Smallscreen Features
A Chat with Donny and Marie for NBC's America's Favorite Mom
By M&C Smallscreen
May 3, 2008, 21:04 GMT

"America's Favorite Mom" will be airing on NBC on Sunday, May 11 at 7:00 pm Eastern.

Teleflora, the world's leading floral wire service, and NBC today revealed the 15 semi-finalists in the nationwide search for America's Favorite Mom.  The inspirational stories of the three top moms in each of the five categories -- military moms, working moms, single moms, "Non-mom" moms and "Chairman of Everything" moms -- will be featured on NBC's "Today" show May 5 through May 9 during the 9 o'clock hour.

Each day, America will vote on who will continue into the final round. The winning mom will be crowned during the primetime television special, "Teleflora presents America's Favorite Mom," airing on Mother's Day Sunday, May 11 at 7 p.m. EDT.

Hosting "America’s Favorite Mom" will be the brother and sister duo Marie and Donny Osmond, who spoke to Monsters and Critics with other online journalists the other day regarding the new show.

What are your Mother’s day plans?

Donny Osmond: What’s in store for us on Mother’s Day? A lot of rehearsing for this tour. We’re just about ready to go on a huge tour and Teleflora -- along with NBC -- asked us to do this Mother’s Day show and we thought, , this is such a special day for us because we love our mother so much.
And it’s a pretty significant day for us because she passed away on Mother’s Day four years ago, and we couldn’t turn this down. So we’re putting all of our rehearsals on hold and doing this show for Teleflora and NBC.

And then we’ll probably get right back to work.  We’ll take Mother’s Day off. I think we should take Mother’s Day off. I think my wife would appreciate that.

Marie Osmond: Your wife is a mother.

Tell us about the Vegas show

Marie Osmond: Well we have - boy, I tell you, we’re not going to slow down for a whole year. We are in rehearsals right now for the big 50th tour. Can I just say this show is going to be phenomenal.

It’s going to be an amazing show. I’m sorry that we’re not doing it here in the US, but we’re going to be in - all over Europe and Australia, and Asia. But it’s - Donny has done an amazing job.

It’s just going to be such a great show for the brothers and the family. And then we come home and we go right into rehearsals -- we’re going to do a week at the MGM-Grand.

And then from there we’re going to do six months at The Flamingo in Las Vegas. And the show - we have been going crazy. I mean, from costume designing to getting everything - it’s crazy because we’re going to be over in Europe.

So we’re trying to do all of this in the next few weeks plus this show that we’re doing that we’re very excited about like Donny said, since our mom passed away on Mother’s Day.

And mothers - I’ll tell you, they’re the nucleus of life and I believe that this kind of an honor is something that we really do need to honor these women - because I mean, I’m a mom of eight.

I’ve worked with  Olympic shows and I’ve done inaugurations and television shows, and everything. Being a mom is the most - it’s a difficult and rewarding job out there. But, kids don’t come home to their video games. They come home to their moms and, husbands they may like their couches, but they do come home to their wives.

Donny Osmond: Well what’s pretty interesting about - to follow up on the Vegas thing is that this show -- this Mother’s Day show that we’re doing -- really is the first time that Marie and I have performed together, I think, in about eight years.

I think the last time we performed together, Marie, was - or sang together was on the Donny & Marie Talk Show. So this really begins - this Mother’s Day show begins the process of working together that is going to culminate in Las Vegas.

Marie Osmond: But even that, Donny, wasn’t like this. This is - we’re talking full out variety, . And it’s going to be - it’s fun. Vegas is having a resurgence in that kind of stuff. It’s the people that - I guess Cher is there now and,  we had Sonny & Cher on our show.

And I mean, it’s fun. It’s like all the entertainers are coming back to do their thing. It’s kind of fun.

What is your kids take on your careers?

Donny Osmond: Oh, I’m just another dad. It - they think it’s kind of cool and every once in awhile my oldest son who’s name is Don, he says, “My name is Donny Osmond.”

