Junior reporters grill columnist in their first news conference

By Greenspun Junior Reporting Staff

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Among the activities at the Greenspun “Bring Your Child to Work Day” was deputizing the young participants as junior reporters, and their first assignment was to attend a news conference.

To prepare fovr their first assignment, the junior reporters brainstormed what sorts of questions to ask at the press conference, and these were very inquisitive children. Hands shot up like wildflowers on a spring day. The reporters were then instructed to raise their hands to ask their questions at the news conference, and to ask them clearly and loudly so everyone could hear.

The target of their questions was John Katsilometes, the author of “The Kats Report” and co-host of the podcast “Kats with the Dish.”

One of the first questions asked was, “What’s your last name,” and when he said it, the next question was, “How do you spell it?” That was one of the most important questions of the morning, because it is important to correctly spell people’s names!

John described his job as a man-about-town columnist, and said that he loves his job so much that he would do what he does even if it wasn’t his job.

He was asked if his job is easy. “If it is easy,” John said, “then you’re not doing it right.” And the hardest part of his job? “Getting around town to be where I need to be next,” he said.

John said he liked photography when going to school, and because a sports writer for his high school newspaper. Before he became a professional journalist, he worked one summer as an auto-parts delivery driver. But “I dreamt of being a journalist.”

“I had the ability to write,” he said.

Today he is 45 years old, and works very hard at his job — during the day and into the night. When he doesn’t work, he sleeps, works out at the gym, plays softball, hikes at Red Rock and follows the 51s and the Wranglers sports teams.

For the more inquisitive minds, he said he had no girlfriend, no children and that his middle name is William, the name of his father’s father as is Greek culture.

His advice for the junior reporters? “Remain curious, understand what is around you and read! Read books, read magazines, read everything you can.”