Tessa Virtue's Facebook Shyness: is it about Love - or Money?

I don't want to jinx it, but Scott has asked for suggestions for a new profile picture on his facebook fan page. Fans naturally all suggest photos with Tessa. I am hoping this was of course anticipated, and that he does as they ask. Face it, it's a VM fan page even though just his name is on it. I hope we don't get the profile pic of him solo at some random crafts services table.

Smart of him to ask fans, because then it's not like he's putting up a second photo of himself with Tessa because he wants to. That would just give the game away.

Anyhow, this post is kind of about that, but it needs a review as to the visibility (or invisibility) of Tessa Virtue on facebook since about 2008, and her seeming mania for privacy bordering on neurosis. I want to look at that from a different angle.

Even after Scott won an Olympic gold medal - and Worlds -  his personal, private facebook profile picture was a group shot of the Canadian Team on ice at Nationals.

I had guessed the issue was - how could he post a photo of just himself with his Olympic medal, when he won it with a partner? And if he posted a photo of him and Tessa with their Olympic medals people would know they were a couple off the ice. Better play it safe.

His facebook didn't acknowledge Worlds, Olympics or Monaco. Okay, but then how come he was accepting eight billion friend requests a day starting the week after the Olympics?

We know why - so his page could be a mirror site for sham activity, so his mom, his aunt's, Jessica's and his relatives/connections' sham efforts would be visible to fans on his friends list. 

Monaco was tasked to his mom's facebook. Alma didn't show us Olympics or Worlds either - why would Scott's thousands of friends who are mostly VM fans care? Show us Jessica in Monaco. That's what we're here for.

I kind of got a kick out of how little Scott pretended that his facebook was anything but bullshit - he was practically telling people. It was endearing, or so I thought then, before I started considering the money angle. Never overlook a money angle.

Informal, non-skating-related, non-public appearance Tessa/Scott photos have been tightly rationed on facebook since approximately some time in 2008 -  not just Scott's facebook - all the skaters' facebooks rarely show her. It wasn't always like this. She used to not apparate into her bubble of invisibility when someone's Canon Elf is aimed in her direction at a party, restaurant or  - bus.

I suppose it's possible that, since 2008, everyone's come to hate her. That could be why she's rarely in photos at events that are not explicitly about either figure skating or Tessa Scott, Inc.

Maia Shibutani had a 16th birthday party summer 2010. Lovely restaurant. The entirety of team Canton is in that facebook photo album. Including coaches. And a few significant others. Scott, of course.

Who is not in any photo? Tessa. How much of a bitch must you be to end up the lone Canton skater excluded from Maia freaking Shibutani's sweet sixteen?

She used to be at all the parties. Then something must have happened.

Nobody wants her at their wedding. Nobody wants her at their birthday party. They'll invite strangers in off the street, but please Tessa, stay home. They don't want to ride the same bus with her - it takes a lot for anyone in Korea to be that rude. Did you see Scott had put something on the bus seat next to his? Tell Tessa this seat is occupied - the bus is full.

At Nationals 2010, Jessica walked into the banquet with Cynthia and Bryce. No concerns that people would get ideas  - the trio actually stopped and posed.

For her entrance to this banquet, Tessa was offloaded to Patrick Chan. Scott ain't gonna walk her in.  A) people might go "ooo - a couple". Look what happened with Jessica/Cynthia/Bryce. People went: "ooh, a menage a trois! They're all doing it together!". B) Scott's not about to spend time with Tessa in his off time - not even for a three minute stint as a walker. He'll vamp for the camera solo and not go with another girl so as not to show her up, but he ain't walking in next to her. He gets enough at practice.

Patrick's the kind of guy you stick with that stuff. If you're kind of a loser, you seek out a Patrick type because he has to be nice, he can't be any other way, then it's not so obvious you're the event's fifth wheel. Look how much David P. and Jaime S. seemed to hang near him at ATS summer.

J/k .

Patrick got the short straw and had to walk Tessa into the banquet and get his photo taken at the entrance with her on his arm. He wasn't world champ yet, so he got stuck.

She seems so sweet on television - how did she get so disliked?