He kind of likes to get a kick out of the reaction that people give him.
But when we’re doing a show - a huge concert in arenas and things like that, it’s just another show to them, at least my kids. I’m just a normal neighborhood dad.
As a matter of fact, a lot of the kids in the neighborhood, they call me Uncle Donny. , I’m just another neighbor. So - what’s the saying? Familiarity breeds content.

Marie Osmond:   I think it’s actually a little different with my kids. I mean, they’re my kids and they know it’s my job, and whatever. But, , since I’ve gotten back into shape, since I’ve been on NutriSystem and all that stuff, it’s fun when your teenage daughters and my 21-year-old - and they’ll walk around and go, mom, we’re taking you shopping.

And they start dressing you, and they’re like my mommy’s hot. And I’m like, yes, I am having a hot flash. Thank you. But I think they’re proud of the consistency of years.

It’s a rare thing - I mean, , Donny and I have been in this business a long, long time. We’re not celebrating our 50th, but we’re not far behind it. And it’s rare when you start a career at age,  two and three that you’re still doing things.
And it’s a great honor and I think that this year with the 50th tour, with Donny and I going back to Vegas, I’m starting a show, I have a book coming out -- just a bunch of things that we’re doing.

I think our children are really very supportive, I guess is the word - extremely there. I mean, it’s just amazing. Last night I had to work late trying to get wardrobe ready for this 50th tour and my 18-year-old is like well I got, , so and so, I got him macaroni and cheese.

We fed them, and I read to them. And blah, blah, blah. And they just kind of pick up where you left off. As a mom, you just so appreciate that.

Did you think you would be so busy this late into your careers?

Donny Osmond: No, I thought I was going to retire at 50. Scott, I’ve never worked harder in my life. I really thought I was going to slow down about this time in my life and just enjoy my grandkids.

But it’s - , like Marie said, this next year is going to be really pretty much on the go and nonstop.

Marie Osmond: It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  I didn’t know that I would be a single mom having to work this much. ? And so life is never what we think it’s going to be, so you grab onto the reigns and you just enjoy the ride no matter what it is.

And it’s really - , we don’t know if our whole family is ever going to do this again,  I mean, we’ve got some (buddies) that aren’t feeling very well and I mean, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our family. And we’re going to just enjoy it.
.
What has been the best advice that your mom ever gave you as a parent?

Donny Osmond: This too shall pass was her saying. When times got rough -- and they always did -- no matter what business you’re in, no matter what size of family you have, life has a tendency to throw curveballs at you.
And you just don’t know how you’re going to get out of situation. And she just said be patient. This too shall pass. And that was the greatest advice she ever gave to me.

Marie, do you find now that your kids are older that it has become easier? Did you find when they were younger you needed to take a break a bit because of what they were going through?

Marie Osmond: Well I have eight children, so I have - , my oldest is 25, but my youngest is 5.
So I feel - I have like two separate families. I have my older ones and then I have my four younger ones who - , it’s 11, 10, 8 and 5. So let’s just say that I will be doing this the rest of my life, .

And I mean, with eight kids, you enter a whole new realm of reality. It’s not called family. It’s called a small nation that I have following me around.

I’ve got a lot of kids and their friends, so my house is always crazy and busy, and fun.

What do you shop for with your daughter?

Marie Osmond: Well she’s been doing my clothes for me. And so now that I can get back in my skinny jeans, the items that she insists I have are the tight-legged jeans. I’m like okay, this goes back like to another era.
When you weren’t even born I was wearing those. So we - I think that the tight, skinny jeans are what she would say every mom needs to look plenty hip.

Why did you end up on this special?

Donny Osmond: Well,  what’s really interesting is that the phone has been ringing quite a bit. This was locked in prior to doing Miss USA Pageant.
So really it had nothing to do with it. But we got a call and Teleflora and NBC, they signed off on the fact that yes, Donny and Marie are the appropriate hosts for a show like that.

