MARIO LOPEZ INTERVIEWS ME

Summary

Kat on the Loose – "MARIO LOPEZ INTERVIEWS ME"

Host: Kat Zammuto
Guest/Interviewer: Mario Lopez
Date: September 3, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this special role-reversal episode, Kat Zammuto sits in the guest chair as acclaimed entertainment journalist Mario Lopez hosts the conversation. Together, they peel back the curtain on Kat’s personal journey from surviving an abusive marriage to launching "Kat on the Loose," now a global top relationship podcast. The discussion navigates themes of authenticity, dating in and out of LA, the perils and potential of dating apps, advice for those in toxic relationships, and behind-the-scenes stories from Kat’s most memorable interviews. The tone is candid, energetic, and unfiltered, with Mario and Kat trading honest insights and memorable quips about love, resilience, and staying true to oneself.

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origin Story: Launching Kat on the Loose

• Kat’s Motivation:

  • After a 14-year abusive marriage, Kat started the podcast as an open platform to “vent” her experiences.
  • “Once I left, I was like, you know, the good news is that now I can say whatever I want. So I started venting…” – Kat, 03:21
  • The show’s authenticity and openness struck a chord, empowering listeners to connect through shared stories.

• Why the Show Resonates:

  • 100% unscripted and unedited; Kat values openness and transparency.
  • “I think because I put myself out there a lot. I’m super open and honest. It's 100% organic. We don’t edit, we don’t script. We just go for it.” – Kat, 04:01
  • Listeners, both women and men, find their experiences reflected in Kat's narratives of heartbreak and healing.

2. Authenticity and Relatability in Relationships

• Realness Over Geography:

  • Mario queries if dating in LA (“the hardest place in the world?”) is uniquely difficult.
  • Kat refutes this, chalking up dating challenges to personality, not location:
    • “I think there are good people and bad people everywhere. You just gotta, like, figure out who is good for you…” – Kat, 04:53

• Advice for People Stuck in Toxic Relationships:

  • Kat emphasizes not wasting time with the wrong person:
    • “Every day that you spend with the wrong person, the right person is out there trying to find you, so you’re just delaying the misery.” – Kat, 07:06
  • Mario highlights Kat’s example as someone who found strength and joy after leaving.

3. The State of Modern Dating

• Dating App Dilemma:

  • Kat expresses mixed feelings:
    • “I’m not a fan of dating apps, but I think they're a necessary evil sometimes...” – Kat, 06:23
  • She prefers meeting people organically—at events, through friends, or “in everyday life.”
    • “I love organic.” – Kat, 06:54

• Catfishing & Filters:

  • Concern with fake personas and old photos.
    • “Use current photos, right? … A lot of people put photos on their profiles from like 20 years ago.” – Kat, 09:21
  • Mario jokes about “aging hipsters” in clubs and the importance of authenticity.

• Advice for Dating:

  • “If you're really serious about finding a relationship, be authentic, right? Be yourself. Like, no BS ... just put your best face out there and be real. Be honest.” – Kat, 08:32

4. Podcast Growth & Notable Guests

• Standout Interviews:

  • Kat shares behind-the-scenes stories:
    • Brooke Burke hosted her at her home, becoming a friend.
    • Interviewed Candace Bushnell (Sex and the City author), a personal highlight.
      • “That was a really big one for me.” – Kat, 08:04

• Global Impact:

  • Mario notes the show’s reach (over 50 countries) and Kat’s consistency in being “no filter, no script.”

5. Advice for Aspiring Podcasters or Creators

• Persistence and Truth:
  • “A lot of people … think it's going to be easy. They think it's going to be like, oh, I'm going to get rich and famous in 10 minutes. And I think it's all about constancy and being real with your audience, showing up every day. Keep going, you know, like, it's … a marathon. It's not a sprint.” – Kat, 10:04
  • Mario echoes: “Authentic, consistent, and disciplined.” – Mario, 10:26

6. Kat’s Current Life and Future Directions

• Single Status:

  • Kat jokes about being “super, super, 1 million percent single.” – Kat, 10:34
  • Playful matchmaking banter from Mario.

• Expanding the Show:

  • Plans to “keep growing an audience, putting shows out there” and diversifying topics to include not just dating, but also healthy, lasting relationships.
  • Open invitation for Mario and his wife to come on the show to discuss marriage longevity.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Leaving Toxic Love:

  • “Every day that you spend with the wrong person, the right person is out there trying to find you, so you’re just delaying the misery.” – Kat, 07:06

• On Authenticity in Dating:

  • “Be yourself. Like, no BS … there's a lot of phonies out there.” – Kat, 08:32

• Advice to Creators:

  • “It's a marathon. It's not a sprint.” – Kat, 10:12

• On Her Single Status:

  • “No, I'm special. Super, super. 1 million percent single.” – Kat, 10:34

• On Podcast Format:

  • “We don’t edit, we don’t script. We just go for it.” – Kat, 04:01
  • “When someone meets you, you want them to like you the way you look now.” – Kat, 09:35

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:21] Kat recounts her reasons for starting "Kat on the Loose."
• [04:36] Mario probes if dating is harder in LA; Kat discusses dating everywhere.
• [06:23] Kat on dating apps and how she prefers to meet people.
• [07:06] Advice for leaving toxic relationships.
• [08:04] Kat describes her most inspiring podcast guests.
• [08:32] Kat’s #1 relationship advice for modern dating.
• [10:04] Encouragement to aspiring podcasters.
• [10:34] Kat affirms her single status and discusses future show plans.

