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American Morning

Interview with Sarah Ferguson

Aired September 19, 2002 - 09:41   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: She may be backing away from royal duties, but that doesn't mean the duchess of York isn't busy.
A spokeswoman for Weight Watchers, Sarah Ferguson travels all over the world lecturing on healthy eating. She knows from personal experience that bad eating habits develop at an early age. Looking good on that book jacket there. And with two beautiful daughters, she also knows how important it is to be a good role model.

And Duchess Sarah Ferguson joins me now -- good to see you again, welcome.

SARAH FERGUSON, DUCHESS OF YORK: Hi, Paula. Nice to see you.

ZAHN: So I am just wondering, everywhere you travel, are the food police traveling with you?

FERGUSON: Actually, they do come with me, but they are not policing me now because I've got it under control, and that's really what I'm so proud about, because if I can be a good role model to my children is the fact that I'm -- my weight is under control. That means everything is starting to fall into place now.

ZAHN: How often have you fell off the food wagon over the years?

FERGUSON: Oh, I do, I do, occasionally. But then I just get back to counting my points with Weight Watchers, because that's what I really -- that is what really has changed my whole life, in the last six years, they really made me understand about how food was my life, and my life was down here, and food was here, and I have changed it around now.

ZAHN: It must be invasive, in a way, when you are such a public spokeswoman for a company like that. Are people just constantly checking you out? Oh, gained a few here. Time to shave those points, Sarah.

FERGUSON: I know, I know. In restaurants, you ask for a glass of wine or some -- or a desert. They go, uh-oh, you can't do that. You are on Weight Watchers. I say no, I can do that, and you really shouldn't be actually questioning -- you should know that Weight Watchers, you can do it anywhere in the world, on an airplane, or whatever. Just count the points.

ZAHN: I know that the one issue as a mother that you are particularly concerned about is the obesity rate, not only in your home country, but in this country. It is just alarming how many kids are obese. What's the best advice you can give parents, particularly as kids are exposed with this steady stream of commercials for cereal with a lot of sugar, cookies, and fast food?

FERGUSON: You know, someone said to me, last night, which I found so interesting, you know when everybody took on the tobacco industry. Everyone realized that cigarette smoking has got to stop? Well, maybe we should take on the sugar industry, because our children are just getting out of control. In this country, in the U.S., one in four child is overweight, going on to obese. That is huge statistics.

And what I'm trying to say everywhere I go is, Could people please wake up to realize obesity is going to kill? It is a killer. So food is killing.

ZAHN: And not only a killer, but what it adds to the cost of medical care in this country is just phenomenal.

FERGUSON: Next week, we are going out to Washington to deal with that exact thing. We have got to try and get everyone to realize that if they don't start dealing with it, the bills are going to go over the top.

I mean, diabetes, heart disease, it is just going over the top.

ZAHN: So how tough are you on your two lovely daughters?

FERGUSON: Well, it is up to them, you know? I always think everybody has a choice. You can do the guidelines, you can educate, and you can say that five corn dogs and three pizzas aren't actually going to make you healthy.

But it is up to them to make the choice to want to do it themselves. And so, you don't push it down their throats, but you certainly explain it.

ZAHN: But you also have to have an option for these kids to cheat. They all have so much pressure in their lives. Their kids -- most kids in America, school and everything else they are expected to do.

FERGUSON: Absolutely.

ZAHN: We don't want them to see food as the enemy 24 hours a day. Food is good.

FERGUSON: That's what happened to me, see? I started realizing that food was just -- I was obsessed with food. So with the girls, I just make it all much more fun. I -- you know, if Beatrice wants some chocolate, I say, well have some chocolate, but just don't eat the whole bar.

ZAHN: Moving on to you and people's perceptions of you, are you faring any better in the British press these days? Are they leaving you alone? FERGUSON: I think I -- I don't know whether I'm faring any better. I think I've just got a thicker skin. I think I just let it wash it off now, which is much easier for me. But I have such the support of Andrew, he is such a wonderful man, and so I think both of us are very proud about how the girls are growing up, and I think it is has a lot to do with the fact we both believe together that parents -- with solidarity of parenting is great.

