Photo:Courtesy McGee Media/FINDING YOUR ROOTSWithFinding Your Rootsin its tenth season, the PBS show now finds itself in the enviable position of not having to worry about scrambling to book celebrity guests.“We have a long wait list,”Henry Louis Gates Jr. tells PEOPLE. “We could doFinding Your Rootsevery week for a year and still not catch up with all the people we have on our waitlist.”Since its premiere in 2012, the popular docuseries has uncovered the family trees of many celebrities, often with surprising results.Edward Nortonlearned that he andJulia Robertsare genetic cousins,Kerry Washingtondiscovered she was conceived through a sperm donor, andViola Davisfound out that she’s related toAnita Hill. Just this season,Better Call SaulstarBob Odenkirkrealized he’s linked to European royals and is the 11th cousin ofKing Charles.David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media via GettyGates now explains the show books guests two ways.“Sometimes people contact us and ask if they can be in the series, and, often, they’re middle-aged people who have had children,” he says. “Before they have children, they’re not particularly interested. But once they have children, they want to know where they come from. They want to know who their ancestors are.”He continues, “The other way is that we have huge whiteboards in our production offices, and we all just submit candidates. I might be watching theEmmysor theGrammysor theOscarsor go to a movie and say, ‘Hey, I heard this person. I heard they’re recording.’ Or, ‘I saw them in this film. I saw them on Broadway. Why don’t we ask them?“PBSAnd now, after Gates noticed an uptick inFinding Your Rootsfans' desire to see themselves on the program, the chance to retrace one’s family history isn’t just for celebrities.“People stop me and they say, ‘Look, we love your show, but how about me? How about an average person?'” he shares. “Finally, I implored the producers, and I said, ‘We have to speak to this request.'“Producers took Gates’ feedback to heart, allowing viewers to apply. About 9,000 people submitted videos, which were narrowed down to 10. After several months of debate, three people were picked to be featured in an episode that airs later this season.“We couldn’t pick one. We were tied, so we picked three,” Gates says, adding, “It turns out that the stories of non-celebrities are just as riveting, just as emotional and just as challenging.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Finding Your Rootsairs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on PBS.
Photo:Courtesy McGee Media/FINDING YOUR ROOTS
Courtesy McGee Media/FINDING YOUR ROOTS
WithFinding Your Rootsin its tenth season, the PBS show now finds itself in the enviable position of not having to worry about scrambling to book celebrity guests.“We have a long wait list,”Henry Louis Gates Jr. tells PEOPLE. “We could doFinding Your Rootsevery week for a year and still not catch up with all the people we have on our waitlist.”Since its premiere in 2012, the popular docuseries has uncovered the family trees of many celebrities, often with surprising results.Edward Nortonlearned that he andJulia Robertsare genetic cousins,Kerry Washingtondiscovered she was conceived through a sperm donor, andViola Davisfound out that she’s related toAnita Hill. Just this season,Better Call SaulstarBob Odenkirkrealized he’s linked to European royals and is the 11th cousin ofKing Charles.David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media via GettyGates now explains the show books guests two ways.“Sometimes people contact us and ask if they can be in the series, and, often, they’re middle-aged people who have had children,” he says. “Before they have children, they’re not particularly interested. But once they have children, they want to know where they come from. They want to know who their ancestors are.”He continues, “The other way is that we have huge whiteboards in our production offices, and we all just submit candidates. I might be watching theEmmysor theGrammysor theOscarsor go to a movie and say, ‘Hey, I heard this person. I heard they’re recording.’ Or, ‘I saw them in this film. I saw them on Broadway. Why don’t we ask them?“PBSAnd now, after Gates noticed an uptick inFinding Your Rootsfans’ desire to see themselves on the program, the chance to retrace one’s family history isn’t just for celebrities.“People stop me and they say, ‘Look, we love your show, but how about me? How about an average person?'” he shares. “Finally, I implored the producers, and I said, ‘We have to speak to this request.'“Producers took Gates’ feedback to heart, allowing viewers to apply. About 9,000 people submitted videos, which were narrowed down to 10. After several months of debate, three people were picked to be featured in an episode that airs later this season.“We couldn’t pick one. We were tied, so we picked three,” Gates says, adding, “It turns out that the stories of non-celebrities are just as riveting, just as emotional and just as challenging.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Finding Your Rootsairs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on PBS.
WithFinding Your Rootsin its tenth season, the PBS show now finds itself in the enviable position of not having to worry about scrambling to book celebrity guests.
“We have a long wait list,”Henry Louis Gates Jr. tells PEOPLE. “We could doFinding Your Rootsevery week for a year and still not catch up with all the people we have on our waitlist.”
Since its premiere in 2012, the popular docuseries has uncovered the family trees of many celebrities, often with surprising results.Edward Nortonlearned that he andJulia Robertsare genetic cousins,Kerry Washingtondiscovered she was conceived through a sperm donor, andViola Davisfound out that she’s related toAnita Hill. Just this season,Better Call SaulstarBob Odenkirkrealized he’s linked to European royals and is the 11th cousin ofKing Charles.
David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media via Getty
Gates now explains the show books guests two ways.
“Sometimes people contact us and ask if they can be in the series, and, often, they’re middle-aged people who have had children,” he says. “Before they have children, they’re not particularly interested. But once they have children, they want to know where they come from. They want to know who their ancestors are.”
He continues, “The other way is that we have huge whiteboards in our production offices, and we all just submit candidates. I might be watching theEmmysor theGrammysor theOscarsor go to a movie and say, ‘Hey, I heard this person. I heard they’re recording.’ Or, ‘I saw them in this film. I saw them on Broadway. Why don’t we ask them?”
PBS
And now, after Gates noticed an uptick inFinding Your Rootsfans’ desire to see themselves on the program, the chance to retrace one’s family history isn’t just for celebrities.
“People stop me and they say, ‘Look, we love your show, but how about me? How about an average person?'” he shares. “Finally, I implored the producers, and I said, ‘We have to speak to this request.'”
Producers took Gates’ feedback to heart, allowing viewers to apply. About 9,000 people submitted videos, which were narrowed down to 10. After several months of debate, three people were picked to be featured in an episode that airs later this season.
“We couldn’t pick one. We were tied, so we picked three,” Gates says, adding, “It turns out that the stories of non-celebrities are just as riveting, just as emotional and just as challenging.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Finding Your Rootsairs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on PBS.
source: people.com
