10 things you didn't know about Gene Lavanchy

BOSTON — Get to know morning anchor Gene Lavanchy!

1. You’re from around here, right? Where did you go to high school?

I went to Walpole High School!

2. What was your first job?

My first job was at the Royal Crest Condominiums off of Washington St. in Walpole – I watered the lawns. This was before they had sprinkler systems put in, and I’d go around, start up top, move the sprinklers around so the lawn would get watered evenly.

3. Do you have a favorite movie?

I've got a couple favorite movies. One of my favorites is Used Cars, little-known comedy from the 1980s with Kurt Russell, it's hilarious; Back to the Future, one of my favorite movies; Sting; Shawshank Redemption, all good.

4. What’s your favorite sport?

Good question. I would say to watch, sport to watch, football. Sport to participate in, or whatever it is, baseball. I got a son who’s a baseball player at Wheaton [College], I coached them up through Little League and stuff like that, so, you know, probably those two.

5. What is something that you like to do in your free time?

I usually relax, I like to read, you know, I’ll flip through some television shows, maybe binge watch a little bit… I’m a big Modern Family fan, I like that show, I got into Silicon Valley, and I can’t wait for that second season to come out — third season, I guess it would be, now, so that’s one of the shows I binge watched last year.

6. What is your dream vacation?

Ooh, dream vacation would be anywhere with palm trees and sand and a piña colada.

7. If you could time travel, what period of history would you want to go to?

I’d go back to the Civil War Era. I’d like to hear Abraham Lincoln’s voice, I’d like to hear him talk, maybe the Gettysburg Address – something in that era, I think it would be fascinating. I have a very strong interest in that part of American History.

8. If you could dine with any person in history, who would it be?

[Abraham] Lincoln certainly from a historical point of view, for someone who is, obviously, deceased. If I could have a beer with John Mellencamp, I’d enjoy that, or any member of the cast of Modern Family would be good as well.

9. What is your favorite time of year?

I would probably say, around here, it’s summer. Because we soldier through winter, and get beat up and knocked around, so that when summer arrives, it’s out time to enjoy it, and we’re rewarded for everything we have to put up with… I enjoy the holidays, too, but that’s, you know, a few weeks. But on the grander scale of time, I definitely love the summer.

10. What is your favorite thing about Boston?

People. They’re awesome. They’re so, you know, they’re fun, they’re funny, they don’t take themselves too seriously, they can take a joke. Everybody I know in this town is just great, and you see them out and you interact with people, that’s what I love most. And, you know, great restaurants, obviously the history here, it’s a beautiful city, you can walk the city, and you’re so close to so many other things – the beach, the mountains, whatever you want – it’s just a great place. But, I love the people here, they’re fun, and it’s just a great place to be.

Cox Media Group