Cristy Lee Interview with Meltdown on WRIF
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00:00Hey guys, Meltdown here in the Riff studio, and today I've got a very special guest.
00:03She was our 2008 Riff rock girl, and she's gone on to do so many things.
00:09She's a good friend of the radio station. She's so talented. She went through a really rough
00:132023, but there were some highlights in there as well. We'll talk to her about that
00:17and much, much more. Let's welcome Christy Lee. Christy, how you doing?
00:22Oh, wait, where's the huge crowd applause?
00:23I know. The screaming people.
00:25I forgot to invite the crowd.
00:27Okay. All right. Well, that's really disappointing, but I'm doing well.
00:29Yeah. Excellent. Well, great to see you.
00:31Yeah. It's good to be seen. It's good to be seen.
00:33So people that don't know, well, there's a lot of people that do know you were the 2008 Riff rock girl.
00:38Gosh, that really just like dates me. Could you just say former Riff rock girl?
00:42I could say that. I suppose I could. Yeah.
00:44Then there's like, you know, my age remains elusive.
00:47Well, yes.
00:48It's so funny because you went on to do so many things. I remember one of the first things you
00:51did, and correct me if I'm wrong, was the in arena announcing at the Red Wing Games.
00:55I did. And I was actually still working here whilst I started that opportunity. So yeah,
01:00I worked. And that started in 2009. I worked as the in arena hostess for the Detroit Red Wings
01:05for a few years.
01:06Yeah, that was great exposure. And you know, it's funny. I actually did, I think four or
01:10five of those games too, when you weren't available when you were doing whatever.
01:13Oh, did you?
01:13Yeah.
01:14I'm pretty sure that Nick Lindstrom liked me better. So just for the record, just for the record.
01:19Yeah. I'm sure he probably did as well.
01:21So funny story about that. I was with him and a couple of the other Swedish guys when
01:26they won the streak for as many home games as they did.
01:29Yeah. It was crazy coming off of, what did they win? They won the championship the year
01:33prior and then flip-flopped with the Penguins.
01:37Yeah. 2009. We don't want to talk about that.
01:39Yeah. No, we're going to, because I came in and I started during the playoffs. So I was
01:45thrown in the gauntlet right with the Red Wings. And we just went right into it. And we went
01:48all the way to the finals with the Pens. And it was like, you know, we won the championship
01:52last year and then they won on our home ice.
01:55Yeah. That's a, that's a rough, hoisted.
01:57That was a rough pill to swallow. There's no doubt about that.
02:00Indeed. Indeed.
02:00So briefly, so you, you, you obviously you, you, your, your time is a riff rock girl,
02:05the reign of terror that you had as riff rock girl. It passed. And then, you know,
02:11other riff rock girls took over after you, but then what did you do after that? You've done
02:15so many things. You've really become like, you're really one of these self-made people
02:19that just, you just do things.
02:21I've just kind of like latched on to any new opportunity doing the things that I love doing.
02:26So basically where I'm at right now in my life and where I'm at in my career are kind
02:30of one in the same. It just so happens that my career is on TV or in the public eye. I'm
02:36just kind of doing the things that I like doing. And I've somehow made a life out of that.
02:42Well, that's the key, right? It's like, find out what you like to do and have somebody pay
02:44you for it. Yeah, yes, exactly. You're like, this is what I love doing. How can I make
02:48money doing this? And not have to have like a nine to five job. So that's basically what
02:52I've done. But starting out at riff, you know, being on air, I actually got a chance to do
02:58some on-camera work while I worked here. And I was like, you know what? I really love radio,
03:02but I kind of feel like I really also like this on-camera thing. And then I started working
03:07for the Red Wings and just doing more and more opportunities in front of the camera.