When I first heard about this -- and I hope I don’t offend anybody at Teleflora or NBC by saying this -- but I - when I - as soon as I heard the concept, Donny and Marie hosting a Mother’s Day special I thought well, , maybe we ought to pass out insulin shots to everybody afterwards because it’s going to be really sweet.

But then I started reading the script and they told me, no, read the script. You’ll understand exactly where we’re going with this thing. They’re going to highlight five different categories.

And I think all the different categories have been passed out to everybody - the non-traditional moms, the - or the non-mom moms with the military moms, the single moms.

As Marie said earlier, it’s a tough job. The most underpaid, overworked, profession in the world is to be a mother. I don’t know how my mother did it with nine children in showbiz and I don’t know how Marie does it.

But then I started reading more of the script and how they’re going to be presented, and how The Today Show is going to be involved here starting on Monday.

And it’s just going to be a huge ordeal that NBC and Teleflora are putting out. I thought, they’re doing it right. I’m definitely aboard because like I said, the most underappreciated job in the world is time for a special like this to highlight these moms that need to be seen.

There are going to be 15 Semi-finalists and each one of them are going to be highlighted on The Today Show. And I think it’s going to be a very, very exciting show. I think the audience is going to have that same initial reaction unless they read into it and they watch the show.
They’re going to walk away with a little bit more appreciation of their moms or their neighborhood moms, whoever they may be.

Marie Osmond: And just to add something to Donny - even if your mom isn’t nominated or whatever, sitting there watching this kind of show with your mom - whatever - , whether she’s a single mom, whether she’s been,  a dedicated mom her whole life, whether she’s a working - whatever it is, it will stir conversation and it will stir, hopefully feelings of gratitude.

I know that we sure adored our mom and now that she’s not here anymore,  we should all take these opportunities to really let our moms know how much you love them.

The other day I was having a really, really hard day. And my one son who has been through a lot, we’ve been through a lot together - he texted me. Texting is a great communication for teenagers.

And he says, 'mom, I don’t know how you do everything and I just want you to know that I love you and I have big shoulders for you.' And  what? That’s all moms need. They just need to know once in awhile that they’re appreciated.

It’s tough to be a mom out there. But like Donny said, people are going to have a chance to vote. They’re going to narrow it down to these 15.

Tune in to The Today Show. You’re going to see three videos and you’re going to pick that day, out of those three, who you would pick. So really, it’s America voting for favorite moms.

This is not NBC doing it or anything else. I mean, this is - come on, let’s get together. What kind of mom means the most to you? And I think that it’s going to be fun to see what our nation comes up with.

And I hope people get involved and I hope that they - I mean, the winner is going to receive $250,000 and a Caribbean vacation, and makeovers, and all these kind of fun things that they’re going to get, like a GE kitchen.

So it really is going to be nice and I think,  we love reality television. You can’t get more reality than this.

Do your kids poke fun at your age?

Donny Osmond: Oh, absolutely. You better believe it, although, I think I’m kind of a youngish kind of dad because I get up there and do all kinds of kids stuff. I’m either - the running joke in my home is that my wife and I had five boys, but she’s raising six because I act so juvenile sometimes.

So I’m still so young at heart. And even with my little grandson, I’ll just get on the floor and wrestle with him, all kinds of stuff and play like a little kid. So I still have a lot of youth in me, I think.

But absolutely - I mean, even if a new grey hair shows up, boy, they’re the first ones to notice it.

Marie Osmond: My children tell everybody that I’m 29.
Donny Osmond: She’s teaching her children to lie. Isn’t that a wonderful principle?

Marie Osmond: No, I am 29.

Donny Osmond: Oh, okay.

Any comments on the two Mormon American Idols?

Donny Osmond: Yeah, I think they got a good shot. I think David is an amazing talent. I think that the whole country is in love with him. It’s anybody’s game at this point. This is at the stage of American Idol where it gets really exciting because every single one of them is deserving of being the winner.

