Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
IDAHO FALLS — A curious 8-year-old girl from Idaho has caught the attention of big-name celebrities, musicians and other creators around the country with her impressive interviewing skills.
In June of 2020, Emmy Eaton was on a river rafting trip in Island Park, Idaho, with her family, where her dad, EastIdahoNews.com news director Nate Eaton was doing a Facebook Live video. In the video comments, someone suggested that Emmy, who has always been a curious person, interview her dad.
The following day, Emmy interviewed her dad and asked him seven questions, since she was seven years old at the time. She did a small number of other local interviews, and then, because of Nate Eaton's connection to Dateline NBC correspondent Keith Morrison and their work on the Chad and Lori Vallow Daybell case, Morrison agreed to an interview with Emmy.
That was just the beginning of 7 Questions with Emmy, a weekly video series featured on EastIdahoNews.com, Facebook and YouTube.
"I've always been curious," Emmy Eaton said. "I've always loved asking questions, because sometimes I'll ask mom and dad a bunch of questions when we are in the car, like, 'Why are we going to the store?' and 'Why are we going to do this and this?' … I get it from my dad."
Nate Eaton said his daughter has never been shy. Whether she is interviewing a celebrity or a garbage man, she is equally interested in the person.
Some of Emmy's interview subjects include a farmer, a United Airlines employee, Mike Rowe, Jenny Oaks Baker, Stephen Sharp Nelson, a young widow, Taysom Hill, a wardrobe stylist, and one of her favorites, Drew Barrymore.
In fact, her initial interview with Barrymore went so well, she was invited to be a contributor on The Drew Barrymore Show. Emmy said it was amazing to meet Barrymore in real life.
"She's everything that she looks like on TV," Emmy said. "She's the most kindest, genuine person that you'll ever meet. She's so nice."
During one of her segments on the Drew Barrymore Show, Emmy got to interview Elmo, which she said was really fun.
The first time Emmy recorded in front of a live studio audience on The Drew Barrymore Show, her dad was nervous and excited for her and worried that she'd forget her questions, but she did perfectly. Nate Eaton said it brought tears to his eyes to see Emmy all grown up and doing something Nate has wanted to do since he was 12 — be a reporter.
Emmy's parents don't push her to be in the spotlight, and they would be completely fine if she decided to stop doing her interviews at any point, Nate Eaton said.
"So many things make me proud about watching her, and it's been cool to see her interviewing skills progress from the beginning to now," Nate Eaton said. "It's been cool to see her style, but what makes me proud is the stuff that is not written down, the questions or anything. She can ad-lib so great. And she listens and she asks great follow-up questions and can go where the conversation goes rather than being stuck to a set list of questions."
To come up with her interview questions, Emmy does a lot of research and even sometimes designs PowerPoint presentations about her interviewees. She hopes to one day take over Drew Barrymore's job, and her dream interviews are Justin Bieber, Zac Efron and Kate Middleton.
"I hope to inspire (people)," Emmy said, "just to make them really, really happy and think good thoughts like rainbows and sparkles and unicorns and all those fun things."
