Notebook: A Day And a Half With Cher

June 19 -- — Like so many people of a certain age — in my case 45 — I grew up watching the Sonny and Cher Show. Cher was always a particular favorite of mine: I liked her hair (which I tried to copy), her clothes (which I didn't try to copy) and her smart mouth (no comment on that one).

So when I got the offer to interview Cher for Primetime last year, I jumped at it. Frankly, I expected to like her as I flew out to California in January. But I didn't expect I would want to bring her home with me.

Let me pause a moment here for a little "journalistic" perspective. Most of the stories I do at ABCNEWS are serious, hard-hitting legal stories — often investigations. You have to stay very independent-minded to do them well.

Celebrities are a little different. Sometimes, it's just plain fun to enter the world of one of them — sometimes, especially if you admire or like the particular star. But there is a balancing act between having a good time and coming home with a story.

For me, that means that, as a person, I can't erase the fact that I like Cher. But as a journalist, I can't let that get in the way of asking the questions I suspect she isn't looking forward to — in this case: plastic surgery.

This was the plan: I would go with her to the American Music Awards, where she was to debut the single from her new CD Living Proof. The next evening, I was to go to her home for a three-camera interview and afterwards maybe she'd let us go with her while she shoots a commercial for the CD.

Maybe.

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First Sighting: I am 5 feet 8 inches tall. Cher is shorter than I am, and very small-boned.

No kidding.

I wonder to myself , "What does this mean about Sonny's height?"

These are my not-very-profound thoughts as I meet Cher for the first time in her trailer in the parking lot at the American Music Awards. She also has beautiful hands: Long, strong and thin.

And she is nice. Nice to everyone, and polite too — despite the fact she is about to perform. This — from my experiences backstage with others — is rare.