Archive Interview: This interview was originally published by Mediabistro around 2010. It is republished here as part of the Mediabistro archive.
Calling yourself a media empress is one thing, but actually being one is another altogether. Shira Lazar, a burgeoning brand in her own right, has managed to straddle new and traditional forms of media, catapulting herself into the tech and broadcasting worlds through online buzz, but always making sure to produce the creative content her audience expects from her. Being Lazar certainly seems exhausting: Her daily routine consists of a melange of conference calls, shoots, emceeing and meetings — and then, of course, coming home to blog all about it. Lazar is a veritable millennial multitasker, writing a blog on her own site, starring in Confessions of a Travel Writer on the Travel Channel, and working on the upcoming launch of her Web series, What’s Next, with RDF Media. She also just launched On the Scene, a pop culture blog on CBSNews.com, and joined Mo Rocca’s The Tomorrrow Show as contributor. Lazar took the time to talk with mediabistro.com from Los Angeles via Skype, where she discussed what it’s like to be a new media empress.
When did you first realize you were interested in broadcast journalism and Internet culture, and what made you come to this discovery?
I think it goes back to my yearbook, I was the editor and it was the first time I brought a digital camera. I was the first one to do that in my school. So we did it all digitally, and I started learning Photoshop and Quark. After high school — I grew up in Montreal, and we have a different education system there where we graduate in the 11th grade and then have a two-year pre-university program — I did layout design for the newspaper, and I was also writing. I was mixing in the marketing and visual side of [journalism] with the writing portion, interviewing people and tracking down interviews with people even my teachers never thought I could get. I like mixing in the visual creative component to it with the interviewing and journalistic side. When I got to college, I studied communications with a concentration in TV and video production. I always loved news and video production and talk shows. While I was studying, I also created my own show called The Ladies’ Room. It was kind of a college spinoff of The View. I was hosting it along with three other women and producing it, and that’s when I really started doing both producing and hosting. Then when I interned for my last semester in Los Angeles at The Ellen DeGeneres Show, at night I was at a radio station called Star 98.7. One of the radio jobs was [to] voice-track a show that would air in Rochester, N.Y. in the morning. At midnight, after his one show was done in L.A., I would produce his other show, and then he slowly brought me on as his sidekick. He basically one day couldn’t read my handwriting and was like, “Just come on air and tell me what you meant.” I would leave doing that at 1 a.m. and I’d gotten no sleep — I was in school during the day and then interning, and then at night interning with him. I would come home with just butterflies in my stomach. From there, I felt like I had found my calling doing on-air work, but the fact that I had a production background helped. My first job out of college, I was hired as a TV producer, and I was having to book a daily morning show in Vegas. I wasn’t fully happy just producing, even though it was fun, so on-air and hosting and broadcasting and journalism was the best mix of being myself and interviewing people and being in the spotlight, but also bringing in my production background and writing.
| “I’m always trying to be part of projects that really bridge the gap between traditional and new media and leverage both.” |
New media was a natural extension to who I was, and I had a Web site since I was in college, but it was the only way for me to pretty much get into the industry and what I was doing. I started putting together a reel and auditioning, and I was getting little jobs here and there, but one of my first gigs was with a Web site called WiredImage. They were just starting their entertainment video wiring service at the time, so they started sending me out on the red carpet, and I started meeting all these other Web sites on the red carpet that needed hosts. They needed someone that wasn’t just a talking head but could write their own stuff and was smart enough to be very spontaneous and work with the situation. I just started getting hired by all these Web sites in Los Angeles doing the entertainment news type stuff. Everyone from WiredImage, to Hollywood.com, to Movies.com; I started working for Verizon V Cast– so a lot of those new media sites that were popping up, Yahoo TV, too. I became this kind of go-to person for all these Web sites. And then the rest is history. I realized that’s where my home was, and I couldn’t escape it.
Have there been any specific people in your life that you’ve met that have inspired you to go into your chosen field?
Definitely, there are those icons I look up to like everyone from Oprah to Katie Couric to even Ryan Seacrest, Dick Clark — people who were broadcasters but were also entrepreneurs and really revolutionized the media at the time.
