Guest: Kristi Yamaguchi
Broadcast Date: Jan. 4, 1999
Kristi appeared as a guest on the "Donny and Maire" show - it was their "New Year's Day" special. Kristi looked absolutely wonderful. She was relaxed and comfortable answering their numerous questions. The interview was sweet and very funny at times.
Donny: Our next guest fell in love with ice-skating at the age of six and won an Olympic gold medal at the age of twenty. And right now she's touring the country in a show called "Discover Stars on Ice (SOI) presented by Smuckers". Take a look at this.
[A short clip of Kristi's SOI program "Violin Concerto in D Minor" is shown.]
Donny: Will you please welcome Kristi Yamaguchi!
[Cheers and applause from the audience as Kristi walks out and shakes Marie's and Donnie's hand. And I think the audience gave her a standing ovation...]
Donny: Oh, it's so nice to have you on. You make it look so effortless.
Kristi: Oh no...since I was twenty one years I guess.
Marie: What does that "3" mean on your necklace?
Kristi: Ah..it's a lucky number. [smiling...actually Kristi smiles throughout the entire interview :-)
Marie: Really?
Kristi: Yeah.
Marie: 'Cause I like three too.
Kristi: Do you?
Marie: Yeah, 'cause it's my lucky number. Very cool!
Kristi: Thank you.
Marie: I have something in common with her! [laughing]
Donny: You started skating at age six - is that right?
Kristi: Six years old. Yeah, just strapped them on and loved it from the very beginning.
Donny: Where did it start?
Kristi: Where? Up in Northern California, outside of San Francisco. There was a local mall rink and....(starts to laugh)
Donny: Oh there it goes!
[A picture of a young Kristi in a group photo is shown on the screen. She's posed and dressed in a very frilly skating costume. The audience goes "Awwwwwww!" I did too!]
Kristi: And basically, I saw an ice show and the local skaters were dressed in those costumes and the beautiful lights. And I just fell in love with it. And it was something I wanted to try, and finally my mom took me.
Donny & Marie: Really? How 'bout that. That's so great.
Marie: How did you admire growing up? Because I know everybody has certain people that they can identify with, or..
Kristi: Mmm-hmm. Ah, well at the time Dorothy Hamill was still huge after her '98-or-'76 Olympics. So she was a big idol. And not knowing what the Olympics were, I wanted to follow in her footsteps.
Marie: Did you cut your hair like hers?
Kristi: That's one thing I didn't do. I did have the little Dorothy Hamill doll, and took her out on the ice with me.
Donny: It seemed like everyone was cutting their hair like Dorothy back then.
Kristi: Yeah, (nodding straight to the camera) I kept my long hair.
Donny: You used to skate with a partner didn't you? But now, you're just skating by yourself right?
Kristi: Right. I skated pairs for about 7 years with Rudy Galindo.
Donny & Marie: Oh yeah...
Kristi: And you know, we did really well. We started for fun and eventually we made it to win National Championships two years in a row, and represented the U.S. at the World Championships. So we had a great run. And yeah, things change and we grew apart and it was time to kind of choose one or the other - and since I had always been a singles skater, I went back to singles naturally and continued on that side of the sport.
Marie: You are so awesome in singles -
Donny: Yes..
Marie: I mean, you're just a great skater, but do you ever miss the, the - cause two is really beautiful too.
Donny: The partnership of it all.
Kristi: Yes! Oh, I still watch pairs and just think 'Oh...it's such a great sport.' And it was different. You know, working with someone, having the same goals. I'm sure you two..
Donny & Marie: No, no. None whatsoever. We don't. [The audience laughs]
Kristi: There's a chemistry there. And I think when you're on the ice with someone, and the audience picks up on that, and it's fun.
Marie: I agree. I think there is a chemistry. We tease each other alot, but the fact is, we get along...
Donny: There is that chemistry
Marie: And I could look at him and know what he's thinking - that's scary.
Donny: That's scary.
Kristi: (laughing) It happens.
Donny: It does, it does. You're on tour right now with Discover Stars...?
Kristi: Discover Stars On Ice, yes.
Donny: How's the tour going?
Kristi: Great, We're having alot of fun out this year. This year's very special. We have six new skaters who joined the tour. Olympic gold medalists Tara Lipinski and Illia Kulik...
[some audience members begin to clap at their names, Kristi acknowledges them and nods "Yeah!" and the rest of the audience follows]
Donny and Marie: Wow...oh great.
