Celebrity Interview | Entertainment & Film Industry - From NASCAR Reporter to LA Actor: The Story of Lacey Katena

Greg Staffa 0:00

You're listening to the Staffa Corner Podcast, a Staffatarian look at entertainment and life with your host, greg Staffa, my guest this episode, is an award-winning performer. Her journey includes being an NBA mini mascot and taking on the role of NBC kid reporter for NASCAR and Monster Energy Supercross series, and starring in Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, a Christmas love story, alongside Kristen Chenoweth, scott Wolf. Her latest film, sugar cane, was just released on Amazon, prime and Fandango at home. Lacey Katana, thanks for joining us today.

Lacey Katena 0:46

Thank you for having me.

Greg Staffa 0:47

So one of the things that, when talking to someone that is an actor or an actress, is that their parents have not really squashed their dreams, but made them get a reality check Whenever they say you know, mom and dad, I want to become an actor or an actress. Their parents, you know, hey, let's's you know, is this really what you want to do? There's no future in this. But when you grow up with a dad that's a professional mascot, is there any dream that isn't attainable? What was that like?

Lacey Katena 1:17

yeah, um, I never really had the the viewpoint of like, well, I have to get one specific job to be successful. It was. It was very I was very supported because my parents are both creatives. Like my mom, she's been a corporate event planner for 20 years and so she understands the entertainment industry and she also, like, was a cheerleader and a dancer, so she was very creative.

Lacey Katena 1:38

And then my dad, of course, is a professional mascot and that's one of those odd jobs that, yeah, people do them but everybody kind of forgets that that's a thing. And so I guess for my dad it was always like we're going to support you no matter what, but we want to make sure you get your education, because he now works in education specifically and he's always been an educator, but he cares a lot about reading and writing and all that kind of stuff and keeping everybody educated. I guess, I don't know, that wasn't very astute of me, but yeah, it's always been like whatever you want to do, you work for it and you can attain it. That's how my parents have seen it Very early on.

Greg Staffa 2:20

You have gotten into entertainment. I mean some of the videos on YouTube of you as a kid reporter, just for lack of a better word adorable, what was that like? How did you get involved in that?

Lacey Katena 2:33

So that was just a simple audition process. I think that they wanted to do like one or two specs where they just had a funny kid interviewing these drivers. And I lived in North Carolina, I was local. We have like weird connections with NASCAR where, like, we knew some of the drivers previous and we know that because my mom worked for a company that worked with the drivers a lot, and so it was just kind of weird. When we eventually booked it, we got on set and they're like oh hey, lindsay, like talking to my mom and they knew her. But it was just a simple audition process and I was a spunky little kid. I I was low-key, bossy and a little mean sometimes, and that's what they wanted, so it was perfect and did you know?

Greg Staffa 3:17

I mean, you said you had some ties to nascar family, new people. Did you yourself follow in those sports? Did you have an understanding or is this a lot of learning as you went?

Lacey Katena 3:30

I had a slight understanding, but I was really kind of flying off the seat of my pants a little bit because I I knew a little bit.

Lacey Katena 3:38

I knew they drive around in circles and I knew one of the drivers, jimmy Johnson, because like we were fans of Jimmy Johnson, but that was it. Like we really didn't know, I didn't know much. And so when I got hired they were like, okay, so we're going to have you do all this and you're going to talk about all the technical stuff and you're going to talk about this. And I was like, okay, cool, and so like they gave me stuff to read off of. But I also did my own research of like what this is, what's bump drafting, what's all the technical aspects, like how do the wheels connect to the middle part of the car, and all this kind of stuff. And so when I got that job, they gave me information. And then I also did my own research, because my dad was like you need to know what you're talking about. And I said, and you're right. So we tried to learn as best we could and do my research.

Greg Staffa 4:22

It it was cute and fun, but you really took it seriously. I mean, the way you interacted with them. It was professional, yet fun and uh, enjoyable. Is that? Did you take it seriously? Was it? Was this a job to you or is this just a fun little thing that you did?

Lacey Katena 4:43

it was a job for me.

Lacey Katena 4:44

I was really, I was really dedicated, I was really into it because it was my first big thing and that was my first time like really branching out, because I had done theater for a long time and I was like, but I want to be on film and I want to be on tv and I was like, okay, I booked this.

