Catching up with Dagmar Midcap a year later
Dagmar Midcap on the WGCL-TV set in 2008. CREDIT: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Just shy of a year ago, I met with Dagmar Midcap minutes after she had handed in her resignation at CBS Atlanta (WGCL-TV). At the Silver Skillet not far from the station in Midtown, she looked tired, depressed, defeated. She said a year after her boyfriend committed suicide, she needed to leave town.
She told me about taking sleeping and anti-anxiety pills, how she couldn’t focus on work and would have crying jags. Within a few weeks after that interview, she had left Atlanta for good, moving to Los Angeles with Internet consultant Kyle Hudson and three dogs. (She said she and Kyle are just friends. “He’s like my brother,” she said.)
The change of scenery helped, she said. She already had a manager, Robbie Kass, who also represents former wrestler and current actress Stacy Keibler and Atlanta actress Jasmine Guy. He helped her get an agent at talent agency IMG named Babette Perry, who also represents Phil Keoghan (”The Amazing Race”) Elisabeth Hasselbeck (”The View”) and Tom Bergeron (”Dancing With the Stars”).
“I missed the ocean,’ she said. (Prior to Atlanta, she spent time in Seattle and Vancouver.)
But Midcap continued to have health issues and nightmares. She sought alternative remedies including herbal remedies. That’s when she met Barry Kendall, a doctor who specializes in neurofeedback.
This is a controversial medical process in which individuals have electrodes placed on their head. They are then trained to change their brain waves to reduce a host of ailments, including anxiety and stress. This New York Times story last year notes that it’s seldom covered by health insurance and can cost at least $3,000 for 30 sessions.
Midcap has been going once or twice a week since March and said her world has improved significantly.
“My life has turned 180 degrees,” she said. “I”m shocked how well it’s worked. You don’t forget the people you love. The pain just has less control over you. It doesn’t debilitate you.”
She now spends her days doing yoga, walking her dogs and enjoying the beach.
She no longer has to take the anti-anxiety medicines to ward away bad memories of her ex boyfriend, whose name she doesn’t want revealed for the family’s sake. She said on July 27, the second anniversary of his suicide, she spoke to his parents for the first time in six months. “No tears, no breakdown,” she said. “I’m starting to remember the good. It was so dark and painful. I had to suppress a lot of it. Nobody talk to me about it. Now I can.”
After a few months off her blog, she reappeared on July 27, the second anniversary of her ex-boyfriend’s suicide.
I truly apologize for my silence in response to the thousands of kind-hearted people who reached out with words and thoughts of encouragement. I have not until recently, had the inner strength to respond in any meaningful way as the emotions were still too fresh and heavy to bear. For all the love that was sent my way, thank you – you may never understand how deeply it was felt.
I have taken the past year to reorganize heart, mind and body at the most profound levels. For me personally, simply standing at the waters’ edge has had extraordinary regenerative effects…
Where my renewed life will lead me is the adventure I look forward to most greatly. It might be back in front of the camera, it may be in the jungles of Costa Rica aiding wildlife conservation – or both…whatever that new path may be, my paramount desire remains to help safeguard our planet’s wondrous ecosystems while delivering joy and inspiration to all I can reach.
Midcap said she had saved enough money to last a year but she is now at a point where she needs to more aggressively seek a job. She has been networking, recently hobnobbing with Scott Sassa, president of Hearst Entertainment & Syndication, a joint venture with Mark Burnett Productions.
“I’ve done a little bit of voice work and commercial work,” she said. “But it’s time to really get back in. I feel good.”
Ideally, Midcap said she’d like to host a TV show, perhaps something with animals, but would be willing to go back to doing weather. She cut out early on her contract with Meredith Corp. at CBS Atlanta and promised if she were to work at a TV station again, it would be in a market where Meredith does not own stations.