03:11My first TV gig was as a pit reporter covering motorcycle racing for AMA Pro Racing. So the
03:18professional super bike series in the United States. And that was on YouTube. Well, let's
03:24stop right there for a second. Do you have to like, I mean, obviously, did you know anything
03:27about this going in about the motorcycle racing at that level? Like, did you know the guys and
03:32stuff like that? Oh, yeah. Okay. Like I've been a motorcyclist since right after I turned 18,
03:38I got my motorcycle license. And of course you get a sport bike and you start riding on the street
03:42and the natural transition is to let's go to the racetrack. Let's go faster. Yes. Yes. Let's do
03:47dumber things. Right. But in a safer environment because it feels safer that way. So bring your
03:52bike to the track, do all that fun stuff. So being around the racetrack and motorcycles and motorcycle
03:57racing in general was like a natural like transition for me. And I actually pursued that. So I wanted to be
04:04a pit reporter and I wanted to cover motorcycle racing. So from there, just doing YouTube videos
04:10at the track, I ended up getting a job with speed TV, also dating myself again here before it flipped
04:16to Fox and worked as a pit reporter covering arena cross for speed live on speed. That was my first like
04:24legit TV gig. And then I also started working on all girls garage around the same time. And that was my
04:32first like TV hosting game. And what year are we talking about? You say around the same time,
04:352012, 2013? Well, because I'm so young, I have such a extensive memory of all of these dates.
04:43This was probably like 2011. Okay. Yeah. 2011, 2012, I think 2012 was my first year covering AMA
04:52pro racing full time. And then the arena cross also, I think I did in 2012. Yes. Because I think that was
04:59the last year for speed TV before they flipped. Okay. Um, and then all girls started in, um,
05:0511, 12 around the same time. So you're doing all girls garage and you get you, the girls are you and
05:10the two other girls, you guys work on cars and do this kind of thing, but you're also doing other
05:13things. That's not the only thing you're doing, right? Uh, you mean like when the show's going on
05:18or just like in general, just in general? Uh, I mean, we did all kinds of, uh, gosh, I was on the show
05:23for eight years. Um, we did all kinds of projects over that span of time and the show is still on
05:29air. Um, I'm not on the show anymore, but, uh, you know, we do all kinds of projects. It's everything
05:34from, you know, turbos to full resto mods, modern cars, JDM. Um, we worked on motorcycles. Uh, we did
05:42Polaris slingshots, you know, uh, big rig trucks. We worked on a monster truck, just a little bit of
05:47everything. So basically the gist of the show is like, Hey, today we've got this project. Here's what
05:52we're going to do with it. Let's show you how. And that's kind of how it would go every
05:56episode. And then for many years, uh, of course, when they were doing the, uh, the thing with
06:00Dodge there at M one concourse around the Woodward cruise, you're, you're hosting that you're doing
06:05stuff for that as well. Aren't you? Yeah. Yeah. I started with all girls garage way back
06:09when, and that was velocity a few years later that turned into motor trend, the same network,
06:13just a different phase. And then a motor trend started doing a roadkill nights powered by
06:17Dodge at the M one concourse. And so, uh, I think this was like my sixth year. It's like
06:23the seventh year of doing it. Eight year, eighth year. I don't know. There's so many numbers,
06:28so many numbers. One year you raced a car. I did. I did actually, uh, two or three years
06:34I got to, Oh, just that many times. Okay. I didn't know that. So they did like a celebrity
06:37shootout one year. Um, I think that was the first year they did it and they kind of had,
06:40um, you know, different car TV type celebrity Pete folk car celebrity folk. Um, and then we were
06:48just drag racing and competing in like, you know, the latest Hellcat. Um, so that was pretty fun
06:53getting to actually drag race on Woodward Avenue. Um, and I will state for the record that, uh,
06:58Christy Lee did come up to me and say that I could not do that because it was a celebrity,
07:01uh, drag race. Did I say that? Yeah, you did. Sorry about that. That seems about right.
07:09That that's the relationship we have though. I thought it was gonna be more of a joke about
07:13reaching the pedals, but I don't really have a lot. Right. No, well, I would have to use yours
07:17with the blocks on the pedals for sure. I had to use your, your challenger. Yeah. It's the booster
07:21seat. Yeah, that's right. Well, I'll tell you what, before we get into what you got coming up
07:25this year, let's talk about your, uh, 2023 because, uh, I mean, you know, look, we're friends,
07:29we've ridden motorcycles and we worked together in the past. Uh, but you know, we're not like
07:33texting every single day that one day it pops up on my socials that you're fighting all sorts of
07:38health issues. So talk about that. Um, yeah, I mean, I thought we were really good friends.