Lacey Katena 4:59

Now I have to like hunker down, work, like, figure it out and take it seriously and show these drivers that I'm no joke and that's great Cause. That really went along with the bit of like this kid is like asking all these funny, silly questions and then all of a sudden it's like a comedy turn of the of the super technical questions and they're like where's the kid come from? How did, how does she know this? And so that kind of played into the bit where I took it very seriously. But I was also very happy just to be there because NASCAR has always been a part of my life. And then it's just like a weird, like kismet kind of thing where I ended up working with them and and kind of doing some great specs with them for a long time.

Greg Staffa 5:41

So yeah, so then you started making the shift into acting and you started getting some roles and stuff like that. But one of the surprising things I think most people would think is that you went and changed your last name to honor your, your father, what came about or what and I know that you made a trip to Japan, I believe. What was it that made you decide to do that, and was there any any concern because you had a, a history you know YouTube searches and stuff like that that now you almost became a new person was there any concern how that might impact your career?

Lacey Katena 6:22

I? I was very concerned. I think my, my team and I were very concerned. But I have always very felt very disconnected from my name, especially cause, you know, being in middle school and getting all these like I got the NASCAR stuff right before I went into middle school and then I got a Christmas love story in middle school and you know, everybody is mean and middle school, and so I kind of got made fun of for my name and I got made fun of for a lot of things and so I started not appreciating my career and my name because I didn't think I could, and so I felt very disconnected from my name. I felt very disconnected from lacy caroline, because that just wasn't me and we were already thinking about a name change before we went to japan. We were trying to figure it out. We were really just I was like trying to find anything Like it was going to be Lacey James for a while because my dad's middle name is James.

Lacey Katena 7:12

But we went to Japan and there's a whole process there that I don't know if I can talk about yet, but we ended up meeting our extended family that we didn't know we had. There's a whole history. My dad's from Okinawa, he was born there and he moved to the US when he was four months old and his mom was very disconnected from his family because she moved to the US, she didn't know a lot of English and it was also like the 70s, and so they didn't have WhatsApp or FaceTime or anything like that, so they couldn't really communicate with their family. So we were pretty disconnected and my dad and I are currently going through this journey of reconnecting

Early Career as NBC Kid Reporter

Lacey Katena 7:52

with our extended family and also with our culture and like seeing how we fit and how Okinawa specifically is is really deep rooted within us. And so we were there and we met our family and we figured out that our family name is Katana and it actually is connected to the Katana region of Okinawa, which there's a whole history there that will be revealed later on in something that I'm a part of.

Lacey Katena 8:17

But it was really just like I heard that name and I said to myself and I was like heard that name and I kind of like I said to myself and I was like you know, katana would be cool, and then I like said it out loud, I was like I see Katana Wait, that kind of eats. I was really, really excited about it and I don't know it. Just it clicked and something felt so right in that moment and I felt like I was finding myself for the first time and you know, I'm young, so there's a journey of self-discovery there that is going to continue to happen for the next 20 years, whatever. But specifically, that felt like the first step in the right direction and so we decided, like January 2025, we took everything down on January, like January 1st, we revamped everything and didn't tell a soul and there was no explanation why.

Lacey Katena 9:10

And I was getting texts and phone calls being like who is Lacey Katana, who is this girl? And I had to explain it. But it was definitely. There was concern of being a new person, but I also think, like I just moved out to LA, so it's good to me that I'm reinventing my image and kind of becoming that new person, because I want to be able to show that I'm not a kid anymore, I am a full grown adult, I'm a working actor and I'd like to just, if I have to, I can just build it from the ground up, you know.

Greg Staffa 9:40

And is that? I'll just kind of go there and you took away some of my thunder, but is that?

Greg Staffa 9:45

some of it where you were just turning 18,. I mean, you did it a little bit before 18, I believe. But was this really a transition from being associated with the kid mascot and the kid reporter and the kid, this kid that, that now this new Lacey was coming out, almost, like you know, transforming like a butterfly, and now this young woman is coming out and this is the new version of her? Was this kind of shedding, not out of shame or anything like that, but was this shedding the, the kid association that was so much tied to your, your past name?

