journey as well. CP: Favorite food? JR: Gnocchi. Pretty much anything Italian but gnocchi is number one. CP: Favorite place? JR: Australia as a vacation destination. My patio as a daily destination. CP: Favorite movie? JR: Love Actually. I watch this movie at least once a year. It has gotten a little like Rocky Horror at my house because we talk back to screen. I yell, “don’t answer the phone” when Laura Linney finally gets Rodrigo Santoro to her house but she always does. My heart breaks every time Emma Thompson opens that CD and it’s not the necklace. You should hear the names we call her husband’s assistant. I could go on and on and on about this film because to me it’s perfect. Script, direction and performances are flawless. CP: Personal preference: Long sleeves or barefoot weather? JR: Shorts, t-shirts and flip flops are my favorite uniform. The whole idea of putting on a sock and tying a shoe seems like such a waste of time to me. That being said I do appreciate a nice slip on loafer from time to time. CP: What advice or wisdom have you learned that you can pass on? JR: Take the time to listen to yourself. There is an infinite amount of wisdom within us and in that wisdom we can find the answers. CP: And what are you most proud of? JR: The risks I’ve taken. One of the hardest things is having faith that everything will work out but the times that I’ve taken the greatest risks, I’ve had the most growth. CP: Jeff, thanks so much for giving me this great interview. JR: Absolutely. Thank you. Jeff's Website: www.jeffrago.com Carey Parrish |
| CP: Jeff, thanks for chatting with me, man. JR: My pleasure. CP: How’s life been treating you lately? JR: I have no complaints. I am really grateful for my life. CP: What exciting stories have you been working on? JR: I’ve actually been working on the story of me. January has always been a time for me to reassess and reevaluate. Helps me to put things in perspective and lay out some attainable goals for the year. CP: What has been your favorite celebrity interview to date? JR: I get that question a lot. It’s hard to say because the type of interview dictates how much engagement I can have with the celebrity. If it’s a red carpet interview I may only have 3 or 4 minutes to chat with the celebrity. If it’s a one on one I could have a half hour or more. If I had to pick just one I would have to say Jenny McCarthy. I did a one on one with here a few years back when she was doing a charity event and she was amazing. Smart, funny and she really gets this whole publicity machine. She knows how to engage. Plus she’s a Chicago girl so she has that great Midwest sensibility and openness. CP: Is there anyone in particular you’d like to interview that you haven’t had the chance to meet yet? JR: Shirley MacLaine. I find everything about her to be fascinating. As an actor her choices are layered and unexpected and as a writer she is brave and controversial. I remember reading “Out on a Limb” about twenty years ago and it struck a chord with me. It inspired me to really explore my own spiritual journey. She is an icon in the industry and I have so much respect for how she attacks everything on her own terms. CP: Are you still working with CNN International? JR: I was actually working at Extra at the time and CNN International asked me to come in to talk about different entertainment related stories. I contributed to some pieces but never actually worked there. CP: And your work on Extra is extremely popular. What’s your idea of the perfect story? JR: I think a “perfect story” promotes conversation. If I can share information that moves that conversation along and engages thought and perhaps change then I think that is pretty close to perfect. CP: What’s your secret to getting people to open up to you when you talk with them? JR: Authenticity. I am genuinely interested in the people I interview. I love storytelling and I love to be able to share these stories. I also laugh a lot because if you’re not having fun then what’s the point? CP: What other projects are you involved in these days? JR: I am working on an interview based web series with a social media component that focuses on a range of topics including celebrities. It’s very much in the infancy stages right now but I am excited about what we have come up with so far. CP: Is 2010 going to be a big year in Hollywood? JR: I think every year is a big year in Hollywood. Our culture has a deep fascination with celebrity and that fascination has skyrocketed in the past several years with the introduction of reality programming and citizen journalism. Everyone has a camera with them at all times so whenever anything happens there is always someone right there to capture it and post it to the internet. I see stuff all the time about some celebrity eating at a restaurant or another one hanging out a club. Somehow this has become news. |
