Range of Vowel Height: This interview segment is from relatively late in the interview.  That was when Lolly Metcalf was demonstrating with a number of words what the natural range in vowel shape was for certain vowels in particular words.  In this case, she say the word first with the low central vowel [ a ], IPA [ ɑ ], then she says it with the vowel [ ʌ ], also a central vowel, but with a slightly higher tongue height.  The central vowel with the next higher tongue height is Schwa [ ə ], but we do not hear enough tongue height to make the vowel in her second time saying the word a schwa.