There is this story which is a real gem. This guy is appointed as the spokesperson of some agency. One day he holds his first press briefings and he seems to take it as a career turning point. He is going to be on TV! Hip. Hip, Hurray1They say more than the things he said his bodily language said it all; the interview in a roundabout way was about him! Not the words, but the gestures.
The session over, the cameramen were collecting their gear when he picks the phone and dials some number; with all in the nosy press corps still in the room he practically shouts into the mouthpiece, “Ma, tell all the neighbors; I’ll be on TV tonight! No one should miss it.”
Genuinely excited about the prospect of being on TV, isn’t he? At least he made no secret about it. Of course the actual press briefings was simply a non-event, like most of those things are. He talked a lot and said nothing. Familiar, isn’t that?
Come evening and it must have been a big “What!” for our new guy in the leather seat. His image was on the screen for only a few seconds and his voice was never heard! Not a single word! He must have been one very angry soul! ‘Those good for nothing goons!’
How can they do this to you? What about the neighbors! What about his mom’s standing in the village! It must be the conspiracy of those with red eyes because of his promotion! Once you are in the deep leather seat everything you don’t like is, what else, a conspiracy! That’s what it is. Even those who don’t know you even existed conspire against you!
Look you don’t sit in front of your TV for some third rate politico or some half-baked official to dump their nonsense on you. Not in your own living room! You’re nursing your headaches and they act as if the “I have a dream…” speech was their brainchild. Why is that the dumber we are, we pose as the biggest wonders since the Newton guy?
Do these guys deserve medals on the shoulder or rotten tomato on the face? Search me. I mean when you try to build a fictional version of your real selves with millions watching, that is courage, however misplaced it might be.
The way we talk, the tone of our voice, our bodily language, however well-rehearsed usually give away our little game of deception. Well, believe me and these days most of the people sitting in front of their TVs are much smarter than most of the interviewees facing the camera. After all, this is the age of satellite TV with a lot of viewing opportunities.
I mean there are those who tell you some Robinson Crusoe story about themselves and don’t even stammer! If that is not ‘courage,’ what is! It is all in the guy’s eyes.
He probably told his wife nine times that day, “When I look directly at the camera it’s for you.” Believe me that one is going to be one, cute wife! With her hubby on TV her fifteen minutes of fame is assured.
During the military days a group of journalists travel to a part of the country to interview the regional governor. The governor had a reputation for being one of the most notorious, take no prisoner guys and almost everybody was scared even at the mention of his name. The talk behind the walls was even other political big shots who enjoy flexing their muscles On the defenseless populace kept their distance from him. He was that terrifying! The stories of his barbarity were enough to send anyone to the nearest foxhole.
After the interview the journalists were asked if the news will run that night. Of course it will! They couldn’t have thought otherwise; not even for a second. Such thoughts would have been like pressing the barrel of the gun against one’s temple. Come news hour and the governor and other officials are facing the TV at the hotel where the interview was recorded.
The mood was sort of euphoric; sort of prelude to a night of a lot of wine and the sins of the flesh. The guy also had a reputation for having a very weak spot, for the members of the fair sex. The journalists were there too, ready to be showered with appreciation and some more. What happened was Ludlum suspense stuff.
The news didn’t run! Those insensitive drunkards in Addis didn’t air the news! And was like some ruling, “And the court sentences the journalists to whatever the governor deems convenient!” and ‘Bang!’, the gravel comes down. All the journalists could think of was in which part of the town their dead bodies will end up next morning.
Slip out before the governor realizes the news hour was over and you are dead meat!. They have to just melt away without raising suspicion, or else they will disappear for real! Well, that was how things were done at that time; Some bigwig is unhappy for something you’ve done or haven’t done and the world as you know comes to a screeching end. They managed to slip out and luck smiled on them.. Someone nice fellow drive them out of town in the dead of the night. During those days being on TV meant a thousand and one things, especially when one is some sort of boss. It was one’s way of telling the top brass “Your humble servant is with you!”
I’m not sure if that strategy still works these days. Does the very sight of a person on the TV screen serve as some sort of projectile to take one up the ladder of success?
We have real problems with interviews. One station tries to copy/paste what is seen on another station down to the questions and gestures. By the way snooping into very private matters is not about hard talk or something around here; it is about being inconsiderate to the sensitivities of people. Our interviewers have a lot of homework to do. They got to get out of the “What’s your name?” sort of kindergarten stuff after they already have told the audience who the guy is.
Speaking of interviews there are these questions which seem to have become sort of mandatory. Take this one for example, to wrap up the interview the guest is asked, “Do you have any humorous experience to tell us!” And the guy, without an iota of humor in him, tells you a horrifically dull story and he almost laughs his lungs out! I mean that fellow has given you some aches and he still laughs!
All said with almost everyone hitting the TV screens these days we should look for other ways to enjoy our fifteen minutes of fame.
The Ethiopian Herald July 17, 2020
By Ephrem Endale
