Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: So far from trivial

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  • Yamis,

    Since Nov 2006 • 903 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    I think Russell would be really fetching in jorts.

    Andrew, it's a contraction of 'jean shorts' - what we would call denim shorts. (There is also the 'jirt'... chambray. Shudder.)

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Yamis,

    Since Nov 2006 • 903 posts Report

  • Jackie Clark,

    Crimes against humanity: Veitch - 12/10, overly muscled man in jorts 4/10.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    These jorts would seem to fit in with the Auckland Celebrity Culture phenomenon that Rosemary McLeod was rightly going on about on Sunday.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    My point was that I don't think any degree of talent gives you a pass on just being a decent human being. I know that's not where you were going, giovanni, but damn it people are.

    Can I just point out that when I wrote about being in awe with Veitch's talent, that was being snarky, and also about Eliot having a Jewish friend, you know, it was a joke... it bombed, clearly, but it was a joke. Still, you know, I don't want to knock Veitch's profession here.
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    I'll do it here. Because seriously, how much "exceptional talent" would it take? Isn't it just a matter of being presentable, flashing the right smile, not getting the score wrong too often? I'm talking about his gig as a sports news segment presenter, which is after all the main source of his public visibility.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Can I just point out that when I wrote about being in awe with Veitch's talent, that was being snarky....

    Ah, good to know. But this is one of those issues where you find yourself thinking with monotonous regularity "someone's tugging on my man-bits here", and then you have the horrible lightbulb-over-the-head moment when you realise "nope -- this loon is for real."

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Yamis,

    In 2007 he won the TV Guide Best on the Box Award for Best Sport Presenter for that role giovanni. Maybe it was for the lame banter with Oliver-Kerby because I struggle to see how anybody can win an award for presenting news. It's like winning an award for driving to work, or getting the mail out of the letter box.

    Since Nov 2006 • 903 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    It's like winning an award for driving to work, or getting the mail out of the letter box.

    I'm with you there. Plus he won best TV sports presenter in a field of how many? three? I'm assuming their counting Prime here. And there's a winner a year, so presumably just showing up for two or three years in a row in the evening news gives you a pretty monumental statistical chance of nabbing one of these things.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    Wow; so he had a year of gruelling counselling and still came away with the TV Guide award??

    That’ll be something to look back on with pride should there be a few quieter years lying ahead.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • Paul Williams,

    I'll do it here. Because seriously, how much "exceptional talent" would it take? Isn't it just a matter of being presentable, flashing the right smile, not getting the score wrong too often?

    As funny as I really did find you point ... it's possibly a little harsh... good television journalists/presenters aren't plentiful because it's harder than it looks... we don't really need to slag the profession just 'cause it turns out Veitch is a thug do we... for me it just goes to show that abusers don't conform to any stereotype.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • B Jones,

    I agree the field of presenters is small. But reading a newsy kind of script isn't a doddle - I had a go at it for an amateur video once, and it's hard not to look like an idiot. It's like public speaking, but with every tic and flaw magnified.

    I love how the old school legends like Dougal Stevenson and Philip whatshisname still appear on the Primo Extremo and Corolla ads as newsreaders.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 976 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    I'm slagging the profession in the context of Perigo's quote about the extraordinary level of talent it takes. As for the idea that good television presenters aren't plentiful because it's harder than it looks... it seems to me there's always the exact same number at any one time, enough to fill the available slots. And honestly they all blend into the same presenter as far as I'm concerned. Their chief instruction seems to be "go and be reasurringly bland". But then I also confess to not watching the news on the telly much, and the two things might be related.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Yamis,

    Well at least Veitch is reading in front of an audience. As a school teacher I'm left standing in front of mine 4 hours a day, 5 days a week making shit up and trying to keep a straight face!!!

    Since Nov 2006 • 903 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    Yamis, Veitch made stuff up too.

    There was all that wacky unscripted banter with BOK; remember?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    I agree the field of presenters is small. But reading a newsy kind of script isn't a doddle - I had a go at it for an amateur video once, and it's hard not to look like an idiot. It's like public speaking, but with every tic and flaw magnified.

    Quite right. It's not easy, not everyone can do it and Veitch certainly has talent as a broadcaster (although my only direct contact with him on a story, in the 1990s, did not give me a favourable impression of his method). But people like Perigo don't seem to be able to grasp that that's irrelevant.

    Let me express some sympathy for Veitch, not in the context of the assault, but simply in how the up-and-down of daily live broadcasting can mess with your head. I suspect that's what Holmes thought he was acknowledging with his enabling and misguided expressions of support for Veitch. That might provide a context, but never an excuse: you still own your own shit.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Paul Williams,

    Perigo's quote about the extraordinary level of talent it takes.

    <declaration of familial links> My sister-in-law used to read the news with Perigo, she had/has a very favourable impression of him... as did I until I heard what he personally thinks, now I think he's a twerp (reinforced by his idiotic comments about Veitch) but I know doing TV news is no walk-in-the-park.</declaration of familial links>. As an aside, isn't Broadcast News a great show (great cast particularly).

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    I think Perigo's point wasn't so much that Veitch should be allowed to get away with the assault on account of his exceptional talent, but rather that we (the puny public) used this "vile and inexcusable episode" (although it's also "a one off" Perigo reassures us) to take Veitch down. Because he's a "tall, tall poppy". And we're sanctimonious, and even more vile and inexcusable than Veitch.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Yamis,

    you still own your own shit.

    Damn straight. If it's that stressful then it probably isn't the wisest thing to keep up the same schedule afterwards. In saying that I couldn't appear in front of a tv camera, I'd wind up looking like Anna Paquin accepting an Oscar only drooling, before fainting.

    Since Nov 2006 • 903 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    As an aside, isn't Broadcast News a great show (great cast particularly).

    So was Sports Night, and it certainly made me realise that it would take considerable talent to host a SportsCenter-type show. But the freaking sports news segment on One News at Six? Give me a break. I'll stick to my guns: flash a smile, be personable, don't pick your nose on camera, learn to read off a prompter... you're done.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Deborah,

    __Me: I'm happy to take Russell's word for it.__

    Robbery: but that would be nothing to do with the position of perceived power jill mentioned earlier?

    Russell: Heh. Like that would work with Deborah ... No, it would be more like not making some stupid implication that I'm lying.

    Just so, Russell. I will nit pick any power plays to the __n__th degree, but absolutely, I trust you with the facts. I don't see any power plays here.

    And I have absolutely no prurient interest in seeing the damned stairs.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    I’m struggling to work out the relevance of viewing the stairs. What next? Demand to see the shoes that he made the attack with??

    After all, it was summer, who says he wasn’t wearing jandals etc…

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    And, like some smelly old thing your flatmate found at the tip ... in wades Garth George.

    He characterises the assault as a "contretemps", speculates baselessly about provocation on the victim's part, blames the media, suggests that the victim should have been investigated for blackmail -- and winds up his column with a weirdly inappropriate biblical metaphor.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    in wades Garth George

    Is it defamation to call him a douchebag?

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • James Francis,

    Is it defamation to call him a douchebag?

    The douchebag might not be best pleased.

    St John's, Newfoundland • Since Nov 2006 • 121 posts Report

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