But I mean, I’ve had a chance to talk to David and he’s just the most humble kid in the world, particularly the story of where he came from - having a paralyzed vocal chord and then being in the finals. It’s amazing story.

Marie Osmond: The thing is that I hope that people judge them according to their talents,  I mean, you don’t hear other people saying well,  one of the finalists is a Catholic or one of them is a Presbyterian, or one of them is Jewish.

I think it should be on talent and they’re great kids. And,  we love our beliefs but, , we don’t try to go out and change the world. We just are what we are and I think that’s what important with these kids, too.

Marie, you’ve said several times in the past that you wished your parents had the opportunity to raise every male child because your brothers turned out so well.

Marie Osmond: Donny just said that I’m a liar.

Donny Osmond: Yeah.

Marie Osmond: No, I think…the family structure where you have a woman in the home who is treated equally and who is cherished and adored, and a husband who - they’re like a team. And all my brothers are that way with their wives.

it’s one unit. It’s not like I’m above you or you’re beneath me, or anything else. And that was what our parents,  taught. My brothers, their children - I have some amazing nephews.
And now a lot of them are getting married and having their own families and it passes down. It really does. But I think it starts with the respect for the woman and my dad had incredible respect for my mother.

And my brothers are that way with their wives.

What items are in your fridge at all times?

Donny Osmond: What item I always have in my fridge - mold?

Marie Osmond: With my kids it has to be milk.

Donny Osmond: Mine’s mold.

Marie Osmond: No, he doesn’t cook. He is the worst cook on the planet.

Donny Osmond: Hey, believe me, I burn water. I would say purified water is always in there - chilled, purified water.

Marie Osmond: I always have lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in my fridge.

Donny Osmond: You got to have at least a couple pints of Haagen-Dazs Chocolate Chocolate Chip in there.

How different is the business now from when you all were doing your show? Is it much harder, much easier, less personal, and meaner than it used to be?

Donny Osmond: All of the above, really. But there’s one thing that remains constant and that is good quality talent and music. I think everybody loves to be entertained. I’ll never forget a show that I saw. I’m not going to say which show because it wouldn’t be right.

But it was just amazing. The production was just over the top and they wanted me to do the show. And after watching it three separate times, I had the same conclusion after each one - is I wasn’t entertained. I was overwhelmed with production.

But you can’t throw the kitchen sink and everything else into a show and expect people to be entertained. That’s what Marie and I want to do in Vegas. We want to bring the classic Vegas to the modern Vegas, not that I’m saying there’s anything wrong with the big production shows there now because everybody wants to see a variety of types of shows.

Marie and I want to bring the classic variety back into Vegas where there’s a little personality. Yes, there’s a lot of production, a lot of dancing, a lot of music. But we want people to be entertained.

That’s the constant in show business. The things that have changed are the competition. , there’s so many people out there who can be overnight sensations without any talent. No sustainability. And Marie and I are very fortunate to have had long careers. And like we were saying earlier before you came on the conference call is just that it’s not getting any slower.
We’re busier than we have ever been in our lives and we’re fortunate in that respect.

Marie Osmond: And I think what - it’s really interesting because I was doing an interview the other day. We were just talking about this. And I said that Donny and myself - we came from a different world of entertainment.

We grew up with the Sammy Davis, Jr.’s and the Frank Sinatra’s, and, , those types of people - Lucille Ball. And what we were taught is that to be an entertainer, it was our job to make people happy and to help them have an experience.

I think sometimes the younger celebrities, it’s more like well I’m the celebrity, and how are you going to buff me?

And I really believe that this is one of the things that makes a difference in longevity, is that you look at it as your job. It is our responsibility to buff them, not them buff us. Does that make sense?

Donny Osmond: And I think also another point that I’d like to make is last week when American Idol did the Andrew Lloyd Weber version of the show, I found it so intriguing that certain people -- and I’ll say two people, and I again won’t mention names -- were able to pull it off because they had the ability.