07:43Well, we're pretty good friends. I text you all the time and you just don't respond to me.
07:46Well, that may be, I know I'm just another rock girl to you, but I thought we had something special.
07:50Right. Um, okay. So 2023 in a nutshell, uh, basically in January, I woke up the second week
07:56of January, I woke up one morning and my eyes were really swollen. Um, just extreme pain, something
08:01that was very different than anything I'd ever experienced in my life. A week later, I was in the
08:06emergency room. Um, it got so severe. It was to that point, they run every test in the book and
08:12the physician's assistant comes back in. Hey, you have Graves disease and thyroid eye disease. And
08:18I looked at this guy like you, you, you, what, what are you talking about? This can't be real in
08:24the emergency room in another state. Mind you, I was in Arizona at the time. Um, so fast forward a few
08:30months later and yes, turns out I did have, I do have, uh, Graves disease and thyroid eye disease
08:35and, uh, both are autoimmune disorders. Um, Graves disease relatively common. It's a thyroid hormone
08:42dysfunction. Um, and it affects your thyroid directly. So it causes inflammation and a whole
08:48slew of other problems with your body. Your thyroid regulates everything in your entire body. It's
08:53extremely important, even as small as it is. Um, and then with that comes the thyroid eye disease,
08:59the thyroid eye disease only affects about 20 or so percent. Don't quote me on all these
09:05statistics, 20 or so percent of Graves disease. Uh, uh, people who have Graves disease will only be
09:12affected with thyroid eye disease, only about 20%. And of that only about 5% or so will experience
09:19severe symptoms. And lucky me. Yeah, you're lucky. Yeah. Fell into that category. Uh, the thyroid eye
09:25disease has absolutely nothing to do with your thyroid. Surprisingly, uh, the only relation
09:31in, again, a very short way to explain it, the tissue, uh, that your thyroid is composed of
09:37and the tissue that is located behind your eye, the muscle and tissue behind your eye are the same
09:42type of tissue. And essentially when these antibodies are created, um, and your body and autoimmune
09:47disorder attacks those, you know, antibodies in, in defense, um, it affects both of those tissues
09:54and causes extreme inflammation, pain, and again, a whole slew of other issues. Uh, so if you had
09:59that tissue elsewhere in your body, like behind your kneecaps or something that would cause inflammation
10:03there as well, that's really the only relationship between those two autoimmune diseases. Uh, so two
10:09very different things, but very similar, but treated in very different manners.
10:14So you, you discover that you have this now in the meantime, you're working on projects and shows,
10:19right? Um, so basically my entire 2023 was just kind of like a wild rollercoaster. Um, this happened in
10:29January and, um, within a few months, uh, my eye disease progressed and got to the point where it need,
10:37I needed to take drastic measures or write it out and see what happened. And by writing it out and seeing
10:42what happened, I mean, find out how soon I was going to actually lose my vision and potentially become
10:48blind. Uh, that's how bad it got. Um, I thankfully jumped in and attacked this disease very, very
10:57quickly. Um, and because I took an aggressive approach, I was able to manage it better. And
11:04that's not to say that that's for everybody. Um, I just jumped in full swing. And by that, I mean,
11:09I had a total thyroidectomy, uh, at the end of May, uh, a week later, I had my first orbital
11:16decompression eye surgery. Another week later, I had my second orbital decompression eye surgery
11:21in my other eye. Whilst I was doing that, I was under a treatment called Tipeza and no way am I
11:26endorsing that, uh, pharmaceutical. It's just, that was what was, that is what is best available now for
11:32treating thyroid eye disease. Uh, but it was a miracle worker for me and I would describe it as
11:37chemotherapy for your eyes. So I went through about four or five months of that and that was horrible.
11:43Um, everything from just, uh, extreme fatigue, muscle pain to hair loss, to, um, just not being
11:51able to get out of bed. Um, I think one of the hardest things for me with this disease and just
11:56all of the health issues, um, was not only going through all of it, um, and just being fatigued and
12:03drawn out and exhausted. Um, but the disfigurement that comes with the thyroid eye disease and how it
12:11changed my face and the proptosis and edema and swelling that happened in my eyes. Um, basically
12:18it's eye bulging. That's what the disease causes when it swells, it causes your eyes to push forward.
