Jaimie Yuccas knows what it is to go to the ends of the earth for a great story. Since coming to CBS News in 2015, the insightful and vivacious reporter has become known for her coverage on wildfires in Australia, her stints in Italy, and the multitude of points across the US. Jaimie Yuccas quickly became a fixture with her features for “CBS This Morning,” and despite the impact of the coronavirus quarantine, the Minnesota native always manages to capture a unique angle in an interview.
Speaking of unique story angles, this morning’s April 21 feature for “CBS This Morning” by Jaimie Yuccas took an unexpected turn for the journalist. Her story on social distance dating, in these days, dominated by news of COVID-19 has taken Yuccas on an unexpected romantic detour.
Jaimie Yuccas probes into romance started on a rooftop
“CBS This Morning” recently debuted a regular segment, “The New Normal,” depicting real-people and their experiences as they adjust to self quarantining and social-distancing requirements. Jaimie Yuccas decided that she would follow up with Jeremy Cohen and Tori Cignarella from Brooklyn, who met last month in soaring fashion.
Jeremy was captivated by seeing Tori dancing with beautiful abandon on her rooftop. After a quick “Hi” from his balcony, Cohen alerted Tori that he was going to send her something. He put his phone number on his drone and “flew it over to her.”
Since that initial overture, the two have shared or virtual dinner on the rooftop, an in-person stroll with Jeremy inside a protective plastic bubble, and a birthday surprise for Tori, straight off the screen from “Say Anything,” complete with a vintage boombox, as Jaimie Yuccas was careful not to leave out.
Besides the grand gestures, Tori was quick to add that “we just really get along” in her “CBS This Morning” interview. Even mothers of grown children, like Jamie Shapiro, are enjoying dipping their toes into a meeting by modern technology.
Shapiro wasn't shy about telling Jaimie Yuccas about her recent experience of being “stood up” by her face-time date after she had gone to the trouble of putting on makeup. “I was mad,” she admitted, sharing a chuckle with the correspondent, Jamie.
Daniel Jones, the editor of the “Modern Love” column in the New York Times, notes how “inhibitions fall away” through the new forms of social connection. “You can ask the deeper questions,” he elaborates, focusing on the past, dreams, mistakes, future hopes and lessons learned much more quickly. Tinder and other formats are pushing users toward “video date” conversations, which last 20 minutes on average, surprising Jaimie Yuccas. One of the correspondent’s subjects described the process as being akin to “having a video penpal” before actually meeting face-to-face.
Stranger things have happened in the world of romance, and the craving for connections has never been so strong.
The COVID-19 crisis came too close for comfort to Jaimie Yuccas
Jaimie Yuccas gives more props to her pet, Dottie, on her Instagram bio than to her prestigious career progress. She has earned two Emmys, and her coverage of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 put her in front of millions of American viewers at the height of the northeastern devastation in the US.
The coronavirus battle that is besieging the world at the moment is unlike any natural disaster. Those in the path of a hurricane at least know how to prepare their homes and moved to a place of safety. No one yet has the perfect weapon against this infecting foe, and home is the only refuge.
Among the photographs shared by Jaimie Yuccas is one with her fellow “CBS This Morning” correspondent and contributor, Seth Doane. Doane just released from 41 days under quarantine in Italy after contracting COVID-19 in March. The longtime CBS journalist courageously made every effort to personally contact everyone with whom he personally had contact to let them know of the potential risk. “CBS This Morning,” Jaimie Yuccas, and everyone familiar with Seth is glad to see him and his husband, Andrea Pastorelli, restored to full health.
Is a real date the next assignment for Jaimie Yuccas?
When Jaimie Yuccas cited a recent poll, reflecting that only 5% of singles would not consider dating during the coronavirus self-quarantining, “CBS This Morning” co-anchor, Tony Dokoupil noted some less official dating information.
“I little birdie told me that you’ve been trying the dating apps through the pandemic,” asserted Tony.
“I was only going to do ‘research’” confirmed the professional journalist, but she could not conceal that after going through the process of texting, calling, and zoom-dating. “I've been on three zoom dates, and I've met someone that I'm really having fun getting to know,” 37-year-old Jaimie Yuccas gushed.
“It's kind of old-fashioned,” described the lovely blond, but in these uncertain times, virtual and cyber dating certainly bring a definite, unpretentious comfort.
“If he didn't know you liked him, he knows now!” blurted Dokoupil over Jamie's new beau. Yuccas only giggled.
Viewers will have to stay tuned for further romantic updates. There's nothing like the flourish of love to morning TV Shows.