The Call: There’s a New Op at Sportsnet

It was a day like many others. I was working at the Rogers Centre on Sportsnet’s Blue Jays Central show.

Gregg Zaun was the analyst on the show at the time, and him and I were also friends.

Gregg and I would often joke around, admittedly inappropriately, on set. Gay jokes, which taken out of context, might be taken offensively, specifically by other gays.

And… these would be done around open mics, which could be heard by control room operators on their intercom panels.

One day, the producer of the show that day called me. “Just wanted you to know, we have a new control room operator here who is gay. You guys may want to tone down your jokes.”

This happened immediately of course.

But it also became a mission for me to meet this other gay person at Sportsnet. I wasn’t the only one anymore. Who was this other gay who dared make Sportsnet their home?

His next shift at the station scheduled with this gay control room operator was spent nervously trying to make some sort of connection.

I had never spent so much time out of the audio room. But it was hard. This op was so young. Seemed to have his own vibe going already.  And with me being as awkward as I was meeting new people, I didn’t really make any progress.

So I lagged behind leaving after the shift. Thinking that maybe there could be a “natural” bit of a walk together as work was departed. But Stéphane hit the parking elevator. He randomly had a rental car that day and had driven himself. So that’s where it ended. Before any real communication began.

I wouldn’t work a shift again with him for a very long time.

And somehow… despite having the same building as our home, we managed to miss each other at the other end.