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Lydia McLaughlin Shares All About Her Famous Family and Child Star Past
We're learning it all from the SoCal mom herself!
Lydia McLaughlin isn't just a SoCal mom and entrepreneur who, along with her husband, Doug McLaughlin, runs NOBLEMAN magazine. You see, Lydia's roots in the world of media run way deeper than most folks may realize. In fact, the Canadian native comes from a long line of business people who have been successful in the world of media and TV, as she hinted to this season on The Real Housewives of Orange County. When The Daily Dish spoke to Lydia earlier this season, she gave us some more details about her family and, yes, her days as a child star.
1. Her Grandfather Was Kind of a Big Deal
Lydia's grandfather, Geoff Stirling, founded NTV (legendary in that it was North America’s first 24-hour TV station) and was at the forefront of broadcasting during his life. He helped run Stirling Communications International and his umbrella of properties ranged from TV to radio to print (Newfoundland Herald). He was inducted into the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame in 2009. He died in 2013 at the age of 92, and Lydia opened up about his death this season on RHOC and how it affected her family.
2. Lydia's an Old Pro
Because of her family's history in TV and media, being around television crews isn't anything new for her, as she explained to The Daily Dish in the video above. "I learned a lot from my grandfather. He’s an entrepreneur," she told the Orange County Register in 2013. He passed it on to my dad [Scott]."
3. She Even Appeared on TV (You Know Before RHOC)
Yes, she was a child star. But you really need to hear her explain her time on Children’s Checkpoint.
4. She's Also Self-Made
As she explained in that 2013 Orange County Register interview: "I never really heard it to my face. My husband and I are successful in Orange County. If we were successful in Canada, I guess you could say that. But we’re not. Our businesses are in Orange County. If someone hires us to do a media campaign for them, they have no idea who my grandfather was, or is. I don’t really care what other people think. I know that we’re successful because of our hard work, and because of who we are, and what we know, and what we offer. Our product is good."
5. It's Definitely a Family Business
We've seen Lydia's mom, Judy (more on her above), a former Playboy bunny and brother, Jesse, pop up on RHOC. And it turns out, Jesse is also involved in the Stirling brand. According to his website, he's an "author, actor, broadcast executive, journalist, salesman, marketeer, photographer, filmmaker and self-styled visionary. Seeker of truth. Philosopher poet. Vagabond soul. Nerd. Host and Producer, Meetings with Remarkable People which airs on Canada’s SuperStation, NTV. Executive Vice President, Beverly Hills Lifestyle magazine."
As for her dad, well she recently shared this about him in her Bravotv.com blog: "My dad goes back and forth from Canada to Orange County a lot. He is very involved in my and my boys' lives, but sometimes he has to be at work, even when we know his heart is with us. I grew up with him working a lot, so this is something I'm used to. He is a great husband, father, and grandfather to my boys. You also get to meet my brother Jesse, whom I very close with. He works with us on NOBLEMAN Magazine, and he is the best uncle to my boys. We are a very tight knit family."
Check out more photos of Lydia throughout her life, below.