So now, Scott has asked fans for suggestions for his new fan page profile pic. I bet he's shocked there are no requests for more photos like the three-year old one of him with Marina using her hand to block the camera, or him in the Lambeau leap which we just haven't seen enough, or a two-year old photo of him sitting alone in the Canadian condo at WTT.

It was easy to go on the premise that due to extreme sensitivity and an acute sense of privacy, Tessa has a camera lens allergy that has only intensified in recent years. She could not abide sharing the same camera frame with Scott unless her professional responsibilities made it an obligation.

But then we look back at Tessa And Scott, Our Journey from Childhood Dream to Gold and it's full of off-ice photos of Tessa/Scott, including some of them at the Olympics - a few of which fans would have loved to have seen uploaded to facebook when they were current. After all, all the 4,000 and counting new facebook friends were just sitting there, waiting - for something, anything -  yet nothing to do but wipe nonstop Jessica/Scott photo spam off their retinas. Thanks for the add, Scott!

Are shots of Tessa and Scott being horded for another payday? She's genuinely private, so that's a good umbrella excuse. We couldn't make Scott the "camera shy" one.

Tessa/Scott in some real situation - that's the money shot.

Could this be why even the most ordinary point-and-shoot photo of Scott and Tessa "sharing free time" is scrubbed not just from Scott's fan page and personal page, but from most skaters' facebook pages? Are these simple, facebook-type candids of innocuous, non-incriminating activity waiting to be monetized in Our Journey Continues, Volume II?

Because Tessa's camera shyness is more than privacy protection, she's the woman invisible. People know she trains in Canton, she's friends with the Shibs as much as anyone at Maia's party, they know she had to get her butt to the arena to practice for the ATS show - but she vaporizes.

This is not private life stuff. This is unofficial, non-public appearance, non-skating, basic visibility and she tries to be invisible - at least when Scott's also present. Could it be that Tessa Scott, Inc. doesn't want to depress the future sale value of even the most harmless of these photos by uploading "real life" shots of Tessa Scott to a free platform like facebook?

She's not invisible here:

You want snapshots like this free?
That'll be 25.99.

You want free? Check out the Jessica/Scott spam. It's more than free - they outright mugged us to get us to look:

"I said - LOOK!"

This - captioned Enjoying free time  (nice tans, kids) - does not come free.

$25.99

One of these photos is free. The other is $25.99.

Team Virtue/Moir and most things Skate Canada/public relations are so compartmentalized and obtuse, it's hard to tell what's naked exploitation of gullible fans and what's normal Skate Canada-bred myopia leading to hair-raising douche-bagginess.

If it's not about privacy, but business calculation - that happens. They have a future to consider and a family to support.

But, there are lines of decency to which they appear oblivious. It's pretty grotesque to blink back tears and thump your heart in front of a Canadian audience while working over their wallets and going out of your way to make fools of the Canadian audience and individual fans. To have actual planning committees with that as the agenda.

Not even the Olympics were sacred - they corrupted that, too - one of the many things they corrupt to put over a hoax, while pandering to O Canada.

Plenty of celebrities horde photos fans want to see. That's how many celeb babies get their first trust fund.

But, to set up a facebook and invent a fake, virtual private life to scam fans into thinking you're sharing real stuff, and they defend you. You pm your gratitude - because they're rolling over for your lies.  Meantime on the dl,  you catalog  real life photographs so they'll provide another payday down the line.

If you want to be private, be private. Dematerialize when some camera swings your way, do what you need to do.

The distasteful thing with Team Virtue Moir as managed by Skate Canada is nobody believes ethics, common decency or anything in the area of a moral code or respect applies to skating fans. They all seem to believe "business" is exempt from ethical considerations or any kind of non-mendacious value system.

To them - it's not corrupting the Olympics, weddings or Christmas - they preserve the sanctity of that experience for themselves. To also use these things as a manipulative tool? Eh. That's where compartmentalization kicks in. Fans are a resource at their disposal. Ethical considerations are irrelevant because skating fans don't count as human beings.

It's Almost Nap Time

Come on Jessica look alive.