They had the (chutzpa). They had the desire to try different forms of entertainment. And I think to be an entertainer nowadays, you have to be an all around entertainer, not just a one trick pony.

One trick ponies have their 15 minutes in the spotlight, but then the audience gets tired real quickly and bored. Give us something new. And that’s what we want to do in Vegas is that, okay, you’re going to walk out of here seeing the spectrum.

Not the kitchen sink with production, but we want to entertain people

What are you doing along with this TV show?

Marie Osmond: There’s a book that we’re writing on right now. It’s going to be with Penguin. It’s coming out and I will talk about that later. But,  just as far as the special, , the mothers of today are unique.

They have - it’s this whole thing of doing it all, hearing it all and trying to do it all perfectly. And I think sometimes it’s a very difficult expectation.
So I think these kinds of honors -  there’s no greater force than a determined mother. I’ll tell you. And I just feel like this is going to be a great show and I hope people get involved. I hope they vote.

And watch NBC, especially The Today Show, starting Monday because I think it’s going to be a fun experience. Be more positive in the world.

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Here are the contestant moms:

 Military Moms
  -- Melinda Gintilas (Fountain, CO):  Gintilas is a soldier who survived
     two trips to Iraq, a tumor in her breast and long intervals and
     distances from her husband and three children
  -- Patti Patton-Bader (Pasadena, CA): Patton-Bader is a mother who founded
     Soldiers Angels Network, an organization that sends care packages to
     over 200,000 troops overseas
  -- Rosanna Vasquez-Brown (Harker Heights, TX): Vasquez-Brown's duties to
     her family include caring for her daughter and husband; her duties to
     her country will start soon, as she prepares for work as a physician
     assistant in Iraq

  Working Moms
  -- Lisa Druxman (San Marcos, CA): With two children in tote, Druxman
     started "Stroller Strides" a small business catering to mom specific
     exercises
  -- Patricia Griffith (Pittsburg, CA):  Griffith's entrepreneurial spirit
     led her to open the successful Southern Oven Baking Company while also
     raising two children
  -- Stacy Horn Koch (New Orleans, LA): The head of a household of two boys,
     Koch also runs a center for at-risk youth and heads a project to
     restore a community devastated by Hurricane Katrina

  Single Moms
  -- Lena Ledford (Atlanta, GA): A mother of five, Ledford never lets
     anything stop her which is why she's also a part-time vocal, basketball
     and cheerleading coach as well as a teacher, counselor and cook
  -- Betty Yerks (Denville, NJ): If there was a popularity contest in
     Denville, NJ, Yerks would win it.  As an active leader for school,
     community and church volunteer activities, Yerks also raised two
     daughters while founding BirthRight, an organization that assists
     pregnant teenagers
  -- Shawna Ray (Mount Pleasant, SC): Ray is a "teacher" to her own daughter
     and a "teacher" to others through a book she wrote about educating kids
     on diversity

  "Non-mom" Moms
  -- Bernice Burch (Sanford, FL): From taking care of her siblings when she
     was younger to raising four children and now a large extended family,
     Burch will always be known as the "neighborhood" mom
  -- Nora Leon (Casper, WY): Leon is a "mom to many," as she runs an
     orphanage in Haiti and finds sick children medical attention and even
     homes with families in the United States
  -- Jennifer Keller (Home, KS): Keller has seven children, six of which
     were adopted newborns, who were exposed to methamphetamines.  She also
     is an activist working to make the act of abusing controlled substances
     during a pregnancy illegal in Kansas

  "Chairman of Everything" Moms
  -- Gwendolyn Beauchamp (Lancaster, TX): A stay-at-home mother of five,
     Beauchamp has supported her family through hard times despite being
     diagnosed with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC)
  -- Lisa Couture (Wesley Chapel, FL): Although she is blind, Couture
     manages to run the household and even achieve her MBA while caring for
     her three children
  -- Courtnee Stevenson (Bremerton, WA): A mother of six including a set of
     quintuplets, Stevenson is a mom who clearly can juggle it all