For context, if you’re reading this, you probably already know that Midcap came to Atlanta in 2007 and quickly made a splash as the station’s morning weather reader. Fans loved her warm voice, tight sweaters and comforting demeanor. She didn’t have a meteorology degree but didn’t pretend to be an expert on that front either. She went from mornings to evenings within a year and soon CBS plastered billboards of her all over town. Her sudden departure was a shock for viewers.
Kass, her agent, said they are seeking new opportunities for her and hopes something will come along soon. He saw her on the news in Atlanta last year and approached her to be her agent because he sensed something special about her. “There are not many women,” he said, “who can fly a helicopter or ride a motorcycle. She’s fearless, not only in terms of what she’s capable of doing but in terms of her ambitions.”
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By Rodney Ho, rho@ajc.com, AJCRadioTV blog
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125 comments Add your comment
Michael
August 18th, 2011
12:26 pm
How much bank does a weathergirl make that a year later “She now spends her days doing yoga, walking her dogs and enjoying the beach.”?
BiggDawg
August 18th, 2011
12:29 pm
Three generations of males enjoyed watching Dagmar do the weather.
Hasn’t been the same since she left the ATL
Jay
August 18th, 2011
12:40 pm
I can think of a couple reasons why I miss her.
chris
August 18th, 2011
12:46 pm
miss your smile in the mornings…and your humor ! god be with you on your recovery journey
Benita
August 18th, 2011
12:49 pm
Miss her, she was the best.
I liked her a lot
August 18th, 2011
12:52 pm
Hope she will be happy again—I renamed my cat Dagmar because I miss her
dave
August 18th, 2011
12:53 pm
She should get some medical weed, that will help her I guarantee it. She should also run for president.
SG
August 18th, 2011
12:54 pm
I was thinking about her last week and how much I miss her. Thanks for the update and good news. Stay Strong Dagmar! The Lord loves you and we do too!
steve
August 18th, 2011
1:00 pm
She wasn’t even a meterologist and became one of the best weather persons in Atlanta when she was here!!!! Miss you Dagmar!!!!
William
August 18th, 2011
1:03 pm
I really did like to look at those sweaters!!!!!!!
britt
August 18th, 2011
1:08 pm
lmao @ MassDawg ever taken a look at the outfits of those women on Fox News? objectification of women is an activity BOTH parties like to enjoy.
britt
August 18th, 2011
1:09 pm
also, ““There are not many women,” he said, “who can fly a helicopter or ride a motorcycle.”
Why is he so surprised by this??
willydoit?
August 18th, 2011
1:16 pm
Hey Dagmar!! Larry Wachs of the Regular Guys is single!!
Yeah C’mon back to Atlanta!!
Rip n' Read
August 18th, 2011
1:17 pm
Wow, she is one hot mess.
Pathetic and lovable at the same time.
Kat
August 18th, 2011
1:18 pm
Put her in a video short with the woman from the Delta safety video…
Ron
August 18th, 2011
1:20 pm
I am waiting to she which station she goes to so perhaps I can get it on the Net. Miss her.
matt
August 18th, 2011
1:47 pm
Must be a slow day if we are concerned with what the former weather girl is doing.
Andy Capp
August 18th, 2011
1:59 pm
Dagmar, please come back… your smile was sunshine on a cloudy day… the sweaters were a bonus too! So stylish, so rackish (so form fitting). She could be telling me to get in the basement right away, a tornado is just down the street, and I would have to wait till they cut to commercial, or away from the holy trinity of “redhead, with blazing smile, sparkling eyes, and a spunky disposition that melted more than just one heart here in Atlanta.
Andy Capp
August 18th, 2011
2:00 pm
Oh, and Matt… you been sucking lemons all day?
rob
August 18th, 2011
2:06 pm
I miss Dagmar, but now the folks in Cobb county have been able to see thier weather the past year!!! (think about it…)
willy pete
August 18th, 2011
2:10 pm
my cure for depression,about 10 budweiser’s,works every time
Velveeta Smith
August 18th, 2011
2:19 pm
blah blah blah dagmar skagmar kissy kissy.