There's the special television camera set up to capture the Moir family reaction.* Alma, seated, wiping her teary face. Cara with her hands up - don't know if she's hand-hearting or that's a camera. Charlie's whistling, Danny's cheering. Igor's dad Yuri is possibly back there somewhere chattering excitedly (or someone who resembles him). The sisters-in-law are on their feet.

We can't see Jessica's face. I'll take a guess it looks something like this:

Whatevs.

I understand. She's there in the capacity of a stuffed circus monkey.

But still. Two figure skaters you've grown up with, teammates, have just won the Olympics in front of a home crowd.This gig aside - isn't it the least bit exciting?

No. She's counting the minutes til she can put on slipper socks.

Jessica will photograph anything. If she trips and the camera captures a shot of the pavement, she'll upload it. But here her "best bf ever" is winning the Olympics and no camera is out. No extending an arm to snap photos of herself with the family in the stands either, the family she visits in Ilderton about fourteen times a year.** The other family members have cameras. It's not - okay - Charlie will take the pictures. They'll all take pictures.

Not Jessica.

At the Ilderton parade too, she was all:

Eh. It's okay, but other gold medal celebrations
I've attended for other fake boyfriends were better.

There's tons of photos from the day. She never does bring out her camera when riding in the buggy like a high occupancy vehicle mannequin.

Look at all the old middle-aged+ people who made it down to ice level to celebrate with their loved ones. Scott and Tessa posing and chit chatting with the parents.

Meantime, it appears Debbi Wilkes has received word Jessica's walker has been delayed and she requires physical assistance getting down with the others to share her joy.

But - no rush.
_____________________________________________
* They generally don't have this Moir Camera Special set-up outside of Canada. Which is why Jessica is not in amongst the fam at Worlds, GPFs, 4CCs, etc., when she's there competing.

**It's wonderful how four years of hoax-ifying has created such an obvious bond between the Moirs and Jessica. 

Doomed from Day One

In honor of the Dube/Wolfe international season debut, and I can't wait for video:

That was a spectacular start for a pairs team that has only been skating together about six or seven months. Did they fall? NO! Could YOU do better? Hah! Could other, less experienced, less credentialed pairs teams, some of them juniors, who have been skating together even less time do better?

Let's change the subject!

Some believe all the attention paid to Scott/Jessica is proof fans have an unseemly and persistent interest in VM's private life.

I disagree. I think it's Jessica.

Faking a relationship to this extent is ridiculous; faking one at all shouldn't have been the go to, but as faking was the route chosen, suppose the sham was this:

Scott and hypothetical pretend fake girlfriend No. 1

STEPHANIE: His coach? That's Scott Moir's girlfriend? 

MISTY: Yep.

STEPHANIE: She's older than his mother.

MISTY: It's really common in figure skating. Girls get with their coaches too.

STEPHANIE: She's nice-looking but come on.

MISTY: Yep.

STEPHANIE: I guess that explains how come he's not dating Tessa!

Or this:

"Scott" and hypothetical pretend fake girlfriend No. 2

STEPHANIE: Is that the girlfriend?

MISTY: Yeah - that's her.

STEPHANIE: I thought he was with Tessa.

MISTY: No he's with her - that's Tanith. 

STEPHANIE: Oh.

MISTY: She's pretty.

STEPHANIE: Yeah.

But, whether it's this:

This:

  Or even this:

STEPHANIE: OMG something is wrong with him! Why isn't he with Tessa?

MISTY: I don't know - maybe Tessa's gay! Maybe he's in love with Tessa but Tessa's gay or bi and he's so miserable he just doesn't care about anything!

STEPHANIE: Or Tessa is more sophisticated than he is and thinks he's too immature!

MISTY: Or Tessa broke his heart and he's acting out with Jessica but he's really trying to punish himself because he blames himself for driving Tessa away! Maybe the explanation could be that the best way to punish himself is to be with Jessica because men do things like that!

STEPHANIE: That's true but I hate Tessa she needs to stop dating whoever and come and rescue Scott! I know she could love him!

MISTY: Me too I know she could love him she has to give him a chance! He is obviously crazy in love with her it's so obvious in every picture!

STEPHANIE: I know it's weird because I don't know them really but I just want to cry!

MISTY: Don't laugh but I want to throw up - I'm serious.

