Former “Today” and “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric is set to make an unusual primetime appearance on ABC. Couric will interview pop star Lady Gaga on the singer’s 90-minute Thanksgiving special, “A Very Gaga Thanksgiving.”
In addition to the interview, the special will feature eight musical performances from Gaga, and guest appearances from Tony Bennett and chef Art Smith.
Couric has made occasional appearances on ABC since Disney announced it would produce and televise her upcoming syndicated talk show “Katie” in Fall, 2012. Her first appearance was low-key, an interview with actress Sarah Jessica Parker on “Nightline.” She also appeared on ABC’s 9/11 anniversary coverage, and has occasionally stopped by other shows, such as when she filled in as co-host on “Live! with Regis & Kelly.”
Still, a high-profile interview in primetime on Thanksgiving night is a very unusual and big “get” for Couric, even if the interview subject is also serving as the director.
More about the special, including details on Lady Gaga deep-frying a turkey (seriously) after the jump.
“A VERY GAGA THANKSGIVING” TO AIR NOVEMBER 24 ON ABC
Special Includes Eight Performances by Lady Gaga, as Well as an Intimate Sit-Down Interview with
Katie Couric and Special Guest Appearances by Tony Bennett and Legendary Chef Art SmithOn Thanksgiving night, NOVEMBER 24 (9:30-11:00 p.m., ET), the ABC Television Network will air a 90-minute special, “A Very Gaga Thanksgiving.” The broadcast, which was conceived and directed by Lady Gaga, offers an intimate look inside the private life of the award-winning artist as she performs eight songs in front of a small audience filled with her close friends and family. Performances include a duet of “The Lady is a Tramp” with Tony Bennett as well as her newest single, “Marry the Night,” “You and I,” “The Edge of Glory” and the holiday classic “White Christmas,” among other hits.
Katie Couric sits down with the icon in her alma-mater, Sacred Heart Catholic School in Manhattan, as the two discuss the meaning and inspiration behind some of Gaga’s biggest hits. Gaga also opens up about her relationships with family and friends and shares heartfelt stories from her past, as well as what her life is like now living in the public eye. Legendary chef Art Smith stops by to help Gaga prepare a Thanksgiving feast of deep-fried turkey and waffles for her guests. This “Gaga-fied” Thanksgiving celebration reveals the traditional side of one of today’s most innovative artists.
“We all know Lady Gaga is a phenomenon,” said Couric. “This is a chance to see more of who she is beneath the wild costumes and staged musical numbers… Lady Gaga as a high school student still bruised by being excluded from the party, Lady Gaga as a devoted daughter and caring sister, Lady Gaga as a 25-year-old woman embracing fame and fortune that seemed to come overnight. She will impress you, delight you and surprise you.”
“A Very Gaga Thanksgiving” is produced by Steven Johnson of Factory Films and ABC’s Lincoln Square Productions, with Rudy Bednar and David Saltz as executive producers.
About Lady Gaga
LADY GAGA came to prominence following the release of her debut studio album, “The Fame” (2008), which included “Just Dance,” “Poker Face” and ”Bad Romance,” and sold over 15 million copies worldwide. She is known for her outré sense of style as a recording artist, in fashion, in performance and in her music videos. Her contributions to the music industry have garnered numerous accolades, including 5 Grammy Awards among 12 nominations, 2 Guinness World Records, a record setting 13 MTV Video Music Award nominations, and the estimated sale of 23 million albums and 64 million singles worldwide. Billboard named her both the 2010 Artist of the Year and the top selling artist of 2010, ranking her as the 73rd Artist of the 2000s decade. Her third studio album, “Born This Way,” broke the iTunes record for fastest rise to No. 1 on release day. The singles from the album, including “Born This Way,” “Judas,” “The Edge of Glory” and “You and I,” have sold a combined total of more than 8 million copies in the U.S. alone. Gaga was named Forbes’ Most Powerful Woman in the World 2011 and was included in Time’s annual The 2010 Time 100 list of most influential people in the world. With over 1.9 billion combined views of all her videos online, Lady Gaga is one of the biggest living people on Facebook with over 44 million ‘likes,’ and is no.1 on Twitter with over 15 million followers. She is the only artist in the digital era to top the 5 million sales mark with her first two hits.