Who cares?
Whisky Breath
August 18th, 2011
2:24 pm
I think I speak for the majority, we will all miss her. She could brighten up anybody’s day.
Johnny Anchorage/Atlanta
August 18th, 2011
3:10 pm
OH MY !!! Its Dagmar…. Please Please Please come back to us…. There’s nothing wrong with the new girl, but she aint YOU!
Haywood Jablome
August 18th, 2011
3:18 pm
hope she be successful in applying her enthusiasm, good-looks, life experience and celebrity for animal rescue advocacy.
steve
August 18th, 2011
3:28 pm
JJ – You can’t be serious. The whole reason she was hired was to be a barbie pin-up. She isn’t even a Meteorologist. She was an actress. Her whole act was her looks and she was a willing participant.
I liked watching her but let’s keep it real here. If she was the same person but 50 pounds more she wouldn’t have gotten the job to begin with.
kkong
August 18th, 2011
3:33 pm
People in Atlanta are known for being rude and low class. We see it every day in “vents” and other areas where public comments are shown. Dagmar, you are loved and missed by many. We’re glad that you seem to be doing well. God bless you.
DLink
August 18th, 2011
3:51 pm
Easy on the eyes, easy on the ears, kinda like having the easygoing neighbor telling you all about the weather. You just relax and enjoy the company. For this, you don’t need a degree, just a friendly face and pleasant demeanor.
Not too serious, not too condescending just the girl next door talking about the weather. Not being a “Pro” was definitely part of her appeal.
If I “NEED” the weather, I’ll get it online, real-time – within 1 mile of my house, past track and future track from professional meteorologists. I watched the weather on TV for the pleasant one-sided chat with the girl next door. Dagmar Midcap, miss ya neighbor!
Dagmars Cans
August 18th, 2011
3:55 pm
I think Dagmar should just video tape herself jumping up and down and they put a 5 minute section of the news showing it.
R. P. McMurphy
August 18th, 2011
4:25 pm
So let me get this straight; she was “shocked” after electrodes were placed on her head?
Obama Is Wrong
August 18th, 2011
4:31 pm
Wait! You mean she was/is a liberal? Damn, there goes that dream. Why is it that all the good looking women are libs and thus are clueless? Are there any gorgeous women out there who also are conservative and have a clue?
Harvey D. Pooka
August 18th, 2011
4:43 pm
I miss her and more importantly, wish her all the best and much peace of mind (and heart) in future endeavors. But, you know what: I miss Laura Huckabee even more.
Jake
August 18th, 2011
5:01 pm
@RapidEvictor
Spot On! I really can’t stand weak people especially the ones that are so admired. Suck it up Dagmar and live! I do not feel sorry for you.
Betty
August 18th, 2011
5:03 pm
frankly, I did not like the ‘whisper” voice but like DLink said some do not care if they are Pro’s or not can go to the Weather Channel to get the weather but I wish her the best
Road Scholar
August 18th, 2011
5:18 pm
Britt/MasDawg: If Murdock looses his license /ownership of Fox news, you’d better sell yor stock in companies that produce/sell blonde hair coloring!
Dagmar, the best for you in your future.
Jake
August 18th, 2011
5:20 pm
Dagmar is very beautiuful but I enjoy Justin Lock coverage of the weather report more. Gawking is not my style. Most seem to like Dagmar because of her breast. Hell, you can see that anywhere. Lock gets the job done better.
dagmar rocked
August 18th, 2011
5:30 pm
She seems like a truly nice lady, adventurous, very attractive and easy going, to boot. I wish her well,
as I’m sure we all do. I also wish her peace with her continuing struggles to put her past behind her. Lastly, I wish she would acquiesce to at least a Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, if not Playboy. That’d pay some bills. Those pups are glorious!!!
BlahBlahBlah
August 18th, 2011
5:50 pm
She could be the finish line babe on Wipeout!