ZAHN: So you still spend a lot of time together?

FERGUSON: Yes, he is just a great man, you know? He is just a fantastic supporter and a great father.

ZAHN: I guess what was so striking about what we read about you over the years was just how personal some of the attacks were. Why?

FERGUSON: I think that's why I can speak about obesity and weight. Because the "Duchess of Pork" and "fat, frumpy Fergie," and the best was "82 percent would rather sleep with a goat."

ZAHN: That is hideous.

FERGUSON: That's quite -- that's quite alarming.

ZAHN: Would you actually read this stuff, people hand this to you?

FERGUSON: Oh, and believe it, Paula. And believe it.

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: How did you wake up in the morning and go on?

FERGUSON: And then, of course, your self-esteem goes, and your confidence goes, and then you really do think you probably a goat. And then what happens is that you start eating, so that vicious circle. And that is why Weight Watchers really got hold of me and said, Look, come on, it's your issue, you have got to change yourself, and stop letting food suffocate your emotions.

ZAHN: Were you tempting by anything in our green room this morning?

FERGUSON: Yes, I was.

ZAHN: Some pretty good pastries in there.

FERGUSON: I had one mouthful of bagel.

ZAHN: Well, you have a new television show coming out next fall, I know you are very hard at work on. That's going to roll out September of next year, right?

FERGUSON: It is, and I am going to come to you for lots of advice, please, Paula.

ZAHN: I will try to help you as much as I can.

(CROSSTALK)

FERGUSON: You (UNINTELLIGIBLE) so well.

ZAHN: Thank you.

FERGUSON: You know, it is very exciting. I'm very excited about this show. It is going to be a daily show, so it is going to be a lot of work, as you know.

ZAHN: It will be more insane than your old life. We wish you tremendous luck.

FERGUSON: Thank you for your support, actually, because you really helped me with the pilot with those comments.

ZAHN: Oh, good. Glad to hear it.

FERGUSON: Yes.

ZAHN: Appreciate your dropping by, and spending a little bit of time in New York.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired September 19, 2002 - 09:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: She may be backing away from royal duties, but that doesn't mean the duchess of York isn't busy.
A spokeswoman for Weight Watchers, Sarah Ferguson travels all over the world lecturing on healthy eating. She knows from personal experience that bad eating habits develop at an early age. Looking good on that book jacket there. And with two beautiful daughters, she also knows how important it is to be a good role model.

And Duchess Sarah Ferguson joins me now -- good to see you again, welcome.

SARAH FERGUSON, DUCHESS OF YORK: Hi, Paula. Nice to see you.

ZAHN: So I am just wondering, everywhere you travel, are the food police traveling with you?

FERGUSON: Actually, they do come with me, but they are not policing me now because I've got it under control, and that's really what I'm so proud about, because if I can be a good role model to my children is the fact that I'm -- my weight is under control. That means everything is starting to fall into place now.

ZAHN: How often have you fell off the food wagon over the years?

FERGUSON: Oh, I do, I do, occasionally. But then I just get back to counting my points with Weight Watchers, because that's what I really -- that is what really has changed my whole life, in the last six years, they really made me understand about how food was my life, and my life was down here, and food was here, and I have changed it around now.

ZAHN: It must be invasive, in a way, when you are such a public spokeswoman for a company like that. Are people just constantly checking you out? Oh, gained a few here. Time to shave those points, Sarah.

FERGUSON: I know, I know. In restaurants, you ask for a glass of wine or some -- or a desert. They go, uh-oh, you can't do that. You are on Weight Watchers. I say no, I can do that, and you really shouldn't be actually questioning -- you should know that Weight Watchers, you can do it anywhere in the world, on an airplane, or whatever. Just count the points.

ZAHN: I know that the one issue as a mother that you are particularly concerned about is the obesity rate, not only in your home country, but in this country. It is just alarming how many kids are obese. What's the best advice you can give parents, particularly as kids are exposed with this steady stream of commercials for cereal with a lot of sugar, cookies, and fast food?

