Nischelle Turner | Secret Celebrity Renovation Host/Producer

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The reason we bring up Devante Adams is a different reason, actually. He is the subject of the latest episode of Secret Celebrity Renovation on CBS. It airs tonight, Friday, 8 o'clock Eastern, as well as 8 o'clock Pacific. And the host of the show, Nichelle Turner, had a chance to hang out with him, spend time with him while his grandmother's home was being renovated. Really excited to have this conversation with her. She's been on entertainment tonight.

She was formerly on CNN, covered the NFL, but now one of her babies in TV. So, Nichelle, what do you remember about this Devante episode with him and his grandmother and his family? Well, the biggest thing I was saying to him, we were laughing when we were just in the car driving one day, and he was telling me how his family, they're kind of split.

They're diehard either 49ers fans or Raiders fans, but his grandmother and grandfather are big-time Raiders fans. So I was like, listen, first of all, then, this was divine order for you to get traded to the Raiders. This had to happen. He's like, I know.

It's almost like this is where I'm supposed to be. And when we drove up to his grandparents' house, the first thing I see is this big Raiders Drive sign on the front of the house. So I just started cracking up laughing. And it was really cute. And they're just the greatest family. And Devante, he's an amazing guy. He really is. I'm so impressed with the way that Devante and then Damar Hamlin too, whose episode I really enjoyed.

They open up to you and you get to see a different side of them. Devante is one of the best wide receivers that we've seen over the last 10 years. I mean, he's a generational talent. And yet there he is so down to earth and loves his grandmother, Nichelle. Well, he calls his grandmother baby. And so that was so cute from the beginning.

I was like, you call her baby? And he's like, yeah, I just have my whole life. But, you know, he said to me, he was like, you kind of just you're just one of the homies. And that's kind of what I you know, I'm glad that's how they feel, because you're right. You have to feel very comfortable with someone, because on this show, the celebrities are not just doing a renovation. They're opening up their life in a way that they don't usually do to cameras and to you and to people. And so they really do have to feel comfortable with you in order to do that. I mean, they're peeling back a layer of themselves showing their origin story, where they came from. You know, the people who were there from day one, what their lives looked like before we were screaming for them in a stadium or on a quarter on a field or whatever. So they do have to feel very comfortable with you.

So I do work hard on that aspect of it, because I understand that. What's your favorite part of working on Secret Celebrity Renovation? Reveal day. I get so excited, you know, scenes that pay it forward moment, there is nothing like it. It's really, really beautiful to see, you know, these these athletes and celebrities when they get to present their love gift to the person who's done so much for them in their life.

And it doesn't matter how big the star is. They are reduced to being that little kid in that moment. And they just want that person to be proud of them.

You know, they and they love showing off like I did this. Devante was like, you know, grandma, I put you know, I put this wall down. I jack hammered this like he was so excited to tell his grandmother what he did and show her, you know, the love that he put into this project as sweat equity. So that's my favorite part, you know, and sometimes the celebrities get very emotional and it's just really great to see because you see these genuine moments of love that you don't get to see every day. Raiders All Pro wide receiver Devante Adams is the subject of the next episode of this Secret Celebrity Renovation. We talked about the DeMar Hamlin episode.

Here's another great talent from the NFL and Nichelle Turner, not only host of Entertainment Tonight, but also this incredible show that's just so emotional and so much fun. And we're glad to have her with us here after hours on CBS Sports Radio. I watched most of the episode with Devante, got a sneak peek, but I stopped short of the point at which Grandma Baby gets to see the renovation. So what do you remember about her reaction? Well, Devante had told me that he hadn't seen his grandmother get very emotional in his life. She'd always been there.

She's rock solid. She's, you know, the backbone of the family, but he hadn't really seen her get emotional. And I will just say she got very emotional. So it was a beautiful moment because for him, I think it also made him emotional because he saw how much it affected her. And it was just in some of the little things, the little details that he remembered, the little details that he knew would mean something to her that really sent her over the top. So for me, that was the moment of the show.

It was beautiful. And then he did tell us when she likes something, she does this little Betty Boop dance because she loves Betty Boop. Her name is Betty. So we were waiting to see if we would get the Betty Boop dance at some point during the reveal.

And I will say, got a little Betty Boop. Now, according to the format of the show, Nichelle, you're not there while they're doing all of the renovations. Or do you have a chance to go and kind of see the progress? Are you gone the whole time? Well, I'm gone most of the time, but I do sneak towards the end. I'll sneak back in and make sure, you know, things are going the way they're supposed to do. I bother Rob and Sabrina a little bit and they want me to go away. But, you know, and I'll maybe put my two cents. Hey, can the TV get bigger or can we do something? Those type of things.

But yeah, generally I stay away from the like design and the construction part of it. I really focus on the celebrity or the athlete and helping them tell their origin story, taking them back to, you know, places that mean a lot to them in their town, meeting people that mean a lot to them, spending time with them that way. I mean, Devante and I went to, you know, the park where he played his first football when he was five years old and ran on that field, ran his first 40-yard dash. And, you know, and this was also a park that he had really put a lot into over the years as far as equipment and really making it a safe place for the kids in the neighborhood because East Palo Alto isn't the safest place to be.

