Interview with Mirai & Caroline

[antmanb]

I think I get it. If a man wants to sew, he should sew with a Rugged Outdoor Sewing Kit . If a lady wants to replace the backyard fence, she should use a Milady's Tood Kit .

I want to keep this post to bring it out everytime there is a masculine/feminine skating debate! That really gave me a laugh Joe!

Ant

 

[DragonPhoenix]

I think there is a reason why American sports fans feel pushed to the extremes on this question. The professional sports culture in the U.S. is dominated by athletes each trying to outdo the next in projecting a thuggy "gangsta" image. "I'm a baddah muthuh****** than y'all is."

Not a day goes by without an article in the sports section about some moron arrested for attempted murder after a shooting in a bar fight (the perp's defense, "He was lookin' at me!") Or the police called to an athlete's home when the guy beat up his girl friend, or athletes bragging about how many illegimate children they have strewn across the landscape (not that they have any intention of supporting any of them.)

The problem -- so the sociologists say -- is that these young men, because of their athletic gifts, have never had to learn accepted standards of behavior.

So when nice youngsters who are equally gifted athletes come along, no, it's not boring at all when they say, "I am grateful for the opportunity to represent my country in the Olympics. I will do my best." That's not boring. That's a welcome breath of fresh air.

Just my opinion, of course.

I just read this today, excellent post. Completely agree. It's ridiculous what is being forced fed to us in the media.

I think I get it. If a man wants to sew, he should sew with a Rugged Outdoor Sewing Kit . If a lady wants to replace the backyard fence, she should use a Milady's Tood Kit .

I want to keep this post to bring it out everytime there is a masculine/feminine skating debate! That really gave me a laugh Joe!


Ant

That is hilarious. Made me laugh too

 

[vlaurend]

ITA. I'm awfully surprised that many people here are like demanding clients.:yes:

This is a bit off the subject, but just for your information,
this is the very interesting interview to Ms. Charlene Wong, the primary coach of Mirai Nagasu.

"SkateCast_No17_CharleneWong"
http://web.mac.com/rogueelement/iWeb/skatecast/Podcast/C51FD464-D397-437E-BBB8-460D6EF28E23.html

My family and I love Charlene as a skater as well as a coach.
She is mature and very smart.
It takes ages to conduct an insightful interview like Charlene.
Besides, the key to success is a clever interviewer like this lady, I suppose.

Thank you! And I'm glad Charlene is in charge of teaching Mirai how to interview because she understands that she's still a kid and a role model for younger kids (and would do best to present herself as such, at least until she's a little older). She also understands that there's a big difference in experience and awareness between a 15-year old and a 40+ year old and that the first step in learning to talk to the media is to master the art of not saying something you'll wish you could take back. I'm sure this is what Caroline's media coaching has focused on as well (and Caroline has always had a tendency to speak a little impulsively, so this is a good thing for her, IMO). As the girls get better at this, they may eventually be as good at navigating the fine line between frank and PC as well as Charlene is.

BTW, I agree with the poster who said that skaters are generally a little "younger" than other kids their age because they spend too much time training to be getting into trouble and becoming more "interesting." Not to mention the fact that most of them are good skaters precisely because they do what they are told, which is exactly what the coach says. If you want an interesting interview, interview a writer, since you are unlikely to get one from very many athletes.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

BTW, I agree with the poster who said that skaters are generally a little "younger" than other kids their age because they spend too much time training to be getting into trouble and becoming more "interesting." Not to mention the fact that most of them are good skaters precisely because they do what they are told, which is exactly what the coach says. If you want an interesting interview, interview a writer, since you are unlikely to get one from very many athletes.

If you believe that ballet dancers (as well as all dancers) work as hard as figure skaters, then I give you a view by a dear departed old friend who used to interview them for Dance Magazine. He said: They have nothing to say. They haven't experienced anything of life except the ballet even when they met dignataries in foreign places. Yet if one reads Gelsey Kirkland's book on ballet. WOW. She said, (of a well known principal dancer) that his love making was faster than his pirouettes. Lots more of what goes on in the ballet world.

Are figure skaters different?

 

[Nigel]

Thank you! And I'm glad Charlene is in charge of teaching Mirai how to interview because she understands that she's still a kid and a role model for younger kids (and would do best to present herself as such, at least until she's a little older). She also understands that there's a big difference in experience and awareness between a 15-year old and a 40+ year old and that the first step in learning to talk to the media is to master the art of not saying something you'll wish you could take back. I'm sure this is what Caroline's media coaching has focused on as well (and Caroline has always had a tendency to speak a little impulsively, so this is a good thing for her, IMO). As the girls get better at this, they may eventually be as good at navigating the fine line between frank and PC as well as Charlene is.

BTW, I agree with the poster who said that skaters are generally a little "younger" than other kids their age because they spend too much time training to be getting into trouble and becoming more "interesting." Not to mention the fact that most of them are good skaters precisely because they do what they are told, which is exactly what the coach says. If you want an interesting interview, interview a writer, since you are unlikely to get one from very many athletes.

One of the media points that is often encouraged for someone being interviewed is rather than speaking impulsively, go ahead and say....
"Gosh, I need to think about the answer to that question."

Shows that you are not necessarily rehearsed in your answers and that you are trying to be genuinely thoughtful about the questions.