I know that you have a lot of different projects going on right now– what’s some of the stuff that you’re currently working on?
I have a Travel Channel special [which began] airing August 10th at 9 p.m. It’s called Confessions of a Travel Writer. We were five journalists that went on assignment in Chile and I was the only new media person, and they follow us through the good, bad and ugly of travel writing. A lot of people think travel writing is a dream job, and being able to travel the world is incredible, but we show that it’s maybe not as glamorous as you think. We peel away the curtain and really show you what travel writing is all about — and you see it from different angles, different types of writers. Everyone from the high-end writer that writes for Virtuoso, to the food writer for Saveur magazine, we have a National Geographic writer, to me. I’m kind of the young, blogger, new media type. And I’m meeting with local bloggers in every city, and they’re giving me a tour of the city, which is really cool because I get to see these underground places that you wouldn’t find in tourist guides. I also use social networking tools like Twitter and Facebook to really see where I should go, and I use my community to guide me around the city.
So I have that going on, and I also have another project that I developed with RDF Media. They do shows like Don’t Forget the Lyrics and Wife Swap and Carson Kressley’s How to Look Good Naked, and they’re an international production company. Within their digital division, I’m launching a Web series called What’s Next, where we’ll be covering what people and industries are really shaping our culture, what people are buzzing about, and ultimately what’s next, what we need to know. What’s great about this is not only is it going to be online, but the interstitials are going to air on HDNet, which is Mark Cuban’s network, and I’m a big fan of him. So it’s going to be definitely a multi-platform experience. I’m always trying to be part of projects that really bridge the gap between traditional and new media and leverage both. I’m not about one extreme or the other, but about really finding ways to have the stories on both mediums.
| “It’s important to put a face to an avatar. That goes a long way when you finally meet someone in person — those relationships become much more powerful.” |
In your bio on your Web site, the last line is, “As a crossover personality and hybrid journalist, Shira Lazar continues to bridge the gap between traditional and new media and be a voice for the millennial movement.” What do you see as your most important goal as a millennial and social media advocate? What are you really trying to accomplish?
One No. 1 thing that I really try to step back and do is use my voice for bigger issues. I think there’s a responsibility there, whether you’re on TV on the Internet or “big on Twitter,” that besides entertaining and informing your audience, you inform them about bigger issues and use your voice for bigger things to create a better impact for our world. My passion and love is broadcasting and media, but hopefully in the end I’m using those tools to impact the world in a positive way.
You’re deeply involved with using social media for charitable causes, and have participated in events like Mashable’s Summer for Social Good and Twestival. What role do you see social media having in philanthropy, and how specifically have you harnessed social media for your own charity work?
If you have a platform and you have people listening, you have a responsibility to do something bigger than yourself with those tools, and social media is a perfect platform to get the message out quickly and to a huge amount of people. I’ve seen that within my community. I did this fun video project called “I am a Geek,” and I brought together a mixture of different people in the geek community, from the gamers to the Internet geeks to the social media geeks, and I put them all in one video. I was trying to see if a viral video can become a viral donation. We raised money for Room to Read through that.
I also think Twestival is a perfect example where it’s so easy to get the message out there — it’s not just about a local community and where you’re living, but you can really harness your online community in a global way to create an even larger impact. I’m all about using your virtual community, but then always putting a face to everything also.
You can do so much online, but I try to also be there in a real way, as well. That’s why I try to moderate and host events too, because I think it’s important to put a face to an avatar. That goes a long way when you finally meet someone in person — those relationships become much more powerful.
| “To succeed in this digital world, you have to have a hyperactive insomniac personality… It’s not ADD, I would say, but it’s on the verge of ADD. It’s DigitalDD.” |
What advice do you have for young journalists — broadcast or otherwise — looking to break into the field?
