Maria Menounos has been a TV correspondent for years (she’s a red-carpet veteran on Extra!), a contestant on Dancing With the Stars, and even a professional wrestler. Now she’s the star of her own reality series on Oxygen called Chasing Maria Menounos (Tuesdays at 10 p.m.), which lets viewers in on a behind-the-scenes look as she juggles a hectic career schedule and busy family life while trying to figure out whether she can get pregnant for the first time.
Here’s what Maria, 35, had to say about her career choices, her colorful Greek-emigrant parents, and life with her longtime boyfriend, filmmaker and producer Keven Undergaro.
Why a reality show, and why now?
“Keven and I had been approached a few times about it. We always said no. But there’s a side of me, when I’m very scared of something, that says, ‘Go do it.’ I was terrified of Dancing with the Stars. I was terrified to wrestle in the WWE. But every time I’ve said yes, it’s yielded me really great results.”
Your parents are a huge part of the program.
“I really have always loved sharing my parents, whether it’s been on Jimmy Kimmel, or on an Emmy-show red carpet. I always bring them along, because I get such a kick out of seeing two people who grew up poorer than poor, in a Greek village with no running water where they had to walk hours just to go to school. I love seeing them in Hollywood, just kind of geeking out and pinching themselves that this is happening.”
What about your boyfriend of 15 years plus, Keven Undergaro?
“Keven has not been in the public eye ever. He’s never walked red carpets with me. He doesn’t go to events. People think he’s a ghost in this town. I’ve had many male celebrities come up to me, and they’re like, ‘Come on, he’s like the Snuffleupagus. He doesn’t exist.’ I’m like, ‘Yes, he does. He just doesn’t like coming out here.’ It’s been really hard for him, because he loves his anonymity, and he really just loves being behind the scenes. But you can’t tell the story of our family without Kevin. The Osbournes could do it without Amy, because she’s not running that house. Keven is integral to everything that’s going on. And how do you tell the story of this young woman in this crazy town without her partner that she’s been with for so many years, and isn’t married, and doesn’t have kids? All the questions that surround me are questions for him, too.”
So has doing a reality show been what you expected?
“No! It’s really scary. Because I’ve already been on TV a lot, I thought it would be a piece of cake. I’m like, ‘I’m very open. I’m on camera all the time. It’s not going to be any different.’ Oh, it’s different. It’s different when you’re in your house and all of a sudden you’re fighting with your partner, about money or whatever, and they’re right there capturing it. You’re like, ‘Well, if I censor myself, I’m totally going against what I’ve signed up to do.’
“It’s just a weird situation. And it’s weird to know that everything you’re talking about can be used. And then everyone is going to have their opinions. You’re opening yourself up to some people out there agreeing with you and other people vehemently disagreeing with you. So it’s scary.”
What might it surprise people to know about you?
“I am painfully frugal with myself. I have a very bad issue. A lot of people spend too much, and they jam their credit cards up, and are constantly at Louis Vuitton buying themselves things. That’s not me. I’m the extreme opposite.”
Is the show true to your lives? Lots of reality-show subjects complain that editing and narration turns them into different people than they really are.
“I didn’t want to do a show that wasn’t reality, because I don’t have time to make stuff up. I don’t have time to create fake drama. We are who we are, and whatever was happening was happening. Very dramatic stuff ended up happening naturally on camera. We’re dealing with my dad’s diabetes, which has been a very emotional issue for us, and very scary. I’m not trying to make this sound like a downer show, because it’s actually quite funny as well. You kind of get a little bit of everything here.
“When you watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding, whatever culture or religion you are, people loved it and connected with it. I feel like you get the same thing here. But also, you never get to see a celebrity be put in their place. And let me tell you, Keven’s mom and my dad have no problem doing it with me. That’s just the nature of our relationship. People are like, ‘Are you okay with that being on TV?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, I signed up for a reality show, so please don’t freak me out any more than I already am!’”
What was it like first seeing the episodes?
“It was really hard to watch. I’m not going to lie. But when I’m cringing, I know that it’s probably good.”