Gina London is an Emmy award-winning former CNN news reporter and anchor who covered the Lewinsky scandal and the 9/11 attacks. She has trained business, political and thought leaders in presentation skills. Based in Cork, she works with Fuzion and is as an event MC, speaker and media contributor on US affairs. Her book, Because I’m Small Now and You Love Me, is described as a female version of Justin Halpern’s Sh*t My Dad Says.
01 When are you happiest?
When I’m in a buzzy, collegial atmosphere. Be it a newsroom, a boardroom or a living room, if it’s full of positive, high-energy colleagues, friends or family, I’m psyched
02 Apart from loved ones, what’s your most treasured possession?
My time and a string of pearls my beloved departed granny left me
03 Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn?
All three, different people on different platforms
04 What’s the worst job you’ve ever done?
My first job selling newspaper subscriptions. Awful
05 What ambitions do you still have?
I have many, including writing another book, scaling communications training programmes to impact more people, hosting a TV show, travelling more widely and finding true love
06 Favourite writers?
I read everything by Oscar Wilde before I graduated college. When I lived in Paris, I regularly picnicked near him at Père Lachaise Cemetery. Also PG Wodehouse for gleeful escapes and Neil Gaiman for something darker
07 A film you’d watch again tonight?
All About Eve – strong woman, fabulous repartee, great love
08 What do some people think about you that isn’t true?
That I’m a natural, comfortable public speaker. It’s a learned skill
09 What keeps you awake at night?
As I often fly to work with clients overseas, I’d have to say jetlag
10 Which words do you overuse?
I once used the phrase “if you will” about a 1,000 times during a CNN live shot. Producer pointed it out afterward. I was mortified
11 Favourite ad?
Old Spice cologne The Man Your Man Could Smell Like
12 Favourite gadget?
Inspector
13 A brand experience that disappointed you?
Cinnabon’s ‘homage’ to Princess Leia, after Carrie Fisher died. The company, whose signature item is a cinnamon roll, tweeted: “RIP Carrie Fisher, you’ll always have the best buns in the galaxy”
14 What living person do you most admire?
Hands down, my mother. After my dad died when I was 11, she showed – and continues to show – incredible strength
15 Most embarrassing experience?
Only one?
16 Someone or something that strikes you as beautiful?
The promise of a new day and seeing a spectacular sunrise
17 What would be your fantasy act of heroism?
Something involving me flying or having a lasso of truth or magically making everyone care for everyone else equally
18 What would your younger self think of you today?
As a girl who grew up in a tiny rural town in Indiana, she would be blown away that I’ve lived and worked in so many far flung places like Romania, Egypt, Jordan, Cambodia, Italy, France and now here in incredible Ireland
19 If you had to rate your life so far, out of 10, what would you score?
Eight, there’s always room to grow
20 You’re on Death Row, what’s your last meal?
Yikes! I just lost my appetite. Why on earth am I on Death Row?
ginalondon.com