Paddy O
August 18th, 2011
6:23 pm
Fearless? Is this the new face & concept of fearless? Remarkable the manure that gets passed around as conversation. I like Dagmar – we shall see what she is willing to do to make $$.
Greg from Marietta
August 18th, 2011
6:26 pm
I really appreciate the update on a very special young lady. Dagmar always answered my emails when she was here in Atlanta and was never anything less than sweet and considerate. I miss her warm smile and magnetic personality on CBS 46. It is so great to hear that she is doing better and if you communicate with her again please relay that she is still loved and missed here in the greater Atlanta market.
jw
August 18th, 2011
6:26 pm
Wouldn’t we all love to be her internet consultant that moved out west with her! – even if we were just friends, brothers, BFF’s – wow!
Jake, it just sounded so much better when Dagmar read it –
You don’t really believe they really study that stuff, do you?
You’d figure they would hit the forecast better than 15 or 20 percent of the time –
Only baseball lets you produce at equal or lower percentages and pay you a 67 digit salary for it!
Admit it – you liked her too!
Chae
August 18th, 2011
6:32 pm
Dagmar’s emotional response is actually well within the range of what an otherwise well-adjusted person may respond to an emotional trauma of that scope. It is in fact those of you who simply ask her to suck it up that fall farther out the spectrum of emotional response. If you can “suck it up” as you urge, it would suggest some level of psychosis.
Dave Perry
August 18th, 2011
6:44 pm
I would love to see her as a host or co-host of an automobile show; maybe replace one of the lame brains on the American version of Top Gear on The History Channel or join the crew on The Car Show on Speedchannel. She would be great at that because the segments she did at Ch. 46 on cars was great. And hey, let’s face it, she’s easy on the eyes too!
TC
August 18th, 2011
7:03 pm
Her replacement is hot so who cares
Life Goes On
August 18th, 2011
7:29 pm
@Charles & Evictor
“Dramatic”? I hope you never experience the helplessness of loving someone in an abyss of depression who ultimately takes their life.
Can you imagine trying to keep a pleasant demeanor on camera and interacting with “the public” when you want to curl up in the fetal position?
Sure, some people take pills to deal or just exist, I congratulate her on taking whatever steps are necessary fr her to find peace.
Jake
August 18th, 2011
7:39 pm
@ jw
Yes she’s beautiful but what I have at home is even better. You don’t get it . . . the world does not dictate my life. I’m not typical and I don’t follow the masses. She was put there for ratings and her voice had nothing to do with that decision. She was a weather girl . . . not a meteorologist. It was her breast that got the job and it worked. Pretty much all the guys that comment on Dagmar talk about her breast. She knows that and that was part of her depression. Having looks can be a burden because most often people pay more attention the looks than the heart. I think Dagmar is a very nice lady, but as I stated earlier I don’t feel sorry for her. Suck it up and live and stay away from the drugs. Most are so quick to pop a pill when life throws lemons. What ya gotta do is make lemonade instead.
Jake
August 18th, 2011
7:48 pm
@ TC
You mean Markina? Only if you like replaced body parts. She spends more time sticking her butt out and puckering her lips than reporting the weather.
John
August 18th, 2011
8:05 pm
She was HORRIBLE… What is wrong with you people. SHE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE WEATHER AND DID THE WEATHER. She had to turn it over to the Meterologist to report what was really happening with the weather. And as far as looks are concerned, she was no supermodel. She wore UGLY tight clothes. But she is a PERFECT example of America today. NO talent, experience, or knowlege and you can do ANYTHING you want…
Jborodawg
August 18th, 2011
8:24 pm
Good interview. I’m happy that she’s happy. Thanks for the update!
dumb mar
August 18th, 2011
8:42 pm
Fake red hair. Fake breasts. Unqualified. Overpaid. She wanted to break her contract and head for Hollywood. So she concocted this my bff is kia, so I went nutz. And evil corp. wouldn’t kowtow to my phony demands. Stop pimping, Ho.