12:24And that completely changed how I looked and how I felt about myself. So struggling with, um,
12:31that was probably the hardest part for me. And with that came struggling with my own mental health.
12:36So there was definitely a pretty dark time for me in 2023 where I was going through all this and I was
12:43changing and there was nothing I could do about it. And my face was changing and going through that
12:49experience and being completely helpless along the way. It's, it's hard. It's hard. So yeah. And
12:54especially when you're living your life in front of a camera. Yeah. Yeah. And especially like my
12:58entire livelihood. And that's not to say that someone who goes through this, who isn't on camera,
13:02has it any easier by any means? I think this is equally difficult across the board. Um, it just
13:08kind of came to a full twofold for me because it attacked me personally and professionally.
13:12So it's like, this is, this is my living right here. And you know, my, my face and how I look and
13:19everything will probably never be the same. And I've kind of just accepted that. Um, but I'm pretty
13:24grateful for the outcome that I've had now with going through three major surgeries in such a short
13:28period of time. Some pretty intense treatments. Um, I mean, two weeks ago, I had a steroid and
13:35orbital steroid injection in both of my eyes. Um, which is as fun as it sounds. Yeah. So I'm not,
13:43I'm not, uh, you know, I'm not out of the woods yet, but I'm starting to see a little clearing in the
13:48distance. Well, you look great. I mean, I'm not just saying that I, I would have never, you know,
13:52known. I mean, seriously, we worked together for so long. It's like, you know, you look fantastic.
13:56Well, thank you. I'm harder on myself. I think that anybody ever would be. Um, I mean, I wish
14:01that I could just go back and look like I used to look, I don't want to look like a better version
14:04of me or like a younger, fresher. I just want to look like me again. And I have to accept that
14:09that will never happen, but thank you. I do appreciate that. Now, of course, uh, at near the
14:13end of the year, then you got married. I did. Oh, you dropped the M bomb, didn't you? You just
14:18like transitioned from one life tragedy to another. I mean, I mean, no, but your, your, your husband's
14:24great. Of course, a super good dude. And you've been with him for a really long time. So he must
14:28have been a rock for you as well throughout the whole time. That is the biggest understatement
14:33I've heard for probably the past, like 10 years. Um, I could not have gotten through everything last
14:40year without that man in my life. So yeah. Yeah. That's great. So how was, how was the wedding?
14:46Uh, amazing. Yeah. Amazing. You should have been there just saying, um, that's on you,
14:52not me. Uh, but yeah, so, uh, wedding was amazing. Um, we had basically just a massive
14:58party and celebration. Um, we had actually went and viewed a venue, um, about six days
15:04before I got sick in January, picked a date, pick the venue, did all that crap. Um, and then
15:11I got sick and we postponed everything for a minute, just kind of like pump the brakes.
15:14Um, not because I have envisioned this amazing, pretty, pretty princess dream wedding my entire
15:20life. I'm, I'm not that girl. Um, but mostly just because I, I didn't know if I would be
15:25well enough to even. So was the original date earlier? Uh, no, we picked that date. Okay.
15:31Uh, January, I don't know, January, like 13th or something, 12th. I don't know. But you picked
15:36the date in November. Yep. Yeah. So, so I'm asking that that date didn't change. No, we
15:42had picked that in January and then I got sick a week later. Okay. And so we postponed
15:45things. And then after my surgeries, uh, I just basically said like, I, I don't, I don't
15:52think we should wait, you know, like it puts life into a different perspective and it's
15:57like, let's do this. I don't care what I look like, you know, like, and, and at the
16:00time I'm grateful everything ended up being okay. Uh, but at the time I was like, I don't
16:05care what I look like or how healthy I am. Like we're, we're doing it. We're doing it.
