Item: 1 pair of sandy Asics shoes
Not to go on and on about the beach, but I've been walking there a lot lately when I have a chance because it's easier on my knee than concrete is. The water was so sparkling today, I wished not only that I had a camera, but that I understood photography enough to even be close to capable of getting what it actually looked like. I swear I saw a ship so far out it dipped down over the horizon, because the earth is round, you know. It was that clear.
So I'm often irritated at news reporters, but it's beyond irritation at the moment, closer to outrage. This is due to the end of a speedskating race I saw last night, the one that Shani Davis won. The end of the race was fine, but the subsequent NBC interview left me feeling sick, as if I'd witnessed an ugly racial incident. Which I think is essentially what it was.
The interviewer, Melissa Stark, said congratulations, and he answered her questions briefly but didn't make eye contact, looking off deliberately in the other direction. (How does it feel to win the gold medal? Feels good.) Not only were there more of the obnoxious baiting questions responsible for a lot of the bad feeling surrounding him to start out with, but there was this sense of pride, as if any discomfort from him meant more points in hardhitting journalism for her.
I think it was obvious that deep down she was scared of him, and then to close she said "Are you angry, Shani?". So what, she's a therapist now? He said No, I'm happy, and she said "Oooookkkkaay, well, you really don't seem very happy" and kind of rolled her eyes. Real professional.
Her comment back to anchor Bob Costas was something like "well, that wasn't the usual interview with a gold medal winner," and Bob also did a little bit of eye-rolling. The contempt of both of them for Mr. Davis was obvious, as an outsider, as someone who didn't want to perform for them and didn't give the right answers.
I have no idea whether he is or isn't actually a likeable person, but it doesn't matter. He didn't deserve that. Aren't the networks the first to call for people to apologize for any little indiscreet remark? I can't believe they're going to get away with that.
They showed another interview with Davis tonight, from after the medals ceremony, only this time they sent a black male to interview him. The result of this was a better interview, but, I fear, nothing to address the real problem.
So I'm often irritated at news reporters, but it's beyond irritation at the moment, closer to outrage. This is due to the end of a speedskating race I saw last night, the one that Shani Davis won. The end of the race was fine, but the subsequent NBC interview left me feeling sick, as if I'd witnessed an ugly racial incident. Which I think is essentially what it was.
The interviewer, Melissa Stark, said congratulations, and he answered her questions briefly but didn't make eye contact, looking off deliberately in the other direction. (How does it feel to win the gold medal? Feels good.) Not only were there more of the obnoxious baiting questions responsible for a lot of the bad feeling surrounding him to start out with, but there was this sense of pride, as if any discomfort from him meant more points in hardhitting journalism for her.
I think it was obvious that deep down she was scared of him, and then to close she said "Are you angry, Shani?". So what, she's a therapist now? He said No, I'm happy, and she said "Oooookkkkaay, well, you really don't seem very happy" and kind of rolled her eyes. Real professional.
Her comment back to anchor Bob Costas was something like "well, that wasn't the usual interview with a gold medal winner," and Bob also did a little bit of eye-rolling. The contempt of both of them for Mr. Davis was obvious, as an outsider, as someone who didn't want to perform for them and didn't give the right answers.
I have no idea whether he is or isn't actually a likeable person, but it doesn't matter. He didn't deserve that. Aren't the networks the first to call for people to apologize for any little indiscreet remark? I can't believe they're going to get away with that.
They showed another interview with Davis tonight, from after the medals ceremony, only this time they sent a black male to interview him. The result of this was a better interview, but, I fear, nothing to address the real problem.
posted by Karen at 10:44 PM
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