STEPHANIE: I won't I want to throw up too.

MISTY: Do you think Scott could be gay? and he doesn't know it yet or he's trying to prove to himself he's not? And that's why he's with Jessica? But she's in Quebec so he doesn't have to deal with it all the time?

STEPHANIE: I hate to say it but that could be a real thought.

Followed by this:

And ad infinitum:

Place a neutral image of Scott Moir next to an image of Tessa Virtue and immediately the image projects that Scott is thinking about Tessa Virtue, affected by Tessa Virtue, excited and relaxed because Tessa is near, or distracted because he wants to jump Tessa Virtue.

The same neutral image of Scott vis a vis ordinary people - family, friends, skaters, fans -  projects an ordinary, regular guy impression.

Place the image next to Jessica Dube, it screams "mayday". Fans feel it and stress out.

P.S.  Scott, specifically, seems afflicted with a Jessica allergy - like she's kryptonite and exposure will destroy him. Even when he smiles like his life depends upon it, he never projects a genuine sense of comfort.  Jessica appears to sense it. It's one of those things you notice even more when it's NOT there.  Check out Jessica's level of comfort with men NOT her fake boyfriend from Olympics 2010:

I have a photo of me and every female in the Village!

"I can smile all day long! I'm going to get engaged to Anabel soon and everybody can know about it!"

Jessica and Bryce, Olympics 2010.

Media Theatre - Fun With Scrum

The media "scrum" thing Skate Canada loves has never made sense.

High Performance Camp is not a "True Crime" scenario from an old movie. Or Lindsay Lohan emerging from traffic court and hustled to a waiting car with its engine running.

At High Performance Camp, the media is not jostling for position outside the rink entrance, elbows flying, waiting for the skaters to emerge from practice so reporters can compete to be the first to accost Scott and Tessa or Duhamel/Radford or Patrick Chan to ask if they get star struck skating on the same rink as Michelle Kwan and Scott Hamilton (that's about where most media types still are with their figure skating).

If Debbi and Barb are on the job they've done a little media briefing before siccing the "media" into the "scrum" with the actual skaters.

Okay - maybe somebody will ask Tessa how her "some kind of shin thing"  is coming along. That's a fresh story right there.

Everybody's been invited, credentialed. Civilized.

They're inside Skate Canada's venue, on Skate Canada's own media day. No need to fake-crowd skaters and stick recording devices en masse into skaters' faces while hollering into cell phones to file the story as it's happening.

They're actually not doing that last part.There is no story. Just a pedestrian Q&A for which the skaters are well-prepped.

Of course, how "en masse" it really is we don't know. If the camera recording the "scrum" pulled back, how crowded would the scrum be? Is it more a lunch club situation, size-wise?

Why does Skate Canada set up fake scrums?

It looks very cool on Skatebuzz?

We've got a schedule, we've got an entire freaking day called "media day". We've got polite figure skaters talking figure skating. Folding chairs. Card tables. The team bike-building, paper plate/plastic cup relay and competitive logo drawing will wait.

Where's the fire?

If you have a civilized mixed zone at the Olympics, skaters moving down the line for one-on-ones, I think you can knock off the scrum at a Mississauga figure skating rink in early September.

This is stupid. Let Patrick sit down at a nice folding table with his own microphone.

Incidentally the useless "Backstage Pass" video clip from which the above screen cap was taken -was that supposed to be our peek at HPC? Silent scraps of mundane video strung together with cheap music? Are we supposed to be impressed with the glimpses of insider skating life - the exterior of the Hershey Center, a couple of athletes stretching, two brief fade-in/fade-out looks at stars mid-scrum? What's in it for us, Skate Canada. We can't hear a thing anybody says, it's not like Patrick Chan and VM's faces are unfamiliar, so what is supposed to be worth our time? This is obnoxious.

Look at them. They're practically beseiged. Poor Scott is about to worry his cross chain - he's really sweating out the questions on the non-touching circular step sequence in the short dance. Step back. You'll all get a chance. Let the skaters breathe!



This is a ridiculous photo.

