Two things make me want to hurl: the stylized, homogeneous, pseudo-glam shots of skaters that litter the broadcasts and when the networks try to do "up close and personal" segments on non-US/Canadian skaters. You know, the one where Slutskaya/Plushenko/Yagudin, etc. walk along the banks of the Neva in dead winter (instead of the California beach), ruminating on the meaning of life and skating. Regardless of the skater's country, these spots are PR pandering all the way.
I am one of those who could do without the UCAP shots. We could get to see more skaters that way. If I want to watch a good bio, however, I will tune in to CBC's "Life and Times" or A&E's "Biography".
Some of the UCAP bios have been unnecessarily "personal" as well. I remember a segment on Nicole Bobek that aired about a decade ago. She was talking about how her father walked out on her mother and her when she was a toddler, and he's never bothered to keep in touch. Nicole said, to paraphrase, "I have this fantasy of my father someday showing up at my door when I'm famous, and I'll say - get lost. You weren't there for us when we needed you, and I don't need you now." Honestly - this was way, way, too personal!! I'm not sure if ABC wanted us all to flip out the hankies over this sob story, but whatever the case, I felt that it was the kind of personal item that was, quite frankly, none of our business.
Mabe I'll have to purchase a small pail and keep it handy by my television set, just in case I need to use it next season. :\
"Also, when the competition is international, I really like to see the "up and comers" and find out who to "look out for."
Whoever could you mean?
It seems to me that when someone new and good comes along (Kostner & Sasha being the latest 2 examples) they go straight to the top. The gals down in 15th and 16th usually stay there, year after year after year.
Some, but some others don't. Fumie Suguri once placed 20th at Worlds , but now she's a 2 time bronze medalist. Shen/Zhao were once around 15th, and now they have 2 golds at Worlds. They are also some of my favorite skaters too. I enjoy watching not so often seen skaters, even if they have flaws.
If I see one more UCAP (Up Close And Personal) where Michelle is sitting under a tree or walking along the beach looking PENSIVE while her own voiceover plays in the background ("What skating means to me... blah blah blah") I am going to HURLAs much as I love Michelle's skating, I agree. There is such a thing as overexposure.
There have been a few on other skaters I have enjoyed. Like the one where Victor helped the American skater when she was injured in Russia. I thought that was a very nice profile. But even at that, I don't want to watch it 10 times.
I actually enjoy seeing skaters profiled in non-skating-related shows like "Biography" or "Life and Times" (I thought the various "Life and Times" specials on various skaters have been especially well-done) since the vast majority of people profiled on these shows aren't skaters at all, so it's nice to see a skater or two sneak onto there every once in awhile. Plus, unlike most "fluff pieces" aired during actual skating events, no competitors are chacked from the TV broadcast!Originally posted by John King
Well,to each their own.Oksana Baiul has had 4 hour-long bios on her life,Intimate Portrait,A&E Biography,Beyond the Glory and E! True Hollywood Story,I guess there is that much interest in the Lass.In Canada,Liz Manley,Brian Orser have had their own bios,as have B & E, U & M,and Barbara Anne Scott King.Tonya's
Aaah, but some of the fluff segments are so darn funny. Remembering the World's piece of Mike Weiss and the hypnotherapist still brings a smile to my face
I also vote for ditching these little borefests unless they are directly related to skating (the ones on costumes, picking music, etc. are at least skating related and somewhat interesting).
While I think "Michelle on the beach" has been retired, I'm gritting my teeth waiting for the endless profiles of "Sarah Hughes," selfless, sacrificing pre-med student at Yale" this coming season. I like Sarah a lot, but I WILL hurl majorly if ABC overdoes that issue, and you know they will just to get mileage out of the OGM, in the hopes that she will return at some point. Ick.
I'm undecided about this issue - sometimes, when it's one of my favorite skaters, I am really happy to see the little fluff pieces like the one on Plushenko that I think they first aired during the GPF but then a slightly different one (but the same material) at Worlds. However, I would also like to see some of the lower-ranked skaters who maybe don't have perfect jumping ability but have some pizzazz to their skating. sk8m8 mentioned the Ice Channel - I'm hoping that will offer a balanced combination of both the up close and personal stuff and the competition coverage. (But I don't think I'll be able to get it in my dorm room!
At Worlds there was a lovely, 3x-less skater from Mexico, Ana Cecilia Cantu, who was a joy to watch. I think she should be in an ice show; she made wonderful contact with the audience. And she didn't come close to qualifying. (How she was ranked below Diane Chen, whose skate was painful to watch, I'll never know.)Originally posted by rachelstarlet
However, I would also like to see some of the lower-ranked skaters who maybe don't have perfect jumping ability but have some pizzazz to their skating. sk8m8 mentioned the Ice Channel -
The great thing about being locked in a hotel room in Europe working a few years ago was being able to watch Europeans on Eurosport, which televises every SP and LP, OD and FD, and which, instead of showing endless commercials (only a handful per hour), does instant replay on nearly all of the elements, and shows classic programs during zamboni breaks.
I hope Ice Channel is willing to show all of the skaters.
I don't mind them that much except when the ones of the SAME skaters are shown over and over again.
I'm gritting my teeth waiting for the endless profiles of "Sarah Hughes," selfless, sacrificing pre-med student at Yale" this coming season.
Unless my geography is off whack, I believe that Sarah Hughes and Sasha Cohen will be living within close proximity of each other -- Sarah at Yale, and Sasha at her Connecticut training site.
Perhaps the networks can save some mileage and shoot both Sarah and Sasha together for next season's UCAP segments.
Hughes can be the ultra-dedicated student who is scaling down on her training while Cohen can be the ultra-dedicated skater who is pumping up her training, bigtime.
I just get so SICK of listening to Michael Weiss try to analyze his years of sloppy programs - botched jumps, falls, and other miscues. At the age of 27, he's still trying to figure out what to do, and, well, if he hasn't gained that wisdom by now, I doubt if he ever will.
I don't really mind them. I would like it better if they had a whole show for skating bios, like "Intimate Portrait: Kristi Yamaguchi"
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