Amanpour and Company

>>> THE TRUTH BEHIND THE GLAMOUR OF A ONCE PROMINENT SPORTS BROADCASTER.

LISA HOSTED A SPORTS SHOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE BECOMING AN NFL SIDELINE REPORTER IN THE EARLY 2000s.

SHE IS NOW A CORRESPONDENT FOR "INSIDE EDITION."

HER MEMOIR DETAILS THE SEXISM, HARASSMENT AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS SHE EXPERIENCED THROUGHOUT HER CAREER AS A SPORTS BROADCASTER.

HERE IS HER CONVERSATION WITH MICHELLE MARTIN.

>> THANKS, CHRISTIANE.

LISA, THANKS FOR TALKING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, MICHELLE.

I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.

>> LIKE WISE.

YOU HAD THIS INCREDIBLE CAREER AND INTERESTING BECAUSE I'M GUESSING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT KNOW YOU FROM ONE OF YOUR LIVES DOESN'T NECESSARILY KNOW YOU FROM YOUR OTHER LIVES.

YOU'VE BEEN A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL CHEERLEADER, AN ACTRESS ON A POPULAR TV DRAMA AND SPORTS CASTER ON WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHEST PROFILE SPORTS SHOW IN FOOTBALL.

YOU'RE A LONG TIME INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER AND NOW WRITING A MEMOIR.

WHY NOW?

WHAT MADE THIS THE TIME?

>> THAT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT QUESTION AND THE QUESTION IS BECAUSE THIS IS A MESSAGE PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR TODAY.

I TALK ABOUT MY MANY CAREER TRANSITIONS IN THE BOOK BUT I ALSO TALK REALLY HONESTLY ABOUT THE CHALLENGES I FACED AND A LOT OF CRITICISM I ENDURED AS A WOMAN IN SPORTS SPECIFICALLY AND HOW I KIND OF REBUILT MY CAREER AFTER A DISASTROUS SEASON WITH "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" INTO WHAT PEOPLE SEE ME NOW AS THIS BRAVE INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT THAT CHASES BAD GUYS ON "INSIDE EDITION."

WHAT I WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW IS THE BRAVE PERSON THEY SEE ON CAMERA WASN'T BORN THAT WAY.

MY PAIN, THE TRAMA I ENDAUGHENDAUGHURED MADE ME THE BRAVE PERSON I AM TODAY AND BRAVERY IS LIKE A MUSCLE.

IT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN PRACTICE AND GET BETTER AT WITH TIME AND I REALLY WANTED PEOPLE TO LEARN HOW TO TAKE THEIR PAIN AND TURN IT INTO POWER.

>> WAS THERE A KIND OF A MOMENT FOR YOU THAT SAID TO YOU THIS IS THE TIME TO TELL THIS STORY?

DID SOMEONE REACH OUT TO YOU THAT MADE YOU FEEL YOU NEEDED TO SHARE THIS STORY THAT IS EXTREMELY PERSONAL AT TIMES.

YOU TALK ABOUT A LOT OF MISTAKES YOU MADE AND YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

WAS IT EXACTLY?

>> SO BECAUSE "INSIDE EDITION" IS POPULAR WITH YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE OF YOUTUBE, A LOT OF KIDS WATCH MY INVESTIGATIONS AND BING THEM ON THEIR DEVICES.

I STARTED TO READ THE COMMENTS BELOW MY STORIES WRITTEN BY TEENAGERS AND KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY WOULD SAY WOW, SHE LOOKS LIKE WONDER WOMAN.

SHE'S OUT THERE CHASING BAD PEOPLE AND DEMANDING JUSTICE.

SHE'S BRAVE.

I WANT TO BE BRAVE LIKE HER BUT I'M BEING BULLIED IN SCHOOL.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP TO MY MOM WHO IS BEING ABUSED BY MY DAD AND I STARTED READING THESE COMMENTS FROM YOUNG PEOPLE AND I WEPT.

I THOUGHT THEY LOOK AT ME AS BEING BRAVE BUT WHEN I WAS THEIR AGE, I WAS SHY AND AWKWARD AND I LOST MY MOTHER AT 8 YEARS OLD.

I WAS GLASSES AND BRACES AND INTR INTROVERT.

I WANTED TO WRITE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A LOVE LETTER AND, YOU KNOW, AND A GUIDE TO HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH OBSTACLES FROM THE TIME YOU'RE A KID, FROM THE TIME YOU'RE 58 LIKE I AM, I WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH DOWN INTO THE INNER WARRIOR I BELIEVE WE ALL HAVE.

