SuperLatina ‘has it all’

"Women can have it all."

That's the message Gabby Natale injects into every episode of her talk show, SuperLatina, which begins its third season Saturday.

"The fact that you have a great career doesn't mean that you're going to be a bad mother. The fact that you have a good education doesn't mean that you won't indulge every now and then in celebrity gossip," Natale said.

"If you want it all, go for it," she added.

And Natale practices what she preaches.

Natale created and currently hosts SuperLatina, a Spanish talk show that airs Saturdays on Telemundo 20. And this season, SuperLatina is being regionally syndicated, airing not only in the Odessa/Midland area, but also on Lubbock's Telemundo 46.

With the success going regionally, Natale has bigger plans in mind for SuperLatina.

"We're in discussions to have it beyond this market, beyond West Texas," Natale said.

And while a nationally broadcasted SuperLatina is still in discussions, the show has expanded in a different way.

Odessa/Midland and Lubbock's Telemundo newscasts contain one minute of empowerment tips from SuperLatina, and La Ley 104.7 broadcasts a SuperLatina segment everyday at 1 p.m.

But Natale's main success comes from the original SuperLatina, which only began airing last year.

 Natale's Telemundo show features segments including inspirational stories and celebrity interviews.

Her first guest on the season premiere is Olga Tañón, a two-time Grammy-award winner, who will talk about her daughter, Gabriela, and Gabriela's struggle with a rare blood-clotting disorder, Sebastian's disease.

And in the second episode, Erik Estrada - of CHiPs and Dos Mujeres, Un Camino - will talk about stereotypes in Hollywood and his memories of Tejano popstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez.

In addition to celebrity interviews, Natale interviews people with inspirational stories and messages, and can sometimes include a surprise or two with her interviews.

"Whenever we see somebody that needs special help, we always help and surprise them," Natale said.

And a surprise is exactly what Ana Olivas got when she was in class at UTPB.

SuperLatina collaborated with UTPB in a previous season to reward a student UTPB thought would be most deserving of a break.

Olivas, then a junior, stopped working after her mother became ill. SuperLatina heard about it and decided to surprise her.

"We came with a camera. The professor knew about it. We told the students that someone was going to get a surprise," Natale said.

"I really didn't expect it," Olivas, 19, said.

"We were a couple of minutes into class and the professor said we had a surprise," she said. "Sure enough, Gaby came in."

Olivas was brought out of class to the SuperLatina studios, where she received a 500 dollar book scholarship and a job offer at the Roden Entrepreneurship Center.

"It opened my eyes a little bit better to see everything I have and how lucky I am," Olivas said.

And the inspiration that comes from Natale's show has been recognized.

In April, the program won first place in Texas Associative Press Broadcasters for best magazine show, which included competition from the Lubbock, Corpus Christi, Amarillo and Wichita Falls areas.

SuperLatina's success only means good news for Natale, who has big plans for her show.

"For me, this show is not only a job but a mission," Natale said. "I think there's a lot of positive things to empower women."

TUNE IN

>> SuperLatina begins its third season Saturday.

>> The show airs on Telemundo 20 at 10 p.m. and reruns on Sunday evenings in Odessa and Midland. In Lubbock, SuperLatina airs Saturdays and Sundays at 5 p.m. on Telemundo 46.

>> Call the SuperLatina hotline at 614-4149 to suggest stories, surprises and inspirational stories.

>> La Ley airs a SuperLatina segment everyday at 1 p.m. on FM 104.7.

>> SuperLatina Minute airs every Thursday on Telemundo 20's 5 p.m. newscast.