Katie Couric

Katie Couric was a fixture in our homes every morning on the Today Show, before becoming the first woman to anchor a network evening newscast. But Katie says that is not all she wants to be remembered for.

Katie Couric Better Audra: Katie Couric was a fixture in our homes every morning on the Today’s Show before becoming the first woman ever to anchor a network evening newscast but she doesn’t want to just be remembered for what she’s done on TV. Katie says that she wants to be known for the difference that she’s made in helping prevent colon cancer. Rhiannon: Katie Couric is back in front of the camera but this time posing for the March cover for Ladies Home Journal. She’s got a great sense of humor. Katie: I wouldn’t want to wear stingrays I feel bad. No animals were harmed in the making of these shoes. We hope, they’re not mine so. Female: They’re post stingray. Rhiannon: She never loses sight of what’s really important especially when it comes to giving back. Katie: After my husband Jay passed away with Colon Cancer in 1998 when he was just 42 I felt a tremendous obligation to educate the public increase awareness about the 2nd leading cancer killer of men and women and raise money so scientist could make progress in coming up with Better treatments and you know one day even a cure. Rhiannon: Katie says anyone can support a cause they believe in and no matter how small it all makes a difference. Katie: A walkathon, you could have a big sale with your children my kids always had lemonade stands and they would write a sign that would say all proceeds go to colon cancer research. Rhiannon: The consummate journalist doesn’t profess to having it all together all the time. Katie: Sometimes my life gets out of whack or off balance and I have to constantly recalibrate and say Gee I haven’t been home enough or I haven’t really done enough for cancer research. Unfortunately I never really say I haven’t been working hard enough. You know I try not to be too hard on myself too because I can’t do it all and I accept that and I appreciate myself and get myself some slack. Rhiannon: She doesn’t have to get up in the middle of the night anymore. Katie: That had a lot of advantages because I was done with work around one or two in the afternoon and gave me a lot more free time. Now we don’t get home until 7:30 or 8:00 so there are you know, there are pros and cons to everything. Rhiannon: Katie has been in the CBS evening news chair for 4 years now. Katie: I really enjoy my colleagues and have tremendous respect for them and love doing pieces for Sunday morning. I interviewed Angela Lansbury who’s justsuch a doll and doing pieces for 16 minutes has always been my dream so I have a really very, very satisfying professional life. Rhiannon: Her favorite interview last year? Katie: Andre Agassi I think is his book is called Open and he was and there’s something so raw and vulnerable about him and yet so determined and so resilient as well and I just think he’s actually a really nice person and I just, I love talking to him and I felt a lot of responsibility in telling his story correctly with no judgment. Rhiannon: And she only has great things to say about Dianne Sawyer who recently took over anchoring the evening news at the competition. Katie: I have a lot of respect for her I think she’s the consummate professional and has an incredible work ethic which I always admire in anyone. Rhiannon: One bit of advice for other women coming up the ranks and certainly something Katie has experienced first hand. Katie: There are a lot of people who want to see you fail in this life sadly that’s sort o the worst side of human nature people who get resentful or envious or unhappy with their own lives. It’s painful for them to see someone else do well so they have to put on blinders and they have to really focus and not let the turkeys get them down and you have to remind yourself that with enough hard work enough passion enough tenacity anything really is possible. Audra: And you can read more about Katie in the March issue of Ladies Home Journal which is on new stands now.