Run, Kaetlyn, run

 

ETA - there are people swearing that although they'd considered attending Worlds or Canadians, they won't if the in-house commentary by Wilkes continues (not a positive remark to be found - Debbi might want to have Barb get on that). Wilke's fatuous babble after every skater skates has turned people off more strongly than would a program of aboriginal folk dances choreographed by Linichuk.

Of course the in-house commentary, plus interviews conducted by Wilkes, will continue, because she's got somebody's nuts in a vise. Wilkes got involved in Skate Canada in the first place not to do a job but to mug the camera, and Skate Canada is running out of work arounds. So all you potential attendees who were going to spend money on tickets to enhance SC's revenue - may as well stay home.

I kind of feel as if I'm patronizing Kaetlyn Osmond by wanting her to refuse to be interviewed by Debbi Wilkes. When you look at that slight eyebrow raise and smirk of Kaetlyn's, you know she gets it.

Still, may as well point out that Osmond, like Scott and Tessa, can decline to be interviewed by Debbi Wilkes (Debbi has interviewed all the SC 2012 Canadian figure skaters except Tessa and Scott, who are saving themselves for P.J.).

An advantage of belonging to a dysfunctional federation like Skate Canada with nothing for title sponsors and a bankrupt women's program is, if you are a female figure skater who has, thanks to your own efforts, and to the support team you have personally put together, emerged from obscurity to become a skater who can do triple combinations and win a Grand Prix, there's no need to endure a creepy, narcissistic eyesore shoving her way into your spotlight.

I don't believe any skater should be figuring out how to avoid one of their federation's directors. Debbi's situation is that because she's a director with an empty title, she can insist upon a media role for herself. But Tracy Wilson, PJ Kwong, Beverly Smith and the competent, professional bunch of apparent no-names who've done media for SC are the ones who ought to be doing media. Debbi's not media. She's the Director of Business Development, and what a fine job she's done, what with having a minor sponsor in Thomas Sabo jewelry and with Kozy Shack not actually cutting and running but merely downgrading their involvement to "preferred supplier".

Debbi has no purpose. She's a complacent fool. She's nasty. The target audience can't stand her. She alienates sponsors and public alike.

She invades the personal space of not only the person she's interviewing, but those watching. Maybe if Debbi stopped fogging up the camera lens with her ghastly visage and pried her nose away, the rest of us could breathe.

Among the universally disgusted reviews with Debbi's revolting performance (even someone competent would be obnoxious bleating on after every figure skater, their words echoing throughout the venue. The fucking vanity!), there's this:

kwanfan1818: Yeah, that and, did you ever consider that you might be creating a little Field of Play violation by reviewing performances while the judges were marking inciting the crowd to disagree with the judges?

Skate Canada never considers anything, Kf.  

So this:

I was considering going to Canadian Nationals if I could work it out, but if they continue with the in-arena commentary, I'm never attending another of their events.

is best. Of course SC was going to figure out a way to snatch attention from the event and turn it towards Debbi (by force). Debbi also did her best to hijack the Olympic spotlight from the figure skaters and direct it towards her own suffocating imbecilities.

Lots of events in Canada this season. Good idea to start off by making those who dug into their pockets to spend their hard-earned money decide the experience isn't worth repeating. There's nobody who works for a living just to use their disposable income to satisfy  the vanity of Debbi Wilkes.