SAFTAs Awkward Red-carpet Coverage

So I recorded the SAFTAs last night and got home all excited to see the redcarpet coverage, that’s the only part of the event that interests me, only to be greeted by a shocking display of utter disappointment. What exactly were TUMI MORAKE and NTHATO MASHISHI doing? Whose brilliant idea was it to have them do a live coverage at an award show when they clearly have never done anything of that nature before?

Lerato Kganyago (loved the dress by the way) was clearly in her element, she has interviewed celebrities before and knows what entertainment reporting is about.  

Ag shem Nthato. Tumi was bad simply because she was trying to be funny in the wrong place. Watching Nthato try and interview Jen Su, on the other hand, was painful to watch. I genuinely felt embarrassed for for the guy.  

Lerato was so flustered not knowing what to do, she actually ended up having to cut him off and close the link. 

Seriously though, at first I actually felt sorry for the guy. He is a very nice guy and I love that he is one of the few people in this industry that are not caught up in the hype of being a celeb. Yes he is a celeb, people know who he is but when you are in his presence he is just a quiet unassuming guy. 

Obviously the guy was not going to say no to a gig at the SAFTAs even though he had no experience. I would never turn down an opportunity like that either. If a current affairs show producer were to call me and say come and interview a politician I certainly won’t say no even though I am not a journalist. 

After a while I actually got angry about this situation. I know we always complain that we need variety on our screens but dare I say; I actually wished Bonang was doing the interviews or atleast have Lerato doing it solo. Hell even Pearl would have been ok, they seem to be the current darling of the SABC anyway. 

SAFTAs are supposed to be a platform that celebrates and honor excellence in our industry. 

Why would a producer think it is a good idea to hire people who have never done entertainment reporting to cover the redcarpet – live nogal?

What is going on at SABC3? When did choreographers and makeup artists suddenly become presenters? 

Being a presenter and interviewing people is a skill that needs honing just like any other craft. You can’t just take someone randomly, give them a mic and expect them to do a live coverage especially for high profile shows like the J&B Met and Awards show without some assurance that they would know what to do.

Did they audition the guy? Screen- test perhaps? Ok maybe that’s expecting a pigs to fly, how about a rehearsal before the show?

Though I understand the criticism hurled at Nthato for his poor performance as a live presenter, I don’t think the blame lies with him. It is the judgement of the producers or any of the executives to allow an inexperienced presenter to a do live coverage on such a high profile show. 

What is happening to this industry? Have we gotten to that point of complacency as viewers and impertinence from producers that we just let mediocrity reign?

Some of these bad decisions are just too flippant to be excused as just an error in judgement. It has gotten to a point where the evidence suggests that people just do not care anymore.  They know you will still watch and even if you moan about it there will not be any repercussions so why should they bother.