Kirsten Watson is her own woman. She refuses to let the media dictate the mood in her home and doesn’t get caught up in “all things NFL.” One would speculate, “Is this a good thing?” According to Watson, it’s the best way to create a safe environment for her husband, Ben Watson, tight end for the Cleveland Browns. Though some covet the “position” if I may call it that, of “NFL wife,” here you’ll learn why this title has almost become an embarrassment to Mrs. Watson.
THE INTERVIEW
Though many women married to high-profile men find themselves living in their husband’s shadow, Watson is clear that this is not her place. Her confidence in her God-given value coupled with the strong support and encouragement of her husband wouldn’t let her stay in the shadows, even if she tried. As she described her husband as being her “biggest cheerleader,” Watson also flippantly mentioned Ben encouraging her to audition for something. This sparked my memory of a previous conversation I had with her in December 2011, which brings us to where we left off…
KA: A few months back we were talking and there was mention of a new reality show featuring NFL wives. Is being on that show still a possibility for you?
KW: I did go for the audition and got a call back but I don’t think I’m exactly what they’re looking for. For several reasons… (Laughs)
KA: Why does that not surprise me?
KW: When the first question is, “What’s the drama in your life?” I have three kids under three, what else do I need? I don’t need extra. Listen, I’m trying to do my best to keep extra out.
It is not exactly what the reality show world is looking for. So that’s to be determined.
KA: How refreshing would it be to see a football wife with the values that you and your husband carry and the strength with which you display it. Is there no interest in watching someone live a life of integrity?
KW: That’s just it. I did have some candid conversations with (the person who came to Cleveland) and I told her straight up, “You know quite frankly it’s embarrassing what’s on TV that’s labeled a football wife, because that doesn’t represent me. It doesn’t represent half the women that I know.”
And in a later conversation I said, “Whether or not you choose me to be part of this process or on this show, if you need another outlet in terms of getting information in and really wanting to know if this is real, please use me as a sounding board. Because you have an opportunity to show the world what it really means to be a football wife. There are women who auditioned all across the country who are waiting to see what product you put out. And there are a lot of us who feel what’s out there now, doesn’t represent us. It represents a very small percentage of women who want to be on TV and want to make their lives look like that. But the rest of us are just everyday moms doing our thing.”
I said, “You hold a lot of power in your hand.”
And I haven’t heard back.
I think there could be a lot of ways they could go. There are a lot of good families out there who could be represented…and it doesn’t have to be drama-filled and throwing bottles and fighting and all the other stuff that happens on TV.
That’s probably the biggest challenge of an NFL wife. You meet a regular person off the street and they already have these preconceived notions about you. It’s almost embarrassing to say you’re an NFL wife because it comes with all this other stuff. “What are you wearing?” “Are your shoes this?” “Where’s your purse?” I want to stay below the radar. Let me just sit in the back and not make a sound. Because (with) all this other stuff you guys are expecting, I just might let you down. You might say, “Oh, that’s it? Oh, shoot.” (Laughs)
MORE ABOUT KIRSTEN WATSON
Interviewing Kirsten Watson was an enjoyable experience. She is a multi-dimensional woman, who is confident in her being, knows what she wants, not shy about making her views known, and is definitely not afraid to take a stand…All that, plus a great sense of humor. Why wouldn’t we want to see that on reality TV?
Kirsten Watson is passionate about helping young women in the areas of self-esteem and purity. If you are interested in having her speak at your event or want to learn more about her charity, log on to www.WatsonOneMore.org.
Kim Anthony can be contacted through www.KimAnthony.net or on Twitter @RealKimAnthony.
