"Up Close and Personal" Television Bios

SkateFan4Life · Jan 2, 2006

Jasper said:
Yep, I see your point and I wish something would change. But most networks would rather publicize and publicize and publicize the top skaters/teams, even if that means replaying certain bio and trivia clips and ignoring lesser skaters.

On the other hand, I also appreciate the occasional bit that gives me a more personal look at my favorite skaters.

Sometimes I think the networks consider figure skating coverage to be a sort of broadcast "People" magazine or an attempt to make celebrities out of these competitors.

Frankly, and I sound like a broken record, I really have very little interest in the likes and dislikes of the skaters. I admire their skating skills, and I have a lot of respect for them, but I just don't want to listen to them yak about their hobbies, favorite foods, etc. :banging:

SHOW US MORE SKATERS!!!

John King · Jan 2, 2006

This reminds me of people who complain that celebrities such as Britney,Ashley,etc.,are featured too much in the news.Well,who keeps watching them?If you complain that the networks feature these 'fluff' pieces too much,you should equally complain that GoldenSkate,et. al.,have too many threads on them.I have my own favorites,and simply skip over the pieces that aren't interesting to me.

Zanzibar · Jan 2, 2006

There's nothing better than a good fluff piece, and nothing excruciatingly worse than a bad one.

I'm biased here as it was the incredibly good Yagudin versus Plushenko (complete with cameos from Mishin) fluff piece that helped launch my interest into figure skating. That piece was perfect - the images, the music, the script - really commendable. Now, if I had to watch the US ladies talk about baking cookies, etc., etc., then yeah - I agree - a waste of time. A fluff/bio piece is only compelling if there's a story to tell. And there's always a story to tell - but that doesn't mean the producers will find it.

Piel · Jan 2, 2006

I think the purpose of the fluff is so the viewer can identify with the skater in some way and will then want to watch them. Doesn't work for me....after I ooh and ahh because pink is my favorite color, I love chocolatechip cookie dough, and have an adorable dog too, the realization that I am never going to glide down the ice in sequins and hoist myself around three times in the air sets in. :biggrin:

SkateFan4Life · Jan 8, 2006

Piel said:
I think the purpose of the fluff is so the viewer can identify with the skater in some way and will then want to watch them. Doesn't work for me....after I ooh and ahh because pink is my favorite color, I love chocolatechip cookie dough, and have an adorable dog too, the realization that I am never going to glide down the ice in sequins and hoist myself around three times in the air sets in.

SkateFan4Life · Jan 8, 2006

And I'm sure we will see at least one in-depth "up close and personal" bio on Michelle Kwan's withdrawal from Nationals. This is one bio I would definitely want to see, as it is based on news, an Olympic bye request, and has some substance to it. This sounds like the making of a compelling drama.

heyang · Jan 8, 2006

As Toni pointed out and many of us have in the past, the fluff is for the casual viewer to gain a connection. It has nothing to do with us diehards. If the fluff creates a new fan, then I'm all for it since we've gotta get the ratings up before those contracts expire.

SkateFan4Life · Jan 9, 2006

heyang said:
As Toni pointed out and many of us have in the past, the fluff is for the casual viewer to gain a connection. It has nothing to do with us diehards. If the fluff creates a new fan, then I'm all for it since we've gotta get the ratings up before those contracts expire.

I understand your point, but I still think it is totally ridiculous to air so many of these "fluffy" segments. Of course I can only speak (write) for myself, but I would think that even a casual figure skating fan would enjoy seeing more of the performances than this silly stuff.

kemisha · Jan 9, 2006

heyang said:
As Toni pointed out and many of us have in the past, the fluff is for the casual viewer to gain a connection. It has nothing to do with us diehards. If the fluff creates a new fan, then I'm all for it since we've gotta get the ratings up before those contracts expire.

raises hand, "that's me, that's me"! the things that die hards like, no commentary, no commentary with opinions, no commentary rehashing the basics, no fluff... are all things that i need to understand the sport. without them, i see what's there, but i miss out on stuff... stuff i don't even know i'm missing.

i actually got into skating through watching professional programs. then wandered into the amateur ranks.

so :rock:

on

dancindiva03 · Jan 9, 2006

I'm not against fluff as a whole, but I'm sick of the same old, same old. I love Michelle Kwan but if I see one more fluff with her slow, monotone, totally PC and user-friendly contemplations I am going to hurl something though the TV screen. Maybe they could also get rid of the Sasha crap, she comes across as a spoiled little princess (according to my dad) everytime. Must we all be subjected to "Mike Weiss' 101 ways to Flaunt Your Heterosexuality" once again? And do we really need more B&A fluff? How about someone else fo a change. It would be nice if they finally paid attention to someone other than the usual suspects. Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov are way overdue for a fluff piece. Maybe BeBe of Katy Taylor? I'd like to see Ryan Bradley fluff because he's a personal favorite of mine.

kemisha · Jan 9, 2006

dancindiva03 said:
Maybe they could also get rid of the Sasha crap, she comes across as a spoiled little princess (according to my dad) everytime. .

could you describe it for me? never seen it. thanks

dancindiva03 · Jan 10, 2006

kemisha said:
could you describe it for me? never seen it. thanks

You want me to describe every single crappy piece of SashaFluff(tm) that I've seen? That would take too long. The one I specifically remember is the one that I believe was aired right before the 2002 Olympics, but I could be wrong. Sasha had won absolutely nothing of any significance yet she said, and I quote (maybe not word for word, but something very close), "I definitely think of myself as once of the top skaters in the world." The fluff was shot on a beach and she was doing her flexibility show off stuff (backbends etc.). My dad just shook his head and said "Wow, doesn't she sound like a spoiled little princess?"

kemisha · Jan 10, 2006

dancindiva03 said:
You want me to describe every single crappy piece of SashaFluff(tm) that I've seen? That would take too long. The one I specifically remember is the one that I believe was aired right before the 2002 Olympics, but I could be wrong. Sasha had won absolutely nothing of any significance yet she said, and I quote (maybe not word for word, but something very close), "I definitely think of myself as once of the top skaters in the world." The fluff was shot on a beach and she was doing her flexibility show off stuff (backbends etc.). My dad just shook his head and said "Wow, doesn't she sound like a spoiled little princess?"

she has firmly established herself as one of the top skaters in the world though. even though she hasn't won anything major, she's always up there. many people have that opinion. anyway, thanks.