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Tone & Style

The episode is marked by Kat’s signature candidness, humor, and vulnerability, matched by Mario’s energetic curiosity and supportive camaraderie. The conversation flows naturally, blending personal storytelling with actionable advice—making it accessible and inspiring for listeners facing similar struggles or considering their own creative journeys.

Summary provided for "Kat on the Loose – MARIO LOPEZ INTERVIEWS ME."

Transcript

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[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

So I wanted to give you guys this really fun episode where the tables were turned and instead of interviewing someone, I actually got interviewed by one of our top entertainment journalists in the United States, Mario Lopez. Mario is so high energy, so much fun. I was so honored to be on the studios of his super, super successful show on air with Mario. And I hope you guys enjoy the tables being turned on me. And if you want to watch the YouTube episode, make sure you go to the YouTube channel CAT on the Loose show. But first, let's talk about something so important to a lot of us. The quality of our sleep. And I know the topic of sleep divorce has been all over the media lately. When couples who still love each other decide to sleep in separate bedrooms because they cannot agree in the conditions of the sleep in their own bedroom. I met this incredible couple, the and James, who loved to fall asleep snuggled under the same blanket. But DJ was going through perimenopause and she was always waking up feeling super hot in the middle of the night. So one morning she woke up and she was like, what if her comforter had windows? And they created the most incredible luxury brand of comforters called Sleeping Dove. With naturally cooling windows that you can open or close depending on the temperature needs so everyone can sleep well together. Even single people such as myself that sleep with my pets, sometimes they make me feel super hot because they're all over me in the middle of the night. I just flap my window open and that's it. I invite you guys to check it out. The quality is absolutely incredible. Sleeping Dove, it's much More than a product, it's a love story, a wellness tool, and a reminder that comfort should feel both beautiful, personal and shared. Sleeping dove.com and on Instagram, Sleeping Dove.

[Mario Lopez]

Home several Mario Lopez with a very special guest in studio, Ms. Catherine Paris Zamuto. Nice to see. I love saying that name. Pretty name.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Hi, Mario. It's a pleasure being here with you.

[Mario Lopez]

Oh, it's a pleasure to have you. So Cat on the Loose is now one of the top relationship podcasts in the country, but it started after you left a long, abusive marriage. So you had to go through something incredibly difficult in your life to sort of launch this. Did you feel?

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Yeah, yeah. So Cat on the Loose started about four years ago, and it was literally just me venting about everything that I had been through. I was in a very complicated, abusive marriage for 14 years, and once I left, I was like, you know, the good news is that now I can say whatever I want. So I started venting, literally started a podcast at home, just venting and talking about my dating experiences, how it was being back in this chaotic dating world. And I realized everybody in the world has a story they want to share.

[Mario Lopez]

Well, it's very relatable. On first day, it struck a chord because there's obviously millions of podcasts out there and it's very competitive. But why didn't you struck a quarter of people?

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

I think because I put myself out there a lot. I'm super open and honest. It's 100 organic. We don't add it, we don't script. We just go for it.

[Mario Lopez]

Right.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

And I think it's very relatable. A lot of women and men out there, they listen, they're like, oh, my God, I've been through this. I've been through heartbreak. I've been through some kind of situation that. That they relate with.

[Mario Lopez]

Yeah, I know. People appreciate authenticity because we don't get too much of it out here, especially in la. And here in la, speaking of which, you know, there's this Hollywood and celebrities saying, paparazzi, is it? Is dating here the hardest place in the world?

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Look, in my opinion, I don't think dating has anything to do with geography. We get that question a lot in L. A. Right. Because we are in the Hollywood industry. And they're like, oh, is it more complicated? I think they're nice people with good intentions, and I think so, too.

[Mario Lopez]

And there's a lot of people, millions of people out here.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Yeah, right. So I think it's not geography because, like, if you go to New York, the Girls in New York are like, oh, this is so complicated. In la, I think there are good people and bad people everywhere. You just gotta, like, figure out who is good for you, you know?

[Mario Lopez]

Exactly.

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[Mario Lopez]

Are you a fan of dating apps?

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

I'm not a fan of dating apps, but I think they're necessary evil sometimes, you know, you might cross paths with people that you would otherwise never see. So, you know, it's part of the game.

