Lara Spencer’s Dogs Almost Delay Her Daily “Good Morning America” Start
Lara Spencer wakes at 4:10 a.m. to prepare for Good Morning America. Her dogs often delay her daily start for the show. She shared her routine with Filmogaz.com for the My Good Morning series.
New show and personal connection
Spencer, 56, is hosting That Thrifting Show. The competition premieres March 19 on Freeform at 9 p.m. ET and appears on Hulu beginning March 20.
Contestants receive $2,000 and two days to redesign a room. They must use thrifted or up-cycled pieces. Spencer says the series honors her late mother, who died in February.
Family, husband and kids
Her husband is Rick McVey. He retired and now sleeps later than he used to. Spencer still kisses him goodbye each morning.
Her children are Duff, 24, and Kate, 21. Checking on them is her first thought after waking.
Mother’s influence
She credits her mom for her thrifting roots. As the youngest of six, she joined many trips to flea markets. Those memories inspired the new show.
Dog-driven morning delays
Spencer’s dogs are named Riva and Betty. Betty is a corgi who responds to treat tricks.
Riva has a habit of holding out for a larger chicken treat. That behavior often slows Spencer down. She joked that this led to diet dog food and an apology to her driver.
Daily routine, commute and work prep
The alarm tone is deliberately unpleasant. She keeps her phone in a closet to force herself out of bed. She dims the screen to avoid waking her husband.
She aims to leave by 4:45 a.m. to beat traffic from Connecticut. In the car she sips hot lemon water and checks ABC News and the show rundown. She asks the driver to play 1010 WINS for headlines.
Food and on-the-go staples
- She waits to have coffee until after lemon water.
- She often grabs a banana and high-protein yogurt for later.
- She alternates between a Starbucks vanilla latte and deli coffee.
On-air preparation and style
Makeup and hair begin as soon as she arrives at work. She applies vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and moisturizer early. Tory Johnson supplies many of her favorite beauty finds.
Spencer prefers comfortable clothing for the commute. She favors Vuori sweats for their versatile look. A large wardrobe at the office provides her on-air outfits.
Products she uses
- Goop Beauty Vita-C Brightening Eye Cream
- The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid
- Josie Maran Pure Argan Milk moisturizer
- K18 shampoo and conditioner
Spencer says she feels grateful and optimistic most mornings. She balances that positivity with careful preparation. That combination helps her bring energy to Good Morning America each day.
