arts & life

t .v.

FAR LEFT:

Brooke Turner,
posing behind
the Television
Academy statue
at the Emmy
Awards last
April. LEFT:
Winning her first
Emmy last year.

Turner T.V.

A hometown girl

nabs a pair of

Emmys and a

course for a career

in television.

I

Shelly Johnson

Special to the Jewish News

B

eing the eldest of five chil-
dren in a closeknit, Jewish
family in Bloomfield Hills
set the groundwork for Brooke
Turner to go on to win two Emmy
Awards as a television producer for
the Steve Harvey Show in Chicago.
"My siblings are all my best
friends, and I know we'll always
have each other's backs no matter
what; says Turner, who attended
Pine Lake Elementary, West Hills
Middle School and Andover High

The Turner family (including dad, Lee, and mom,
Susan) stars in Brooke's 1997 bat mitzvah.

School ("where she was a member
of varsity poms," says her mom,
Susan), as well as Temple Beth El
in Bloomfield Township, where
she had her bat mitzvah. (She
continues to attend High Holiday
services, and hosts Chanukah and
Passover when she cant make it
home to Detroit)
"Life was always busy; there was
never a dull moment; she says.
"Even though we had our fair share
of fights and chaos growing up, I
wouldn't have it any other way7
Daily life as a television pro-
ducer involves much of the same
organized chaos essential in
large families. Among her tasks:
problem-solving and making sure
everything runs smoothly, while
helping the guests on the show
feel comfortable. Turner, 30, puts
together show segments each week.
"Days are almost never the same
— from coming up with ideas of
topics for the shows to scripting
a layout of how the segment will
run," she says.
During her junior year at the
University of Michigan, where she
earned a degree in communica-
tions with a double minor in film
and Spanish, Turner studied in
Barcelona; following graduation in
2006, she and a friend embarked
on an extended trip to Israel. "I
explored my Jewish roots to the
core," she says. "It opened that
piece of my identity even more:'
Later, she went on an 11-day
jungle tour in Peru, where she
hiked 10 miles to just below Machu
Picchu. "We climbed 1,800 stairs

to meet our guide," Turner says. "It
was very tiring with the altitude,
but the view in the clouds, just
before sunrise, was amazing. It
was, in a way, a spiritual journey7
Turner's parents took note early
on of her sense of adventure and
drive; and it has not been lost on
her siblings, either.
"Brooke led the path," says dad,
Lee, who has watched his daughter
excel at sports and drama while
being a strong, creative role model
for her brother and sisters. "She has
excellent people skills," he adds.
"It was always my dream to
move to New York City," says
Turner, who headed to the city
after graduation. "I pounded the
pavement for a while and landed a
job in media buying7 But she then
heard that Dr. Phil had an opening
for a production assistant — and
she landed it.
The show taped in Los Angeles,
but, Turner says, "I decided to
take a chance. I flew out on a
Wednesday and started work on
Monday.
"I'll never forget my first day on
the Paramount lot," she adds. "I
couldn't believe that was where I'd
be working7
Six years later, after having
worked on a sitcom pilot here
and there during summer hiatus,
Turner decided to expand her
experience. She found a position
as segment producer for the Jeff
Probst Show, starring the long-
time host of Survivor, the show,
however, was canceled after the
first season. Rebounding quickly,

Turner was hired as a producer for
Steve Harvey in 2013.
"I found my apartment in
Chicago in two days during a short
visit to Michigan," she says. One
of her sisters helped her find the
apartment, and her brother helped
her pack up her L.A. apartment
and drove cross country with her
to Chicago.
The Steve Harvey Show has prov-
en a good move for Turner: She has
won a pair of Emmys for her work
on the show — one last summer,
and another this past April.
"It was unreal," Turner says. "It
was such a cool thing to be a part
of — getting a dress and going to
the shows. And now I have two
Emmys in my apartment! I'm just
so grateful to be a part of such an
amazing team of people.
"We just started back up for
Season 4 and we have a ton of cool
things planned. I'm excited for
everyone to see everything we have
in store:'
When asked by the communica-
tions department at U-M to speak
about her career, Turner told stu-
dents, "Network. You never know
when someone you meet can come
into play. Also, be willing to sweep
the floors:' She also advised stu-
dents to learn from their mistakes.
"You're going to mess up, so when
you do, own your mistakes and
learn from them," Turner says.
"And follow your passion. You
might not get your dream job right
out of school, but don't give up.
Each job is a new experience, so
use it:'

❑

August 6 • 2015

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