Bad commentary and writing

Subject: Bad commentary and writing
From: "LAGOLD.US.ORACLE.COM" <LAGOLD -at- US -dot- ORACLE -dot- COM>
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 1994 11:25:32 PDT

At our company picnic, they had ethnic dancers.

The narrator of one of the dances said, "Our dancers will be performing
a Chinese dance from China."

(Where were these Chinese dances going to be from -- Peoria?)

The all-time funniest I've heard, however, was a classic example of bad
broadcast newswriting.

About a month ago, the SF Bay Area got a new newstalk station. The "powers
that be" had yet (and STILL have yet) to work out the kinks in the format.
I heard an interview that went approximately like this that had me laughing
so hard I almost had to pull over:

[Note: I forgot the name of the doctor, so I stuck one in. --Lynn]

BB: Hi, I'm Brian Butler, and you're listening to 95.7 -- the Express.
I'm here with Dr. Octavia Smith, Chief of Client Services of San Francisco
General Hospital.

Dr. Smith, I understand you are Chief of Client Services of San Francisco
General Hospital?

DS: Yes, that's correct.

BB: This is 95.7 -- the Express, and I'm here with Dr. Octavia Smith,
Chief of Client Services of San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Smith,
what exactly is it you do as Chief of Client Services of San Francisco
General Hospital?

DS: We provide services for whoever comes into the hospital.

BB: I'm here with Dr. Octavia Smith, Chief of Client Services of
San Francisco General Hospital on 95.7 -- the Express. As Chief of Client
Services of San Francisco General Hospital, Dr. Smith, tell me, who exactly
uses your services?

DS: It used to be mostly poor people, but it's now mostly unemployed people
and people whose employers don't give them health insurance who use our
services.

BB: So it's now mostly unemployed people and people whose employers don't
give them health insurance who use your services, Dr. Octavia Smith, Chief
of Client Services of San Francisco General Hospital?

DS: Yes, that's correct.

-------

The interview went on for one or two more questions along those lines,
but I think you get the idea.

--Lynn
lagold -at- us -dot- oracle -dot- corp
Senior Technical Writer Traffic Producer/Anchor
Oracle Corporation Metro Traffic, San Jose


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