51. Whispering Into Ratings Gold

Cesar Millan
Title: “The Dog Whisperer”
Age: “Do you want it in human years or dog years?”
Years in Industry: Dog Whisperer premiered in Sept. 2004 on NGC
Years left in the industry: “Many!”

Laureen Ong
Title: President, National Geographic Channel

John Ford
Title: EVP, programming at National Geographic Channel

Why Them? When it comes to hit show “The Dog Whisperer,” we’re just rabid fans. Cesar Millan’s advice has helped millions while boosting NatGeo's mass appeal. John Ford put Cesar on air in Sept 2004, and Laureen Ong has been thanking him ever since. Of course, NatGeo's success goes beyond Millan: Ong and Ford have greenlit cutting-edge shows like the highly rated “Inside 9/11” and the addictive “Naked Science.” It seems like calm, submissive confidence reigns at NatGeo these days. This pack is intact. - MG

Cesar Millan

Defining career moment: “When National Geographic Channel ordered 26 episodes of Dog Whisperer! And of course being on Oprah and having a best-selling book were nice icing on the cake.”
Top personal achievement in 2006: “Learning to balance my personal, family and business life – and being successful about it.”
In my free time, I like to: “Run with my pack of dogs in the mountains or on the beach – especially early in the morning when the sun is rising – you feel a part of Mother Nature, and there is no better feeling!”
Favorite restaurant: “Changes all the time, but right now Crustacean in Beverly Hills.”
Favorite city: “Mazatlan, Mexico (where I grew up)”
Three things I would take with me to a deserted island: “I would have to pick four—my wife, my two kids and a dog (you didn’t say I was stranded alone!)”
Favorite song: “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley
Favorite TV show not from your network: “Dogs with Jobs”
Favorite movie: “The Doberman Gang”
Favorite sports team: Los Angeles Lakers

Laureen Ong

What is your favorite word? “Experience. To the degree that we can become fully aware of it, the reality of experience offers each of us a continuous opportunity to test our beliefs, preferences and truths. One important test of a good idea is how adaptable it is to changing realities over time. The experience of life provides us with direct access to those changing realities I believe there is a high positive correlation between our ability to respond intelligently to new experiences and the degree to which can grow and change in a constructive way.”
What is your least favorite word? “Immutability. The idea that reality does not change, that the cosmos is static, negative and restrictive. To work from a framework that holds that assumption about reality hinders our ability to think largely, to solve problems and go forward constructively in the world.”
What turns you on? “A leisurely evening centered on a great meal with good friends.”
What turns you off? “Wasting time. I’m very driven and have much to accomplish.”
What sound do you love? “Laughter. It’s something we all share and it has the ability to alleviate stress and unpleasantness.”
What sound do you hate? “The screeching sound of metal rubbing against metal. Besides the ugliness of the sound, from a managerial perspective the thought of two immutable objects clashing till one gives way does not connote a constructive negotiation.”
What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? “Veterinarian. I have an incurable love of animals. Anything I might do in life to help them would bring me great joy.”
What profession would you not like to participate in? “Undertaker (though I was an avid fan of ‘Six Feet Under’).”
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “All are welcome.”

John Ford

What is your favorite word? “Congratulations”
What is your least favorite word? “‘Impacted,’ when it describes anything but a tooth.”
What turns you on? “I can't say that in CableFAX.”
What turns you off? “Shallowness.”
What sound do you love? “A hearty laugh”
What sound do you hate? “A resigned sigh.”
What profession other than yours would like to attempt? “Sportscasting.”
What profession would you not like to participate in? “Surfcasting.”
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “We thought you'd never get here!”

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