16:09And so everything was a little last minute. Like that's also another statement. Um, just
16:15because we kind of like threw things together cause we weren't sure, but it ended up being
16:18an absolutely fantastic day. Um, amazing celebration with the closest friends and family members
16:24in our entire life. And a lot of people that were there to support, um, not only myself,
16:29but him the past year. Yeah. Right. Yeah. So now we move into a 2024 and you,
16:35you've got some stuff that's coming out. So what do you, what do you have coming out
16:38this year? 2024 for me is 2023.2. Okay. All right. Cause I feel like I really didn't
16:44get to do pretty much anything. Um, I mean, as a motorcyclist, you know, like I haven't
16:50even ridden a bike in a year and a half. Yeah. I think you told me the last time I saw
16:53you. Yeah. That's right. So the first time I put a helmet on since all of this was in
16:58December. So just what, uh, not even a month ago. Right. Yeah. And that was like pretty
17:03emotional for me. So anyways, uh, 2024, um, is going to be great. It's gonna be amazing.
17:10Um, I'm still on my health journey. I keep calling it that because that sounds like, you
17:15know, optimistic and positive and all that. Uh, but I've got some really fun projects.
17:19I was able to do some, uh, projects last year, uh, very slowly and later in the year,
17:26but I was able to, um, do a guest host spot, uh, for a new show on HGTV. It's called battle
17:31on the mountain and that'll be premiering January 22nd. Uh, so I'm excited about that.
17:37I was excited to get back working with those folks and, uh, get back on camera. That was
17:41actually my first on camera gig since all the surgeries. Um, so I'm a little puffy and
17:46I got some glasses and no makeup on, but you know what? I was there. Um, and then I also
17:51filmed a show, uh, covering the, uh, PRI show performance racing industry show for motor
17:56trend. Um, and that will premiere in February. No, that's some stuff coming up.
18:01Now step it back just a little bit. You go down to the Southwest sometimes for the, the
18:05bear, uh, Jackson stuff, right? Oh, I used to cover bear Jackson, uh, live on motor trend.
18:10Yeah. So I think some of my friends have bumped into you in the past.
18:12Yeah. Your, your, your friends, your friends have bumped into me. Hey, I'm friends with meltdown.
18:17I'm like, Oh God, run away. Uh, yes. I think a few of your, your, uh, cronies have bumped
18:24into me before at, uh, bear Jackson, but, uh, I did get to go to bear it last year and,
18:29uh, my eyes had just started to kick up right then. So I got to be as cool as I possibly could
18:36and do my best Jackie O impression and wear sunglasses the entire time I was at bear Jackson.
18:41But I think people were looking at me like, why is she wearing sunglasses inside? I'm like,
18:45I swear it's not because I think I'm really cool. I just it's I'm a mess.
18:50Well, that's great. So 2024 is shaping up to be a pretty good year for you.
18:53I think so. I think so. And I've got some, uh, you know, fun stuff planned.
18:56I was able to pick up a new shop space, a new garage space. Um, so just been working
19:01on getting that in order. What are you doing with that?
19:04Um, I'm actually going to launch, uh, a new brand called motor city built.
19:07Um, it's kind of a way for me to bring, uh, everything I do in the home resto,
19:12real estate renovation scene and all the stuff that I love doing in automotive and motorcycles
19:17and motor sports, uh, together under kind of one umbrella. Um, and then all of my car
19:22projects of course are going to take place in the shop. So, um, actually filming in two days
19:27in the shop, uh, but getting that in order and getting everything situated in there has
19:31been a big undertaking. So it's almost done, almost done. Just got the, uh, toolbox and cabinetry
19:37installed a couple of days ago and then, uh, got the lifts installed a few weeks ago
19:43and, uh, the shop's looking good. It's coming along.
19:45And he got some, uh, new members of your family recently, some puppies.
19:48Oh, no, no, no. They are temporary members of the family.
19:52Gotcha. Okay.
19:53Yes. So with all of this going on with, I've got new shows premiering and a whole press
19:57tour I'm trying to do right now. And, uh, you know, adjusting to life,
20:01dealing with the health stuff, a million other projects going on. Um, I was like, you know,
20:05what would be perfect for me? I should foster a mother dog and four or three puppies.
20:12Like that is exactly what was missing in my life. So yes, I did that. So we've had them for seven
20:18weeks and they are adorable. It's literally all they have going for them because they're
20:24little tiny T-rexes with four legs. Um, they're, they're terrors, but they're so cute. Um, and it's
20:30really been rewarding for two things for two reasons. One, because I've got to watch them grow.
