Interview with Mirai & Caroline

Having quickly scanned the forum, I don't see this being posted already. There is a new interview with Mirai & Caroline posted on IceNetwork.

Mirai is so cute! And impressively at ease in front of the camera. She's calm and happy and comes off very sweet and very comfortable with herself.

Caroline seems to have grown up in a hurry. Wow! She stopped talking rapid-fire as well, even though I missed some bits when she turned to Mirai.

I don't know why they insist on interviewing them together and talking up their friendship, though. I mean, they clearly aren't that good of friends, given that they don't know about each other's TV-watching habits, or what's in their backyards. And besides, can you imagine interviewing both Michelle & Sasha, or Michelle & Irina after some major competition, after one triumphed and the other performed below expectations, and asking them what kind of expectations they had going in and how they felt afterwards?! I mean, how rough! I felt bad for Roger Federer and Serena Williams after they lost their respective finals and had to be interviewed on how they felt about the whole thing. I find it kinda cruel, though in a reality-TV kinda way it probably draws in viewers. But if Serena or Roger had to have a sit-down interview along with the victors, what are they supposed to say after the other said they are so excited about how well they did and how it exceeded all their expectations? Besides, it's awkward for the winner too, especially if they have a good relationship with their competitor.

Maybe I'm just overly sensitive about these things.

Anyway, kudos to both girls. I wish both of them the best of luck with the new season! I hope that they're coping with their physical growth as well as they're clearly doing with their intellectual growth.

People just expect too much of them on a maturity level. Just because Mirai and Caroline are both excellent and very talented skaters beyond their years doesn't mean that they have the mental maturity of someone much older! It would be nice to see them treated as talented "kids," because that is what they really are at this point. They have years of mental growth and development ahead of them.

It's a sad misconception that just because someone is talented beyond their years at something, that they should also have the same mental maturity beyond their years. Let kids be kids and adults be adults.

feraina said:

Having quickly scanned the forum, I don't see this being posted already. There is a new interview with Mirai & Caroline posted on IceNetwork.

I don't know why they insist on interviewing them together and talking up their friendship, though. I mean, they clearly aren't that good of friends, given that they don't know about each other's TV-watching habits, or what's in their backyards.

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Gee, I can not listen their interview since I am not the official member of IceNetwork.
Will you kindly give me the brief summary of the interview of Mirai and Caroline, please?

I guess Mirai and Caroline are often set together, because they are at the same age.
Besides, both girls are from LA with Asian roots.
This package deal is very knee-jerk, with no profound meaning.

As far as I'm concerned Mao and Kim are set together because they are "good rivals".
It must be quite awkward for both girls to get the rivalry as well as the friendship inflated.
But the media people does never, ever have a good common sense to respect each skater's personality.

It is on Youtube now if anybody want to see.

they are really cute. Marai looks very grown up, but Caroline's voice sounds older. they really do seem comfortable with each other, not as forced looking as the 2007 nationals. I know two girls like that.. skated together, competed against eachother all the way up.... they were really close until they were pre-juv, when the competition made them more friendly than friends.

Brrr...

They are all nice and perfect and cute and sweet and hard working and polished and polite and modest and well bred and respectful. A bit interested in fashion, in hairstyling, a bit into books, doing well at school, they enjoy a few innocent TV-shows. The perfect blend of cutesie shyness, typical girly interests, fluffy humour, modesty (it's such an honour...).

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against those girls. It's even possible that they are exactly how they are portrayed. But to me, it's just not interesting. You can place Kimmie Meissner, Ashley Wagner and Rachel Flatt next to those two - and they probably wouldn't be much different. Then you can take the Asian girls, and some Europeans - and they will all sit there and tell you how honoured and pleased they are with, well, everything. How much they respect each other. How hard they want to work and give their best... Are people really that perfect? And if they are - why is perfect so boring? And the worst thing is - all this perfection shows on the ice. No experiments, costumes (I find the 2008 Worlds podium hilarious - all girls in some pink with white / lighter shades, 2008 Junior worlds podium - everyone in light blue!) are similar, music choices are rarely interesting, styles are similar (always somewhere between sportive graceful and lyrical graceful)...

The girl's competition is like 30 Jeff Buttles competing against each other.

One Jeff is great, a second one with small differences is okay - but it gets boring with the third. Nothing against Buttle, adore the guy and the world also needs perfect and nice people.

More honest version of rivalries.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SZFbvEAMKvg

Listen to Emanuel Sandhu saying, "I don't consider Jeff as my rival. It wasn't as though this guy had two quads in his program! All I can say is he is a nice guy and well trained"

feraina said:

There is a new interview with Mirai & Caroline posted on IceNetwork.