THE REASON I CALLED THE BOOK "WARRIOR" IS MY LAST NAME GUERRERO MEANS WARRIOR IN SPANISH.

AND WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I WAS 8 YEARS OLD AND MY MOM WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LYMPHOMA.

SHE DIED AT 29.

BUT BEFORE SHE PASSED AWAY, SHE PULLED ME ASIDE AND SHE SAID NEVER FORGET THAT YOUR LAST NAME IS GUERRERO AND GUERRERO MEANS WARRIOR.

YOU WERE BORN TO FIGHT.

THAT'S THE LEGACY I WANTED TO LEAVE IN THIS BOOK.

I WANTED EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT WE ALL HAVE AN INNER WARRIOR AND NEED TO UNLEASH IT.

>> LOSING YOUR MOM AT 8 AND TALK ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GROW UP WITHOUT A MOM, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAD A WONDERFUL DAD AND A BEAUTIFUL DEDICATION TO HIM AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR BOOK WHICH IS LOVELY, LOSING YOUR MOM AT 8 IS A VERY TOUGH THING FOR ANY KID.

HOW DO YOU THINK THAT KIND OF SHAPED YOU GROWING UP?

>> I ABSOLUTELY DIDN'T HAVE A FEMALE IDENTITY TO BOND WITH.

I DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY TO SHOW ME HOW TO WEAR MAKEUP OR SHAVE MY LEGS OR WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET YOUR PERIOD.

IN FACT, WHEN I GOT MY PERIOD I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

I WAS SCREAMING TO MY DAD I WAS IN PAIN AND THEY TOOK ME TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND THEY SAID SIR, YOUR DAUGHTER IS FINE.

SHE'S JUST HAVING HER FIRST PERIOD.

I HAD NOBODY TO TEACH ME THESE THINGS.

SO THAT WAS THE BIGGEST DIFFICULTY FOR ME IS I DIDN'T HAVE FEMALE ROLE MODELS AROUND ME OR ANYTHING TO HELP ME THROUGH THAT WHICH IS WHY I DEVELOPED SUCH A SISTER HOOD NOW AS AN ADULT.

FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ME NOW.

I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN.

I DON'T HAVE A MOM SO I DON'T HAVE A DAUGHTER.

TO ME, MY FEMALE FRIENDS ARE EVERYTHING TO ME.

>> I FELT LIKE HONESTLY, JUST THE BOOK -- JUST -- THERE IS JUST LIKE YOU'RE DROPPING KNOWLEDGE THROUGHOUT.

THAT DUE ALTY OF THE THINGS PEOPLE WANT WOMEN TO DO VERSUS THE WAY THEY PUNISH THEM FOR DOING IT SEEMS TO BE A THEME THROUGHOUT THE BOOK.

DO YOU WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AND THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER?

>> SO I WAS AN ACTRESS AND REPORTER, SPORTS CASTER.

AND THEN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER.

WHEN YOU'RE ON TV, THERE IS THIS -- THERE IS THIS PLEASURE TO LOOK YOUR BEST.

THIS IS A VISUAL MEDIUM.

GROWING UP IN CALIFORNIA, THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION THAT YOU SHOULD LOOK GREAT WHILE COVERING SPORTS.

BUT IF YOU LOOK TOO GREAT.

THEY WILL THINK YOU'RE NOT TOUGH.

SO I BELIEVE INVOLVED IN SPORTS CASTING BEFORE THEY HAD THAT TERM FOR IT.

WHEN I STARTED INTERVIEWING THE HARD TO GET PLAYERS, I WOULD GET SHAQ AND KOBE, A-ROD, BERRY BONDS, MASSIVE SIT DOWN INTERVIEWS.

THE FIRST QUESTION PEOPLE WOULD ASK WAS WELL HOW DID YOU GET THAT INTERVIEW, HONEY?

YOU KNOW, THERE IS THIS ALMOST INSINUATION I WAS DATING PEOPLE OR SLEEPING WITH PEOPLE TO GET TO WHERE I GOT TO LOCAL TO REGIONAL TO NATIONAL PROMINENCE AS A SPORTS CASTER.

SO WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE IS IMPORTANT ON TELEVISION BUT IN MY CASE AND THE 90s, IT HURT ME AS WELL.

