The Jody Blog: Behind the Scenes with Bill Rancic

A night out in Paducah doesn’t normally involve speaking with one of your reality show heroes. Typically I also do not tramp into the Carson Center wearing snow boots, heels in hand.

But at last Thursday’s 72nd Chamber Meeting it was all iList Paducah business as usual after I checked my Wellies in with the lovely coat room staff, and shoved Adam Shull down a flight of stairs.

I thus managed to secure a meeting with one of my favorite stars of reality TV, Bill Rancic. At Laura K’s “go” (which was the extension of her freakishly long leg in the path of Shull) I darted backstage to Season One winner of The Apprentice’s dressing room for a frank discussion on quilts and football.

I was greeted with all the grace, charm and beauty I expected out of the man I had come to know well from years of TV watching. He even looked mildly amused when post-handshake I ran back to the door of his dressing room to yell, “TRRIIIIIIIIIISH!!!” down the hallway after my photographer, Trish Boyd. Once Trish appeared breathlessly at the door with a handful of Shull’s hair, we got down to business.

First of all I had to know, was this Mr. Bill’s first visit to Paducah? How familiar was he with the quilting capital of the universe? What would Bill Rancic’s quilt look like? And of course, could he pull any strings to guarantee The Bears Super Bowl win?

Mr. Bill responded to my game of hardball without missing a beat…this WAS his first visit to Paducah! Next the native Chicagoan answered with a laugh when I asked if the two inches of snow impeded his flight, “Oh, no we landed just fine” (I guess they don’t have thunder snow in Chicago). He HAD actually been driven by our majestic quilt museum and found it quite lovely. Bill Rancic’s dream quilt design would include planes, the 50 states and the Chicago Bears.

Speaking of which, he then promised me that he and his lovely wife Giuliana (of E! Hollwood Network fame) would be on the sidelines for Sunday’s Bears v. Packers face-off. I pressed Rancic on what our Bears’ chances REALLY were and he assured me that we would “absolutely win,” Might I suggest this charming businessman pursue a career in politics?

Despite the devastation of a broken Rancic-football-promise, I have to say the evening was a delight. I was given a backstage tour by co-emcee Glenn Denton. I successfully avoided David Mast, second emcee, without incident. I was entertained with sideline commentary from Carson Center House Manager, Chuck Tate, and fed all the delicious Laura Duff carbs I could eat in several sittings.

This was, without a trace of sarcasm, a definite win for the Paducah Chamber, hence local business owners and entrepreneurs. Congrats to the members of the Chamber, the staff and the volunteers who put this evening together — especially Laura K — the region’s premier event planner and interference-runner-on-rival-press-er.

Finally, a special thanks to coat check, who stowed away TWO coats, a pair of boots, AND a giant purse with a smile. And to Trish, my personal photographer.