By MC2 Elliott Fabrizio
Airman 1st Class Natasha Yarbro is one of the hosts for season two of The Pentagon Channel’s hit lifestyle show, FNG (For New Guys).
Natasha and her co-host, Dan Burkhardt, have been working together since boot camp and are currently stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Md. These young broadcasters host a show for new guys as new guys (and gals). You can watch a few outtakes from their FNG audition in the video above.
In this blog, we’ll sit down for an interview with Natasha to get to know a bit about FNG’s leading lady.
You’ve been in the military just under two years, so you’re probably still getting used to the military lifestyle in a lot of ways. What has been your most surreal moment?
Honestly, I don’t think I can pick ONE particular moment, I’m still kind of in awe at all the cool opportunities I’ve had in such a small amount of time.
OK, so what is it like being the host of FNG?
It’s pretty sweet, I mean, how many people can say they’ve hosted a show?…EXACTLY!
And what have your family and friends said about you being in the military and on TV?
My family members are my biggest supporters. I’m surprised my mom hasn’t made “Go Tasha” T-shirts yet. They are definitely proud of me, and they remind me all the time. Honestly, I’d say most of my family and friends were somewhat shocked about my decision to join the military, but once they had a second to process everything it was kind of like “oh, of course you are…”
FNG is kind of a unique show in military broadcasting with its very casual, modern style. What do you think viewers get from watching it?
Well, besides 30 minutes of me…they touch on topics that we, as young military members, can really relate to like saving money while finding ways to have some fun.
So, what’s the most fun you’ve had working on FNG?
Honestly, every time I went into the studio to record an episode I feel like the majority of it was spent laughing. I would love to watch the blooper reels from all of our shoots. It’s crazy that the second they signal for you to read your lines you completely forget how to read, you aren’t quite sure what to do with your hands….or you just look like a complete robot with no personality…but after a few tries Burkhardt usually nails it… Haha, juuust kidding.
FNG is a very music-driven show, so I gotta ask, what’s on your iPod?
Everrrrrrrythinggggg!
What do you do when you’re not hosting FNG or working at Andrews?
Shopping is one of my all-time favorite things. I could spend all day shopping, but I don’t think I have any interesting stories, unless you think really good deals are interesting.
Hosting a TV show is probably the last thing people think you’ll wind up doing when you join the military, what is it like being a MILITARY broadcaster?
It pretty much means you’re awesome, and that you have to know at least one quote from the movie Anchorman and, as broadcasters, we are expected to repeat that quote in our best Ron Burgundy voices anytime we’re in front of a camera, so help me God.just joking…but not really though. When you tell people you’re a broadcaster people usually give you one of these typical responses:
“How do I get your job?”
“I want your job!”
“So you just walk around and take pictures all day?”…….. ugh.
“So you’re like, on TV?”
Well, Natasha is definitely on TV and the Web, so you can see her and any of our FNG episodes and segments on the FNG page on www.pentagonchannel.mil.