Don’t expect to get a job a traditional way anymore. Definitely try those channels, whether it be an online or print magazine — if those are still around — or whatever kind of traditional job, go that route, but don’t put all your eggs in that basket. Take advantage that you have the power to create and that you can create a Web site yourself. While you’re trying to get a job, whatever job you want to get, start blogging about those subject matters or those types of articles; start creating those things on your blog. Your portfolio can easily come from yourself now; it doesn’t need to come from outlets that we all already know about. Your work speaks for itself, and you can just as easily create that platform yourself. You don’t have to wait around for someone to create that for you. And just keep on going — don’t take no for an answer. Keep on creating and challenging yourself, and keep on learning. For me, I never get to a point where I think I know it all. You need to keep on adjusting your craft and learning and never say no. I’ve gotten paid for many things and I’ve gotten not paid for many things, so as long as you feel like you’re not losing your integrity by doing something, and it’s something new that will challenge you in a certain way and bring something positive, then do it. Never think you’re above anything.
Between hosting various Web shows, as well as 1st Look and Open House on NBC’s LXTV, blogging and travel writing, how do you manage to keep it all together? Does the “all digital, all the time” lifestyle ever get to you?
It definitely gets hard to disconnect, and when you do disconnect, you begin to have some sort of guilt, because I do live so much of my life online. You kind of need to step back, and for me I always need to feel inspired. I try to stay light about it and keep it fun because once it starts feeling like it’s work, you feel a drain. It starts to come out in the energy of your blog posts. I’m all about digital energy and keeping it positive. In terms of scheduling, it gets a bit difficult because I’m multitasking so many gigs and I definitely try to make sure I’m on top of my schedule. I also make lists — I’m all about the lists. I’m very big into meeting people and as much as I live online, I’m always making meetings for lunch or drinks or seeing people at events that I know they’re going to be at because, as I mentioned before, as much power as your brain can be online, it means a lot when people see and meet you in person. It makes you real, and that’s really important to me. I guess maybe to succeed in this digital world, you have to have a hyperactive insomniac personality because a lot of it happens at night or you’re just going, going, going. It’s not ADD, I would say, but it’s on the verge of ADD. It’s DigitalDD.
Who are some of the most interesting people you’ve interviewed either for TV or on the radio?
You have the entrepreneurs that are just really inspirational like Richard Branson, who is just an amazing brand and he’s done incredible things, to Queen Latifah or Al Pacino– those more Hollywood icons. Since I’ve delved into both worlds of Hollywood and technology, I’ve really been able to interview a wide range of people. I’ve interviewed Angelina Jolie; even interviewing Arianna Huffington recently, I felt so honored because she’s doing so much in the world of media and journalism. Sometimes I’m more excited or nervous for interviewing people like that, icons in the field, than even someone like a George Clooney, and I’ve interviewed George Clooney! Because those are people who are entrepreneurs and leaders and have really made a mark in the industry in a hard way. They aren’t just reading scripts, but they’ve really created their own mark and brand and they have tons of people following their sites or work or using their products every day in masses.
So is that one of your goals, to create Shira Lazar as a brand?
Definitely. I don’t look at myself as someone who’s just gig to gig. Even if I’m not on someone else’s clock, I’m constantly working and I’d definitely look at myself as a brand for the millennial movement. The basis of it is definitely broadcasting and then it goes into philanthropy, it goes into writing, it goes into other areas I feel I can bring my presence and knowledge of pop culture and social Web culture, and my love for telling stories and connecting people. This is who I am, and this is me, and it’s long-term and I can’t see myself doing anything else.
What’s a typical day in the life like for Shira Lazar?
