"Aerobics Girl" from GWTV tells all!!!

Junior Melinda Pearl doesn't mind if you make fun of her show, MelindAerobics, which inexplicably airs on GWTV whenever you have insomnia. She's just happy to have viewers... and she probably has more than are willing to admit they watch. It's a bizarre show to stumble upon--not every channel can get away with making an entire show out of a peppy college student doing aerobics in her dorm room.

(Note: GWTV programming is available on their facebook page. I hear MelindAerobics will be available soon... I'll post it here as soon as it is!)

GWBlgspt: So... Why is MelindAerobics always on when I can't sleep?

MP: All of our stuff on GWTV runs on a loop. Since we don't get money from the university, it makes it hard for us to have an actual T.V. schedule. We can't program things so we know exactly when something comes on. It just keeps running on a loop until we take it off the air. But it is an actual GWTV show and we do have different episodes and seasons. We are currently in our second season.

GWBlgspt: Do you get recognized around campus because of the show?

MP: People recognize me as the "aerobics girl" on the street, in class, in clubs, ALL THE TIME. It's pretty funny to me and I take it as a huge compliment and I'm so happy to see/hear that people actually watch! I don't care if they watch to do it or to make-fun of it, I'm just happy we have viewers! I'm not lying but one girl actually stopped me on the street last year and told me I changed her life - that she used to be lazy and never went to the gym but with MelindAerobics she works out in her room and loves working out now and feels so much healthier. I was so excited I gave her a hug and almost cried! I told her that was the biggest compliment anyone could ever give me and I will never forget it.

GWBlgspt: Late one recent Saturday night, I was with a group of people, and for some reason your show came up, and almost everyone seemed to know what it was. We turned on the TV, and sure enough you were on. So we tried to mimic you and made fools out of ourselves, but it was a good time. How do you feel about having this kind of effect on people?

MP: Your story is really funny and makes me really happy. I'm glad I have this kind of effect on people. I'm proud that I've produced something that people can have fun doing, laugh about and even secretly watch if they are embarrassed that they are a "closeted aerobics fan." I hope people keep watching and keep working out with me - I'm really passionate about health and fitness and if I can make exercise fun, worthwhile and something college students can get excited about doing, than I'm thrilled.

GWBlgspt: Why aerobics?

MP: I like aerobics because I think it's a fun and effective workout. The idea behind aerobics is to be strong, healthy, and fit, not to be super skinny like so many people misperceive exercise to be. Honestly, I workout every day because I love it and it's my job but so many people don't have time to go to the gym, college kids are busy. So I thought, what better way to keep people active than to have an easy-to-follow, effective workout on TV that they can do on their own time without even leaving their room.

Thanks for the interview, Melinda! Melinda is an Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) certified group fitness instructor, and her show airs on GWTV.... whenever you find yourself lying awake at night.