That is Interesting...
/As anyone that works in TV news knows, the job often doesn’t pay well and it certainly doesn’t when you are starting out.
Someone sent FTVLive a link about WOI (Des Moines) and how the station’s Meteorologist Brad Edwards is celebrating 25 years at the station.
It appears the station has been doing stories on Edwards and his milestone achievement because they think that’s what viewers want to see.
One of the video installments was about how Brad met his wife Alicia
If the story, they say “They first met when she was a freshman at Iowa State University and working at a laundromat. Brad came in and asked Alicia out, but she "declined, nicely."
But the two finally started dating and got married.
But here’s what is interesting, to me at least.
Way back when, I was working at WTVX in Ft. Pierce, Florida. Brad Edwards was also working at the station as the Weekend Met and a Reporter during the week.
One day, I went to the local laundromat to clean my clothes. Back in those days, I had to wear my clothes 3 or 4 times before washing them, because I could not afford to clean them after each wearing.
When I got into the laundromat, I saw Brad was in there as well. I said “hi” and then proceeded to start loaded my stinky clothes into the washer.
It was then that I noticed that I would need more quarters for the machine and I walked over to the counter and rang the bell to get the laundromat’s employee’s attention.
I was a bit surprised when Brad Edwards walked over behind the counter and said “what can I help you with?”
I thought Brad was there doing his laundry just like I was, but in fact, he was working there.
Now, I read the story that Brad met his wife in a laundromat and I thought back to the time I saw him working at the local laundry.
Those were the days when you made so little in TV news that you needed to have a side hustle to make ends meet.
But, I found it interesting how the laundromat played a big role in Brad Edward’s life.
Lastly, how embarrassing is it for a local TV station to have its Meteorologist having to work at a laundromat?
Pay your people better!