Ever since I can remember, I’ve worn my feelings on my face. I’m an expert eye roller, nose scruncher, and lip curler. If I’m feeling any type of emotion, you’ll see it all up on my grill before you’ll hear it in my voice. This makes it difficult for me to live life without appearing painfully constipated throughout. It also makes photographing me a bit challenging. Just ask my friends whose wedding photos I ruined with ridiculous flared nostrils and bugged eyeballs gracing the background of their happy day.
Then I was given the chance to share my embarrassing faces on television.
Recently, I’ve had the distinct pleasure and anxiety to be part of a three-person panel on Pittsburgh’s live, prime-time Friday night talk show, PCNC’s Happy Hour. Gracious host Ellis Cannon and his guests discuss national and local headlines, volleying opinions and snark back and forth for an hour. It’s smart, fast-paced, and after conquering my nerves, I’ve come to really enjoy it.
In the beginning, I was hyper-aware of my words, how I was holding my head, the fact that my hands were folded on the desk in front of me. But a few episodes in and I’m feeling much more at home.
So much so that I had forgotten about The Faces.
So, yeah. It’s not my fault the camera was on me when Ellis asked what I thought about a rando daycare employee nursing another woman’s baby without consent. I believe my response, “FOUL,” was accompanied by each of these faces in the span of .03 seconds. I won’t be quitting my day job any time soon, but if you’re ever in need of someone to distract small children from a boo-boo, or generally ease any tense situation with “OMG, look at her face,” I’m your girl.
Live television: maybe not for me.
Ah Steph, you just made me and Mr G titter!