I don't know why they insist on interviewing them together and talking up their friendship, though.
---what are they supposed to say after the other said they are so excited about how well they did and how it exceeded all their expectations? Besides, it's awkward for the winner too, especially if they have a good relationship with their competitor.

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Thanks for your posting, feraina!
Mirai and Caroline are soooooooooo cute and nice.
But I feel doubtful about the interviewer's skill.
He is not so knowledgeable enough about the figure skating
and has not much interests/respects toward each athlete.
IceNetwork should have much more in-depth approach as a figure skating expert network.

I am surprised to see that Caroline is much taller than Mirai.
She must have a bigger jump now that she gains the substantial physical strength.

As for Mirai, I hope she shrugs off the pressure and enjoys her first senior competition in Nov.

Sllippery said:

I am surprised to see that Caroline is much taller than Mirai. She must have a bigger jump now that she gains the substantial physical strength. As for Mirai, I hope she shrugs off the pressure and enjoys her first senior competition in Nov.

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I don't think Caroline's actually much taller than Mirai. From the Champs Camp photos, they look about the same, maybe Caroline is a hair taller. I think Mirai has long limbs and short torso, so while sitting down she appears much shorter than Caroline. But gaining height or not, I hope Caroline's jumps are getting bigger/higher anyway!

Mirai looks totally comfortable and confident, I don't see any signs in her of being weighed down by pressure. Caroline, OTOH, seems a bit more stressed out and preoccupied to me (couldn't watch TV because of finals, and now she's just relieved to be able to skate & practice without having to go over programs all the time). I hope she's getting enough of a break & rest this summer, because the competition & pressure next year for those two precious Worlds spots will be fierce!

Btw, Caroline looks so different with her long, long hair down. And she's a prim & proper young lady! Sitting with her hands folded in her lap and all.

There's also an interview with Rachael, she's so bubbly and down-to-earth, it's great to see her laughing/smiling so much during the interview.

Medusa said:

Brrr...

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against those girls. It's even possible that they are exactly how they are portrayed. But to me, it's just not interesting. You can place Kimmie Meissner, Ashley Wagner and Rachel Flatt next to those two - and they probably wouldn't be much different.

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Well, if the girls got into all sorts of trouble, disrespected each other, or were poor sportsmen, they would probably be more interesting. But I don't think that's what we want. Maybe we want these pefect little ice goddesses. Maybe that's the expectation placed upon them. I wonder if they have to sign a "moral perfection contract."

^ "....and in fact lived every moment of her life as if a child might be watching..."

Christine Brennan, about Michelle Kwan.

fumie_fumie said:

More honest version of rivalries.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SZFbvEAMKvg

Listen to Emanuel Sandhu saying, "I don't consider Jeff as my rival. It wasn't as though this guy had two quads in his program! All I can say is he is a nice guy and well trained"

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that was really interesting...seeing the reactions. thanks for posting. they probably will do somthing like that next year withe Evan and Johnny... lol

I'm kind of with Medusa on this one. Perhaps not to that extent (I really like Mirai, for example, on and of the ice), but I do I wish there were more female skaters that were willing to step outside the lines. I'm not talking Tonya Harding here, but personality, please!

Mathman said:

^ "....and in fact lived every moment of her life as if a child might be watching..."

Christine Brennan, about Michelle Kwan.

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Honestly, it's not like Kwan was the most interesting skater or interviewee.

Mathman said:

^ "....and in fact lived every moment of her life as if a child might be watching..."

Christine Brennan, about Michelle Kwan.

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I've been wondering about that quote. It seems more accurate to write "....and in fact lived every moment of her PUBLIC life as if a child might be watching..." Because we don't really know much about her private life, nor do we have any indication that Christine knows more than we do.

As for personality, if the girls had more personality than they do, how would the interview had gone? How would they have answered the questions differently? :scratch:

PolymerBob said:

I've been wondering about that quote. It seems more accurate to write "....and in fact lived every moment of her PUBLIC life as if a child might be watching..." Because we don't really know much about her private life, nor do we have any indication that Christine knows more than we do.

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Christine Brennan did a lot of research, interviewed many people in the skating business, and spent a certain amont of time with the Kwan family while writing her book, The Edge of Glory, which was basically a bio of Michelle's career up to that point (the 1998 Olympics. In fact, it seemed to me that Brennan was a little miffed at Michelle for spoiling the ending of her book. Brennan's treatment of the Tara camp, though not inaccurate, was far from flattering.)

