Katie Couric's greek "plug" on Today
 

As reported in this thread, the Today show profiled the 59 yr old Phi Kappa Sigma pledge.

Anyway, afterwards, during the anchor chat, Katie Couric asked Ann Curry, Matt Lauer & Al Roker if they were in a fraternity/sorority. None were. Katie then said something like, "I'm the only one who went greek here - I'm a Tri Delta (can I help ya help ya help ya)!" (Yes, she actually said that! ) They all chuckled.

She then said to Matt, "You could've been a Sweetheart for Tri Delt!" Mat didn't seem too excited by that.

In case you're wondering, Ann said that she was in the journalism school & most of the students there didn't join those groups.

At least Katie said she *is* a Tri-Delta :) It annoys me when people say they *were* an XYZ

Interesting. I heard her once say that the only reason she pledged a sorority was because she didn't like the food in the dorms. That was about the last time I had any use for her.

And I wasn't even sure which sorority she "was" a member of.

To set the record straight, Dave (the subject of the story) is a Phi Kappa Sigma pledge.

Actually, she said she *was* a Tri-Delta -- at least that's what she said on the West Coast edition of Today.

Yes - I corrected the name of the fraternity

And sorry, I shouldn't have put quotes around Katie's statement - actually, I was more surprised that she said the "help ya" part.

(Something to be said about posting before that first cup of coffee, when you've had less than 4 hrs sleep! ;) )

A couple of years ago, each of the Today anchors went back to their alma maters and did a piece for the show. Katie visited the Tri-Delt House at UVA as part of the story.

Matt dropped out of Ohio University to take a job at a TV station (as I did) and finished his degree several years later in a special program called experiential learning (as I did).

Well, at least we have one thing in common.

Actually, you've got two things in common...but who's quibbling.

I wasn't surprised to hear he wasn't Greek...

Regards,

Ha! Good point!

Gee, that one of the most idiotic reasons to join a GLO I have ever heard of. Now I have heard everything! ARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://216.40.249.192/s/cwm/cwm/eek2.gif

OK. Let me see if I understand this. We all sit around and complain that famous Greeks don't ever mention their affiliation -- then, when a pretty famous woman does talk about it twice on the most watched national network morning show, we take her to task.

Do you really think for a minute that she joined the sorority for the food? Those people are quipsters -- and anything she may have said, taken out of context, could be taken incorrectly.

I think a better way to feel is that she is willing to mention her sorority. Nobody forced her to you know. And nobody forced her to go back to the house and chat with the sisters at UVA a couple of years ago.

I'd give her a break.

Who cares the reason she joined? Those are nobody's business but hers. The important thing is that you go greek, not why.

I'll tell you what, I'm a Phi Mu nut -- look at my screenname, my AOL name, my e-mail address, my car, my keychain, my clothes....

but when it comes to mentioning my sorority affiliation around the workplace? Or somewhere I need to establish respect quickly, where not everyone knows me well? NO. There's just too much of a stigma. I love my sorority. I love what it stands for. I love greek life, I love GLOs in general. Otherwise I wouldn't be on GC.

But I gotta agree w/ DeltAlumn on this one. She was gutsy to mention it on TV. She's dealing with her career -- I'm aware of the affect it has on my regular, every-day job, and she's throwing her affiliation around on national TV! The girl's got guts.

besides. Look at her. She didn't go ANYWHERE for the food. Heh heh heh.

It was the insipid way she said it, like joining a sorority was the last thing on her mind, but she hated the food in the cafeteria. Honestly, at that time, I thought she did more HARM to the greek system than good!

I rarely make big judgment calls on people that often, but it really rubbed me the wrong way.

honeychile, you wuv Katie Couric.

well, as far as Katie is concerned, she seems to be losing IQ points at a rapid rate, so I wouldn't be too upset by anything she said.

Ditto.

A lot of people would complain that the media has an anti-Greek bias. One of the nation's foremost TV personalities--who's probably very familiar with that bias-- speaks in a non-negative way about her sorority experience, and people trash her like she called it a so-whority or something. Let's all take a deep breath and take a chill pill! :)

She's probably pretty tired after getting up to go to work at 2:00 AM all these years, losing a husband to cancer and raising her children while holding down those hours and all of the other public appearances people in that line of work have to do.

In my personal and professional opinion, she is heads above any of the other women on the morning shows. At least she came up through the ranks as a reporter -- not a pretty faced, anchor helmeted (big hair) news reader.

I can vividly remember seeing her sitting in the front row of the daily media briefing during Desert Storm while VERY pregnant.

She is a journalist -- something you can't say about all TV personalities.

Ok, lets get a Tri Delt on this topic.

Katie pledged as either a junior or a senior (I can't really remember, its not like we have Katie Couric 101 during our new member period). Regardless of why she wanted to join, she did.
Lets assume she did say "Because I hated dorm food"(btw, can anyone verify she said that- with a date and time and whatnot, because this is EXACUTLY how rumors start). Its called 'justification'. When I was pledging, I got some shite from people, and I was all pretending I was doing it 'for the connections' or some BS like that. I don't even remember. But somewhere along the line, I started LOVING my SISTERS.
Back to Katie, she is still active in Tri Delta. So while she may have pledged because she hated the food, she obviously started loving it too, because she still mentions Tri Delta.
And BTW- 33girl- don't knock any of my sisters. :p

*ducking and wishing I had never said anything!*

Awww DolphinChica, don't be offended. I just think Katie is trying too hard to act younger than her age - which I somewhat understand given her circumstances - but when it's played out on TV you can look kinda silly.

Katie Couric went to the camp I work at when she was just a little girl... :) She talked about it once on the air - when my former camp director and the assistant camp director were in NYC for an ACA Conference, they went to they Today show and had signs and jackets that said Camp Potomac Woods on them - and Katie talked about how much fun she had at camp when she was younger.

Ok, that was kind of random but I wanted to share my story. :)

Well put DA.

And just to comment on what you said before. I'd LOVE if Harrison Ford or Bob Barker said in an interview, " yeah i was a Sigma Nu in college, great times."

I understand that the Greek experience isn't as strong in all as some, but it'd be nice to hear one of our supposed 'famous alums' actually mention their time in SNu.

Kitso
KS 361

I read this quote somewhere a few years back, but can't remember in which publication. It just stuck in my mind because I was intrigued and have wondered, until now, what sorority Katie Couric was a member of.

And speaking of Today show anchors, I've heard through the Kappa rumor mill that Jane Pauley won't respond to requests for quotes or information from our national magazine, or from Alumnae Associations. Oops! Now I'm spreading the rumors!

OMG!!! I remember going to Camp Potomac Woods! Wow. Way to bring back too many memories of Girl Scouts and cleaning latrines...