25 Quick-Fire Questions with Cityline’s Tracy Moore

Tracy Moore is the award-winning host of Cityline. Thanks to her commitment to diversity and inclusion she has also produced and hosted one of Apple podcasts best series of 2020 – Cityline Real on Race. She has also co-produced and co-hosted Citytv’s award-winning race special, entitled Ending Racism: What Will It Take? and spearheads regular conversations on Cityline to raise awareness and inclusivity of folks who live at the intersectional margins. Moore is most proud of the volunteer work she does with West Toronto charity Trust 15 and the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada.

What is your idea of the perfect day?
An early morning workout near water. Post-workout blended coffee (coffee + collagen + MCT oil + stevia = so good). Brunch with family. Nap. Read a good book on a beach. Nap. Get ready and go out to a raging nightclub with girlfriends. Burgers or pizza at 3am.

Why did you choose your career?
I caught the broadcast bug while volunteering at the campus radio station during my undergrad at McGill. I like broadcast journalism because of the fact-gathering, presenting and quick assimilation of information. Plus it fits with my natural curiosity and allows me to connect with lots of humans.

What do you love most about what you do in your job?
I love the creative side of my job. The times when we re-write an intro right before a show because we’re inspired. Or when a small nugget of an idea turns into a huge production. Or when we launch a series that really, truly moves the dial. Plus, did I mention I like people?

What has been the hardest part of building your career?
The hardest part of building my career has been having no contacts in the industry and no real frame of reference for negotiating contracts, navigating microaggressions and advocating for myself. I learned it all through trial and error.

Who was/is your mentor?
My parents are my forever mentors as they’ve taught me to lead with grace and passed down to me a default positivity setting which has come in really handy. Others who have helped me in the industry have been Ben Chin, Gord Martineau, Tina Cortese, Jordan Schwartz, Guy Laurence, Jordan Banks and Laura Reiter. I wouldn’t call them mentors but they’ve opened doors for me I couldn’t possibly open myself.

Who is your favourite Canadian?
My mom and dad. Sorry, I’m a family girl and celebrity worship just isn’t my thing.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I use a lot of words that make me sound basic, ha! Here’s a taste: amazing, fantastic, awesome, that’s right, so good, I love it, absolutely. At least they’re mostly positive.

Which words or phrases do you dislike when other people overuse?
Anxiety (we all have it), literally, basically.

Who or what is the greatest love of your life?
My family. I save most of my love for my husband, two kids and parents. Especially during this pandemic, they really have become the most important people in my life. They are omni-present and have to deal with my mood swings so I owe them a lot.

When and where were you happiest?
I’ll always have a happy place in my head to call on when I’m doing something I hate, like getting my teeth cleaned. The happy place is often updated over time. Here a few of them:

*In a bikini in Rhodes, Greece laying on a private beach during my honeymoon.

*In Jamaica at a roadside jerk pit getting lunch while on vacation

*At an open air calypso party during Miami Carnival

*On our balcony in Taormina, Sicily, sipping wine and watching Mount Etna erupt.

Which talent would you most like to have?
I wish I wasn’t afraid of heights. There are many experiences I stay away from because of my fear of heights. I didn’t go anywhere near the London Eye when we were in the UK a couple of years ago. And I froze with fear at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Who are your heroes in real life?
I have big admiration and respect for folks who rise above the din and lead with integrity and humility. And especially to folks who do this no matter what they’re facing. These are tough attributes to come by these days.

What is your motto?
And this too shall pass. But that means the good and the bad. It means if you’re going through good times, embrace the living crap out of them. They may be fleeting. And during the bad times, they absolutely are not going to last forever. (Please note my use of the word “absolutely.” Sigh).

What do you always have in your fridge?
Diana’s Sauce in Gourmet Honey Garlic. My daughter and I are addicted.

How would you describe yourself as a parent?
Before the pandemic I would describe myself as patient. Not so much when we’re all in the house and on top of each other for months on end. Over the last year I’ve found I’m a parent willing to evolve but boy, does it take time to get me to shift my thinking. I am a self-aware parent, though, which gives me some hope. And my kids are always here to keep it 100% real with me…which sucks from time to time. But it’s the realness I need to get better at this. There’s no guidebook when it comes to parenting so I’m learning and adjusting as I go.

