Calling All Cohnheads!
For all of you who are fans
of Linda Cohn but never got the chance to meet her, but have imagined what she
is like, I will tell you. Linda Cohn is incredibly personable and a comedienne.
She visited Oklahoma State University on March 7, 2013. She was seen sipping
from an Eskimo Joe’s cup, which is the local “must go to” place. She quipped
that she has to keep it with her and to always fill it with liquid so the cup
stays orange.
Linda
Cohn’s career is pretty impressive but as she insisted during the speech to not
go over that, I will pass. Instead she talked more about her childhood, and how
her love for hockey, helped her develop a thick skin as she said throughout her
speech, and transform the shy girl inside of her. She was fourteen playing
against eight year old boys, but at least it was a start. Cohn’s attitude to
the male predominance in her field was one of little tolerance to whiny girls.
Cohn asserted that she did not like when girls whine, complain, and argue about
how hard it is to break into a business being a woman. A positive attitude to
use the resources presented and to work hard is what Cohn suggested for remedy.
The
reason I went to go see Mrs. Cohn was because I want to work in television and
she is inspirational, even have written a book (which I think now I must buy).
It is impressive to have women newscasters and I could learn something from her
speech. She gave practical advice, such as the following:
1.
Use twitter, strike up a conversation, and try
to make it meaningful, not just a quip, but be sure to interact.
2.
Get involved in college, even though no one may
be actually looking at your college resume, her point seemed to be that it
gives you the experience, ethics, and gets you to a place where hard work means
you may find your break.
3.
Luck is spelled like so W-O-R-K.
4.
Start small, start from the bottom, but be in a
place where you have the possibility of being seen.
5.
Just keep your name out there, do multiple
projects.
6.
Try to get interviews at places you want, even
if they are not hiring, ask to come to shake their hand, simply meet, and hand
in your resume.
7.
Know how to bake cookies. She said she did not
know how but she managed not to burn them, and she got a job by serving
cookies, and simply getting known that way. (I think I am going to make it
guys, I make awesome cookies)
8.
Do not ask for stuff. Do not ask for any special
favors, or be whiny, but cash in when it matters. In other words, save up those
brownie points to ask for a day off to go to a game at the last second.
Growing
up in a house that did not have anything but basic networks I had never really
seen Linda Cohn on television; that does not mean her professional prowess did
not reach me. Now I am not the most up to date on sports but I do have enough
sports knowledge to follow what she was referring to, especially in her jokes.
I am not as bad as J.D in Scrubs, who incidentally has an episode in Scrubs
where he is on Sports Center. Usually I keep up to date on my favorite teams
and move on with my life, but I do not doubt the significance of sports in my
life. If only Zumba was considered an international sport!
She answered questions and although
I had none through the whole thing, someone asked her about her best interview
or story to cover on Sports Center. This was amusing because she said she did
not have a favorite story to cover but her off camera chats with people are
some of her best memories, simply because they open up off camera, while
treating her like an equal. She said she loves to go to games and be a
screaming, crazy fan that shouts obscenities rather than actually cover the
story. I believe I gasped when she said she talked to Michael Jordan, off
camera like a regular conversation. Personally I was screaming inside my head
going “ERMYGAWD, Michael Jordan is my childhood hero.” I grew up in Indiana
where basketball is the law of the land.
As she is a Knicks fan and Oklahoma
is Thunder all the way, she said she could not have planned a better time to
visit. I am sorry Linda Cohn, you are now one of my new heroines, but I hope
your team goes down!
Congratulations Linda, I feel like
you probably actually read this because you were so nice, and seemed like you
would really talk to any of us on twitter, so you actually may be reading this…The
reason I say congratulations is because you have earned a place under
inspirational women for me, that consists pretty much of Tina Fey and Amy
Poehler, with such great people such as that let’s leave Taylor Swift out of
this. She already has problems with Tina and Amy. In fact, let us hope she does
not date an athlete any time soon.