It's a scrum, but somehow none of the reporters are blocking the front of Tessa and Scott. Nope, they're on either side, all sticking out their hands, but Tessa and Scott are totally clear for the very cool photo. This is our skating media - they go along with this stagey shit. And kudos to the performances from everyone concerned. By their facial expressions alone, I think there are very few grade school productions that could do better.

LOVING the TWO Skate Canada logo screens so no matter what camera angle, there they are, right behind the skaters' faces.

By all means, keep "branding" Skate Canada. Make that the star not the figure skaters. That will work for sure. Attach the brand, too, to all kinds of dumb ass amateur hour "initiatives", b.s. and schemes.

After all, there are all those other skating federations in Canada you're up against.

Dear God these people are asses.

They're hanging on Scott and Tessa's every word.

You can cut the intensity with a knife.










This I don't get. I believe this is from Skate Canada International last year.

We have a very nice table. Chairs. Also, microphones.

Instead:

 Were I a reporter assigned to Skate Canada, I'd bill Barb and Debbi for my chiropractor.

Look behind them.

P.S.

Hmm- something seems familiar about the headless person behind Tessa.

Judging from the first photo behind the unused table, Scott and Tessa are promoting their book, assisted by Skate Canada volunteers and the headless one standing behind Tessa in the last photo. This book Skate Canada is helping to promote contains (at least) two significant, pivotal lies. Of which Skate Canada is not only aware, but helped manufacture and foist upon the public.

And a book promotion is such a natural "scrum" format.

Very Cool News(letter)

Skate Canada's Above The Crowd has come out, with peppy accounts of HPC and summer weddings. It has a real "family newsletter" feeling and tone.

Here's a screen cap of the Above the Crowd HPC photo page - remember the originals posted on twitter were all blurry. Go to Above the Crowd and click on them to get a good look:

I can't without a magnifying glass, Barb.

Oh gee you can't. Just a bunch of small un-click-able images.

There's a new feature  - Summer Weddings!

Craig Buntin's wedding rates a guest list in Above the Crowd, but Annie's does not. Annie, who, like Director of Corporate Communications Barb, lives in Ottawa and works at SC as Manager, Marketing and Sponsorship, was just grabbed to serve as a blind for the Jessica/Scott drop in Craig Bunton's wedding write-up - the only reason the "Summer Wedding" write-up is there is to drop Jessica/Scott. Annie is the equivalent to somebody grabbing their secretary to round-out a dinner table.

And incidentally, Craig Buntin's wedding announcement and a more substantial guest list was released to icenetwork earlier. There, "Jessica Dube, Scott Moir" were listed one after the other among the roster of guests. Here, Barb, Skate Canada is more sophisticated, throwing in a mention of Annie's wedding first (no guest list). Then Craig's wedding, with of course a guest list, paring the list of guest mentions to only four - Jessica's name first, two others in between, and Scott's last. How can anyone keep pace with that kind of subtle? When we consider how popular summer weddings are/were with Scott and Jessica in facebook albums and profile pictures, I expect "Summer Weddings" to be an Above the Crowd staple until after Sochi.

Barb also tweeted about Craig's wedding. I didn't see her Annie wedding tweet. They really are such a family. Craig was not a member of Skate Canada's 2010 Olympic team and he retired before Barb was officially appointed Director of Corporate Communications, yet she gets a wedding invitation. That's TIGHT. I mean, Barb MacDonald is tighter with Craig Buntin than Tessa Virtue is to the Moir family! Tessa got no invite to Danny Moir's wedding this past spring, but Barb was on the spot for Craig's. I think it's sad Tessa is so unpopular she is at almost no summer weddings but Scott and Jessica are always invited.

I also looked again at Debbi Wilkes' credentials for her job as Director of Marketing and Sponsorship: Here's a screen cap of Skate Canada's 2007 announcement of her appointment:

Former national pair champion and Olympic silver medallist Debbi Wilkes joins Skate Canada’s staff as Director of Marketing and Sponsorship.

Inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame in 2001, Wilkes will be based in Toronto and responsible for working with and servicing Skate Canada corporate partners to maximize dialogue between existing and new partners. She will also facilitate the renewed interest in the sport to foster its growth and enhance the image of our sport organization through her existing relationships.