Kelly22 · Jan 10, 2006

I agree with Zanzibar here. The vast majority of the Olympic viewing public don't have the level of knowledge that most on this board possess. It wasn't until John Misha Petkovich showed up on TV that my interest in figure skating perked...when I understood why he got out of school so much in the fifth grade! The reality is, most people need a story, and what a story the cold war between the Russian's was! However, the quality of the stories and the frequency with which they are told is another matter. I don't care to see a bio on Michelle Kwan again, but there will be many, nor do I want to see more Sasha talk, most of the fluff isn't compelling, but let's face it, it is the personal angle that hooks people. We've had some wonderful and some very sad stories over the years, my eyes still well up watching Daria & Katia skate together. What will be will be, and I am looking forward to the show, although for me, last Oly's will be hard to beat.

dancindiva03 · Jan 10, 2006

kemisha said:
she has firmly established herself as one of the top skaters in the world though. even though she hasn't won anything major, she's always up there. many people have that opinion. anyway, thanks.

My point was that this was a fluff from several years ago when she hadn't even competed in a major international event, so how could she possibly consider herself one of the top skaters if she hadn't competed against the best in the world? Well I guess she did compete against the best in the world since she had skated against Kwan ,but Kwan had always come out on top.

Lanie · Jan 10, 2006

dancindiva03 said:
My point was that this was a fluff from several years ago when she hadn't even competed in a major international event, so how could she possibly consider herself one of the top skaters if she hadn't competed against the best in the world? Well I guess she did compete against the best in the world since she had skated against Kwan ,but Kwan had always come out on top.

Sasha was sixteen. Apparently she was headstrong and yeah, she came off as arrogant. She's not like that anymore. It's called - maturing! (If I was in Sasha's place when I was 16, oh man, you better believe I'd be trying to make myself look good and cool for the camera saying stuff like that.)

SkateFan4Life · Jan 10, 2006

dancindiva03 said:
You want me to describe every single crappy piece of SashaFluff(tm) that I've seen? That would take too long. The one I specifically remember is the one that I believe was aired right before the 2002 Olympics, but I could be wrong. Sasha had won absolutely nothing of any significance yet she said, and I quote (maybe not word for word, but something very close), "I definitely think of myself as once of the top skaters in the world." The fluff was shot on a beach and she was doing her flexibility show off stuff (backbends etc.). My dad just shook his head and said "Wow, doesn't she sound like a spoiled little princess?"

I remember that little piece. At the time, my response was along the lines of, "Oh, brother, this girl is really full of herself. She considers herself to be one of the top skaters of the world when she hasn't competed at Worlds or the Olympics? Not!" Then, after the Salt Lake short program, in which she was scored third, she told the press that she was glad she received the scores she deserved. Hmmm, the girl definitely was on an ego trip at that time.

Of course, Sasha is 21 now, and she's matured. Hopefully, she will think twice before speaking into the microphone when she's in Torino.

millie · Jan 10, 2006

I think that all those fluff pieces of"upclose and personal" are all the same. No matter who the skaters are, either it be Sasha, Michelle or whoever, they all come of as a braging session and all the lady skaters are portrayed as idolizing themselves.

donnar0226 · Jan 10, 2006

dancindiva03 said:
You want me to describe every single crappy piece of SashaFluff(tm) that I've seen? That would take too long. The one I specifically remember is the one that I believe was aired right before the 2002 Olympics, but I could be wrong. Sasha had won absolutely nothing of any significance yet she said, and I quote (maybe not word for word, but something very close), "I definitely think of myself as once of the top skaters in the world."

And considering she placed 4th means she had reason to believe it--similiar to the fact that most people knew mao was one of the 'top skaters in the world" before she ever entered a senior competition.

dancindiva03 · Jan 11, 2006

donnar0226 said:
dancindiva03 said:

You want me to describe every single crappy piece of SashaFluff(tm) that I've seen? That would take too long. The one I specifically remember is the one that I believe was aired right before the 2002 Olympics, but I could be wrong. Sasha had won absolutely nothing of any significance yet she said, and I quote (maybe not word for word, but something very close), "I definitely think of myself as once of the top skaters in the world."

And considering she placed 4th means she had reason to believe it--similiar to the fact that most people knew mao was one of the 'top skaters in the world" before she ever entered a senior competition.

Click to expand...

Sasha placed fourth because others faltered and because she was held up after that awful LP.

"Up Close and Personal" Television Bios

SkateFan4Life

Guest

John King

Zanzibar

Piel

On Edge

SkateFan4Life

Guest

SkateFan4Life

Guest

heyang

SkateFan4Life

Guest

kemisha

dancindiva03

Match Penalty

kemisha

dancindiva03

Match Penalty

kemisha

Kelly22

dancindiva03

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Lanie

SkateFan4Life

Guest

millie

donnar0226

dancindiva03

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