Being radio announcers hidden away in studios, what we do behind the scenes is always our little secret.
Unless we’re filming a stunt, listeners have no idea if we’re sitting or standing, looking at each other or staring at the roof, wearing our PJs and Ugg boots or if our hair looks like a birds nest (which unfortunately most mornings it does).
While our stylish attire, or complete lack of, makes for interesting goss, I’d rather not be the one to burst any bubbles, instead I’d like to share what only our immediate on-air family would ever know. Not what we wear or how we look, but rather the unique ODMs (On-air Dance Moves) so many of us do that are as individual and personal as the stories we choose to share.
My current co-host on Star FM Shepparton, Tommy, likes to do the straight 4 finger open hand point when he’s telling a story and do a little bob of his head, a gesture I’ve incidentally adopted myself.
Dan ‘Mandy’ Cassin from 2day FM does the 2 step shuffle from side to side, Tim who reads the news for Kyle and Jackie O flexes his foot in the air with each new sentence and Wolfie, my previous 7HOFM co-host, used to say badabadabaaaa and flick the desk buttons from on to off to on to off.
Every person I’ve ever worked with or watched on-air has a quirk that is uniquely theirs.
I’m not ashamed to reveal I have quirks of my own. I hate wearing shoes on-air, I’d rather free foot it and then to help me feel grounded, I like to stretch my legs from one side of the desk to the other and plant my feet firmly on the ground and shift my weight from side to side. And that’s just the stuff I’m aware I do.
I wonder how many of us realise our own ODMs or those of our on-air colleagues? Maybe this article will make you look twice at the person you work opposite today because I can almost promise they have ODM’s. And most likely, so do you.
This is an entry in our RadioShow Trip to the USA competition from Candy Hertz of Tommy & Candy on 96.9 STAR FM Shepparton.
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Your comments are welcome below. And if you would like to write your own article to enter the competition, see details here.