Lacey Katena 10:25

I would say so, yeah, I think it wasn't. I'm not ashamed of my past work, because you know little me had to put in a lot of work to get those jobs and I'm very happy that they've gotten me where I am. But I think that there is like this feeling of I have to be younger, I have to stay young, and I really wanted to come out to Los Angeles and be like, okay, I'm going to figure out who I am as a person and how I fit into this industry, but also how I fit into the world. And specifically, I think Katayna was the right direction.

Lacey Katena 10:59

I actually just dyed my hair brown and it looks pretty cool, and so that was another step and I'm like, okay, I'm shedding of shedding. Yeah, this persona that I had for a long time. And there was like a journey of within myself realizing that I the reason why I wasn't working with my craft and with my acting and all this kind of stuff, was because I was putting my quote unquote like acting self, like Lacey Caroline, she was one person and I was another, and I'm kind of shedding that now and realizing that it has to come together.

Greg Staffa 11:31

You just had sugar cane come out on Amazon and that deals with human trafficking. You're 18. You have the new name. Is your focus on more adult? I mean, you're at that kind of teeter-totter age where you could play a younger role or you could play a young adult is. Is the name change everything? Is that changing how you focus, approaching roles? Is what you're looking for? More adult roles and and what's that like?

Lacey Katena 12:02

I feel like it. It depends, because right now I'm auditioning for anything they'll give me, honestly, but it doesn't really change the way I'm approaching roles. It's maybe just changing the way that I hold myself and the way I carry myself into spaces and that kind of thing, because I know that I don't necessarily look 15, 16, 17, but I also know I don't look 20. So I think it just depends on whatever fits and there's no like specific approach. It's just I'm doing my thing and I'm trying my hardest and hitting 18 as a young actress, a young female actress.

Greg Staffa 12:40

Has that added any kind of hurdles? Is there any kind of concerns taking on more adult roles? Do you have to be a little bit more careful of what you choose? What's your mentality into going into Hollywood as a young, you know, 18-year-old woman?

Lacey Katena 12:58

That's a really good question, I think, for me. I had a lot of experience in the indie space in North Carolina and I did a lot of short films and I learned from a young age how to advocate for myself. I've also always been very opinionated and so if there is an issue with something, I will say something. And thank God, because my mom and dad raised me to be that way, which it gets me in trouble sometimes. But you know what? It's fine, but I think that I'm a little bit more careful. I choose what I'm comfortable with. I don't. If there's a, if there's a feel like I, I trust my gut is what I'm gonna say about that, because I really, if I'm not gonna be fully comfortable portraying what is in the script, then I'm not going to, I'm not going to engage in that project, if that makes sense, sure and what kind of insights from your dad?

Greg Staffa 13:45

I mean, your dad had a very interesting, creative career. Did he give any kind of insights into being center of attention and being in the spotlight like he was as a professional mascot?

Lacey Katena 14:02

Honestly, it's weird because when my dad puts on the suit and the costume, he becomes this completely different person and he becomes like cause, my dad in real life is a little bit more reserved, he's a little bit more quiet, which you wouldn't expect from mascots and I know a lot of mascots now because are there's like this community of mascots in North Carolina that are all best friends and that's like my parents best.

Lacey Katena 14:28

I think what I learned from my dad, from his like mascotting and his career, is a lot of physical comedy, because mascotting you can't speak and so all of it is physical jokes and something that like what can you do with your body that can make somebody laugh and how can you put energy throughout everything you do as a way to make to bring a smile on somebody's face, and also like close-up magic. He did close-up magic for a while and so I was like really into that, um, but yeah, mainly, I think, physical comedy, and I've never been scared of like a big crowd because of him and because seeing him perform in front of thousands and thousands of people in a stadium every single night for most of my childhood and just seeing how much everything he did made every single person in the room smile. I think that that was really just what I learned. Was this not having stage fright and then physical comedy?

Greg Staffa 15:26

and you mentioned that when your dad, you know, put on the costume, he kind of became someone else that he he was able to kind of open up and be, you know, maybe a little bit more silly than he might be. He might be more reserved in real life. Would you say that having a name that you I mean is lacy, who you are, or is that also somewhat of a

The Journey to Becoming Lacey Katana

Greg Staffa 15:51

costume persona that you put on as an actress? How much of what you do as an actress is the real you?