And so he wanted to make sure that, you know, the kids in the neighborhood that are following his footsteps had safe spaces. So we, you know, spent time there. And then he actually, for the first time ever, we kind of like cross-streamed professional sports. And usually I'm the one who sets up the memory lane dates and the surprises. But this time, Devante set up a little surprise for me because he knows that I'm a sports fan, I'm a baseball fan. And so he set up a little surprise for me, which was a lot of fun and really cool. All right. I won't give it away, but your reaction was priceless when you realized who it was that you were meeting. I know. I was like, OK, who's your friend? Who are you meeting?

I don't know. And, you know, when I saw who it was, I was like, OK, because baseball is my first love. So I was I was really excited to see this kid. Yeah, that was neat. How much time and research do you put into these episodes yourself since, as you point out, you're not just scratching the surface. I mean, you're kind of going deep with these celebrities and the athletes specifically about their lives and the moments that shaped them. Yeah, I mean, I do put a lot of prep in. The good thing is, you know, I'm a producer on this show as well. So I have a hand in casting, too. So there are times when, you know, we have been able to cast people that I do know and have history with.

So I can lean into that a little bit. But as far as Devante, we had never met. I am just a fan of his. And in my opinion, he's the best receiver in the NFL. So I was excited on that front. So I knew about him in that way. And I was able to actually connect with some people that knew him in East Palo Alto and just get a little sense of him that way. So I did do my research on him because I wasn't familiar with the man.

I was only familiar with the receiver. Michelle Turner is with Secret Celebrity Renovation. And the episode with Devante Adams airs this Friday on CBS.

It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. You know, it stood out to me. And this is part of the initial tease that I've seen the promo.

So I'm not giving anything away. He slept on his grandmother's couch from the time he was a little kid until he was in high school. He's preparing for a career in college football, but then ultimately the NFL. And he was sleeping on his grandmother's couch. That's what we were talking about earlier when I said you really have to trust people with your origin story. I mean, DeMar Hamlin had the same type of story where he, you know, really slept on on the couch and was, you know, in that multigenerational type home. I think one of the things for me that I connect with in a lot of times with these guys is because that's how I grew up, too. I grew up in a multigenerational home. My grandmother lived in the house because I slept on the couch. So I know that it's secondhand for me. So it's it's life for me.

So I get it. He spent a lot of time at his grandmother's house. His dad was there as well.

And so his grandmother was like his second mother. And that's where he spent his time. That's where he was in his formative years.

And his grandmother provided that safe space. Think about it, where he was tearing up the field and was going home and sleeping on the couch in the den. And now, by the way, that den is an amazing Raiders watching room now. And it's awesome. Yeah, he talked about it before he made the jump from Green Bay.

He always wanted to be a Raider. And now I understand after seeing what his grandmother's house was like. And you were right. She dressed to the nine. She was a supermodel for that big moment. Can I tell you how cute Miss Betty is? I mean, she is. And he said to me, he's like, oh, she's going to be sharp. Believe me, she's going to be sharp. And she came in her Sunday best. She looks so good. And she was so excited. And, you know, it's interesting because sometimes we get these questions.

And I know some people were giving me these questions during the Chris Paul episode during season one. It's like, well, these guys make all this money. So why don't they just buy them a new house?

They tried. Devontae has tried to move his grandmother and grandfather out. They just never wanted to leave. They love their neighborhood.

They love East Palo Alto. They have been there for 50 plus years and they're not going anywhere. So what's the next best thing?

What can we do? So he wanted to renovate the home and he actually wasn't sure if they were going to let him. But, you know, thankfully they did. And it's and it's beautiful.

I mean, the renovation is gorgeous. But, you know, you see that a lot of times the people, especially with grandparents, they're satisfied. They're in their lives there. They know their mailman. They know that they don't want to go anywhere. And so, you know, the athletes and celebrities are like, what's the next best thing I can do then? And they have these huge hearts and want to do everything for their loved ones.

But sometimes their loved ones just are happy with where they are. Yes. Before I let you go, Nichelle, you said you're a producer as well as being the host of Secret Celebrity Renovation.

What is the team effort like behind these projects? Well, we are the little show that can and does. And I say that over and over again.

I mean, we're in our third season now. And this is a show all about heart and all about love and all about teamwork. And if you don't have that, it doesn't get made. I mean, everybody on the show, from the cameraman to, you know, the design team to Rob and his crew, they just care.

You know what I'm saying? They just care. Nobody's getting rich off this show.

Nobody's making millions off this show. What we're doing is just showing heart. And so you really have to be invested in that. And so we we really have an amazing crew and an amazing team who love the art of making beautiful television and inspiring television and uplifting television.

And that's what we get every single episode. It's really fantastic. Well, I can tell that you're invested by your enthusiasm, your energy. And again, the way that these the two athletes that I've seen have opened up to you and connected with you. It's inspiring. And the stories are incredible that you get to tell. So you want to make sure you catch this new episode on CBS on Friday, 8 o'clock Eastern.

Secret Celebrity Renovation and Nichelle Turner, the host. It's such a cool opportunity to connect with you and to watch these shows. You can come back on our show anytime, Nichelle.

Thank you so much. You know, I covered the NFL for seven years and sports for many years. So I am I am a sports head.

I would love to come back and top it up with you anytime. And I will say this over the three seasons that this show has been on the air. We've had tons of athletes and celebrities.

And I will say the athletes have been the ones that are the most emotional during reveal day that have cried the most, shed the most tears and shown the most emotion. And I wouldn't have thought it when I started this show, but they are. And I love every second of it. Oh, thank you so much, Nichelle. That's awesome to know. We're looking forward to it. Okie dokie.

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