It’s All About KINDNESS
DEBBIE MATENOPOULOS The Home & Family co-host shares her thoughts on starting out, success and what she’s learned on the way
Veteran journalist Barbara Walters tried to teach Debbie Matenopoulos a lesson during an early episode of The View.
“Every single person had cards prepared because we would go over what we were going to talk about in advance,” says Debbie, who was just 22 when she joined the daytime chat show’s inaugural season in 1997. “Barbara took the cards out of my hands and ripped them up. I nearly passed out! She said, ‘You don’t need your cards, Baby. Just listen.’”
It may have been a harsh way to learn, but in the years since, Debbie, 46, has proven why Barbara put such faith in her. She continued as a broadcaster with positions at E!, VH1, Entertainment
Tonight and The Insider. Since 2016, Debbie has been co-host of the feel-good talk show Home & Family on the Hallmark Channel, which has garnered her several Emmy nominations. Debbie is also a wife and mom, a cookbook author and the founder of a new skincare line.
When you were a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Believe it or not, I wanted to be a bus driver, because I loved the woman who drove me to school. I used to sit in the front and watch her shift the gears. She was so nice and sweet. I just was obsessed with her.
That’s so adorable.
By the time I was 7 or 8, I knew I wanted to do something with entertainment. I don’t know why. I come from immigrants — I’m the first person in my family to be born in America. My father made furniture for a living, and my mom is a hairstylist. So it’s not like I grew up in Hollywood, but I like to make people laugh.
You were so young when you were hired for Did you have any reservations about joining the show?
The View.
I certainly had trepidation. I am still the youngest person in the history of television to hold a daytime spot on a talk show. I was nervous because I was so young. I was working at MTV and going to New York University simultaneously. It was incredibly terrifying because it was live television, but it was also the best experience of my life.
What is the most valuable thing you learned from Barbara?
She taught me so many lessons that have been invaluable in my life. She used to say, ‘If you’re not 10 minutes early, you’re late.’ That has stuck with me in a real way. I am all about people being on time.
Was she supportive of your career beyond The View?
She has been one of my biggest supporters and cheerleaders to this day. It sort of came full circle when I was at The Insider. She was doing some special, and they had put
somebody ahead of me [to interview her]. Barbara nixed it and said, ‘Nope, Debbie is going to be the first one to interview me.’” She told me, ‘It feels really good to see you in this position and know that I was right.’ It was like being blessed by the pope!
If you could go back and talk to your 22year-old self, what would you say?
I would tell myself to not be so hard on myself. And that I don’t have to have all the answers and it’s OK. I was so caught up in trying to sound like I had as much knowledge as the people I was sitting next to. And the truth is that’s not why they hired me.
We were sad to hear is coming to an end in August. What have you enjoyed about hosting the program?
Home & Family
The last nine years that I’ve been here have been the most magical, wonderful years of my career. The show is truly just for spreading kindness, love, goodness and helping people better their own lives. It wasn’t people just squawking at each other. It was somewhere where people could turn on the TV for two hours each day and just exhale.
You must be sad to see it ending.
Yes, but at least we are going out on top. We’ve had the highest ratings we’ve ever had in our life. We’ve been nominated for the most Emmys in the last three years. Unfortunately, things change when a new regime comes in, but at least we can walk away proud.
What are you proudest of in your career so far?
Probably writing my cookbook and doing my skincare line, Ikaria, because it goes back to who I really am. I’m so proud of my culture and being Greek.
How did you decide to write the cookbook?
When my father passed away, I really wanted to do something to honor him. I went back and collected all these recipes from my family. I still donate part of the proceeds to the ALS Association of America. The book was like my love letter to Greece and my dad.
Your heritage is very important to you.
Yes. It didn’t matter what the critics ever said about me. In my eyes, it only mattered what my parents and the Greek community thought. I just wanted to make them proud, and that’s been a driving force for a lot of my career.
Do you think there will be more cooking projects for you in the future?
I think so. I really love it. I grew up in
“I want to help people feel good about themselves and help them make
their lives better.”
—Debbie Matenopoulos
the kitchen with my mom, aunt and grandma. Like many families, most of our conversations happened around the table or in the kitchen.
What is the greatest thing your mom ever taught you?
She said — and still says — ‘Every single person is carrying their own personal pain, whether big or small. Remember that when you are talking to people and be gentle because you don’t know what they are going through.’ I think this lesson is more poignant now than ever.
What is next for you?
I have a lot of fun and exciting things in the works, that I can’t talk about yet. But it will be in the lifestyle and cooking space. I want to be part of the solution, not part of the illness.