Lacey Katena 16:01

I think when I was younger she was definitely a costume, um, because I mean I was 12, 13 and I didn't know what I was doing and I just kind of put on this costume, I put on this voice, I would talk a specific way, and that wasn't me. But now, moving out to LA by myself, taking classes and learning a lot about just acting in itself and, I think, learning a lot about myself. If I say self one more time, I think I'm going to lose my mind, but it's all me now. I've definitely learned that if I do things by leading with me and not leading with a costume or a face or something like that, it's more genuine and it's more successful and I also feel more gratified in myself because I'm not trying to be someone else, which is which is nice, cause I. That's definitely a problem that I see a lot, but I know that I'm trying not to fall into that for sure.

Greg Staffa 17:05

And I mean I don't want to make you sound like you're this doting young woman but making that move to Hollywood. Being 18, there's a lot of pressures out there. There's a lot of you know easier stories about the young, you know lifestyle of actors and actresses. How do you stay grounded, especially now that you're, like you said, by yourself? How do you stay focused in what you're doing?

Lacey Katena 17:32

well, I have a job, so that keeps me pretty grounded because I gotta I gotta go to my nine to five every day, um. But also I think, like I, I keep a pretty strong connection with home. Like my, my best friends are at home, so I try and keep the connection there and I I find good people out in la and I hang out with them as well, but also I don't go out a lot. I know there's like an LA lifestyle and all that kind of stuff. I like to stay home and I read a lot of books on acting and I'm trying to be better about finishing one book a month, and so I come home and I read my books, or I come home and I do go to a lot of classes too.

Lacey Katena 18:11

So I think it's more educational for me because I didn't go to college and I don't plan on going to college until later in life. So this to me is my acting school and this to me is my opportunity. Okay, I'm going out there. So I'm going to learn everything I can to succeed as best as possible and I'm going to lock in. I think that's my mentality and I also I still spend time with people. I go out. I love going out to brunches and that kind of thing, but it's more I, I'm really focused and I I just try and stay with my focus, if that makes sense.

Greg Staffa 18:43

And now you mentioned that you have a nine to five job and I don't want to divulge into that what you do there. But does that, is that a hindrance, that I'm getting roles because you have? You know, you have to be at work tomorrow, uh, but there's an audition. How does, how do you find that work-life balance of what you want to do but also paying?

Lacey Katena 19:03

the bills. It doesn't necessarily hinder anything. It's definitely can get exhausting when I when I go to work and then I come home and I have like two auditions and then I've got this and then I go that and sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. But I think my job is thank the Lord for my job, because they are so flexible with me and they're very nice, because I had to travel to South Carolina to film something and they were like, okay, that's fine, and it just coincidentally like lined up with a family vacation, so I would be gone for a month and they're like, yeah, go ahead and then just come back. So they're very flexible with me, which I'm very thankful for. But I also I have this job where I can go over my auditions during the day and I have like friends who can read with me at night. So it's pretty flexible and also like I find ways to work around it, if that makes sense.

Greg Staffa 19:49

What is what is? I mean you had a very successful young career. I mean most actors will say that you know they got their start doing a single commercial or they, you know, made an appearance on this or that. But I mean you were at all-star games. You were at you know, nascar events, monster energy, supercross events. How did that help you? As far as I mean? You talked about being comfortable in front of large adults, but what other ways did that help you be successful at such a young age and how are you able to translate that into being an actress?

Lacey Katena 20:29

I think to me, I I was able to read the energy of the crowd really well and I was able to figure out what was working and what wasn't, in the way of like a standup comic.

Lacey Katena 20:38

You know how they have to kind of pivot their set based on their crowd, and that kind of thing didn't land. Now we have to change it, change the way you're speaking, change this and just kind of working through finding what works and what doesn't. And that's kind of like the crux of the scene is what I'm realizing now that I'm in classes. But it's like in a, when I'm in a scene, if I'm, my main goal is to affect the other person, and if that's not working, I have to pivot and try something else. And so I think with my hosting and with live arena hosting, you have to find what works and what doesn't. And if the crowd isn't giving you what you want, you have to change what you're doing, because it's not the crowd, it's you. And so I think that's definitely where that's a good skill that I learned from that for sure.

