Geoff Fox is a meteorologist in Connecticut and friend to some of us here at News 2. He maintains a great blog that covers anything and everything (did you know the 9/11 Commission Report was turned into a comic book?). Geoff’s latest post hits close to home for this weather guy. When you pay the bills ad-libbing on live television, you have to watch what you say. Geoff was recently reminded of a close call he had on-air. A snippet is below, but you can read the entire post here.
The closest I’ve come was using the word “damn.” It was a very cold night and I somehow said, “damn cold.” I turned white as a sheet on the air, paused, and briefly apologized. There was not one call of complaint. My on-air demeanor had changed so quickly, it was obvious to anyone watching that I had made a major faux pas, knew it and regretted it. There was no poker face here.
When it’s cold it’s cold!
Early in my former retail life (circa early 1980’s)…the phones we used had separate buttons for INTERCOM and PAGER. Our receiving manager (a HUGE flirt) had paged someone for freight (a female Dept. Head), he forgot to switch buttons when he answered the phone with “This is your Friendly Neigborhood Sex Fiend, May I help you?”
Those words reverberated throughout the store….while it was open…
Can’t believe the weather lady said those words. Although it wouldn’t make me stop watching the station, it would make my bottom lip drop and my eyes would have gotten larger! LOL
That’s a funny story Servocrow! I bet he was more careful about choosing his words after that incident.
Have a great weekend all!
I would laughed at either. People are too uptight these days.
the word damn is just another word….there are some words that are spoken over seas and mean totally different meanings there….here the f word is very bad but over seas..I think in England they say it alot and it means something else….I dont see a problem with the word he said because if you look at it there is more violence and sex on tv now then ever and one little word doesnt mean nothing compared to what is being shown on tv…..
Justin…question for you?
whats going on with the hurricane? I didnt have time to watch the forecast this morning. I only got to see the first 8 minutes of the 6am news cast…..
Christina…he NEVER learned to choose his words more carefully…although he did become better at pushing the correct buttons on the phone.
And Chris H., I agree, people are WAY too uptight and P.C. about everything. Today, an innocent faux pas tends to get people fired immediately.
Mark, Ernesto isn’t a hurricane YET…and Debby is downgraded to a Tropical Depression. Ernesto does bear watching though..
Servocrow, thanks for giving Mark the update. Mark, I agree with Servocrow. Ernesto has some upper level wind shear to get through in the central Caribbean, but if it can hold together and reach the Gulf the water there is quite warm and the upper air pattern is favorable for strengthening. If that all happens, landfall would be somewhere along the Gulf Coast late next week or the weekend, but that’s a long way off right now.