Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Please keep your hands and arms away from the reporters' mouths at all times ...

I'm gaining weight this week in the newsroom ... thanks to viewers and our regular news contacts. Seems everyone has found that the "gift that keeps on giving" in 2007 is sweets.

I've had two pies (apple and blueberry) and a homemade Snickers Cheesecake among other things that have been arriving around-the-clock at the downtown Akron office. We try to divide the desserts up among the staff, but since most days there's only 5-6 people here, we're all getting more than our fair share of the goods.

Those who know me know I've always been partial to homemade chocolate chip cookies .. but surprisingly, it's the one thing that hasn't arrived yet.

For years, I always kept an eye out for the chocolate blimp. Goodyear's annual tradition used to be a six-inch chocolate blimp in a nice blue-and-gold Wingfoot tin. The chocolate wouldn't last long, but the tin made for a cool bank for kids. I think I have like 10 of them (tins that is).

New pizza places and other restaurants always like to send us food too .. just to let us TV folks know that they're open for business.

For the most part, payola -- and food does fall into that category -- is a big no-no in the media. Still, when it's food delivered in good faith during the holidays, there's not a TV boss anywhere who doesn't toss it out in the newsroom for a free-for-all.

So if you're watching the news next week and I look like I was out running for exercise during the commercials, just know it's because so many of you have been fattening me up this week!

Happy holidays ... Eric

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've never seen a more shameful example of someone trying to get free chocolate chip cookies. Have you no dignity?

Eric Mansfield said...

HA!

Actually, I have more sweets than I can keep up with right now .. so CC cookies would end up holding til New Years .. ha!