NEWSOK! Exclusive: Olympian-Turned-Reality Star Sanya Richards Ross on Why Her New Show Is The "Black Kardashians"
Have room for one more reality show on your DVR this summer? Hope so, because tonight is the series premiere of Sanya's Glam & Gold on WE tv which focuses on the professional and personal life of Olympian Sanya Richards Ross, her NFL-playing husband, Aaron Ross, and Sanya's crazy family. And we caught up with Sanya to tell us about why she's excited for the new show, her best celeb-encounters ever, and why her family is basically the "black Kardashians." Read on!
OK! Exclusive: Bridezilla's Remy & Rob Are Getting Their Own Spin-Off!
OK!: Congrats on the show! What's it about?
Sanya Richards Ross: It's showing my life and I work with my family and my sister and I own a salon together and my mom manages my career and my dad is my agent and manages me on the track and also my husband manages me on the track so it shows our lives. It’s very real. You see us go through the struggles of me being my parents’ boss and sometimes being their daughter and my sister and I being best friends but also managing a business together. You get to see my personality off the track.
OK! News: Sanya's Glam & Gold And Other Shows To Watch Tonight
OK!: That totally sounds like the Kardashians to me. Do you get compared to them a lot?
SRR: I love the Kardashians! It’s funny because we do have a cast like the Kardashians. My sister and cousin and I are the 3 girls and my mom is definitely a Kris Jenner and my dad is like Bruce and my sister has an on again off again boyfriend like Scott and I guess my husband is like my Kanye. It works out like that. I do like the Kardashians and I love the show. It’s fun and similar.
OK!: Are you excited or scared to see your life play out on TV?
SRR: I am used to myself on TV but in a different light. I guess the one thing I’m afraid of is people seeing…I’m bossy. I am. But that’s how you get stuff done! My family tells me all the time I’m gonna see it at a higher level. It comes from a good place though because I just want everyone to do their best but they call me a bully! But they love me. It’s unanimous. But my sister’s a drama queen!
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
OK!: How did your husband feel about putting your marriage out on display?
SRR: I think for sure my husband had to adjust because he’s very private and I’m very open. But I think we have a very strong relationship. We’ve been together for 10 years and married for 3. We started dating freshman year of college so we have something special and solid and we made the promise that our relationship comes first no matter what and we’re never gonna jeopardize that. Everyone’s like, "TV is scary for relationships," but it wasn’t too bad. I really enjoyed it and I think Ross enjoyed it.
OK! Exclusive: The Top Chef Cast's Dream Dinner Party
OK!: Are you excited to add "reality star" to your resume after being an Olympic gold medalist?
SRR: Yes. The life as an athlete is short and you really have to start planning for after sports because you can kind of see the end of your career. So this is a great way for me to transition. I love TV. I would love to do some acting or hosting post-career, so this is a great transition.
OK!: Since you love TV, what other shows are you into?
SRR: I love the Braxtons on WE. They’re great. LA Hair and Bridezillas Bootcamp. I also watch the Kardashians like I said. I watch Love & Hip-Hop…my guilty pleasure. It’s funny because I love the Golden Girls too. We watch those reruns.
OK!: Can you tell me about a celeb encounter you've had that was like, amazing?
SRR: I met Serena and Venus at the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing that was great because I’ve always looked up to them as female athletes. I’ve met Layla Ali at the fashion shows. And Oprah! I was sitting alone in the front row at this Olympics special in 2008 in Chicago and she comes over and is like, "How are you it’s so nice to have you!" and I’m like – GASP – I’m happy to be here too! She was really awesome. That was the one that sticks out. And i got to meet the Obamas, too.
OK! Exclusive: First Look at Too Young to Marry
OK!: You can't really go up from Oprah and the Obamas!
SRR: I know!
OK!: So anyway, why are you telling fans to tune into your show? What's your favorite thing about it?
SRR: I’m excited because we have an amazing cast and everyone in my family has an incredible personality. I think you’re gonna watch and like and relate to someone. You’ll be able to relate. You’ll see a different side to my husband and I for the athletes. The episodes are jammed pack and you never get bored. The black Kardashians. Tune in!
youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr8Nk_OdS18&w=640&h=360
Sanya's Glam & Gold premieres tonight at 10pm on E! Are you going to watch? Have you been following Sanya's career since the 2008 Olympics? Do you think this show will be "the black Kardashians?" Tweet us @OKMagazine!