Well there are ideal and non-ideal days. An ideal day I would actually get to work out in the morning and either do a jog or train or do Bikram yoga and have my green tea and be answering emails and having conference calls. I might need to do a live hit for Fox News or CNN, and then I’d have to drive off somewhere and do a shoot or interview someone. Then I have meetings all day, at night I might have to host or emcee an event of some sort, and then blog about it. And then come home and answer more emails and do more Tweeting and blogging. So that might be a typical day in L.A., but I was in New York recently for Internet Week, and that was not very typical. I was videoblogging all day as well, and going from one event to the next and then uploading it and you have events and parties. For some people parties are recreational, and they definitely are, my job is awesome, but they’re still a little bit of work. It’s not like I’m disconnected, you know;when you’re at parties, you’re meeting people, it’s networking. I’m also sometimes a video blogette, so it’s a mix of all those things. I’m lucky enough that a large part of what I do is who I am naturally, and so it’s an effort, but not maybe as much as for some people. At the end of the day, it’s sometimes exhausting. On the weekends, I try to do nothing and not be on a schedule, and do things like read or catch up on articles or just not get in my car. So it really changes every day, but it definitely involves a mix between conference calls, meeting, blogging, shooting. When I don’t have that schedule, I don’t know what to do with myself.
Your stepbrother is the CEO of American Apparel, Dov Charney. What bearing has he had on your career or your aspirations, if any?
Well he’s definitely had a huge influence, because growing up I saw him build a huge business from nothing and a brand and that’s why I also look at what I’m doing as a brand. Because I have that entrepreneurial spirit to me, as well, and I saw him go through times when people didn’t support his vision — and some people still don’t — but he still pushes it and he believes in his mission and there’s no compromising. He has a goal and he sits through it, no matter what, even if there are obstacles or downfalls or disappointment. And seeing that, when I have those little things that happen to me or challenges, I realize that it could be much worse, because I’ve seen it much worse with my own eyes. But I also believe seeing someone come through in such a huge way that it’s possible, and anything really is possible. It’s definitely been very influential. And it also makes me realize that if people think I’m crazy, then they should meet my stepbrother! And just being around people like that, you get desensitized to any kind of crazy factor. Anything is possible. We both have dreamer personalities. It’s amazing to see; actually, it makes me strive for more.
The Internet business and tech worlds are mostly dominated by men. Have you ever encountered any particular struggles as a woman in a world that seems to be very highly male populated? Do you think your gender harms or helps your ability to get jobs?
I think that as a woman in the industry we can be misjudged, unfortunately, but it is a reality. We just need to make sure that in all of our situations we step back and make sure that we maintain our integrity and always confront all of those situations — male-dominated situations, events or tech conferences — always with a head on our shoulders and knowing that we can offer something valuable. You need to maintain that. If you always go into situations knowing that you offer something and that you are valuable, then if they can’t respect that, then that’s their problem and you can’t let it bother you. And obviously, wearing appropriate things: If they’re not looking into your eyes because you’re wearing a low-cut dress, then you can’t get mad at them. It takes two to tango. So embrace being a woman and who you are, but then realize the repercussions and always maintain that integrity and always offer something real. Always offer your intelligence, and not just other things.
Shira Lazar’s Five Steps to Becoming a Media Empress
1. Be you! People can see through a fake brand or image, and it’ll drain you to maintain something that you’re really not. Once you embrace your authentic voice, you’ll find your audience and your audience will find you.
2. Balance PR/buzz with actual work, i.e. new content and projects. As much as it’s great for everyone to see you at that party or getting interviewed by a cool outlet, it can only go so far. If you’re not continuing to challenge yourself and your audience with some real projects outside of publicity than you’ll lose engagement. Your brand isn’t just about you, but the conversation you create and what you contribute.
3. Maintain a consistent presence on and offline. As powerful as all these online tools can be to make an impact and be heard, meeting your network and community in person is the icing on the cake. I can’t tell you how many jobs and relationships I’ve strengthened through conferences, meetups, etc. As the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind.
4. Think multi-platform. Whenever you have an idea, think of how you can integrate other mediums to get the message out there. If your project or brand is based online, brainstorm ways to integrate it on TV or in event form. Don’t just regurgitate, accommodate your audience and find a different way to engage people and tell your story.
5. Call yourself a media empress. Michael Jackson actually pegged himself the King of Pop, and he delivered that and beyond. Don’t wait around for someone to discover and brand you. You have the power to create what and who you are now — and as we all know, perception is reality.
Jessica Roy is the entertainment editor for NYU Local, a culture intern at Salon, and writes her own blog, Jess and Josh Talk About Stuff.