Greg Staffa 21:32

Has it been hard growing up doing the kid stuff where you had, like you said, that immediate reaction, that immediate response to now doing something like an Amazon Prime or another film or the Christmas Love Story, where you do it in front of the director and cast, but there's

Acting Career and Adult Roles

Greg Staffa 21:54

not that immediate response for months has that been a hard transition to to go from instant reaction to having to wait.

Lacey Katena 22:03

I haven't exactly had that transition yet. Like, since sugar cane is just out now I don't know what the reviews are I haven't like I'm trying not to look at it because I don't want. I know myself and I know that if I get too caught up in what people think about it then I'll just like freak out. But it's definitely interesting because I did start in theater and I started in like comedy theater and so if somebody I don't know it's now, I got immediate gratification from the audience. I knew what I did and I know that worked. And then coming here doing a feature two years ago and now it's coming out, I'm like, is it gonna work? Like I don't know. And I think I'm more just excited about like learning what I did and what I could do better and the transition. I'm excited about it. I'm trying to be positive about it because I don't want to get in my head Doing the kid reporter.

Greg Staffa 22:53

Stuff has to be inspirational to young kids. Young girls, young boys I mean, that's every kid's dream is to be on the court of an NBA basketball team front and center talking. What kind of advice would you give to young kids looking at getting into acting, getting into being a mascot, getting into the entertainment industry in some sorts? What's the biggest takeaway that you've learned from it?

Lacey Katena 23:24

My biggest takeaway. I think I have two. The one that sticks with me the most and I know this is going to sound corny and everybody says it, but like be yourself. And I know as a child you don't know who you are yet and that is a journey of self-discovery and that'll take time. But it is so important to lead with you and with your heart and you're not trying to be anybody else, because that won't get you anywhere. You're going to succeed and you're going to flourish when you are yourself and it's going to make you feel the best.

Lacey Katena 23:52

And then I'd also say oh geez, what's the second one? Oh, study up, learn as much as you can about the craft and learn as much as you can and figure out what works for you, because there are so many different methods and all that kind of stuff, and I'm still in the process of learning that. But learn everything you can about anything, really. And like try things, and if they don't work, don't get discouraged, because failure is a part of life and failure is a part of succeeding. And so you try a method. It doesn't work, okay, go to the next one, see what fits with you and what clicks with your body and your soul, and I think that that will help you succeed from. If I would have started doing what I'm doing now at 12 years old, I would be so much farther. But you know, can't go back and change that now. I can only go up from here, basically was there any?

Greg Staffa 24:44

I don't want to say regrets, but was there any lingering emotion to having all the kids stuff? Did you feel like that held you back in any way as you tried to transition into a young adult, or did the name change really kind of separate the two did?

Lacey Katena 25:02

you feel like you were tied to that I I'm, I'm like I felt that way when I was like 14, 15, 16, but everybody feels like everything's always, like I felt like the world was ending at 14, 15, 16.

Lacey Katena 25:17

The world did not end, everything's okay. But I think, specifically so focused on like everybody sees me and everybody cares about so much of what I'm doing, and I was so panicky about it and then I realized nobody cares and I'm very negative feelings towards it for a long time. But I think now I'm like I'm grateful for it because it got me where I am and it also taught me a lot about being on set and etiquette and how to interact with people and I've always been really good at interacting with adults because I'm an only child and so I was. My parents would take me to their office and I would talk to all their coworkers and that kind of thing. So I think that like I'm more grateful for it now than I was before. But I'm for sure I don't see it as a hindrance, I just see it as a stepping stone, if that makes sense.

Greg Staffa 26:08

Sure, now, anytime someone does interviews, it's always kind of nerve-wracking because you want to ask the right questions, you don't want to offend anyone, you don't want to cross any lines, and so what I did was I figured the best way to find some of those questions is to watch some of your interviews and get some of your questions that you ask people and get some of your questions that you ask people figuring they have to be okay because you asked them. So these next few are some that you have asked.

Lacey Katena 26:38

Oh my gosh, this is like a time travel. This is crazy Okay.

Greg Staffa 26:43

Exactly.

Lacey Katena 26:46

What's your favorite color? Oh?

Greg Staffa 26:51

burgundy. See, now people are going to go back and watch when you ask that question. You actually gave that answer and they'll have to see what it is.

Lacey Katena 26:59

Oh yeah, it's going to. It's definitely going to be different now for sure. What's your least favorite chore? Least favorite chore? Oh, I don't like mopping

Staying Grounded in Hollywood

Lacey Katena 27:13

that really. I like I like what happens afterwards, Like I like the feeling of being clean, but I don't like mopping that really I like I like what happens afterwards, like I like the feeling of being clean, but I don't like the process of mopping as it's happening okay, and again, these are your questions.

Greg Staffa 27:20

So anyone thinking, wow, this, this podcaster is asking some really weird, silly questions these are just things that you asked other people, so I figured they were safe to ask.

Lacey Katena 27:30

Guys, I was 12.

Greg Staffa 27:33

Do you like broccoli?

Lacey Katena 27:35

I love broccoli, especially with some olive oil, salt, pepper, butter and some lemon juice. Yeah, I'm a big fan. Okay, it's a little bit early for you, but did you make your bed this morning? Oh, I didn't. Oh, you got me.

Greg Staffa 27:52

I didn't. Oh, you got me, I didn't. Okay, in 2020 you were asked uh, at a supercross event, if you ever rode. So this was you know, five years ago. You said no, but you wanted to have you yet no, I haven't.

Lacey Katena 28:08

I think like going to, and I have like cousins with dirt bikes and I I was always like, oh, I'm gonna go do that, and I just never did this one.

Greg Staffa 28:17

You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but who is the most famous person on your cell phone?

Lacey Katena 28:22

oh, my cell phone yeah oh, nobody. I don't have a lot of people on my phone. I like I think it's more like instagram based, but I think I don't have any. I don't have any. I don't have any famous people in my in my contacts.

Greg Staffa 28:35

All right, well, that does it for the, the, the painful reminder I just thought it'd be fun to come to the table tell you, a little bit nasty not painful at all.

Lacey Katena 28:43

I thought that was great.

Greg Staffa 28:44

It was cute when you were 12 and stuff like that. But also you were asking adults and so I figured, now that you were an adult, it was fair game to ask you some of the questions that you asked of others.

Lacey Katena 28:54

Yes, I love it.

Greg Staffa 28:55

But now going forward, you said you had a couple of projects. I'm guessing you can't talk too much into them. Is there anything you can shed light on?

Lacey Katena 29:04

Can't really talk about a lot. There's a lot in pre-production, but I was just in a Big Lou vertical called Beach House Butler that should be coming out in midsummer and so that'll be fun, but other than that everything's kind of in the works and it's a little hush hush. So there's, there's things common, but I can't say what is I mean?

Greg Staffa 29:24

Lacey is the new improve. Lacey is a evolution of our young child to a young adult. What does I mean? We always say you know what do you hold for the next five years, but what? What is kind of your path that you're looking at for you? What would be success? What would be, what's your kind of drive?

Lacey Katena 29:45

I think success I eventually I would like to win an Oscar Eventually down the line I want to be creating like thought-provoking films and cinema, and that's something I want to do as I continue moving on, because I'm a producer as well and so I want to produce my own stuff. But I also I think success for me would just be a working actress and like having a steady job and being able to have a good work-life balance with my craft and with my career and finding my family in Los Angeles and I think just being able to live and work and be proud of what I'm doing that to me, would be success.

Greg Staffa 30:32

Now you've hinted at some of this answer and so I don't know how deep you want to go into it, which is totally fine, but it seemed like your trip with your dad really opened your eyes to yourself, your heritage, your you know, your, your past. Is that something that, as an actress, you're looking at, diving down more into telling, finding a story to tell that is central around that. Is that something that you want to bring more to the light? I mean, when someone looks at you, they don't think you know.

Lacey Katena 31:07

Japanese heritage, I would say, is that, something that you're looking at telling I think that I do want to eventually tell my dad's story of his journey of moving from Okinawa to the States and then growing up in the time period that he did as a Japanese American and he didn't understand necessarily that he was Japanese and he didn't look like any of his siblings either, and so I eventually want to tell his story because it's so fascinating to me and I think I'd want to. I personally want to go back

Lessons from Kid Reporter Days

Lacey Katena 31:43

to Japan and I want to meet my family. I've met them, obviously, but I want to get to know them as people and I want to find our history, because there is so much and we've learned a little, but I just I want to know the personal stuff and I want to know about them and what their life was like in Okinawa, because Okinawa, specifically, was absolutely ravaged by the war and so, specifically, I want to see how they live their lives. And my grandmother Hideko she died when I was, I think, five or six, and so I never really got to know her, and so I want to go back to Japan to feel connected to her as much as possible and to learn about her.