>> YOU TALKED ABOUT CONTRADICTION AFTER CONTRADICTION.

PEOPLE WOULD SAY NO, NO, NO, CUT YOUR HAIR AND WEAR BLAZERS AND ON THE OTHER HAND PEOPLE WANTED YOU TO WEAR LEE TOTARDS AND DO TIGHT AND REVEALING CLOTHS AND PUT HIGHLIGHTS IN YOUR HAIR.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT'S ABOUT AND DO YOU THINK THAT'S CHANGED?

>> NO, I DON'T THINK IT CHANGED.

SADLY, I THINK WE STILL SEE IT.

WHAT I -- ONE OF THE REASONS I WROTE "WARRIOR," I WANTED PEOPLE TO SEE THAT STRUGGLE I HAD AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WRITE MEMOIRS AND SAY LOOK AT MY FABULOUS LIFE.

I HAVE NO REGRETS.

I'M NOT THAT PERSON.

I HAVE A LOT OF REGRETS.

ONE OF MY REGRETS, MICHELLE IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT NOW.

I ALLOWED MYSELF EARLY IN MY CAREER TO NEGOTIATE HOW I WAS GOING TO LOOK.

WHAT MY IMAGE WAS, HOW I WOULD BE EVEN -- HOW I WOULD BE PRESENTED ON A SET.

AT ONE POINT DURING ONE OF THE SHOWS I WAS ON "THE BEST DAMN SPORTS SHOW PERIOD."

I WAS THE UPDATE ANCHOR.

THEY PUT ME IN THE CENTER OF A PANEL OF MEN AND REALIZED THE FIRST WEEK THIS COFFEE TABLE WAS BLOCKING MY LEGS SO THEY PUT ME TO CAMERA FAR RIGHT SO PEOPLE COULD SEE MY LEGS AND ASKED ME TO WEAR SHORT SKIRTS.

SO IT WAS ONE CONSTANT COMPROMISE AFTER THE OTHER TO KEEP MY JOB AND TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE PLATFORM OF BEING A WOMAN IN SPORTS THAT KNEW SPORTS AND ARGUE WITH ATHLETES ON THE SET BUT I HAD TO LOOK THIS WAY.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO TELL YOUNG WOMEN IN MY BOOK IS NOT NEGOTIATE.

START AT THE VERY BEGINNING.

WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS SMILE MORE, ARGUE LESS, SHOW MORE LEGS, THEN THAT'S YOUR TIME TO WALK.

>> SO YOU GOT THESE JOBS BECAUSE OF YOUR SPORTS KNOWLEDGE BUT THE WAY YOU KEPT YOUR JOB WAS BECAUSE OF YOUR LOOKS?

AND I JUST -- DO YOU BLAME YOURSELF FOR THAT?

>> I STRUGGLE WITH THAT, MICHELLE.

BECAUSE I GRIEVE FOR THE YOUNG WOMAN THAT I WAS.

AND THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO SEE THAT THERE -- THROUGH THESE COMPROMISES AND THIS IS GOING TO HURT PEOPLE THAT VIEW YOU AND REACH OUT TO THE YOUNG GIRL AND SAY THIS IS PART OF THIS CULTURE THAT IS IN PLACE BEFORE YOU GOT HERE AND YOU'RE DOING YOUR BEST EVERY DAY AND GET UP EVERY DAY TRYING TO AVOID THE EXECUTIVES IN THE HALLWAYS HITTING ON YOU AND AVOID THE REST OF THE MEDIA IN THE LOCKER ROOM TRYING TO GRAB YOUR BUTT.

YOU'RE TRYING TO AVOID THAT PLAYER THAT WANTS TO DEMEAN YOU IN FRONT OF OTHERS AND FILE YOUR REPORT AT THE END OF THE NIGHT AND REPORT ON SPORTS.

I STRUGGLED A LOT TO MAINTAIN MY SENSE OF PLACE AND TO KNOW THAT I HAD EVERY RIGHT TO BE THERE AS A WOMAN IN SPORTS AND I DIDN'T NEED TO PUT UP WITH A LOT OF THAT AND SOME OF IT I DID.

I NEGOTIATED WITH MYSELF.

I PUT UP WITH IT INSTEAD OF GOING TO H.R.

AND SCREAMING OUT DON'T TOUCH ME.