What is your parenting superpower?
Being willing to find the fun in most situations. We celebrate often around here and it’s because of me. I make it a point to create traditions and parties and opportunities to gas each other up. I was a one-woman party planner until my daughter got on board over the last few years. She is my co-captain and co-party planner now and she’s just the best.

What is your favourite memory of your own parents?
Riding in the backseat of my dad’s car with both parents gets you a front row seat to the Marjorie and Leonard comedy hour. My dad will always and forever be the straight man. My mom is the zinger queen. When I started in journalism I had a 6am shift at the CBC building downtown. My mom also worked downtown and because the subway wasn’t running yet, my dad drove both of us downtown every morning. And they would talk and talk and talk. I just couldn’t believe that they grew up neighbours, left Jamaica within two years of each other to marry in Canada and build a whole life together…and still had things to talk about! It’s inspiring and I love to see it.

What is a tradition from your childhood that you’ve carried on with your own kids?
Growing up my parents used to go to a super classy Christmas Eve party every December 24 so on Christmas morning the deal was that Simone (my sister) and I could open our stockings as soon as we opened our eyes. But we had to wait until both parents were up (and often fuelled by caffeine) before we could open the gifts under the tree. Since I’m an early riser, I’m always up first on Christmas morning and when my kids wake up we open the stockings. And then we wait (and wait) until Daddy wakes up to open the gifts under the tree. What’s good is they aren’t even impatient anymore. They milk those stocking gifts for all they’re worth until it’s time to get to the good stuff. This is a tradition we plan on sticking with.

What do you love most about being a parent, and what do you dislike most?
I really like bringing joy to my kids and also watching them jump into their joy. I love seeing their faces light up during a new experience or a fun ride at an amusement park. Their reactions bring me right back to my youth. I’d always known that at some point kids seek independence and separation from their parents, but I never thought for a minute that it would hurt my feelings. I’m shocked that I feel sort of sad when they assert their agency or lose it, as kids do. I guess I always thought it was easy to take the higher ground but it isn’t. And to have these little people you love so much lash out at you from time to time doesn’t feel great. But it is a part of parenting.

What has surprised you most about being a parent that you weren’t expecting?
I was not expecting the kids to be such good entertainment. My son has a very typical Gen Z nihilist undertone to his humour that slays me and feels so mature for a 13-year-old to possess. So he’ll say something really funny or poignant and I’ll think, “Wow, this kid is in touch with the zeitgeist,” and then he’ll try and fart on my head and I immediately remember he’s a child. My daughter is incredibly observant and will make jokes based on her observations that I find hilarious. They’re both sharper and funnier than I ever thought they’d be. What a lovely surprise.

Favourite family vacation and why?
The first time we went away with Sunwing Vacations to the Royalton Cancun was so memorable. Our flight was majorly delayed but it just made getting there that much sweeter. We had a gorgeous room with a wraparound balcony and access to beautiful pools, amazing food and, of course, the sea. But the thing that made it extra special was seeing the kids go off and get their own food at lunch and make friends with kids from other families and travel around the resort discovering things themselves. We felt safe and well taken care of. And they felt a little more independent.

What one trait or value are you most trying to instil in your children?
We need our children to understand their privilege and how their journey is about holding space for folks who don’t have the access they have. If they can move through the world understanding this responsibility I’ll feel like we’ve done a good job as parents.

What one trait are you hoping to avoid?
I would love it if the kids led with kindness rather than judgement. They’re growing up in a fast-paced world of social media and myopic news clips. It is so easy to see something and make a flash judgement without nuance or context. I hope they will slow down and learn to process and analyze the world around them fairly. And then I hope when they see inequality they’ll figure out their own way to overturn it.

Favourite family summer activity?
Frequent trips to the beach. The simplest days are often the best ones for us. A packed cooler with snacks, a blanket, swimsuits and a change of clothes and off we go to skip rocks, swim and lay around in the sand.

Favourite family winter activity?
Winter is not my thing but I live with three hockey players sooo…they would probably say hockey. I’m gonna go with tobogganing and reading right beside the fireplace under a blanket.

Instagram: @thetracymoore
Twitter: @thetracymoore
FB page: www.facebook.com/thetracymoore

Interested in more celebrity parents? Check out 25 Questions with Sarah Nicole Landry from The Birds Papaya and 25 Questions with Actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee.