Faos

Sad day in H-town



http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4378456.html

Foronda yearns for the private life
Anchor resigns to pursue interests outside of television

By MIKE MCDANIEL
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle


Lisa Foronda, a Channel 11 news anchor since 1997, will leave her post on Dec. 22 to pursue other, undeclared activities.

"I'm finished with TV news," she said Monday. "I really want to do something else with my life, something not in the public eye."

She said her decision had nothing to do with her colleagues or superiors, only with the nature of the job itself.

"The rewards I got out of this were really outside of the TV part of it," she said. "I got to meet some wonderful people who cared about animals, running, their kids, literacy, AIDS. I would like to be able to work more closely with people I can see (rather) than working and looking into a camera every day."

The decision also had nothing to do with money or contract issues. She has "several years" remaining on her contract and "you could give me millions, and I wouldn't stay," she said.

Foronda is known to be a runner and an animal enthusiast but said she has "no idea" what she might do next, only that she will remain in Houston, and "I can guarantee 1,000 percent it will never be in television news again."

"I want to be a private person," she said. "I always wanted to be a private person, and this job goes against every fiber of that."

She pursued a career as a broadcast journalist to be a reporter, she said, and when the opportunity arose to become an anchor, "I went ahead and said yes. But I wouldn't do it over again if I had the opportunity."

Foronda, a 1991 graduate of the University of Florida, began her broadcast career at CBS stations in San Angelo and Fort Myers, Fla. She came to KHOU from the CBS affiliate in Tampa, Fla.

She's been contemplating her exit for at least a year and told management about her desires in October.

"When she first told me about it, knowing Lisa, it didn't surprise me that much," said Greg Hurst, Foronda's longtime anchor partner. "The good thing is she's not leaving Houston, so the friendship will continue."

Peter Diaz, president and general manager of KHOU, said Monday that he encouraged her to stay, "but at the end of the day, you have to respect when people want to do something different."

He and news director Keith Connors will search inside and outside the station for a replacement.

In the interim, Hurst will co-anchor the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. news with Len Cannon, who left an anchor post with the Fox station in New York City to join KHOU in April.

The Foronda replacement will not come from Channel 11's morning team, Diaz said.

"Our mornings are just as important as our evenings," he said. "Our plan is to leave that team alone."

Advertisement

pgabriel

wow, I was just wondering the other how long she has been on channel 11 now. I remember about 8 years ago I was telling these female coworkers I had how hot I thought she was.

MR. MEOWGI

I will give her something to do in private.

ima_drummer2k

Horrible news.

I'm still getting over Wendy Granato not being on TV anymore, now this.

And before anyone says anything.....Dominique Sachsa is a DOG.

The Real Shady

Dominique Sachsa looks like LA plastic trash.

I've seen Lisa Foronda two times in person and I would have to say that she looks even better in person. She has some killer legs as well.

Xerobull

She wasn't bad when she started. I saw her in person on the Astrodome field when the Astros clinched the division in 1997. She was very bitchy, but it turned out later that all the drunks behind her on the telecast were grabbing her ass. Wish I would have thought of it at the time. :D

texanskan

Classic post!

Don't worry guys, Jessica Willy is still at ABC 13!

Go home set your DVR's, turn off the lights and cuddle up with you lotion and tissues and thank your lucky stars that other women are still on local tv.

DFWRocket

She probably just wants a normal job with normal 9-5 hours so she can have a real life. TV hours suck for pretty much everybody in Television. It's hard to have a family and actually be around your family much with those hours. If she's a nighttime anchor (I've lived in DFW for the last 8yrs -so I don't know of her) Then she probably goes to work around 2pm and gets off at about 11pm. If she has kids or a husband, then the only time she would see them is in the morning and on weekends. During special events...forget it...she's probably never at home. That being said...Houston is the #11 TV/Radio Market in the country. To get an anchor job at a place this big is quite an achievement. I'm a bit suprised to see anyone give up their career after making it this far.

tested911

Noooo are only filipina Anchor woman is gone

Faos

Forget Jessica. It's all about Deborah Wrigley!

Pezmonger

I just saw her last month in Randalls. She was wearing jogging shorts and a tshirt and looked sexy as hell. My girlfriend accused me of stalking her through the store. Maybe I was.

A-Train

mulletman

haha. i was celebrating on the field that night too and i remember seeing all those drunks fondling her like it was spring break or mardi gras. i think she started crying once the cameras stopped (obviously cant blame her for that)

good times; great memories!

texanskan

I did not remember that b/c I was trying to dig up home plate

ima_drummer2k

I agree, those were great mammories. I will miss them.

Kam

That's cause she is Miami plastic Trash.



By the way, I think Wendy Corona on Channel 2 is hot.

Major Malcontent

I still miss Tonia Bendickson. (Sorry I couldn't find a good pic)

Edit: Ok so I found some guy even more obsessed than me. Still don't think any of these pics do her justice.

http://users.waymark.net/mrtuan/tonia.htm

JaWindex

I actually started watching 11 news recently because I saw her on the dynamo website. If only I cared about local news beforehand.

Originally Posted by Fatty FatBastard Houston is a great city. You don't like it? Blow me.

Pezmonger

How about this KPRC hottie

http://www.click2houston.com/newste...233/detail.html