About Michelle's public life, in those days (perhaps less so now) she was under public scrutiny everywhere she went. Just walking across campus, or waiting in an airport, she attracted a certain amount of recognition and attention. I think it quite remarkable that, out of, oh, say, a million opportunities to come off as maybe not so nice after all -- she never did. Boring or not, I think that with Michelle, what you see is wnat you get.

Oleada said:

Honestly, it's not like Kwan was the most interesting skater or interviewee.

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But then again, it's not really Michelle's job to give entertaining interviews, honestly.

Mathman said:

Christine Brennan did a lot of research, interviewed many people in the skating business, and spent a certain amont of time with the Kwan family while writing her book, The Edge of Glory, which was basically a bio of Michelle's career up to that point (the 1998 Olympics.)

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This is very useful, thank you. OK, now as I recall, Ms. Brennan wrote her comments after Michelle's withdrawal from the Turino Olympics in February of 2006. So I must now ask ..... whom was she writing about? Was she writing about the mature 25 year old woman who existed at the time? .......
......... or the 17 year girl who existed 8 years earlier?

Medusa said:

Brrr...

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Medusa said:

why is perfect so boring?

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People strive for perfection, but don't seem to realize how boring they become in the process. Brrr it is.

PolymerBob said:

This is very useful, thank you. OK, now as I recall, Ms. Brennan wrote her comments after Michelle's withdrawal from the Turino Olympics in February of 2006. So I must now ask ..... whom was she writing about? Was she writing about the mature 25 year old woman who existed at the time? .......
......... or the 17 year girl who existed 8 years earlier?

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I wrote to Ms. Brennan around the time of the 2002 Olympics, asking if she was going to write another book about the skating hopefuls at that event. She said no, instead she was working on a picture book on the history of Stars on Ice. She never really involved herself in the intimate details of skating again, as far as I know (though she still covers the sport -- among many -- for USA Today.)

Brennan is primarily an advocate for women in sports. Her two most recent books are dedicated to this theme. One is written jointly with Billie Jean King, and is about the pioneering struggles of women's sports champions. (I mean, of people who champion women's rights in the sports world.)

Her other recent book is a tribute to her father. She talks about growing up a tomboy and how her father always encouraged and supported her in what, in those days, were decidedly non-girly interests. (She was a big Detroit Tigers and Michigan Wolverines fan. She also followed the Toledo Mud Hens avidly. )

Her first two books were "expose's" of two so-called nicey-nicey "girls" sports, tennis and figure skating. She wrote an "as told to" book with tennis player Tracy Austin, followed by "Inside Edge -- A Revealing Journey Through the Secret World of Figure Skating." This was intended to show the seamy underbelly lurking behind the pretty smiles and pink dresses.

When she came out with "Edge of Glory" a couple of years later, people expected (at least I did) more of the same. But in the meantime Brennan seemed to have become captivated by the sport, and especially by the Kwan family. So this book turned out to be more "horray for Michelle" than women's lib.

I have no doubt that her tribute to Michelle in 2006 was sincere, based both on her memories of the 17-year-old girl and her observations of the woman she had become.

I am curious, though, about what the first part of the sentence is, that is always quoted, "...and in fact...

hsuh said:

"People strive for perfection, but don't seem to realize how boring they become in the process. Brrr it is.

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The other interesting thing is how many long threads and well-considered posts there are about how uninteresting the topic is to the poster.

I think golfer Tiger Woods might be offered as a athlete who, qua athlete, is pretty close to perfect. He gives duly boring interviews.

"Tell us about that eagle on 14." "I played a good shot."

"What happened on 16?" "I caught a bunker and took a bogie."

"You're leading after 54 holes. Do you think anyone can catch you?" "They'll have to go low."

And yet, the audience can't get enough of boring old Tiger. With him injured, the TV ratings for the rest of the golf season are in the toilet. Phil Nickelson (#2) against Adam Scott (#3) -- who is going to watch that?

Mathman said:

But then again, it's not really Michelle's job to give entertaining interviews, honestly.

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I find her skating boring as well, but I know you'll disagree

Hsuhs said:

People strive for perfection, but don't seem to realize how boring they become in the process. Brrr it is.

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I'm not sure what the majority of skating fans want. It seems that we want our adorable little ice goddesses who do no worse that stay up until 1:30 in the morning watching TV. Then again, when Tonya and Nancy skated their short program in the Olympics, more people watch that competition than watched most Super Bowls.

Does it really have to be your adorable little ice goddesses vs. Tonya? I'm only asking for a promotional material that doesn't make me puke.