One of the best things about being a correspondent on Extra is getting to know interesting and successful people—specifically celebrities. And believe it or not, I have received great advice from the array of famous people I’ve spoken to. Even harder to believe? Most of it had nothing to do with losing weight.
I once mentioned to Hugh Jackman I was having trouble putting my three-year- old to sleep (without him throwing a fit), and he told me he solved the same problem by sitting next to his baby’s crib, not saying a word and slowly inching out of the room. “By the time you are out of the room,” he promised, “your son will be asleep.” He quickly added, “No eye contact and no talking.” I followed his advice, and guess what? It works!
Former President Bill Clinton gave me a touching piece of advice. He said we all need reminders our life is good, even when we feel bad. His reminder is a handmade string bracelet he wears on his right wrist, given to him by a family who survived a tremendous amount of pain. Clinton told me he looks at the bracelet when he’s feeling down or when his life is too hectic.
I said “most” of the advice I’ve received wasn’t diet related, not all. I recently interviewed Courteney Cox on the set of her show, Cougar Town, and asked her how she keeps her body looking like a 20-year-old’s. Her advice was simple but true: “You can exercise all you want, but it’s truly all about what you eat.”
But the best advice I ever received came from my mother, Eleanor. She once told me, “Blowing out someone else’s candle doesn’t make yours any brighter.” They are words I try to live by. No matter how much celebrity advice I get, my mom’s words will always ring the most true.
