Em Rusciano opens up on breakfast radio, her obsession for her kids, and why we should value real, actual care

Entertainer Em Rusciano reveals why her radio career was “brutal” and women everywhere need a lighter load. Read her frank Q&A interview.

Em Rusciano will appear at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday, March 9, as part of their International Women’s Day event, All About Women.

Featuring in the Feeling the Heat panel, her award-winning Emsolation podcast is also keeping her busy and a book announcement is coming soon – but secrets were never her thing.

“I don’t know if I’m meant to tell anyone that, but Beyonce announces her announcements, so why not?” she quips.

Em Rusciano.

EM RUSCIANO

Age: 45

Lives: Victoria

How would you describe yourself?

I’m the eldest daughter of an Italian immigrant; I’m also an Autistic, Alpha, Introverted ADHD’er with a type A personality. I work hard, I’m loyal, and I love shiny things.

How do you think others describe you?

Em Rusciano thinks others would see her as generous, savage, creative, hardworking, blunt and sensitive.

Generous, savage, creative, hardworking, blunt and sensitive.

What is most important to you?

My kids, sorry, I know that’s predictable and not interesting to anyone in the slightest, but it’s true. I am obsessed with all three of them to a slightly unhinged degree.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An EGOOGMT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Olympic gold medallist, Tony).

What has been the biggest obstacle you have overcome or hardest hurdle in your life?

Em Rusciano on her radio show. Picture: Em & Harley

Commercial radio, perimenopause and myself (in that order).

If you had one wish, what would it be?

If I had one wish, it would be that we finally value real, actual care as much as we value power and profit.

Imagine if the people who raise children, teach, nurse, and support others were paid what they’re worth instead of being treated like an afterthought.

Imagine if we put as much effort into looking after vulnerable people as we do into protecting the wealth of the already powerful.

What has been your toughest period?

Em Rusciano addressing the National Press Club of Australia in partnership with Women in Media. Picture: NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Breakfast radio was brutal. The 4am alarms, the relentless grind, the pressure to be “on” even when I was barely functioning – it felt like running a marathon every single day with no finish line in sight.

Add in the politics of commercial radio, the lack of creative control and the expectation to suppress my true opinions for mass appeal?

It was exhausting. I was burning out, physically and emotionally, but pushing through because that’s what we do, right? I learned a lot, but I also lost parts of myself in the process.

What do you wish we could do more about? As in an issue or problem facing the world?

Besides the whole Middle East situation, you mean? Women’s health, hands down.

Everything from endometriosis to menopause, mental load, birth trauma – women are tired, and not just because we’re doing all the things.

We need to start giving a damn about how much women carry. All women, everywhere.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what and why?

“I’d love to be the kind of person who’s truly unbothered.”

I’d love to be the kind of person who’s truly unbothered – no late-night sticky thoughts, no hurt feelings. Just effortlessly chill and calm about life.

But I am whatever the opposite of unbothered is. I am pressed, stressed, and fixated on things I know I shouldn’t be. It’s exhausting – shredding my nervous system daily.

Some days, I swear I have more cortisol in my veins than actual blood.

I would love to just embrace full goblin mode and never second-guess a thing.