Random Things I spot on my Commute To Work:
A little Self Promotion
I woke up this morning to find out I’ve been nominated for two National Entertainment Journalism Awards (From the LA Press Club).
The first nod is for a story that I worked on with Legendary NBC4 Los Angeles anchor Chuck Henry- a story we called “Forgotten Footprints”. Chuck literally stumbled up the original footprints of Grauman’s Chinese Theater which had been hidden away in an airport hangar for more than two decades. We found out that the folks at Grauman’s didn’t even know they existed.
I’m also a finalist for “National Entertainment Journalist of the Year”-- the big award! The nomination is for my body of work in 2010-2011 (both TV and internet). Yes, people- I’m a serious journalist in my other (real) life.
Hugh Hefner is the lifetime achievement honoree this year. And my colleague Robert Kovacik is also up for an award for a profile he did on Hugh saving the Hollywood Sign. Congrats Robert!
NEWSROOM Lesson #3
I’ve worked in the news business for (cough) nearly 18 years now. I’m a what you call a veteran, even though (at times) I still think of myself as the punk 24 year old who just got out of college. My first TV gig paid a whopping $7.00 an hour. And I earned every penny of that salary.
I’ve covered presidential elections, presidential recalls, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, major and minor plane crashes, Hollyweird, high profile and low profile murder trials. I’ve even survived (and then reported on) a gunman trying to blast her way into our newsroom (that story will be told in its own blog post).
I like to think I”m good at what I do. But when it comes to negotiating, or being my own advocate I suck balls. I mean I really suck balls. And today my friends, I’m going to share a story of what NOT to do, a tough lesson learned in the newsroom.
The SCENE:
It took place years ago at a TV station that I won’t name. I was sitting at my desk producing the 5pm news and I was in a bad mood. The day before my boss, the news director, had refused to let me out of my contract early to accept a producing job in my hometown of Seattle. It wasn’t a better job, but it would have brought me closer to my family who all live in the Northwest. Adding fuel to the fire- a reporter who I really didn’t care for and who ALWAYS dressed inappropriately - walked up to the producer pod.
Reporter: Hey Guys, Guess what?
My Coproducer: What?
Reporter: I got a new job! I just gave my two weeks notice
Me: (not caring but being polite) Congrats.
Reporter: Yes! It’s great. I’ll be anchoring the 5pm news in ______. That’s where I’m from!
Me: (starting to pay attention) Aren’t you under contract?
Reporter: Yes! (squealing) It was such a great opportunity, that they (news director) let me out of my contract early!
Me: (pissed) SERIOUSLY?
Reporter: Yes! I have two weeks left here before I start in _______.
Me (standing up, very angry and yells across the newsroom) WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO AROUND HERE TO GET OUT OF YOUR CONTRACT?? SHOW YOUR TITS?
The Take Away: I wouldn’t recommend yelling that in a work place setting, especially if your boss is only 10 feet away. It was a tough lesson to learn and it was amazing I didn’t lose my job. So, my take away: think before you speak and yes, children, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to show a little T+A.
One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn’t belong. Can you tell which thing is not like the others, By the time I finish my song?
"You’ve lost weight? I can almost see your waistline again"
— CoWorker to Me
"What a waste of time. I’m so glad I’m drunk, otherwise I’d be really pissed"
— A rejected contestant at “The Voice Auditions in LA, via my friend Bridget
It’s been almost a year to the day since I was working on a story called ”The Rock N Roll Treasure.“
It was a series of reports that centered around a woman named Patti Daley who shared with me her incredible personal photo albums and scrapbooks. But these weren’t just any scrapbooks. Inside the pages of her albums was a treasure trove of rare Polaroids and photos of icons in rock, plus letters from members of the Beatles, and even John Lennon lyrics.
I got an email from Patti yesterday because I had contacted her to find out what had become of her collection. While there is nothing to report there, Patti reminded me about several acetates that she owns. An acetate is the prototype and test model of a recording. Basically before a record is mass produced, it is tested to see if it meets both artistic and technical approval.
The most unique and perhaps the most desirable of Daley’s acetates is one that includes two songs from legendary alternative-country singer/songwriter Gram Parsons.
Daley’s boyfriend at the time was a man named Jesse Ed Davis. In the 1960s and 1970s, Davis was the go to guitarist for legends in rock. He played with members of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Faces, and he also played with Parsons in the Flying Burrito Brothers.
Daley said the couple often partied and played music with Parsons. In one studio session they recorded two songs, a Parson’s original called, “Ain’t no Beatle, Ain’t No Rolling Stone” and a cover of Wilbert Harrison’s ”Kansas City”.
Daley doesn’t remember much about the recording sessions, but believes they took place shortly before Parsons death in 1973.
“Jesse was the producer,” said Daley. ”I don’t even know if this was released, I really don’t”.
I did a little research and the only place I can find “Ain’t No Beatle, Ain’t No Rolling Stone” is on an album released in 2003 called “Lost Recordings by Gram Parsons”. The album is a collection of demos and rehearsals recorded while Parsons was putting together his first solo album. I can’t find Parson’s rendition of “Kansas City” anywhere on the internet.
Perhaps if someone reads this blog post, they can give us all more information on these recordings. And I of course will let you all know what becomes of Daley’s “Rock ‘N’ Roll Treasure”.
((THE ABOVE PHOTOS OF THE ACETATE I SHOT WITH MY IPHONE. THE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO IS FROM THE COLLECTION OF PATTI DALEY, USED WITH HER PERMISSION)).
Newsroom Lesson #2
- The Scene: Another producer walks up to me at my desk as I'm starting to assemble my show.
- Producer: Hey, Tara! (hands me a piece of wire copy) Check this out... best story of the day!
- Me: (reading the wire story) Is it in your show?
- Producer: (pause) No.
- The Take Away: It's not the best story of the day
