Thursday, October 19, 2006
Presentation Horror Stories
When a seasoned pro like Kelsey Grammar fell off the stage during a presentation at Disney last year, you know that presentation nightmares can happen in real life to anybody, at any time.
And sometimes, I do not know if it is scarier for the presenter or for the audience! Who gets more horrified?
As an audience member, I watched as an impeccably-dressed, petite presenter had a problem with her microphone cutting out.
She turned red, and asked for tech support to help. A gigantic, goth young man lumbered on stage, twirled her around to audience profile, flipped up her blazer, bent over and intently gazed at her mike's fanny pack.
The audience fiddled uncomfortably for what seemed like ages while this oaf poked at the tiny woman's rear end.
The nightmare should have been over when the teen bobbed to an upright position and muttered, "I had to flip your fanny pack on." And yes, the mike picked up his words so that the entire audience of 200+ could hear.
I do not think the flustered lady ever really quite recovered from this false start. She had earned our pity right away, and did not put it to rest with a joke. She went on with the show, beet-red, stammering, and seemingly mortified.
I had empathy for her. I have been less than poised on many occasions: when I was introduced with the wrong name and bio, when I had five too many cups of coffee before I started my presentation and started talking WAY too fast, quaking and shaking like a meth addict...oh, the horror!
But hey - we all have presentation horror stories to tell.
What's yours? ¶ 10/19/2006 01:20:00 PM
When a seasoned pro like Kelsey Grammar fell off the stage during a presentation at Disney last year, you know that presentation nightmares can happen in real life to anybody, at any time.
And sometimes, I do not know if it is scarier for the presenter or for the audience! Who gets more horrified?
As an audience member, I watched as an impeccably-dressed, petite presenter had a problem with her microphone cutting out.
She turned red, and asked for tech support to help. A gigantic, goth young man lumbered on stage, twirled her around to audience profile, flipped up her blazer, bent over and intently gazed at her mike's fanny pack.
The audience fiddled uncomfortably for what seemed like ages while this oaf poked at the tiny woman's rear end.
The nightmare should have been over when the teen bobbed to an upright position and muttered, "I had to flip your fanny pack on." And yes, the mike picked up his words so that the entire audience of 200+ could hear.
I do not think the flustered lady ever really quite recovered from this false start. She had earned our pity right away, and did not put it to rest with a joke. She went on with the show, beet-red, stammering, and seemingly mortified.
I had empathy for her. I have been less than poised on many occasions: when I was introduced with the wrong name and bio, when I had five too many cups of coffee before I started my presentation and started talking WAY too fast, quaking and shaking like a meth addict...oh, the horror!
But hey - we all have presentation horror stories to tell.
What's yours? ¶ 10/19/2006 01:20:00 PM
