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The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White

The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White

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March 21, 2024

Hollywood reporter and star Giuliana Rancic films episode at Whitman

Photo by Morvareed Rezaian.
Giuliana Rancic (’92) talked about her career and Whitman experience to Black & White kids. Photo by Morvareed Rezaian.

Giuliana Rancic (’92), the host of E! News, excited students and faculty alike when she paid a visit to Whitman on Oct. 12 to film a segment for her reality show “Giuliana and Bill,” and talk to Black & White students.

Production and camera crew poured into the building as seventh period ended, prompting hushed conversations and quizzical glances from passing students. Others reacted less subtlety, such as a visiting parent who exclaimed “This is so freaking exciting! I’m never in the right place at the right time.”

Rancic entered the lobby as the eighth period bell rang, greeted the excited parent and headed for the office, where she was met by principal Alan Goodwin who escorted her around the building.

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As the two made their way to room B-212, Rancic inquired about lockers, the football team, the school’s ranking in US News and World Report and her former teachers. English teachers Susan Buckingham and Cheryl Essers as well as math teacher Susan Wildstrom were among the names Rancic remembered.

“I would love to see Mrs. Wildstrom,” Rancic said. “I want to know if she still remembers me. We used to drive her crazy.”

Wildstrom had gone home for the day, but Rancic did encounter photography teacher Marjorie Scott, whom Rancic recognized from her Whitman days.

“She doesn’t look any different,” Rancic noted.

Giuliana signs autographs for excited students after her Q and A. Photo by Morvareed Rezaian.
Giuliana signs autographs for excited students after her Q & A. Photo by Morvareed Rezaian.

Rancic then entered the Black and White room, where she spoke with students about her time at Whitman and her success in Hollywood.

Rancic had a rough time in high school, which stemmed from physical awkwardness, misbehavior and parents who could not speak English. Since then Rancic has been ranked number 94 on Maxim’s 2004 list of Hot 100 Women. Rancic told students that she does not regret her high school experiences because they forced her to develop a strong personality, something she credits for her success with E!

“I was the thirty-ninth person auditioning for my job when I was going in for E! I wasn’t the prettiest, I wasn’t the tallest, I wasn’t the smartest,” Rancic said. “But what I did have was a different personality, a distinct personality that set me apart from everyone else.”

Rancic, born Giuliani DePandi, moved to Bethesda at the age of seven from Naples, Italy. Keeping true to her Italian heritage, Rancic has a habit of letting her hands and voice work in tandem as she speaks. Her father, Eduardo DePandi, opened Bruno Cipriani, a men’s clothing store at White Flint Mall, which he still owns. DePandi attended Bannockburn and Pyle prior to Whitman.

In high school, Rancic was a misfit with a knack for getting into trouble. Her exploits included stealing and selling interim reports, and rigging the homecoming queen vote so that she would be a nominee. According to Rancic, the latter incident led to her most embarrassing moment in high school.

“I remember after they announced my name, walking down the halls with everybody yelling ‘You fixed it!’” she said.

Once she graduated from Whitman, she attended University of Maryland and American University, where she received a degree in journalism. Her master’s degree was an asset in a field where much of the competition has little or no education outside of high school.

After grad school Rancic struggled for four years in Los Angeles, working odd jobs.

“The worst part was trying to convince my family and friends I would make it,” Rancic said. “It only made me want to make it more.”

During this period, Rancic worked in the mailroom of a talent agency. When other workers went on to become talent agents, the contacts Rancic made helped her land an audition with E!

“You might be doing a minimum wage job,” Rancic said. “But that job could just change your life.”

Since her successful audition, Rancic has been at E! for eight years.

“The only downside is Ryan Seacrest,” she jokes.

She was also helped by her fearless demeanor and willingness to make mistakes.

“I welcome mistakes because that’s what makes the news,” Rancic said, “I want the train wreck to happen,”

She went on to cite an instance in which Seth McFarlane uttered a profanity during a live red carpet interview and another instance in which Russell Crowe responded coldly to her questions. Rancic stated that she believed such “train wrecks” keep audiences tuned in to E! News.

In one memorable interview with George Clooney, Rancic accidentally blurted out a marriage proposal to Clooney. The star politely declined.

Instead Rancic married Bill Rancic, the winner of the first season of “The Apprentice” after she volunteered to interview him. When she realized he had a girlfriend she tried to get out of the interview, but it was too late.

“I said, ‘You know Trump settled down, are you going to settle down?’” Rancic said. “He kind of looked at me funny so I added ‘With your girlfriend?’

“‘Oh,’ he said. ‘We broke up.’”

The two were engaged eight months later, and married in September 2007.

The pair is the subject of “Giuliana and Bill” which airs at 8 pm Wednesdays on the Style Network.

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  • E

    Eleanor KatzJan 24, 2010 at 7:55 pm

    Thanks so much!

  • W

    Whitman StudentJan 23, 2010 at 2:02 am

    Hi, not sure if you guys have seen this, but a short video of her visit that was featured on the show is on hulu.com. here’s the link: http://www.hulu.com/watch/120925/giuliana-and-bill-hometown-hero