I’ve never been a big sports nut. I’ll jump on a bandwagon or absorb the important aspects of a sport my spouse is into but given my druthers, I’d watch a movie instead.
Still, I know enough about each sport to get by, because I have to for my work. But back before the Internet and Google and readily available stats, I had a sports legend tossed at me for an interview. And I’m happy to say I pulled it off. It’s just what you did – failure was not an option.
I was hosting the evening show at MIX 999 Toronto and one day when I came in to voice production, ie. commercials, CFRB News Director Dave Agar came down to ask me to help with a situation. Sports Director Dave Quinn had lost his voice and racing legend Mario Andretti was coming in for an interview. Could I do it for them?
I knew the name, of course, but I knew nothing about racing. I didn’t know what type of car he raced or the names of the associations or leagues or whatever he was part of. I knew nothing at all. And there was nowhere to look any of that up in time. So I found the sportiest colleagues I knew and asked them for some tidbits, which I scribbled down in a mad frenzy. When Mr. Andretti arrived, I was as cool as could be, and followed the adage that has served me well for my entire career: fake it until you make it.
He couldn’t have been nicer. He was warm and self-deprecating. It was awesome. In those situations, I’m like a paramedic. Do what needs doing and then, if necessary, panic later.
This is why I tell my Fanshawe broadcast journalism students to force themselves to learn about aspects of news they don’t care about. Read up on politics and know who’s who. Look at an actual municipal budget document until it makes sense. One day, they’ll be called upon to deal with this stuff that falls outside their comfort zone and it will be easier if they’ve done some of the tough work in advance.
Of course, if Mario Andretti should show up on a few moments’ notice, they’ll also have Google to rely on.