I GRIEVE FOR THAT YOUNG WOMAN AND I DON'T WANT ANOTHER YOUNG WOMAN TO GO THROUGH WHAT I WENT THROUGH.

>> ONE OF THE TOUGH PARTS OF THE POOK IS YOU TALK ABOUT THE ABUSE THAT YOU EXPERIENCED BY YOUR FORMER BOSS.

PEOPLE THAT WATCHED YOU DURING THAT PERIOD MAY BE SHOCKED TO KNOW OF WHAT A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE IT WAS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THAT IS THE PEN KILL.

THAT IS THE HEIGHT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SPORTS, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN FOOTBALL, BEING A SIDELINE REPORTER FOR MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.

BEING ANY PART OF THE BROADCAST.

YOU SAY YOUR FORMER BOSS WAS SO ABUSIVE TO YOU VERBALLY ABUSIVE TO YOU AND EMOTIONALLY ABUSIVE, YOU ACTUALLY CONSIDERED HARMING YOUR YOURSELF.

>> SO MY DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY THAT YEAR WAS A COMBINATION OF THINGS, NOT JUST A HORRIBLE BOS BUT THE CRITICISM I WAS HEARING ABOUT IN THE MEDIA.

I WAS JUST A PRETTY FACE.

I WAS A CHEERLEADER.

KIND OF PEOPLE IGNORING THE DOZEN YEARS THAT I SPENT AS A REPORTER AND SPORTS CASTER BEFORE I GOT MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.

THEY REDUCED ME TO A MODEL.

A CHEERLEADER.

A BIMBO, AN ACTRESS.

SO BEFORE I EVEN HAD MY FIRST GAME, I WAS ALREADY ENDURING A LOT OF CRISTICISM IN THE MEDIA.

I HAD THE AUDACITY TO MISSPEAK AT THE END OF MY FIRST REGULAR SEASON GAME.

I WAS ENTER SUING SOMEBODY AND MISSPOKE AND CORRECTED IT BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DONE BECAUSE MY CRITICS SAID SEE, SHE'S JUST A BIMBO.

SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.

SHE DOESN'T SKNOW SPORTS.

THIS STARTED THIS DOWNWARD SPINAL WITH A BOS THAS THAT YEL AT ME WHILE I'M REPORTING LIVE TO 40 MILLION PEOPLE.

I COULD HEAR HIM DEMEANING ME.

I THINK THE LIGHT WENT OUT.

THE SPARK, THE ENERGY, THE PERSON I WAS BEFORE THAT JOB WAS COMPLETELY GONE.

IS AFRAID OF CRITICISM.

I COULDN'T EAT.

I COULDN'T SLEEP.

I WAS THROWING UP BEFORE AND AFTER EVERY GAME AND EVERY INTERACTION WITH THIS PRODUCER AND FINALLY TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON, I DISCOVERED I WAS PREGNANT AND HAD JUST GOTTEN ENGAGED AND IN ONE OF THE LATER GAMES I STARTED TO FEEL A CRAMP IN THE FIRST QUARTER, BY THE SECOND QUARTER I FELT A LOT OF PAIN AND DIZZINESS AND NAUSEA AND AT HALFTIME I WENT INTO THE OFFICIALS'S LOCKER ROOM AND BATHROOM AND I DISCOVERED I HAD HAD STARTED A MISCARRIAGE.

AND INSTEAD OF CALLING 911 OR TELLING MY PRODUCER I NEEDED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW, I DIDN'T.

I COVERED IT UP.

I SHOVED A BUNCH OF PAPER TOWELS IN MY PANTS.

I BUTTONED UP MY LONG JACKET SO THEY COULDN'T SEE THE BLOOD AND I WENT OUT THERE IN THE SECOND HALF, SLAPPED A SMILE ON MY FACE AND CONTINUED TO DO LIVE REPORTS AND I LOOK BACK AT MYSELF THEN AND I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT.

I WAS SO DANGEROUS.

I WAS SO SICK EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY BUT I WAS SCARED TO LOSE MY JOB.

AND I WAS SCARED THAT IF I LEFT THE PEOPLE WOULD SAY THERE, SEE, SHE'S A FAILURE.

>> CAN I JUST IN THE SPIRIT OF FAIRNESS, WE NEED TO SHARE WHAT THE PERSON YOU WROTE ABOUT SAYS ABOUT HIS PERCEPTION OF EVENTS.

