fandomhigh | How to Cope with Being Suddenly Famous, Thursday Second Period

"I'm going to assume some of you have been watching the Winter Olympics," Herc said today, "or at least are aware they're happening. Now, this is not my preferred Olympics," because his country sucked at them, "but there are a lot of things to learn from them. A lot of these athletes are not famous for the rest of the year, and a lot of them will go back to being not famous after these Games are over. But for the moment, they're getting microphones shoved in their faces and their names and words and actions broadcast all over international television."

He cued up a video on the screen at the front of the room. "This is Evgeni Plushenko," he explained. "He's not really an example of 'not always famous,' but I want you to watch him demonstrate an important skill." He pushed play, and Plushenko told an American reporter that his back was bothering him a bit, but he was going to rest a day and then get ready for the next part of the competition, after which the reporter immediately asked him, in light of what he'd just said about his back bothering him, if he was planning to participate in the next part of the competition. Plushenko didn't turn an eyelash, just repeated that like he'd said before, he was definitely planning to do so.

"Now, obviously," Herc continued once he'd paused the clip, "we can all agree that this reporter is not paying attention to the words coming out of her interview subject's mouth. But he doesn't let that get to him, he doesn't show that he's irritated, though he surely must be, he just answers the question and acts like a professional." Chuck, were you listening? Were you? "So, your job today is to pair up, and take turns asking each other stupid questions and responding calmly and professionally to those questions."