Jane Pauley Show 2004
Interview, at the Jane Pauley Show (Katia and Daria in the audience). December 16, 2004.
Jane: Please welcome Ekaterina Gordeeva ?
Katia: Great audience!
Jane: We could do that all over again if you'd like. Because, I'm sure we would be happy to do it for you.
Katia: We all should go for skating shows.
Jane: It is such a thrill to see you when you walked out. It kind of gave me chills. I had just met your little daughter Daria, whom I'm not going to show yet. We'll talk about Daria later. She is just a beautiful girl. As everybody knows, Ekaterina Gordeeva was half of the world's most famous and accomplished figure skating pare, which was how we first met. Not the best of times, but we've met twice. And the second time was under much better circumstances. It was the eve of Ekaterina Gordeeva's return to the ice as a solo performer. And as you see, I can claim the distinction of having skated with Katerina Gordeeva (showing video of Katia, Daria and Jane at the rink). Yes, the one moving really, really, really slow in the awkward yellow shirt was me. And that was such a great experience. Then you went on to return to the ice as a solo performer and I was there too. That was a long time ago. I think that was eight years ago, when you did that?
Katia: Yea, probably like eight years ago.
Jane: You look fragile. When you skate you have an ethereal quality. You are a strong woman, and I think you have discovered that about yourself in the last decade, haven't you?
Katia: Well, it's been a long time ago. This show, it was a great experience. And I've had a lot of support from my friends, skaters who was there. Obviously from my family, from my daughter. But, I think I am as strong as every other woman, you know.
Jane: Well, most of us don't have to find out how strong we are when we are 24 years old. And you did. The skating community is extraordinarily warm and close. You were skating with Stars on Ice then and now. Tell me a little bit about the skating family. All different countries you come from.
Katia: Right. There is amateurs who is competing in the World, Olympic, European, National. And there is the professionals probably more closer. And it's a lot of shows like the one we just did, Tribute to Bocelli, which was great great experience. And a lot of skaters were there, Brian Boitano, Todd Eldredge, Yuka Sato, Caryn Cadavy. We're all close, we all know each other, we know about each other. Everybody has families, kids. And we have a lot to talk about.
Jane: Well, nobody deserved a happy ending more than you did. And you found it. One of those ice skaters, a member of that family, you fell in love with.
Katia: Ilia.
Jane: Ilia? Is this the name?(not sure if correct - IS) Tell us about your husband.
Katia: Well, we've met on Stars on Ice tour. He just won a gold Olympic in Nagano. I knew him before a little bit, but never.. Then we got very good friends and we just stayed together. And now we have a daughter. Her name is Liza, Elizaveta. And she is home right now with her father.
Jane: Is home still Connecticut?
Katia: Connecticut, oh yes.
Jane: Which means that this little girl, whom I skated with I think was four years old, is now twelve.
Katia: She is twelve.
Jane: Well, does she looks like her mother too. So, she has a little sister. You're part of the pair now Daria, aren't you? Have you ever skated with uh..
Katia: With Daria?
Jane: With Daria.
Katia: We did couple shows together, we did last year's Christmas show. She was very excited about it. It's a big experience for her. This year we was traveling back to Russia and she was skating with me in St. Petersburg. That was great experience for her too. It was like 15,000 building, it was a lot of people. It was her first performance in Russia.
Jane: She must be pretty American?
Katia: She is a 100%. (Laughing). Not hundred.
Jane: Do you think there is another skater in the family?
Katia: I don't know about Liza yet. She didn't start. But every time I bring Daria to the skating rink, she always ask me can i go try skating. I never going to push her anyway. Maybe she wants to be a tennis player? There is a good Russian tennis player.
Jane: You still appear with SOI, but not as much. Is this a decision of a mother?
Katia: Yes, definitely, because I just can't leave my daughters home for so long. The tour is for four months and I have much more responsibility and I enjoy much more to be home now. And so she is a good skater, maybe it will be nice.
Jane: A little later we will talk to your friend Paul Wylie, who took some time off. I think he thought he had retired. He is older than you are. Is it possible that you are going to have that reawakening of touring desire some day too?
Katia: No, I don't think. No, no, no. I skate a lot right now, it's plenty of skating. And I just enjoy more when I'm with my family and I'm normal responsible mother
Jane: Well, I can tell that you are. And thank you for being here, thank you for brining Daria. It's wonderful to see you
Paul Wylie, Katia and Jane:
Jane: We have to recreate what have just happened. Your daughter, Daria, did not give you the best possible review. How did that go?
Katia: I come to her and I ask how was I. And she said:"Mom, you didn't say a word in English. The people doesn't speak that way.
Jane: A little rough, I thought I understood everything you said. But then, it enabled me to listen to this story.
Paul: УWell Katia has one of my favorite quotes of all time, which is in English. When we were skating together with SOI, we did this one piece in the closing number. We did Jane Torville & Christopher Dean choreography. Of course, we're not supposed to be talking, but I'm talking, thinking I didn't do that great.
Katia: You were complaining.
Paul: I didn't skate that well tonight, and I'm really over it, I really want to be out of here. And she is like:"Paul, life is long, plus it's too short". And I thought, it's on my refrigerator, it's that kind of thing. She is like:"Relax, life is long"