We all know the dramatic impact a well-placed pause can play. It can add intrigue, suspense, humor, excitement to an otherwise...mundane...sentence (see what i mean?). This is particularly true over the radio, when the rhythm and cadence of someone voice becomes the only thing we can "see."
Last night, I was listening to NPR’s Robert Siegel interview Scott Rudin, the producer of the new Broadway smash satire, “The Book of Mormon.” Rudin is long hailed as one of the most prolific and successful producers in the industry and Siegel asked him a very topical question, albeit with a very misplaced pause. He asked, “How many (pause. good, dramatic pause) BALLS (emphasis. ok. certainly got my attention at this point) do you have (pause. BAD AWKWARD PAUSE!)…”
...and then he stopped!!! Well, he started talking again but not soon enough. I actually thought Rudin was going to answer that question. “Well, Robert, always the hard hitter with your questions, aren't ya? As you probably have assumed, I was born with the standard two, but it’s true what they say about playing basketball with a pencil in your pocket…yes, indeed, quite an unfortunate incident.”
I mean, really.
The pause was clearly unintentional and I’m assuming was placed there because the sentence was coming out rather clumsily so Siegel needed the extra time to re-think how he was going to ask the rest of the question (which, incidentally was, “how many balls do you have…juggling in the air…with all your different projects?).
Anyway. It was funny. but awkward. and i still make the 'eeeeeek!' face when i think about that interview.
That's all for now. I have to go and screw...
...in a lightbulb ...into a lamp ... i just got fixed.
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