The founder of Health Fitness Revolution and creator of the ReSync Method, Samir Becic sat down with 5-time Emmy Award winning TV Show Host Deborah Duncan. Deborah is the host of her daily show “Great Day Houston” where she often talks about health, fitness, and life improvement- which is exactly why we were so honored to share her knowledge and expertise with HFR Followers. Samir considers Deborah his sister, great friend, and admirable mother and career-woman. In this exclusive interview you can learn about the interesting life of Texas’ favorite host!
HFR: Deborah, you are headlining your own very popular talk show. How did you accomplish all this?
Deborah Duncan: I earned my degree from The University of Texas at Austin but I think my real preparation to do a talk show started way before that. My father was in the military and we travelled a lot. I was born in Oklahoma City but three months later my family moved to Taiwan. Attending 5 elementary schools alone is a quick lesson in the gift of gab. Who knew I would actually make a living at it. Before hosting this talk show I was a talk show host, reporter and anchor in Austin, Dallas, Atlanta and New York City.
HFR: You are one of the most recognizable faces on Texas TV, how do you deal with your popularity?
Deborah Duncan: I have such an awesome advantage. I feel like I have a friend everywhere I go. The power of television is amazing. I was on a beach in Venezuela several years ago and a couple recognized me. I was wearing a thong because my friend talked me into it.
“Deborah, you are in Venezuela, who would recognize you here?”
Well, a nice couple walked up and the first thing out of the woman’s mouth was,
“I told you that is Deborah Duncan! How are you. We are from Dallas and watch you all the time!”
I made them promise to tell people that I appeared to be a size 4 and had a well defined six pack!
HFR: You emcee many non-profit charities throughout Texas, what motivates you to do so?
Deborah Duncan: None of us can single handedly save the world but all of us together can certainly make it better. When I had a brain aneurysm burst I had two outcomes… live or die. I had a conversation with God and me. If I died, I hoped I was going to heaven. If I lived, it meant I had more to do. I chair events, donate money or emcee events as part of my “more to do”. So many non profits have great soldiers working for them on the frontlines, doing the toughest work. Emceeing their event is just a small way for me to say thank you!
HFR: What is it like to be a working professional and a mother?
Deborah Duncan: If I did not work, I would drive my family crazy! Women have so many more choices today than ever. I am not even going to pretend that my situation is hard. I love what I do and I can do it and still be in the carpool line to pick up my son. If I can not make it, my husband will be there. If he can’t make it, thank goodness for a circle of friends to help out. My son thinks mommy has a lot of friends because whenever we’re out, people will come up to talk to me!
HFR: I know your husband is a great chef, how do you resist his food?
Deborah Duncan: I don’t! My trick is to “taste” rather than eat all of his food. I love that he loves to cook!
HFR: I know that you adore your son and spend as much time as possible with him. Is this sometimes challenging because you are a public personality?
Deborah Duncan: I am lucky that I can control the amount of time I spend away from my son. Even when we are out, the key is to be present with them and include them. Even when he has to go along with me while I run errands, we play games. At clothing stores, he decided that the clothing racks are really “clothes trucks’ and we travel from department to department. Now that he’s 9, I actually ask his opinion on an outfit. Keeping your children engaged even when you are simply running errands creates valuable time and memories.
HFR: You have won many awards including 5 Emmy’s, 2 Gracie Allen Awards, and a telly award. What do each of these signify to you?
Deborah Duncan: While the awards may have my name on them, they are the result of team work. There are so many people who have to do their job right before I can even do mine. This business is a grat metaphor for how the world can work. In T-V we can’t just be all on the same page. We have to literally all be on the same line of a rundown. A lot of great people make my job seem easy!
HFR: In the 2000’s you were chosen to replace Oprah. Would you like to talk about it?
Deborah Duncan: ABC executives were afraid that Oprah would not resign her contract to do her show. They put the “Debra Duncan” show into production in 1998 with plans to syndicate if oprah did not sign. I had no thought that she would quit back then but it was exciting to do such a fun show just in case.
HFR: You have interviewed so many famous people- which was your favorite interview?
Deborah Duncan: I am asked that question all the time and it is so hard to pick just one because each interview reveals some surprises. James earl Jones spoke of his svere stuttering problem and a teacher who helped him gain his confidence and overcome it. Suzie Orman spoke about her dyslexia and writing more books than she has ever read. Most great interviews are with everyday people who did amazing things. the good news is that there are too many to mention!
HFR: Share 3 secrets with us that the public doesn’t know.
Deborah Duncan: Unfortunately when you host a talk show and you are a little crazy, there are no secrets!
HFR: Tell us your favorite hobbies.
Deborah Duncan: I love to sing, make jewelry and I love the theatre. I will try anything especially if it allows me to have a form of expression.
HFR: As a workout Queen, a mother, and a professional TV Celebrity you are an inspiration for many. Who inspires you?
Deborah Duncan: When it comes to working out or trying to eat right, I am inspired by my parents who are 90 and 95 years old! They always talked about eating off the land as kids and how food just doesn’t taste right it it ain’t real!
HFR: What are your favorite sports teams and athletes?
Deborah Duncan: I love Matt Schaub not only because what he does on the field but what he does off the field too. I have the honor of emceeing the event that he and his wife Lori host every year to raise money for Texas Children’s Hospital. They don’t just put their name on the event. They really work and plan it. I have worked in towns where the athletes were great on the field but bad boys off the field and that’s what made headlines. It is refreshing to see that all athletes don’t match up to stereotypes.
HFR: Why do you support Health Fitness Revolution?
Deborah Duncan: We are in the middle of a crisis in this country and much of it is our own undoing. We have to get back to the basics of good health and that is what Health Fitness revolution is doing. It is not an overstatement to say that our country depends on good health t thrive. We are slowly choking the life out of America with self inflicted diseases. This is the first generation of children not expected to live as long as their parents because of things like Type Two Diabetes. We owe it to our children to take control of our health. While medicine works on fixing what goes wrong, as individuals we need to concentrate on making sure it all goes right. Thanks to Health Fitness Revolution, we are taking back the power to better control what happens to us!