FERGUSON: You know, someone said to me, last night, which I found so interesting, you know when everybody took on the tobacco industry. Everyone realized that cigarette smoking has got to stop? Well, maybe we should take on the sugar industry, because our children are just getting out of control. In this country, in the U.S., one in four child is overweight, going on to obese. That is huge statistics.

And what I'm trying to say everywhere I go is, Could people please wake up to realize obesity is going to kill? It is a killer. So food is killing.

ZAHN: And not only a killer, but what it adds to the cost of medical care in this country is just phenomenal.

FERGUSON: Next week, we are going out to Washington to deal with that exact thing. We have got to try and get everyone to realize that if they don't start dealing with it, the bills are going to go over the top.

I mean, diabetes, heart disease, it is just going over the top.

ZAHN: So how tough are you on your two lovely daughters?

FERGUSON: Well, it is up to them, you know? I always think everybody has a choice. You can do the guidelines, you can educate, and you can say that five corn dogs and three pizzas aren't actually going to make you healthy.

But it is up to them to make the choice to want to do it themselves. And so, you don't push it down their throats, but you certainly explain it.

ZAHN: But you also have to have an option for these kids to cheat. They all have so much pressure in their lives. Their kids -- most kids in America, school and everything else they are expected to do.

FERGUSON: Absolutely.

ZAHN: We don't want them to see food as the enemy 24 hours a day. Food is good.

FERGUSON: That's what happened to me, see? I started realizing that food was just -- I was obsessed with food. So with the girls, I just make it all much more fun. I -- you know, if Beatrice wants some chocolate, I say, well have some chocolate, but just don't eat the whole bar.

ZAHN: Moving on to you and people's perceptions of you, are you faring any better in the British press these days? Are they leaving you alone? FERGUSON: I think I -- I don't know whether I'm faring any better. I think I've just got a thicker skin. I think I just let it wash it off now, which is much easier for me. But I have such the support of Andrew, he is such a wonderful man, and so I think both of us are very proud about how the girls are growing up, and I think it is has a lot to do with the fact we both believe together that parents -- with solidarity of parenting is great.

ZAHN: So you still spend a lot of time together?

FERGUSON: Yes, he is just a great man, you know? He is just a fantastic supporter and a great father.

ZAHN: I guess what was so striking about what we read about you over the years was just how personal some of the attacks were. Why?

FERGUSON: I think that's why I can speak about obesity and weight. Because the "Duchess of Pork" and "fat, frumpy Fergie," and the best was "82 percent would rather sleep with a goat."

ZAHN: That is hideous.

FERGUSON: That's quite -- that's quite alarming.

ZAHN: Would you actually read this stuff, people hand this to you?

FERGUSON: Oh, and believe it, Paula. And believe it.

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: How did you wake up in the morning and go on?

FERGUSON: And then, of course, your self-esteem goes, and your confidence goes, and then you really do think you probably a goat. And then what happens is that you start eating, so that vicious circle. And that is why Weight Watchers really got hold of me and said, Look, come on, it's your issue, you have got to change yourself, and stop letting food suffocate your emotions.

ZAHN: Were you tempting by anything in our green room this morning?

FERGUSON: Yes, I was.

ZAHN: Some pretty good pastries in there.

FERGUSON: I had one mouthful of bagel.

ZAHN: Well, you have a new television show coming out next fall, I know you are very hard at work on. That's going to roll out September of next year, right?

FERGUSON: It is, and I am going to come to you for lots of advice, please, Paula.

ZAHN: I will try to help you as much as I can.

(CROSSTALK)

FERGUSON: You (UNINTELLIGIBLE) so well.

ZAHN: Thank you.

FERGUSON: You know, it is very exciting. I'm very excited about this show. It is going to be a daily show, so it is going to be a lot of work, as you know.

ZAHN: It will be more insane than your old life. We wish you tremendous luck.

FERGUSON: Thank you for your support, actually, because you really helped me with the pilot with those comments.

ZAHN: Oh, good. Glad to hear it.

FERGUSON: Yes.

ZAHN: Appreciate your dropping by, and spending a little bit of time in New York.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com