This brought back a memory—
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) – CNN apologized Tuesday after an open mike transmitted an anchor’s bathroom conversation with another woman live over the network as it was carrying President Bush’s speech in New Orleans.
“Live From” anchor Kyra Phillips had apparently left the set around 12:48 p.m. EDT Tuesday for a bathroom break while the news channel carried Bush’s speech marking the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Phillips’ wireless microphone was turned on and picked up about a minute and a half of a muffled conversation she had with an unidentified woman where she apparently talked about her husband, laughed and talked about her brother….
No, I’ve never taken a “tinkle break” while wearing an open, live mic, but…
I recall the hidden grins some few of us shared before (and during and for a bit after) a “big wedding” (moneyed folks, “snagged” by a money-hungry preacher for his church, for his wonderful production of a wedding ceremony) one time. You see, the pastor had a habit of simply turning on his own wireless mic and leaving it that way, trusting to his hand-picked sound guy to leave the mic “off” at the board until it needed to be “on”… and “hand-picked” failed to have it off one day. The day of the “big wedding” for the monied folks said pastor had his eye on for further milking.
(Yeh, I knew the guy well. An ego that had him convinced he excreted vanilla ice cream… appropriately enough for this lil vignette.)
Right before the ceremony was to start, the minister decided it would be best to take a preventative potty break. Hand-picked sound guy was… out of the booth, just farting messing around, soooo… The entire potty session was clearly transmitted and played over a very fine, high-fidelity sound system. Zipper, jingle of pants pockets contents, rustle of fabrics, tinkle, urm, etc., and grunt/sigh of relief, among other amusing sound effects.
I guess ya just had to be there, but the experience had everyone (except the folks paying the frieght) pretty much trying not to guffaw out loud the rest of the afternoon/evening… and on into several weeks.
Didn’t do him a world of good, sad to say, because his ego refused to take it in stride. And learn a little humility? Fuggetaboutit!
Maybe it wasn’t a newsmaker like CNN’s (most recent) gaffe, but it did make for a memorable experience.