“Skate Canada is ecstatic to have Debbi as part of our team,” said William Thompson, Acting CEO of Skate Canada. “Debbi brings with her such a wealth of experience and expertise from so many areas in the sport of figure skating. From her work at CTV/TSN, to her role as a team leader, to her knowledge as a technical specialist and, of course, her experience as an elite athlete, Debbi is a tremendous asset to our organization. She is universally respected throughout the figure skating community.”

So many areas of ... expertise? Except ...  MARKETING AND SPONSORSHIP.

It must be all in the HOW she works with and services them.

She's been outstanding at "facilitating the renewed interest in the sport and enhancing its image". One year after the Vancouver Olympics and an unprecedented gold medal in ice dance, this is how Skate Canada leveraged its Olympic success: Skate Canada lost BMO after a fifteen year relationship - already lost Homesense directly after the Olympics - and Artistry and others went bye bye too. Their World Champion Patrick Chan can't afford the college of his choice and is organizing his own fund raisers. He's down to one sponsor.

I kind of expect Patrick to be strong-armed into some "wonders of Skate Canada" talking points fairly soon after revealing the above.

Man, Skate Canada really leveraged the Vancouver Olympics into all kinds of revenue opportunities.
Roots has informed an inquiring fan that they are not currently working with Scott and Tessa.Who knows why, but what happened to that "four-year engagement"?

Canadians wasn't exactly sold out. And if Skate Canada has a new title sponsor for 2011-2012, it's not been announced.

Given the above, I expect some type of Salute To Debbi Wilkes accompanied by a promotion/honor and vote of confidence to emerge from Skate Canada and/or enabling third parties any second.

Because, as far as putting out a wealth of sham material and getting her mug on camera - Debbi has been outstanding. Here is her big talent:

Debbi walking, eyes straight, cause the camera is all about the skaters.
She's just personnel.

Man, Debbi must be equipped with a motion sensor.
A very very specific kind of motion sensor.

The camera resumes moving and Debbi resumes walking
a step or two ahead of the lens; eyes front when she's blocked.

Are we sure she didn't play football when she was at Michigan? 
Her ability to find the hole is eerie.

Oh Bill. When a hole opens, you STEP INTO IT.

Bill, Bill, Bill.

I imagine that as Skate Canada is one big family, it is run like many big familes. There's mommy's favorite, the scapegoat, the attention whore, the moody one everybody is afraid to confront, the control freak, the one who manages to slither out of taking any responsibility and turns it around, the one who won't listen to a word against the other one, the ones in charge who refuse to deal with certain things or change anything even though it's freaking everybody out over the mess that will be left behind when they're dead, and a whole bunch of secret-but-not-secret stuff nobody acknowledges or talks about. Like a family business - you know, where mom and dad use their control of the business to control the kids, including their personal lives, where this one shits gold bricks no matter how they fuck up and that one can't do anything right no matter how hard they work or how effective they become, but don't say a word against it or about it cause nobody's listening.

It might be interesting to figure out who the Skate Canada Directors' council is - who put Thompson in his position - and trace those qualifications/relationships/history. It might be nice to know the annual budget too. The USFSA lists theirs.

Hold up - news bulletin from Barb Above the Crowd! Skate Canada has come up with a family-friendly, very cool promotional/fan-outreach venture!

Skate Canada Trading Cards!

I hope the demand doesn't crash Skate Canada's website.

Above the Crowd also says Bryce Davison "officially" retired in 2011. Last I read, Bryce gave an interview overtly correcting Skate Canada's previous article listing him as officially retired. Now Above the Crowd repeats that it's official. Meaning - he will not test out his jumps and knee when his healing is complete, nor - even if he can perform - will he be putting out feelers for a new partner. I will wait for Bryce to confirm, to see if his retirement was bought with a nice commemorative photo at HPC and some opportunities for high profile participation in Skate Canada.

The USFSA:

USFSA Director of Communications Barbara Reichert:  USFSA Director of Communications

Here's the USFSA Department Directory and Staff: USFSA is an Actual Organization

Special mention of the background of David Raith, their Executive Director. Oddly, he is not a former figure skater, figure skating judge, and corporate lawyer. His qualifications have direct relevance to his responsibilities at the USFSA:  Executive Director, USFSA

Notice the relative transparency. Annual budget and a breakdown, in specificity, of day-to-day responsibilities of his department. No empty generalizations or weasel words, no artful (or inartful) dodging.

