I’ve been itching to tell you about this, but I didn’t want to ‘scoop’ Andrea on her own story.
About a week and a half ago, I got an e-mail from the endlessly creative and witty Andrea from the Fishbowl. She had been contacted by CJOH TV, and was asked to be interviewed about blogging on their highly rated noon-hour news show. Andrea decided out of the kindness of her generous heart to share the joy, and asked other Ottawa bloggers Kristina and Robyn to appear with her on the segment. Oh yah, and she asked one other blogger to join her, too. Can you guess who?
ME!!!!!
(insert pause for Dani to do the “I’m gonna be on TV” dance here)
(keep pausing – it’s a long and embarrassing dance)
(almost there)
(watch out for the limbo and the ‘spinning on her head like a breakdancer’ finale)
(okay, phew, we can move on now)
Andrea has a few more details on her post this morning. It will be filmed Thursday (January 26) morning, and air some time during the noonhour broadcast. We’ll actually be interviewed by co-host Leanne Cusack, whom I had the opportunity to meet a couple of years back at the North Gore farmers market, and whom I can say is one of the nicest, most friendly and engaging people I have ever met. And I’m not just saying that so she’ll make me look good on TV!
Did I mention I’m going to be on TV? Did I mention BLOG is going to be on TV?
I’ve been on the news (as opposed to IN the news) twice before. Back in May 2001, just when Beloved and I were starting our first IVF cycle, we were interviewed by CBC Newsworld for a segment on infertility and IVF, and in particular the health risks of IVF. A little less than a year later, another reporter from the same network called us and said they were doing a segment on the ‘rights’ of frozen embryos and what to do with surplus embryos from IVF to juxtapose with a piece on adoption rights. The reporter was delighted to find out she had called me by sheer concidence on my due date and I was exactly 9 months pregnant with my IVF baby – it added a great visual impact to their story!
(Poor Beloved. Even before I discovered blogging as a way of sharing our most intimate details with random passers-by, I managed to find ways to drag him cringing and flinching into the spotlight.)
So the rest of the week will be consumed with ironing out important details like what to wear (I’ve already been told that striped turtlenecks are strictly forbidden) and what to say. In her post, Andrea cleverly asked for any tips and pointers, and I will do the same.
Any thoughts on how to look less nervous, smarter, thinner, funnier and not borderline neurotic on TV?
Sorry, no pointers as I’d sooner die than appear in any venue where anyone puts me on the spot and therefore have rarely done this. But that said, congratulations! You’ll be famous! And I’ll bet that if you’re sitting in Andrea’s living room with other friend bloggers it’ll all look extremely relaxed and you’ll all come across as super-witty, interesting, and together women. Which you appear to be from your blog, too! You’ll do great!
Oh, I can say I “knew” you before you became famous!
You need to find a look that is somewhere between mommy and supremely intelligent corporate executive? What about an Alfred Sung outfit with baby spit up on the shoulder? With power tights and awesome shoes of course?
And smile gushingly!
Relax! You will be fine. Just remember that if it’s pre-taped, they will edit out a whole lot of stuff and just keep the good parts. It’s their job to make you look good.
The whole thing sounds very cool.
Wear subdued colours. No patterns, or at least nothing ultra flashy. Tho flashy scarf is fine. But considering the topic, casual chic is perfect, so prolly no scarf anyway. If you’re gonna wear make-up, don’t wear much foundation. Depending on what lighting they bring, foundation can look terrible. Just use a little concealer in spots if you have to. Play up the cheeks tho. People tend to look dead if they don’t have enuf blush. Not a whore-ish amt tho, and not the whole 80’s cheekbone thing. On your apples. Natural eye make-up…not too much shadow. Oh, no lip gloss. Lipstick is fine, but nothing overly shiny. Or too dark…again, the dead thing.
Yah, I used to be in tv…just following our anchoring rules. 😉
I wish I could see it! But thanks to satellite we don’t get CJOH. Bastards…
Do what Tanya said. Although I will add make sure you clothes fit nicely but not tooo tight or loose. With one can make bludges appear where ya don’t want. I learned that the hard way. As for make NO HELP HERE.
I will be watching…My ihave your autograph I’m sure I asked this before but you never send it.
HUGS
Way cool…congrats to both of you. I’m disappointed though that I don’t get the channel out here. I’ll have to check around and see if one of my friends has the national feeds for CTV on their Bell Expressvu systems.
You GO GIRL! 🙂 Too bad I won’t see the show… but hey, you can tape it right? You can post it on your blog in streaming video… right? 🙂
p.s.s. I have nothing to offer in fashion and/or make-up. I’d probably look like a beached whale with cakey make-up myselrf, if given the chance.
Please try to remember to wiggle your earlobe or pick your nose as a very discreet hello to ME. Or you could just plain blurt it out.
Gotta set my VCR for that one.
Just be yourself, wear what makes you feel good and enjoy the experience.
Many congratulations to you!!!!!
