She’s a veteran writer and journalist, a new mom to twins (double the fun), and soon to be a radio personality. Perhaps you’ve seen her as a Much More Music VJ or host of Style V.I.P.? Who is this Wonder Woman? Afrotoronto.com had the chance to speak with the tireless Traci Melchor about her life as a VJ and an entertainment journalist. After working in the industry for over ten years, from production assistant to actress and from VJ to anchor, there isn’t much Traci can tell you about the showbiz business. She’s walked the red carpet at the Oscars, interviewed the likes of Denzel Washington, Mary J. Blige and Gabrielle Union and will someday write a book about her adventures. But here’s just a glimpse at Traci Melchor's life.
What do you like most about being a VJ and being an actress?
I love being a VJ because it’s a different job every day. I interview different people, I write my own throws, I report on entertainment and pop culture news. I am really curious, and that’s why I am interested in this industry. But on the other hand, acting is fun too because you get to put on this whole new character and become this whole other person. That’s great, too, but you still have to perform in both mediums.
How have you evolved as a VJ, from Rap-city to Style V. I.P. to the VJ search?
Just more experience, being in different interview situations, has helped me develop on my feet. But I think I’ve grown the most just in my personal life after becoming a mother.
Once you become a mother, everything else looks really small. Honestly, that has been the biggest evolution of my life because it went from being about me to never being about me and being about them.
How do you choose what is acceptable to reveal to the public and what is not?
Well, I was the first person to write about Gabrielle Union’s rape, I did an article on her for Source Magazine, and we really got along. I visited her on set, and she just started talking to me about her assault. I was really taken aback, and she was like, "I’ve never spoken about it openly with a reporter before." In saying that, she was giving me a license to use it in an article. It got so much play that the National Enquirer ended up lifting it and using it as a blind item without using my byline in it. In a situation like that if she had said to me, “what did I say, I didn’t mean to tell you that,” there’s no way I would have written about it. However, as a VJ, you don’t have as much time as a magazine interview, but if there’s a burning question that the public needs me to ask, I’ll ask it. That’s my job; it’s my job to get the story.
How was it working on the VJ search?
The VJ search was a lot of fun and lots of hard work; I admire those finalists because I don’t know if they could have lasted the way they did. Not only living with the people they were competing with but also competing with them day in and day out. It’s hard because you don’t want to be a dream breaker. I want everybody to dream big, live out their fantasies, and do what God put them on this earth to do. But at the same time, we are making Television, and there can only be one winner. I really enjoyed the experience. It was an interesting dynamic for me because we'd shoot, and everything would be out of my hands, and some of the stuff that was left to go to air was a bit provocative. You didn’t see the build-up; you only saw the endpoint, but you know what? That’s a television, and that’s how we entertain people.
What’s your advice to the VJ search winner? Tim Deegan?
Just keep doing what he’s doing. He’s got a really good heart, and he’s willing to work hard, ask questions, and listen. I think he’s on the right track.
And what’s next for Traci?
Well, I’m trying to get through the toddler years, but I think eventually I’ll write a book.
We’ll be waiting to see what this Wonder Woman does next!
