Cut!! Ok Everyone, Just be Yourselves for a Bit...

Last week I worked a televised junior golf tournament in New Jersey, at Trump National. Donald Trump himself was there, walking the course everyday, following the teen golfers with great interest. Our cameras picked up a few shots of Mr. Trump, chatting with friends, chatting with golfers, eating, spectating...all the 'normal guy' stuff you don't necessarily picture him doing.

I must admit, my respect level for him rose quite a bit as I watched him interact as a regular person. At one point he stopped to deliver an interview for our cameras and rather than talk about himself, he praised the young golfers in the tourney and gave props to his grounds crew for working hard to have the course in tip-top shape.

That brings me to my point: even in the sports world, people behave differently off-camera than they do on-camera. This goes for reality television too, where participants are often encouraged to greatly exaggerate their actions and emotions for maximum television ratings. We should all remember that no matter how outlandish people may appear when the cameras are rolling, they are generally just like all of us when the cameras aren't present: they go to the bathroom, they spill food on themselves, they pick their noses, and they cry real tears.

Still, I do wish "the Donald" had pulled me aside and whispered, "You're fired!" just once. I mean, I would always have that story to tell, you know?