Yay Dani, will be watching for sure! Wear your new bra and a solid coloured top. Of course black or navy make one look the slimmest, but I don’t really think you have to worry about that. And don’t forget to smile (I always do, when I have been on tv so many years ago) your smile is catching, so may will be smiling along with you!
Wow! Please remember me and all us little folk when you are someday signing autographs…
I don’t have any advice, but I know you’ll do great. Good luck!
My own advice to the particpants of aforementioned interview:
– don’t wear brown. My couch is brown. You might look like part of the couch.
– I’m not sure if there will be lighting.
– I wouldn’t wear crazy patterns that will cause people to want to try to adjust their television sets.
There will be dental floss on hand just in case you decide to eat a corn and parsley flax seed sandwich on the way over here.
I pray I don’t break out between now and then. I am also hoping they bring their hair and makeup people. But I’m not holding out. 🙂 🙂
I just wish I could see it!
Having been abused by TV before, my advice would be to use your digital camera – have someone take a quick pic of you to see if there are any bizarre bulges, weird cowlicks or, as I found out, grease spots that only showed up on camera, not when I looked down.Try and wear a flesh tone bra so that the lights don’t either reflect off a white one through your shirt, or show up the shadow of a black one. And if you don’t usually wear a bra, wear a bra.
And your nose will itch the minute the camera starts filming, so don’t scratch it and don’t look like you’re trying not to wipe your nose. It’s a really constipated expression, and it really shows. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.
Speaking from experience… just have fun & be yourself 🙂
Like Anna said, wear your new bra and a solid top AND your most endearing smile! You’ll do fine, you’re very articulate, Leanne really knows how to put people at ease adn the beauty is taht its pre-taped.
A friend of mine went live with Leanne last year promoting her shop and she had told me she so not wanted to go “anh-anh, anh-anh” when approving something Leanne said taht she ended up saying “that’s correct” at least a hundred times over the few minutes she was on…she was so nervous she forgot about all teh alternatives “that’s right, precisely, etc.”
have fun!!
now I just have to get dh to set the new fandangled VCR to tape you
Congratulations! have fun!
Oh oh oh! Can’t we please set up some streaming video for those among us who are deprived of Canadian television?
I have no tips — I won’t even let people take still pictures of me. But you, my friend, will ROCK.
Congratulations! I am so happy for you. Yes, we definitely need streaming video. Best of luck!
Congrats! I have no tips, but am sure that you’ll do really well.
I don’t normally watch the CJOH news at noon, but I will be tuned in this Thursday!
Break a leg, or whatever is appropriate for television. 🙂
Congrats! I will give you the same advice I gave Andrea (and I use the word ‘advice’ lightly…)
-Brush the teeth
-Wear clean underwear
Because you never know if you have a whole lettuce leaf hanging from the gums, and because my MIL says to “always wear clean underwear” and she’s never wrong.
You ladies are going to be AMAZING. I don’t think I’ll be able to watch down here, but good luck! And I can’t remember who suggested posting a video stream of it on your blog, but I second that. 🙂
Tanya, great pointers – thanks!!
Bethany and others who suggested streaming it onto the blog – you did read my post about how I can’t even load a friggin’ playlist onto my MP3 player, right?? Anybody offering technical support on this one?? I wouldn’t even know where to start!
Nancy, when I scratch my butt, that will be my secret “HELLO NANCY”, okay? Not just the little scratch, but the big ‘stuff the hands down the back of my pants and grab a handful of ass’ scratch.
Andrea, why do I suddenly have a craving for a corn and parsley flax seed sandwich?? Maybe with a little spinach salad on the side? Never mind the dental floss, will you have smelling salts?
Marla, I was trying to read all the comments out loud to Beloved, but I couldn’t get through yours with a straight face. I kept making that really unattractive snort/swallow/laugh sound, and having inextricably linked that incredibly sexy noise with the pending TV appearance, I’m sure I will be unable to restrain myself and will do that instead of tittering charmingly. So while my secret hello to Nancy will be an ass-scratch, my secret hello to you will be when I accidentally blow snot on the reporter. Thanks for that.
Congrats! That is so cool! I think brushing your teeth is one of the best advice given. Make them shine but not brighter than you will! Have fun!
How cool! Congratulations.
Yay for being on TV!!!
No patterns. No patterns. NO PATTERNS.
Nice solid colors, but NO RED. Red (unless it’s VERY subdued) does that weird jitter on TV. Brown, Gray, and Navy do very well.
Subdued jewelry as well. Now would be the time to break out the pearls.
Oops, just read everyone else’s comments. Nix the brown and go for gray or navy.
Definitely the new bra. Have your friends check for “show through” on your shirt. Bright lights tend to accentuate that.
I am chiming in again to add that I am fairly sure there will be little-to-no editing.
They’re coming here at 10:15 (tomorrow already — EEEK!) Thursday morning. She said it will take no more than an hour. And it goes to air after the news at noon. I don’t think they’ll have time to edit something out of it. I think they’ll just roll tape. 🙂
Wow!! That is VERY cool. Can’t wait to hear all about it. Hope you’re having fun with it. 🙂