Donny: You mentioned - who are the the other skaters?
Kristi: Chen Lu from China. She's the Olympic bronze medalist. Steven Cousins, he's a British Champion. Jenny Meno and Todd Sands, our American pairs team. Scott Hamilton, the usual, Scott Hamilton.
Donny: Oh, Scott's with you too? [The audience cheers and claps at Scott's name]
Marie: We just saw him...
Donny: Ah, he's sweet! In Minneapolis.
Marie: Yeah, we were back in Minneapolis doing a thing for Target, and Scott was there. But he had just...well not just. He was getting the last I think, the last few weeks of his surgery or something. How's he doing?
Kristi: He's doing great! You know, he's been gaining his strength back and ah, really excited about this years' tour. So he's working hard and -
Donny: Full remission from the cancer as well?
Kristi: Yes, unbelievably yeah. He's been a fighter throughout the whole thing and determined to come back (looking straight into the camera) full strength, and he's looking good. (nodding) [The audience cheers again]
Maire: That's so great. You know, one of the things when you tour alot, in a company, in a group....ah you, you know, you have the same show every single day. And so, once in a while, I know when we did Sound of Music and different shows. I know you did (referring to Donny)
Donny: Yeah...
Marie: You play little tricks on each other. Not to mess up the show, but little things. Do you do stuff like that?
Kristi: (laughing) Well, traditionally...closing night, which you know, we have a 63 city tour. And we do two shows in the last city. So, it's Easter Sunday, it's hard to get up, but we get up. And between the skaters and the crew, we have alittle bit of fun - whether it's switching costumes around or ah....you know, putting vodka in someone's water or something you know?
Donny & Marie: (laughing)
Kristi: It's just little jokes here and there.
Donny: (still laughing) You can't skate very well after that can you?
Marie: I think I would like to switch costumes with Donny. You'll look good in a skirt.
Donny: (making a funny face) Where are you going with this Marie? [For some reason, the audience cheers :-)]
Marie: I love stuff like that! Now, you have to tell me truthfully, isn't there a thing between figure skating and hockey skaters? I mean, there's kind of a rivalry isn't there?
Kristi: I'd say. You know, I mean growing up in a rink, the figure skaters and the hockey players are always fighting for ice time, and they like different conditions. Figure skaters like the ice alittle softer, and hockey players like it colder, harder - so there's always a battle. You know, for territory in the ice rink.
Donny: Is it a policy that hockey players to mess up the ice more than figure skaters? Because I think a figure skater would mess up the ice more.
Marie: Don't they spit on the ice?
Kristi: Well...yeah. I mean, there's all kinds of things that figure skaters don't do - we don't smell up the arena either! [Everyone laughs]
Donny: And you don't fight?
Kristi: No. Right. Well....usually not! [more laughter]
Marie: But you see, the reason why I asked about the hockey thing and the competition is - aren't you dating a hockey player?
Kristi: Ha, ha, funny you should mention that! [The audience whoops, cheers and applauds]
Donny: Come on, fill us in, come on!
Kristi: You guys have been doing your research... (she's alittle uncomfortable looking judging by her body language, but she is still smiling through)
Donny: Oh yeah, we know all about you!
Kristi: Yes, actually - it's alittle ironic. But at this point I am (laughing).
Marie: So, do you ever fight about stuff on the ice? I mean about that with figure skating and the hockey?
Kristi: No, I think we mostly just poke fun at each other. But it's....you know....it's [shrugging a shoulder] water under the bridge...
Donny: She doesn't really want to talk alot about it. So, how long have you been dating him?
[Kristi, Marie and the audience laughs]
Kristi: Thanks Donny...A few years.
Donny: Really?
Marie: That's great. That's fun.
Donny: Serious?
Kristi: Yeah (nodding). It's going well. It's hard...
Donny: We're talking rinks? [everyone laughs]
Marie: Oh Donny - will you stop! Is it a big rock? (and briefly holds her "ring" finger)
Kristi: (she's still laughing and says almost inaudibly under her breath) Anyway...
Marie: I'm teasing you! You are so sweet.
Donny: Good luck with the tour.
Kristi: We're here actually on December-or-January 17th. I'd like to invite both of you to come.
Donny & Marie: I would love to come. I'm there, I'm there. I would love to do that. We would love to be there.
Donny: And thank you for coming to our show. [The audience claps and cheers for Kristi]
Kristi: Oh, it's a pleasure.
Donny: We'll see you on December 17th. Kristi Yamaguchi!
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