[Mario Lopez]

So how do you meet people?

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

I meet people because I'm always out and about. Right. So I meet people at events, I meet people through friends. I meet people in my everyday life. Now, obviously nowadays social media, right, we get bombarded with messages.

[Mario Lopez]

Okay. Yeah. So old school, though, basically.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

I love organic.

[Mario Lopez]

Yeah, no, I agree. And what would you say to someone that's maybe in a relationship that could be toxic or they're going through something, but sometimes habit is stronger than love and they don't want to leave.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Yeah, it's a really tough one. Right. But what I would say is that every day that you spend with the wrong person, the right person is out there trying to find you, so you're just delaying the misery. Like in my case, it took me 14 years to get out of like a super nasty marriage.

[Mario Lopez]

Yeah.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

So I think the sooner you find your strength and get out of It. The sooner you're going to build the life of your dreams like I'm living for.

[Mario Lopez]

Yeah. Oh, good, good. Yeah. You seem very happy and I know you have a bunch of guests on. On your show to celebrities and all kinds of great personalities. We do surprised the most.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Oh, my God. I've had some incredible people come on the show, so it's like a laundry list, Right. I interviewed some people here from LA that I love. Brooke Burke, she actually opened her house to us, which is something that is very different on candles as well. We don't just do the studio, but sometimes we go to the homes of our guests. So I became good friends with Brooke. Yeah, she's adorable. We had Candace Bush. Now I'm a huge Saxon visitor.

[Mario Lopez]

Oh, wow. Okay.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

So that was a really big one for me. Yeah.

[Mario Lopez]

So people.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

We had some really good people.

[Mario Lopez]

And this dating culture seems to be full of, like, fake profiles and filters and people ghosting each other and each other's ghosting each other and. And I don't know, there's a lot of superficial layers I think you got to cut through right now. What's one piece of advice you would give men or women before the next day?

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Yeah. So I think if you're really serious about finding a relationship, be authentic, right? Be yourself. Like, no bs because that's the number one complaint of men and women. There's a lot of phonies out there. So if you're serious about finding someone, just put your best face out there and be real. Be honest.

[Mario Lopez]

You got to be real. Be honest. That's what I try to tell this guy all the time. He said, you're. You're a little too old to be an aging hipster. It's kind of a sad look. These young girls are like, who's this old guy in the club? You know what I mean? I said, well, you're never going to find someone if you're putting in. Stuck in the environment where he's got to get out and be with, like, real people. That's sad. Then you're going to end up alone and nobody because yay. You know what I mean? That's. That's a pathetic deal right there. Don't you agree? I'm good. I'm. I've got some professional zacking.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Use current photos, right? Use current photos. Because a lot of people put photos on their profiles from like 20 years ago.

[Mario Lopez]

Yeah, Esterman, at least it's great. Not everybody in this room is, like, guilty of all these things. Solid.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

When someone meets you, you Want them to like you the way you look now.

[Mario Lopez]

Yeah, exactly.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Pull your best face out there. Be real.

[Mario Lopez]

You don't want to be catfish right there. And I love that you. You've got a massive audience. It's over 50 countries. And again, you can tell you're very authentic. No filter, no script. If anyone out there is just getting started and wants to maybe kind of get into this and it doesn't necessarily have to come from pain, what would you say to them as far as never giving up?

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Yes. I think a lot of people that get started on a podcast or a show, and I'm sure you know that better than anybody else. Right. They think it's going to be easy.

[Mario Lopez]

Yeah.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

They think it's going to be like, oh, I'm going to get rich and famous in 10 minutes. And I think it's all about constancy and being real with your audience showing up every day. Keep going, you know, like, it's. It's. It's a marathon. It's not a sprint.

[Mario Lopez]

It's exactly right. Authentic, consistent, and disciplined.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Yes.

[Mario Lopez]

That's great. Are you. Are you anyone special in your life right now?

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

No, I'm special. Super, super. 1 million percent single. So if you want to pick me up.

[Mario Lopez]

Okay.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

If you want to match me with anyone, feel free to do so.

[Mario Lopez]

There's dudes in the room right now. We'll have to see. We'll have to see. I. I don't know they could keep up with a woman like you. What's next for Cat on the Loose?

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

Well, you know, we're going to keep growing an audience, putting shows out there. You have an open door, by the way, to. I love to have you in coffee.

[Mario Lopez]

I'm happily married, so I can come from a place.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

But listen, I. We talk a lot about dating, but we also talk a lot about relationships. And I love talking about, like, love stories, power.

[Mario Lopez]

You need positive stories like that to.

[Catherine Paris Zamuto]

How do you get a marriage going so strong and work together and do everything? Because I'm all about that. Right. Okay. I like your style. Love to have you guys. All right.

[Mario Lopez]

Thank you. Take yoga night.