When I became a public speaker my life took a fairly dramatic change, where some days can be peppered with interviews on radio and television for upcoming events. I have adapted to this as part of the requirement for my work and each experience proves to be different and memorable.
One morning in Montana I was outside of the television station pounding on the door as I watched the local anchors fill time waiting for me to arrive. Apparently, the station doesn’t book many 5:30 am guests so they had failed to tell me how to alert them I was there and ready to go. Once they figured out I might outside they let me in and we quickly re-arranged the chairs. Within moments I was on the air giving the morning co-anchor a full TR experience! Early morning interviews can be entertaining depending on how much coffee I was able to gulp down at the hotel. Too much, and Roosevelt can become a 45 record played at 78 (old timey reference for you to explain to your kids and grandkids.)
One time, at a local Minnesota radio station, the host started our interview asking about the Civilian Conversation Corps. I can say with confidence I would have been very knowledgeable about if I didn’t portray that “other” President Roosevelt that served 24 years prior to Franklin. “My goodness, that sounds like a Bully idea, who did that?” was all I could muster.
Another station I visited resided in a building called “Radio Row”. Row after row of doors shared a hallway, with each door opening to a different radio station studio. As news spread I was in the building, I was soon shepherded to the next station by a helpful intern. One minute I was on the air with Rock and Roll legends “Mutt, Jeff and the Troll’ and the next “News Talk with James M.” and then “The Morning Zoo on country XM”. This was a problem for me, as I can be a bit sarcastic, and that means inside my head TR is taking on the persona of his audience. Imagine “Rocker Roosevelt”– “Dude, we created an awesome park over here – check it out!” I promise it didn’t get any better with the country station as my brain began writing TR’s experience of moving to Medora as a sad and poetic country western song. “Lost my Momma and my wife……was a new time…… for a new life……” I can imagine hearing the dog howling in the background as Cletus stomps his foot in time even as I write this.
It is my contention that interviews should be fun and engaging and make the audience laugh or at a minimum stop and think. Often, the few minutes I am originally scheduled to be on-air becomes 20 or 30 minutes as the interviewer gets enthralled in the conversation. I know if when I arrive they say “I am a huge Roosevelt fan”, we are going to have a lot of fun and end up going well over the allotted time. One interview I did in a small town became so enjoyable I had to keep the two DJ’s interviewing me on task. I would tell a story or two and we would all be laughing and I would look up to see their faces in an open stupor. Thinking on my feet, I would quickly chime: “Don’t we need a commercial here?” Again, with my sarcastic side adding “To sell something to both listeners?”
From what I have written here you might suspect that I am an extrovert, but those who know me well can tell you that I could easily live a Thoreau like life in a cabin in the woods, reading and writing in quiet solitude. I have learned to engage an “extrovert” switch each time I am interviewed or go on stage. Apparently, this is not uncommon, as I have heard of many entertainers who are great in a crowd can be somewhat awkward when you meet them one-on-one.
As a historian of Roosevelt’s life, I have appreciated in him more than anything his ability to reinvent. Each time he came upon a challenge, he adapted himself to the task, pulled up his boot straps and went to work. My first time on TV I honestly looked like a deer frozen in the headlights. Scared. To. Death. But I have adapted and reinvented myself to do it. I took Roosevelt’s approach and became what I imagined I could be: comfortable, confident and assured as Roosevelt.
We all have those moments of sheer panic where we are asked to do something outside of our comfort zone. But, when pressed to do so, we pull up our boot straps and move boldly forward. The more we do it, the less frightening it becomes, until one day, it is just part of what we do. I encourage you to do it. Join the church choir and listen to your voice crack that first time. or stand up at a local council meeting and let your voice ring out on something you are passionate. Push your comfort zone so you have that experience of feeling yourself grow. The worst you can do is fail, but at least you failed while daring greatly. (Google “The man in the Arena speech”)
Do as Roosevelt preached: “Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster!”
The Mirror has two faces 
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