I am standing in the middle of a raging blizzard.
The wind is whipping all around me.
I’m holding a microphone in my hand.
The control room tells me I have 10 seconds to air…
10…
9…
8…
7…
6…
5…
4…
3…
2…
1…
– Cue Mary.
Live on camera, I proficiently and personably ad lib my lead-in and throw it to an already taped package. I banter with my crew, laughing about the fact that me, the TV News reporter, is admonishing viewers at home to stay put because it’s “that bad” outside.
I wrap up the live-shot and throw it back to the studio. The main anchor says something like, “Now go get warm, Mary.” The comedy of it all is not lost on me, except I’m not laughing . I’m far too cold to laugh. And yet, my boss sees something in my on-air performance that he feels compelled to call me on. After the newscast he tells me that it appeared that I was smirking during my live-shot.
“Don’t do that,” he said.
“Busted,” I think to myself…
Boy, I like that, Vickie, you have good taste. A nice aperitif!
Great voice, elegant style…