S2 E.6 Talk with Elvis Duran and the Morning Show Co-Host, Danielle Monaro
In this EpisodeIn this episode, Adriana and Mariah sit down with co-host of Z100 New York’s Elvis Duran and The Morning Show, Danielle Monaro! Danielle (and her iconic laugh) not only got Adriana through high school, but she has helped Little Words Project grow from the very beginning.
Danielle has been with Z100 for 26 years, and she shared with us how she got her start. Originally, she wanted to perform and work at Disney World. She auditioned, made it to the final cut, and it didn’t pan out. While a student at St. John’s University, Danielle met a girl in an elevator, and that girl asked her if she had any interest in being on-air. It’s safe to say it was love at first sight… or love at first hearing!
Danielle started as an intern for Z100. Little by little, she began doing more and more. She notes that while in this position, she would walk around to all of the departments asking if they needed any help. Adriana chimes in saying that when interns go the extra mile at Little Words Project, they are almost always hired. These positions help you get your foot in the door and allow you to explore lots of different areas. And sure enough, when someone left Z100, Danielle was promoted to their spot! To her, it is still mind blowing.
Now, we talk about Danielle’s shifts during COVID. As Danielle is someone who is in an occupation that thrives off of in-person interaction, there were lots of things to figure out. Lots of her co-workers were in all different areas, meaning time zones were different, and connection on Zoom was challenging. Also, the news completely inundated the world. Danielle says that sometimes this got to her, but she knew that listeners needed her. Mariah notes that prior to COVID, working from home was sometimes an anomaly. Now that we see that it CAN be done, the future of workplaces may shift, too. It is a true testament to how resilient people are!
Danielle is an iconic female figure in an industry dominated by men. She says that she has been very blessed that her team continues to push her in the right direction. There has never been a time where she has felt held back in any way, and she owes it to the fact that she has stayed with Z100 the entirety of her career.
The Danielle we know and love is a brutally honest, loud woman from the Bronx. This leads us into how she met Sheldon, her husband. Originally, Elvis met Sheldon on a booze cruise. Danielle was not there, and Elvis was really interested in Sheldon for himself. Unfortunately for Elvis, Sheldon was not interested in him, but fortunately for Danielle, this led to Elvis setting the two of them up instead! At first, Danielle admits that she was rough on Sheldon – but she had nothing to hide. Being yourself around your partner brings out the best in both of you. She says that if you are hiding something at first, it will come out eventually. At the end of the day, there is no such thing as perfection in a relationship: the best thing you can do is compromise!
Adriana and Mariah ask Danielle about some of her favorite celebrity interactions. Danielle shares 3: Enrique Iglesias, Michael Buble, and Lady Gaga. She says that Enrique Iglesias is the most down-to-earth celebrity – he treats everyone the same, and she’ll never forget it. Michael Buble came into the studio dressed down and casual, and he is such a fun guy! And… Lady Gaga. She had come into the studio, grabbed Danielle’s hand, and fangirled over her! OMG! The feeling was completely mutual, according to Danielle (obviously!)
We end today’s episode by talking about an exciting partnership with Project Cure. Project Cure is the world’s largest distributor of donated medical equipment to developing countries. It was a no-brainer to support this cause in light of the current events. We are honored Danielle chose Little Words Project to help out with this endeavor, and we hope that this partnership spreads some much needed positivity. That’s what we’re all about.
Today’s episode was a true full circle moment for us, and we hope you enjoyed it! Until next time!
Important Times0:55 - Welcome back!
3:05 - Intro/LWP and Danielle
14:05 - Danielle’s career
24:34 - Radio and COVID
29:15 - Dating advice/Sheldon
39:10 - Motherhood
40:50 - LWP partnership
47:00 - Celeb experiences
57:30 - Advice to younger self
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Welcome bestie.
We’re so glad you’re here.
We’re Adriana and Mariah. Co-hosts, entrepreneurs, BFFs, and girls just like you trying to figure it out as we go.
