While at Canadians, a fan sent me a note asking me to please stop using skating jargon like triple or quad toe. They wanted me to use the “correct” term of triple or quad toe loop. The only problem is that if the takeoff edge is an inside and not an outside, then correctly it is called a triple or quadruple toe walley. In other words, “toe” works; skating jargon or not.
Another fan asked me to stop talking altogether. ( Actually maybe not so much of a fan?) Truth is, I am more afraid of my bosses wondering why I am not talking, as they are paying me to comment about skating, (hence the term “commentator”) than I am about a “notfan” asking me not to.
I digress…
The same could be said for my initial confusion and TV lingo. My education was not in TV (except watching it) and the words and terms at times are a little confusing. The first time I heard I was working for “host” I thought to myself ….hmm…does that mean as low person on the ladder I will be the one going to be doing the coffee runs?
My Australian friend Jon (or as we like to call him Jonny from The Block) got the nod to work for “host” at the Games in Beijing at volleyball. Like me, his background wasn’t in TV and when he went into the office to talk about it, they said that this was the “number” they they were working with in order to make it “happen.” He quickly did the math and thought it manageable, because it was going to be the chance of a lifetime. He tried to think about how he was going to present it to his wife and what it was going to cost him over the long haul with respect to anniversary/Valentine’s/birthday gifts and the like. In a blink, he said he would do it. After all what were savings for? Handshakes all around until J-Fo asked when he had to bring the cheque in? “For what?” he was asked. “You know, the amount you said so I can go to the Olympics” he ventured with confidence. A look of confusion crossed the boss’ face until he said “Jon there is no cheque necessary. We pay YOU.”
Hmmmph – and I thought I had a lot to learn!