20:35Um, you know, I nursed them. One of them almost didn't survive and I spent hours
20:41and hours and hours with him the first week, getting him to nurse and make sure,
20:45making sure he was eating enough and staying well and getting big. And now he's the biggest one.
20:50So I will take credit for that. Um, but also, you know, not just the growing process,
20:56watching them grow. Um, but also, you know, helping out so many dogs in need. Like I'm really
21:01passionate about the dog community. Um, there's just so many dogs out there. The population control
21:09with animals is just unreal. And what's happening not only locally, but nationally, um, in shelters
21:17and rescues is it's, it's deplorable. Um, just there's no such thing as a no kill shelter. Like
21:24it doesn't exist. So yeah. And it's a, it's good to take care of those, uh, around us that are the
21:28most, uh, helpless. Yeah. Yeah. And they rely on people heavily. So, you know, you've got generations
21:32and generations of a domesticated breed that are pretty reliant on humans and yeah. Can they survive
21:38in the wild and they'll probably make it, but not all of them do. Um, so, you know,
21:41you've got destitute dogs everywhere and dogs in shelters that just need a home and want to be loved.
21:47Um, and they don't have that. Um, so anyways, and unfortunately I hate to say that pit bull breeds
21:53specifically are, you know, the greater of that population. Um, I have a rescue pit bull myself.
21:59Um, and that's, uh, the foster dogs that I have as well are little pity mixes. Um, but yeah, they're,
22:05they're out there. So I hate to, you know, jump on the bandwagon and say, adopt, don't shop, but
22:10there's a lot of dogs that need love. And you know, if you can't adopt a dog, it's a huge commitment.
22:15I understand that, but here's my shameless plug. Consider fostering, even if you have like a spare
22:20room in your house. Um, I've got my mom and pup staying in my laundry room. Um, and they're actually
22:25completely separated from my dog because she is dog reactive. Uh, so they've two totally different
22:30spaces in my house. Is it difficult? Absolutely. But it's a chance at a better life for four animals.
22:37So that's why you do it. Yeah. Good for you. I, you know, my, uh, my daughter is two pit bull
22:41dogs and they're, they're just the greatest dogs. Then, um, I was thinking about this recently.
22:45I think I've only gone three months of my entire life without a dog. That's it.
22:49Uh, do you want a puppy? Cause I have three. I, I have my little miss Abigail, the two different
22:55color eyes. Okay. So, all right. Little miss Abby. Yeah. You know, she would love like a puppy.
23:01Oh, I'm sure she would. Now I'm like stewing with, do I keep a puppy or, oh my gosh. Well,
23:07let's hope my wife doesn't see this because she'll be calling you. So I have pictures.
23:13Anything else you got going on? Do you want to plug? Um, yeah, just like, you know,
23:18stay, uh, stay on top of my social media. You know, I've got the HGTV show coming out and
23:22motor trend show coming out. I've got a ton of projects in the shop that are, um, underway.
23:27There's always a car project. I'm getting the, uh, 1967 grand Prix. We've been doing some work on
23:31that. That's going to get up and running soon. Um, I've got my hell cat that I bought last year that I
23:35did absolutely nothing with because I could not, um, that needs like needs a lot of work. So I'm going
23:42to get working on that. My C 10 needs a lot of like upgrade goodies. John has a 1950 Chevy 3,100.
23:49Um, I'm looking at buying a track car cause I'm a crazy person. Um, but I got my SCCA race license
23:55last year and never got a chance to actually do any drop-in races. So this year, there you go.
24:00It's my year. Well, Christy, thank you so much for coming in. It's great to see you back here in the
24:04hallways of WRIF. And, uh, I'm really glad and really happy for you, of course, with how the year
24:10ended. Yes. Yeah. I'm, uh, it's good to be back here. I'm, I'm glad I'm looking forward to 2023.2.
24:17That's right. But it's good to be back here, WRIF. Christy Lee, everybody. Now that the fans,
24:23all right, we'll, we'll take care of that and, and, and post, uh, production.
24:27Hire some extras next time. Come on, post.