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singing or performing, I was always chosen to host school choir eventsor serve as narrator for school plays. In high school I got to make the announcements on the loudspeaker every afternoon, something that gave me such a rush. I really enjoyed being the one telling people what was going on.
    Around my junior year of high school I put the two skills together and decided I should go after broadcast journalism. I knew I had reporting skills, and everyone told me I had a good voice. I also knew that my looks were average at best, and my weight was an issue. But back then it wasn’t too hard to imagine that I could be on television. Not everyone looked like a Barbie doll, and I just figured my skills and hard work would make up for any physical shortcomings. I found a college with an excellent broadcast journalism department and I went for it.
    As a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, I shined. The school ran its own television station, and I immediately set my sights on being a news anchor. It was a small enough program that I got my audition pretty quickly. I tried out for weatherperson, and I nailed it. I was ecstatic when I got the job and thrilled that I was on my way to realizing my dream.
    I have WPSU-TV to thank for my first real on-air job; I also have the television station to thank for introducing me to my future husband! Michael was a senior and a whiz at all things technical. I was miserably inept at running the equipment, and Michael took me under his wing and helped me out. I was head over heels in no time, and by the end of my freshman year, we were inseparable.
    My sophomore year I heard about the Florence job and felt I had to try to get it. The pay was extremely low and the distance was great, but I knew it was an amazing opportunity,one that I had to at least give a shot. I was about 180 pounds at the time, my journey of real weight gain just beginning. I was ashamed of my appearance, but I didn’t let it stop me. I bought the best size-16 suit I could find, and I got my hair professionally styled for my job interview. I went in and tried not to vomit from fear as the news director led me to his office. He was a very nice man, and we talked easily. He suggested I go up on the anchor desk and try reading from the teleprompter. An impromptu audition, if you will. I practiced deep breathing as I sat and waited for the lighting to be adjusted. Soon I was given a cue, and I read the script. It was a good audition. I felt great about my delivery, and I thought things were going pretty well.
    The news director came out of the booth and joined me at the desk. “You are a natural,” he said, and I beamed. My instincts were right; I was made for this kind of job! I was still shining when he leaned in to talk to me more quietly. “Can I give you some advice?” he asked. I nodded eagerly, waiting to soak in any and all information that would help me fulfill my dream. “You may want to try sitting at a slight angle,” he said, still talking low so that the others in the crew couldn’t hear him. I must have looked confused, because he went on to explain. “When I was a reporter, I was quite heavy,” he started slowly. “When I was on the air, I learned to sit at an angle so I didn’t look so broad to the viewer,” he smiled warmly and patted my arm. I nodded and swallowed hard. I had hoped my looks, and especially my weight, wouldn’t be a factor this early in the game. And I had thought the interview had gone so well. But clearly the news director was so distracted by my girth that he was forced to give me this advice. As he led me back into thenewsroom, I steeled myself to receive the bad news: I wasn’t going to get the job. I was simply too fat.
    Surprisingly I was wrong. The news director offered me the job on the spot. I tried not to look too surprised as I happily accepted. I did it! I actually landed a real job at a real television station! Despite my looks! For a moment I was on