Editor’s note: Welcome to Off Camera with. . ., a Front Row series that introduces you to some of the studio anchors who have recently joined ESPN. Today, we meet Cary Chow, who joined ESPN in September 2012 as a Digital Anchor for ESPN.com.
How did you choose your profession?: In a nutshell: I was writing movie reviews for a local paper, the Santa Barbara Independent, after graduating from UC-Santa Barbara, but I couldn’t afford rent so had to move back to my mom’s house. That’s when I picked up a pair of unpaid internships, worked at Costco and started a local cable access show with my best friend. I was able to parlay the show and those internships into a full-time job at KABC-TV in Los Angeles, which would then lead me to my first anchoring job in Casper, Wyo.
Favorite Team/Sport Moments: My favorite sports moment is watching [the Chicago Bulls’] Michael Jordan nail the jumper over [the Utah Jazz’] Bryon Russell with 5.2 seconds to win the 1998 NBA Championship. I was in a sports book in Vegas and wanted to break down in tears. . . and I wasn’t even betting money! Close second, the [Anaheim] Angels winning the 2002 World Series over the [San Francisco] Giants. I was watching with a bunch of friends from the Bay Area, which made it all the more satisfying!
What three essential things do you bring with you on a deserted island?: Water de-salting device, iPhone with a battery life extender (does that count as two things?), Wilson volleyball.
Favorite place to travel: Anywhere I haven’t been, preferably beach locations. . .or Vegas. My recent trips include volcano boarding in Nicaragua and river surfing in Montreal. On deck, I hope: Machu Picchu.
Favorite season of year: Summer all day long. I want to soak up the sun like Sheryl Crow.
Favorite TV show: The Wire. Soooo good. Omar was wronged. Honorable mentions: Seinfeld, Veep and E:60.
Best business/career advice ever received: “Do or do not, there is no try.” – Yoda