Lacey Katena 32:23

In little ways, I don't think I'm, I'm not trying to. I want, I want to tell our story. That's what I want to do. I'm not trying to like, highlight anything or or fabricate anything, cause that is not something I want to do. I'm not trying to like, highlight anything or or fabricate anything, cause that is not something I want to do. I just want to find out what's true to us and like honor my family and tell our family story, cause that is something that, when meeting our family, they were like we want to continue to contain a family, we want to continue our story and we want to make sure our family line is is still going in like 20 years or so, and so that's why we've gotten close with our family and that's why we text them sometimes and we say happy Thanksgiving, happy Christmas, like that kind of thing. So, yeah, I'm just trying to really honor our family line, I think.

Greg Staffa 33:20

I think Now your dad had. When he is doing what he does, he immerses himself in the mascot. We often talk about kids following their parents footsteps, but has your dad expressed any?

Lacey Katena 33:33

interest in being more visible and following in his daughter's footsteps and being in front of the camera more. I think he, I think deep down he thinks he could and I think he, I think he thinks he wants to. But he's also an author and so his main passion is writing and so, for example, like he has a book called Belayed Gratification that he wrote about his mascotting journey, and he's actually rewriting it right now because he's learned so much more past when he wrote it. But he really loves like writing, children's books and writing. I think he's about to get into like a novel or something I don't know, but, excuse me, he's definitely thought about it and I personally would want to put him in a movie sometime, but I don't know if he'd let me.

Greg Staffa 34:13

I personally would want to put him in a movie sometime, but I don't know if he'd let me Even like a father-daughter podcast, even if you just did a few episodes talking about going back and just his career in itself. No one thinks about being a mascot and no one. Hey, I want to grow up to be a mascot. To do that is kind of cool and fascinating.

Lacey Katena 34:37

No, it's very cool.

Greg Staffa 34:38

It's something that you don't think about, yet we never second-guess it. When we see it at a game, oh, there's the mascot. There's no question. You know what's the story behind that. We accept it, and so to be that. I think that would make for an interesting father-daughter podcast for four episodes of what the travels are like and whatnot.

Lacey Katena 35:02

For sure. I think he's thought about that. We thought about making a YouTube channel once, but it was mainly to promote his book, because he's really, really passionate about writing, and so he has his whole mascot journey in Belayed Gratification. So I'm going to shamelessly plug it. It's belayed gratification by Dave Stockdale. It's on Amazon, so if anybody wants to go buy that, that would be amazing.

Greg Staffa 35:23

And I'll put a link to that along with your links on this, this episode.

Lacey Katena 35:29

Oh, that would be amazing. Oh my. God, I'd be so happy.

Greg Staffa 35:32

So, lacey, one of the things I asked of all my guests is so much of what you've done is tied. I mean, any interview you do, you're going to be mentioned as the kid reporter. You're going to be mentioned as you know a Christmas love story. Everything's tied to what you've done in your past. They might mention your name changing or whatnot, but when you get up in the morning, going to bathroom and splash your water on your face, who is it that you see in the mirror?

Lacey Katena 36:04

me lacy katana. I see, I think I just see lacy, if that makes sense, like I now. I'm now with my brown hair, actually, because I got it dyed on like a few days ago and so I'm still processing it, but I'm I'm really seeing kind of this, this actualized version

Future Projects and Aspirations

Lacey Katena 36:24

of myself, for the first time, which is crazy. But yeah, I just, I just see Lacey, I just see, I just see a girl trying to figure it out, trying to figure out life, trying to figure out my craft and everything.

Greg Staffa 36:36

Well, lacey, thank you so much for coming on again, thank you for having me. Sugar cane is out on Amazon, prime and Fandango at home. And then look for her father's book, which we'll link to the bottom there. It sounds like an interesting story from a fascinating career. I look forward to seeing what the future has for you.

Lacey Katena 36:55

Well, thank you so much. Your questions were amazing and I love that you brought back the NASCAR stuff. That made me very happy.

Greg Staffa 37:01

Thank you.