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CNN Today

Father's Day: Orelon Sidney Reunites with her Dad

Aired June 16, 2000 - 2:22 p.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

LOU WATERS, CNN ANCHOR: Father's Day is Sunday, but have you noticed, Father's Day doesn't get as much fanfare Mother's Day.

ANDRIA HALL, CNN ANCHOR: That's true, but for many of us, it is a chance to reconnect with the men in our lives who seemed to spend just a little too much time at work and on the road from us.

For one father and daughter, reunion was a long time in coming, but all the sweeter for the wait.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ORELON SIDNEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We're a small family, me and my dad and the dog, which looks odd but it works.

(on camera): I'll get her dad, come here Zeke, come here, come here.

(voice-over): My mom died like, 18 years ago. One of the last things she said to me was she wanted me to get close to my dad.

(on camera): I'll come and sit here with dad.

JOE SIDNEY, FATHER OF ORELON: We need to get you something to drink, sweetheart.

O. SIDNEY: Eat a piece of cake. Actually I had something to drink.

When did you and mom get divorced?

J. SIDNEY: Oh God, it was 1967.

O. SIDNEY: So I was three. So I really don't remember living with dad.

I remember -- do you remember when I used to fall out of the crib. You used to pick me up, put me back in there?

J. SIDNEY: Yes, Absolutely.

O. SIDNEY: I remember that.

Was in -- you know, during the Vietnam War, and so he was in the Air Force and moved around a lot. It was hard, especially with him being overseas and stuff, so we kept in touch. It was always -- for me it was never enough, I don't know how dad felt, but for me it was never -- really never enough. I kind of always had that hole there I think.

I used to come visit my dad and he would say, "why don't you try to get a job here in Atlanta," and I always thought, yes, sure, that will be easy. right? So my agent sends a tape, unbeknownst to me, to CNN, boom, here I am, I got the job.

J. SIDNEY: Yes, the rest is history.

O. SIDNEY: The rest is history.

So dad was like, "well, why, you know, you don't need to rent an apartment, all that stuff, while you're here." So we figured it might last maybe a week, two. It's been almost three years, it's been really good.

J. SIDNEY: Here's Orelon in her natural habitat.

O. SIDNEY: No, we'd have to go to Macy's.

J. SIDNEY: I think my biggest adjustment was having somebody in the house, because I've been single for over 20 years, been living by myself that long. So it was -- that was the biggest adjustment to me.

O. SIDNEY: It was fun but he loves it don't you?

J. SIDNEY: Yes, yes, I'm crazy about her.

O. SIDNEY: He thinks he's a great thing, it's time for you to go, kid.

He's always thinking about other people. He's always cooking stuff for me to take to work, it's why everybody in the weather station is getting fat.

It makes it hard to date, though, because guys find out you live with your dad, you know, and they're like, you do, they say: I'm out of here, there's something really strange about this kid, I'm out of here.

J. SIDNEY: And on the other hand it's a little difficult for me as well, sometimes, too.

O. SIDNEY: Oh, please, oh please.

J. SIDNEY: Wait, your daughter lives with you.

O. SIDNEY: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, time out.

J. SIDNEY: Oh no, we don't want to go there.

I'd say that's the kind of person she really is, you know, she will tell you like it is and if you don't like it, then that's tough. O. SIDNEY: That sounds a lot like you.

J. SIDNEY: Yes, I know. Like I said, scary, huh? Yes, well,

O. SIDNEY: Just slightly.

I know God loves me, if I never get another blessing in life, how many people can say that they've made their life complete. And it's not anything I did. So, it's a gift, it's a real gift. It makes something complete, it kind of puts the icing on the cake, and I feel like some of the things that happened when I was a kid, some things I felt like I missed out on, I'm making up for now. So then I can leave that behind and I can go forward. Does that make sense?

J. SIDNEY: Makes sense to me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HALL: Makes sense to me too, wow.

WATERS: Yes, and a happy Father's Day to Joe from our very own Orelon Sidney.

HALL: Orelon, I finally got to see your dad. You talk about him all the time in make-up. He does your hair, he makes you food, can we get lessons from him?

O. SIDNEY: He's great, you know, he really is. He's kind of a jack-of-all-trades if you will. He's built a lot of things around the house. You know, he's just the kind of person, I said in the piece, he's always thinking about other people, he's always baking food for us here. The neighbors are sick, he's always taking something, he'll go to the store and think, I need to get something for Ms. so-and-so, because, you know, she's had a hard week, or something like that.

WATERS: Do you think you will ever get a date, Orelon?

O. SIDNEY: Probably not after this.

HALL: I've got a list of guys that wouldn't mind, Orelon. Well, of course, we have to run them by Joe.

O. SIDNEY: That's very true, and he's tough, let me tell you.

HALL: OK, thanks, Orelon.

WATERS: OK.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

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