By new Smarty Mary Katherine Watkins
Interviewing WBTV’s Molly Grantham – my first Smarty Pants’ assignment – was a “jump in a deep end” or a “drink out of a fire hose” kind of assignment. But those who know me don’t really expect much less.
And those that know the profile of this week’s Smarty Mom: WBTV’s Molly Grantham know that she’s not that kind of gal either. She is a self-described “what you see is what you get” lady. She is passionate about the City of Charlotte and our community, she has developed a cult-like following among her viewers and social media followers, and her in-depth feature stories hit so close to home that I can’t imagine how she keeps doing what she does, day after day with the same vigor and drive and passion.
– She fights for justice by honoring the memory of fallen CMPD Officers Sean Clark and Jeff Shelton.
– She raises awareness of little known – often fatal – pediatric illnesses like POTS or Rett syndrome or Sanfilippo syndrome or Timothy syndrome through #MollysKids.
– And she covers very difficult stories like the one of 14 year old, Anthony Frazier, who was shot and killed while in a car with his family after a birthday dinner.
So my pitch to Molly was this: her stories are so heart-warming and important, but heavy and that heaviness must take a toll on her at times, so let’s do something fun – 20 Questions with Molly Grantham – easy and full of laughter, and something that our readers would get a total kick out of.
So, here goes:
1. Sweet or Salty? Salty.
2. Worst Pet Peeve? Driving slow in the fast lane.
3. What fad do you wish would make a comeback? Garbage Pail Kids.
4. Most frugal thing you do? Oh boy. I’m frugal. I’m funny with money. I don’t spend on clothes. I mean, if I want to spend on others – if I know a family member has their eye on something – I won’t hesitate to get it for them – but I don’t shop top of the line for clothes for myself. And I guess I’m frugal on wine…no more than $8-15 a bottle. And it’s gotta be Pinot Noir.
5. Do you towel-dry in or out of the shower? Out.
6. Millennial. Accurate? Over-used? Or don’t care? Oh, I care, but none of those. I think it’s “Entitled.” But actually, Millennials within the generation aren’t all the same. You can see the differences within a second. Entitlement is hard to ignore.
7. Injectables. Yes? No? Maybe? NO.
8. Shave? Wax? Laser? Which area…
9. Go-to karaoke song? “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman, “Angel From Montgomery” by Bonnie Raitt, or “Closer to Fine” by Indigo Girls
<Writer’s note: Molly changed her answer (I won’t share what her original answer was…) after she caught herself car-karaoking, but let’s be honest…aren’t we all waaay better at car-karaoking than actual karaoke?>
10. Favorite sundae topping? Pretzel M&Ms
11. First person you’d call on a bad day? Depends on the day. I don’t have a go-to…I have so many women that live inside me and I have lots of exceptionally important people in my life to rely on. I am lucky.
12. Which one of your friends would make the best President and why? My best friend, Katrina, who I met the first day of 7th grade. She doesn’t care about politics, she isn’t greedy, and she always tries to do the right thing.
13. Favorite holiday and why. Christmas, because I get a week off.
14. What is Molly’s coffee order? Dunkin Donuts. Large. Extra Cream. One Splenda. Boom.
15. Best time saver? Life is all about short cuts. Lip gloss, universally easy.
16. Charlotte’s best kept secret? K-O Sushi. Deliver sushi. Order online. Don’t have to talk to anyone. And it’s awesome…I eat all the rolls, no sushi is safe around me.
17. Something on your bucket list. To write a book.
18. Face cream: drug store or department store? Drug store, but I should probably do department store.
19. What’s a Molly-ism or a Molly catch phrase? Well, I’m a “what you see is what you get” kinda gal. But my friends joke that I always say, “that’s perfect…,” “yes, that’s perfect,” “oh, yep, great, that’s perfect.”
20. How do you decide what goes on your Facebook page? I don’t consciously decide, it comes naturally. I don’t want to over-share one thing: don’t want to over-share stuff about my own kids; or over-share WBTV news stuff; or over-share Molly’s Kids’ stuff. I just post about what I feel is relevant. I’ve had folks try to narrow me down or try to define me, but I’m kind of…undefinable. I dabble in a bunch of things. I’m 360 degrees of everything. But, aren’t we all? Or, don’t we want to be? I guess I’m just hard to define. I’m just, Molly.
