What a wonderful article in today's paper on my predecessor, Woody Assaf! If you haven't read it yet, here it is:
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070307/FEAT05/703070335/1023
Woody left me the biggest shoes in television to fill. Since he was at WLBT for 50 years, Woody was kind of like other one named stars you knew just by saying their first name--Cher or Madonna. No need to say Woody's last name because he was famous like that.
It was a tough decision for me personally when I left the Morning Show and was promoted to Chief Meteorologist. First of all, I was replacing a man EVERYBODY loved; I was a woman in a male dominated career; and I wasn't so sure viewers would be as forgiving to me as they have been to Woody. Most of my fears turned out to be true. It took a while for viewers to accept me because I wasn't Woody and never would be; viewers were accustomed to seeing an 80+ year old man giving the weather, not a 30 year old "weather girl" as I was referred to by many; and no, the viewers weren't forgiving. When I mess up, they let me know very quickly.
Mississippi loved seeing Woody age on the weather. Don't think I'll be around doing the weather when I'm 80+. I'll be lucky if I'm still wanted at 45!
The best part about Woody is his spirit. Woody loved working at WLBT and we loved having him. We could never get him to take vacations because he loved TV and the stardom that came with it.
No matter how old he gets, his sun will always shine!
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