In this week’s A-typical interview we feature South African radio personality Sam Cowen.
The 48-year-old started her career at Primedia Broadcasting on 702. She later moved to sister station 947 to co-present Joburg’s biggest breakfast show, where she spent 18 years. She is the longest-running female morning show host in the country.
In addition to her radio work, Cowen hosted the successful parenting show Great Expectations on e.tv for five years and wrote two best-selling books on the topic of motherhood, Waiting for Christopher, and Good Enough Mother. Waiting for Christopher was featured in an exhibition in the International Museum of Women in San Francisco.
She co-wrote The Irreverent Mothers’ Handbook with Lee van Loggerenberg. The book is a collection of columns and advice that originally appeared in Your Baby magazine.
In 2016, she released another book, From Whiskey to Water, in which she opened up on her desperate struggle with alcoholism and how she won her battle.
You've been given a few minutes to interview President Cyril Ramaphosa. What are your top three questions for him?
1. Why can't we close down SAA?
2. How can we contribute to helping people on the ground whose lives have been blighted by Covid-19?
3. What's the long- and short-term plan for improving health and education infrastructure?
The person who motivates you most in life?
My children. Every day I wake up determined to live that day in a way that makes my children proud of me.
The one thing people don't know about Sam Cowen?
That I've been asked that question more than 30 times in my life.
A restaurant wants to pay homage to you with a Sam Cowen dish. You can choose the dish. What is it?
Toasted cheese. There is no meal more comforting than toasted cheese.
If you could shop for free at one store, which store would you choose?
Habits in Cape Town. I've been going there for almost 20 years and every time I am there it's a happy experience. Not only do they have everything I've ever bought on record, so they can tell me what every new item will go with or match, but there is good coffee, great customer service and almost everything is made locally. And it's all drool-worthy.
What movie can you watch over and over again?
Oh, that is way too difficult! But anything and everything with Denzel Washington. One of the finest actors ever. There is no genre he doesn't own.
How would you describe your family in one word?
Full-time!
In 40 years’, what do you think you'll be most nostalgic about?
The smell of Jasmine and Wisteria in spring.
What's the meanest thing you have done to get back at someone, if anything?
I once burnt a pair of my ex-boyfriend's shorts after asking repeatedly for him to return my house keys. He wasn't wearing them at the time.
If you could hack into any person’s computer, whose computer would you choose and why?
I wouldn't. No one’s secrets are worth that amount of effort.