Today on Today

Amy and John stop by The Today Show for a chat.

By Amy Kean and John Schwartz

Amy:  Today John and I made our way down to NBC's studios at Rockefeller Center to tape a fun -- and very timely -- relationship advice segment, "Recession-Proof Your Relationship" for  The Today Show. Yippee! I love (love!) appearing on television; I'm not going to lie.

By the way, if you've been watching television these days, you've surely noticed that nearly every segment is focused on our self-destructing economy. The titles might make you a little nervous: "How To Be Destitute...With Style," "Eat Well on 25 cents a Day," "The Dos and Don'ts of Moving Back in With Your Parents at 40," "That Food's Not Spoiled -- Just Add Spices!," "Unexpected Places To Find Loose Change."  It seems like the media is trying to terrify us; and it's really working. Who needs Halloween this year?

Needless to say, we were thrilled to be a part of the show. We offered up our unique "Amy vs. John" take on the financial crisis. Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb (our hands-down favorite TV hosts) interviewed us about ways couples can best handle financial stress. After all, couples don't feel very romantic when they're hungry and out-of-work. Still, we explained that this crisis could have a silver lining -- if it teaches us to live more simply, with less waste. We Americans need to keep our spirits up. And when times are tough, we need to focus on our loved ones -- more than ever. Sorry for sounding so corny; but I really mean it. Plus, the only thing worse than a recession is going through a divorce during a recession. Divorces cost a fortune; it's cheaper to stay together.

If you missed the segment, please check it out below! And please let us know what you think.




JOHN:  I'd just like to say, the camera apparently does add ten pounds (or more like fifteen!). The most important thing I took away from my Today Show appearance is that it's time to hit the gym! There's nothing like multiple hi-definition cameras at various angles to snap you back into body image reality. Sheesh! 

I'd also like to add that we met the nicest woman in the "green room" while we were waiting to go on. Her name is Kathy Brinkman and she was there (along with her best friend since second grade, Sarah Bryant) as part of the show's "Everyone Has a Story" series. She was just so darn nice!  It turns out, getting breast cancer three and a half years ago actually saved her life. Upon reviewing a routine chest x-ray prior to her "lumpectomy" surgery, doctors discovered that she had stage-four lung cancer!  Can you imagine?

But after three and a half years of lung cancer treatment, and a recent mastectomy (Her doctors forgot all about her breast cancer because they didn't expect her to survive the lung cancer!!!), there she was looking fit as a fiddle, smiling and laughing in the "green room" of  The Today Show. She was so positive and genuine. Meeting her this morning really cheered me up. Thanks Kathy.