This is just sad

I heard a couple of people were unable to access the latest Above the Crowd one day after the damn thing was emailed to subscribers. I checked my link and I can't get it either.

I know that the above technical error has nothing to do with the blog tearing pieces off Above the Crowd in a recent thread, particularly as to the uses to which Barb MacDonald is putting it. I know this because I've been soundly lectured about thinking anybody would react to a blog - and they have a point. Nobody who knew their business would run around reacting to shit from some blogger. The internet is full of critics, gossip and unflattering assertions and 99/100 times the target carries on with their own message, as that's what you're supposed to do if you know what you're doing in the first place.

I'll just go with the idea that one day after Skate Canada sent it out, there are subscribers who can't see it via the link Skate Canada sent, demonstrating that Skate Canada is as wizardly and professional on the tech end as they are on the content.

The camara loves Debbi Wilkes but is only "in like" with Barb MacDonald

Scott and Tessa, Skate Canada's biggest stars, are interviewed on CBC by P.J. Kwong. Skate Canada knows this interview will get the most hits, and by far. Interview begins:



There's Barb, perfectly framed between Scott and Tessa's heads. Her back is to us,
but her face is turned towards "our camera". Notice the camera angle, and
how from this angle at this moment, with Barb in frame, we can't see Debbi Wilkes.

 

Barb is chatting, corporate communicating, as one does. Still framed between Scott and Tessa's
heads, not an inch of her lovely profile is blocked. Don't shift or anything, Scott and Tessa!



Barb must say bye bye - she crosses face first into the right of the frame.
She didn't know we were there!  When she sees us, big smile. 



New camera angle. And - oh my - who is now immediately moving into
the position framed between Scott and Tessa's heads?







Someone with important Director business to discuss right there in that spot.








Debbi is in position. Uncanny. Dead center framed by Scott and Tessa's shoulders and faces.
Not an inch cut off. I hope Scott and Tessa don't get stiff necks.

 

Deb checks the camera position. Normal, natural. What anyone would do.
Just seeing if her stars are conducting themselves as the great representatives they are. 
Nice new hairstyle, Debbi.



Debbi stands tall. She has excellent posture. But, a potential issue has arisen!



Holy shit - Debbi Wilkes is blocked from the camera filming Scott and Tessa!!
Debbi Wilkes is blocked from the camera filming Scott and Tessa!




Clear THAT camera? But I'm not blocking anybody!



But clear she does, walking backwards, yet. The camera guy wonders wtf.
Such a common reaction when Skate Canada/Scott and Tessa are in the mix.



Ponytail lady backs away til she's hidden behind Scott.
Is that side-eye Debbi is giving our camera? Let's make sure
everything is still in position.



Debbi is restored to the prime frame position and waxes vivacious, but not so
vivacious any of her moves off her mark and we can't see her face.



OMG, full body shot, dead center framed by Scott and Tessa!
So random, so convenient, everyone not holding a camera has
their back to the Scott and Tessa camera, except Deb angled 3/4ths towards it!
 Her luck is remarkable.

 The uncanny part is no matter where the camera swings, you can see Debbi full on in the frame:



It swings to - and there she is (and Ponytail now knows her place)



It swings fro.

As PJ's interview with Scott and Tessa opened, Ponytail entered the frame from stage right and crossed down to Barb. I don't know what Barb was doing until Ponytail got her cue to enter, but whatever it was, she was able to give Ponytail her immediate attention. I imagine Barb was busy overseeing, and, seconds after the interview started, she realized things were well in hand and exited the frame  - possibly to check her blackberry to see what it was the USFSA had done days before.

I love that there are quite a few people in the visual field between the camera and Debbi Wilkes, including the guy in the black jacket with his back to the camera.Yet not a single one of these people is blocking any part of the sight line between the Scott and Tessa camera lens and Debbi. *
___________________________
*Poor Weaver & Poje appear to be getting filmed/interviewed a few paces down the hall, but Debbi and Barb don't seem to give a shit about THOSE sight lines.