“They Hated My Looks, My Voice, My Suits And Even How I Stood,” Larry Madowo Narrates His Ordeals As A TV Personality
The NTV news anchor has opened up about what he went through to become what he is today. Through his column on Daily Nation, the TV personality narrates the ordeal he went through when he started off as a journalist on TV.
Larry says that the problem with many people is trying to satisfy others on whatever they do. This is very true by the way!
When he first made his appearance on TV, many did not like almost everything about him. Thank God his employer was tolerant enough not to fire him.
He goes on to reveal how he gave in to their criticism and tried to please them by doing what they wanted to see and hear. He terribly became terrible.
He could later realize that it is better to be yourself than what others want you to be.
He said:
When I started out on television, I was overwhelmed by the wave of public opinion on every detail of my life. There were those who did not approve of my voice, my suits, how I stood, how I spoke, perhaps even how I breathed. Social media was just becoming ubiquitous, so it was easy for them to express their displeasure. I worried about not measuring up to the public’s expectation and failing at my job before I even started properly.
I tried to adapt to be more like the viewers said they wanted but it was never good enough. A whole new set would come up who hated the new changes and preferred me in my previous form. It was relentless. Trying to be more acceptable and constantly falling short was painful. I didn’t know it then, but it must have been like working for Eli Pope, fixer of Olivia’s father in the TV drama “Scandal”. “When will you raise your ambitions to meet my standards?” he asks of his B613 agents, who can never meet them.
One of the most liberating lessons I learnt was to let go and live life on my own terms. I wasn’t going to seek approval from the Internet or any other societal affirmation. Freeing myself of all public expectations allowed me to be myself, and I became better at my job. It is counterintuitive in my line of work, considering how obsessed it is with ratings and popularity. By shutting out all the disapproving noises, I brought an authenticity to the air that had been suppressed.
Source: Daily Nation
