Reporting live from The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Canada event in Toronto on May 29, 2025, The TV Watercooler had the pleasure of speaking with the evening’s co-host, the effervescent Traci Melchor.
As one of the hosts of eTalk and a judge on Canada’s Drag Race, Traci is a beloved figure in Canadian entertainment. Traci reflected on her early days at MuchMusic, acknowledging the ever-evolving media landscape and the importance of adapting to new platforms.
She delved into the types of stories that currently capture her attention at eTalk, navigating the complexities of covering difficult news like the Diddy trial while maintaining her preference for celebrating the joyous moments in entertainment, like the American Music Awards.
Have loved you since your MuchMusic days!
MuchMusic is forever near and dear to my heart! It was my first paying gig. I did RapCity. It was awesome.
Are you sad things have changed with Much?
The one thing in life that is certain is change. We have to grow and evolve. If we’re all sitting in our own little bubble, then we wouldn’t be on TikTok or we wouldn’t be talking about Snapchat or Instagram. As a broadcaster, we have a big online presence too and I feel like the more content that we can get people who want it, to ingest it and get to partake in it, the better.
What are some of the stories that you’ve covered on eTalk recently that have you’re your attention?
The Diddy trial is very complex for me for a lot of reasons. It’s a big story that we have to cover. Then there’s Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds! I mean, obviously that’s a huge thing, but for me, I would like to stick to the joyous stories! So, let’s talk about the American Music Awards! Let’s talk about Janet Jackson! Or Jennifer Lopez and her many outfit changes. She’s been in the business for 30 years and is still showing the kittens how it’s done, right? You’re also getting Rod Stewart prancing across that stage like a little baby panther! These are the stories that I love.
I don’t take the Diddy story lightly because of all the trauma and allegations against him, but you know, it’s part of the job as an entertainment reporter.
Do you feel that in some ways things have evolved for the better? I remember starting out with my own celebrity blog at a time where the others were being so critical on young women like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan.
Yeah you look back and there were these grown men on their shows berating these young girls. Especially as a mother, I never cosign that behaviour. I lived in LA in the early 2000s, so I was going to Teddy’s and I was hanging out in West Hollywood and was part of that whole scene with my Juicy Couture track pants and my UGG boots! But as a black woman in this industry, I really felt for them. I’m an empath, which is hard sometimes when you’re supposed to be really objective as a reporter.
Check out the rest of The TV Watercooler’s coverage from The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Canada event here.