SOME OF EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN MADE PUBLIC IN ADVANCE OF THE PUBLICATION AND THIS TERRIBLE EPISODE WHERE YOU HAD A MISCARRIAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BROADCAST WAS MADE PUBLIC.

THE PRODUCER IN THE PREVIOUS QUESTION, YOU TALK ABOUT VERBAL ABUSE AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE AND UNDERMINING YOU, NOT ALLOWING YOU TO DO THE JOB IN THE WAY THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO ACTUALLY DO IT TO YOUR BEST EFFORT AND HE DENIES ALL OF THIS AND I JUST WANT TO READ A STATEMENT THAT HE OR HIS REPRESENTATIVES GAVE TO THE NEW YORK POST.

HE SAYS THE FOLLOWING.

HE SAYS I ALWAYS TRY TO BE LISA'S BIGGEST ADVOCATE FROM THE MOMENT I HIRED HER.

HER MEMORY OF THE SEASON AND MINE ARE QUITE DIFFERENT.

HE SAYS THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M LEARNING OF HER PREGNANCY AND SORRY SHE STRUGGLED THROUGHOUT THAT DIFFICULT TIME WITHOUT THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE TEAM SURROUNDING HER.

I DISAGREE WITH LISA'S ACCOUNT OF OUR INTERACTIONS.

IT MAKES ME VERY SAD.

DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT?

>> YEAH.

IN MY BOOK I ALSOPERSPECTIVE, A.

HE TOLD ME I MISREMEMBERED IT.

HE DOESN'T REMEMBER DOING THAT.

IN FACT, HE NEVER YELLED AT ME.

WE DO PUT THAT IN THE POOK.

LIKE YOU, I WANTED TO GIVE BOTH SIDES.

I WANTED TO GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE HIS PERSPECTIVE OF IT.

I KNOW WHAT I ENDURED AND OTHER PEOPLE SAW IT AND HEARD IT AND THE POINT OF THE BOOK ISN'T TO SAY THIS ONE PERSON DID THIS ONE THING TO ME.

IT WAS A CULTURE GOING BACK TO FOX SPORTS NET THAT TREAT WOMEN A CERTAIN WAY WHEN THEY COVER SPORTS OR ON CAMERA AT ALL.

THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHICH I DID IN GREAT DETAIL WAS THE MISCARRIAGE.

ONE IN EVERY FOUR PREGNANCIES ENDS IN MISCARRIAGE SO MILLIONS OF WOMEN ENDURE THIS AND MANY ENDURE IT AT WORK.

I WANTED TO BE OPEN ABOUT THIS AND I WANTED TO START A DISCUSSION THAT SAYS YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ASHAMED OF THIS.

THIS IS A VERY COMMON SITUATION, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT IT OPENLY AND HONESTLY.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ASHAMED OR EM BBARRASSED OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AT THE TIME I WAS.

NOW I'M NOT.

>> YOU HAD SUCH A REMARKABLE CAREER AND A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS.

LOTS OF DOWNS THAT THEN BECAME UPS.

WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

NOW THAT YOU'VE TOLD IT AND LIVED IT, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

DO YOU THINK IT WAS WORTH IT?

>> IT WAS WORTH IT.

EVERY SECOND, EVERY TEAR, EVERY CHALLENGE.

ALL OF THIS WAS WORTH IT TO TELL THESE STORIES, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU CAN COME BACK AFTER THESE HORRIBLE TRAUMATIC CHALLENGES AND STILL BE SUC SUCCESSFUL AND STILL HAVE YOUR VOICE AND FIND YOUR VOICE THAT YOU CAN BE BRAVE.

YOU NEED TO PRACTICE BRAVERY EVERY DAY AND BECOME MORE COURAGEOUS.

IT WAS WORTH IT.

IT WAS WORTH IT TO TELL THE STORIES AS PAINFUL AS THEY ARE AND WRITING IT IS PAINFUL AND NOW TALKING ABOUT THE BOOK IS ALSO BRINGING BACK THIS TRAMA BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I KNOW MY MOTHER WHO DIED WHEN I WAS 8 AND SHE WAS 29, LUCY GUERRERO, I KNOW SHE SEES IT AND SENSES IT.

I KNOW THAT I AM HONORING HER AND HER LEGACY TELLING THE STORIES, THE POTBOTTOM LINE I F LIKE I'VE GROWN INTO THE WARRIOR SHE ALWAYS WANTED ME TO BE.

>> THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU, MICHELLE.