Earlier this year, Preston van Wyk of Xkulcha suggested that we set up an interview with “Woema!!”, a program for bikers which airs on Kyknet, Channell 111… This week, I received a call from Theunis Nel, who suggested I get myself and the Big Fella over to one of my sponsors, Silverton Midas, so that he could meet me there with his film crew… I made my way across Pretoria, not without a little trepidation, as the interview was to be conducted in Afrikaans, which is not my first language !! I can get by, however…..or so I thought !!
Francois and I debated on how the interview should be shot, while Theunis and Coetzee Zietsman discussed their tactics at the far end of the store…. It was finally decided that Francois and I would walk up and down the aisles, tossing stuff that I deemed necessary into a trolley, while the film crew followed us around, shooting as we went… While we were doing this, Lindie Botha (who is extremely easy on the eye…!) would sidle up and begin asking a list of prearranged questions….
All went well, until a completely unexpected question from Lindie, had me tongue-tied and scrambling for the Afrikaans translation, my mind befuddled by technical details and her batting eyelashes…. !! After a short pause, followed by another slightly longer pause, (but they were so close together that you couldn’t tell them apart !), I said… “Shit, I don’t know the Afrikaans word for that one…!”
“CUT…!” shouted Coetzee, “You can’t use swear words on TV, Man…”
“You didn’t tell me she was going to ask about that !” I said a bit lamely…
“Ja, well… This is off the cuff stuff, man… What were you expecting ? A script !!”
“Err…. No, but a little preparation would have gone down well”, I thought to myself !!
After a few more “Shit’s…”, one or two “Fiddlesticks” (the shorter version!) and a lots of “CUT’s !!!!” from Coetzee, we finally got the interview “in the can” and then went outside to shoot some more footage of the Big Fella…
The interview ended with Lindie asking, “Tell us what you have packed into these !!”, pointing to the panniers, and me replying, “Meet me at the Maluti Adventure Rally in Clocolan next week, and I’ll show you !!”…
I had hoped to make mention of all my other sponsors, but wasn’t sure how this would have gone down with the crew, but you guys can be sure that I will find a way to get your names and company’s onto the program while we shoot “Part 2” !!
And so I must now prepare for the second part of the interview, where I am sure a lot more “CUT’s !!!” will be heard echoing around the display where the Big Fella and I will be putting on our best grins for the cameras….
I bet “Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man” didn’t have to shoot their stuff in a different language !!!
It’s tough, this celebrity stuff !!!
Lindie Botha, Theunis Nel and Coetzee Zietsman of Team Woema. Cameraman Kobus Zietsman took the picture. If you look carefully, you can see the Big Fella trembling, because Lindie has her hand on his tank....
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