What Anchors Do During Commercials

February 14, 2009 11:53 AM

"WGN-TV weekend anchors Robert Jordan and Jackie Bange do a little dance number each Saturday and Sunday night during their telecast's first commercial break. Word is that it started out as a short 10-second dance, but now they have choreographed it into the full 2:40 of the break. "
posted by Knappster (45 comments total)

It's narcisstastic, or maybe just cute.
posted by BrotherCaine at 12:06 PM on February 14, 2009

From the interview (first link):

Jordan — The first segment of the show is the death and destruction thing, the murders and the fires and the really horrid stories. You come out of that first segment and it’s pretty tense. That loosens us up a little bit. The rest of the show generally isn’t as intense as that first segment. Coming out of that, sometimes we’ll look at each other and whew, that was pretty rough. It breaks the tension and loosens us up for the rest of the program.

posted by estherbester at 12:08 PM on February 14, 2009

Neat!
posted by jessamyn at 12:09 PM on February 14, 2009

I'm jealous. I've always wanted a comrade that was as obsessive compulsive as me, or at least one that was very indulgent.
posted by theefixedstars at 12:10 PM on February 14, 2009 [1 favorite]

That was nice to see.
posted by Flex1970 at 12:13 PM on February 14, 2009

In the interest of public education, I sent the url to several people. I apologize if I have enabled a forward that will live in cyberspace forever and eventually turn up in your inbox.
posted by Cranberry at 12:15 PM on February 14, 2009

I would enjoy my local newscast a whole lot more if the anchors did this ON AIR.
posted by briank at 12:17 PM on February 14, 2009

I'd hope so, esterbester. Can you picture it the other way around?

"Bum-dee-dum-dum" [thumbs a-go-go]

"Da-na-na-na" [do the macarena]

"Tada!" [jazz hands]

[smiles, laughter]

"We made it!"

[CUE CAMERA]

Stonefaced anchor: "In local news, a tragic woodchipper accident at the county orphanage has left thirty dead and countless wounded. Let's go to Chuck with a disturbing eyewitness report."
posted by Rhaomi at 12:18 PM on February 14, 2009 [3 favorites]

I love the fact that this was publicized by the station themselves, not just a leaked video that they're embarrassed about. Good for them!
posted by Lemurrhea at 12:21 PM on February 14, 2009

God, that was great.
posted by rtha at 12:22 PM on February 14, 2009

Loved it.
posted by joe lisboa at 12:23 PM on February 14, 2009

Suddenly, I feel a little better about life. I'd be all in favor of a federal law giving a $300 tax credit to anyone who does two minutes of silly choreography with their coworkers everyday. That would have to be a net gain for the nation.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 12:29 PM on February 14, 2009 [12 favorites]

hells yes, Pater Aletheias! I think every conference room meeting should begin and end like that, also.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 12:31 PM on February 14, 2009

That was cool, thanks! Best part was the beginning and end where they switch modes.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:37 PM on February 14, 2009

This is why WGN is America's Superstation.
posted by FelliniBlank at 12:49 PM on February 14, 2009 [3 favorites]

That's so cute!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 1:18 PM on February 14, 2009 [1 favorite]

I love it!

Reminds me of the secret handshake between Haddock and Chester in The Shooting Star.
posted by theiconoclast31 at 1:19 PM on February 14, 2009 [1 favorite]

very unironic, unselfconscious, and nice. Thanks!
posted by Turtles all the way down at 1:31 PM on February 14, 2009 [2 favorites]

Jordan and Bange are another in a long line of really professional and appealing anchor teams at WGN and this just makes me love that news broadcast even more.
posted by nax at 1:32 PM on February 14, 2009

It's cute to watch once, but let's be honest...if most of you had co-workers who did this twice a week you'd hate on them so hard your clothes would burst into flame.

Or maybe it's just me. I'm a twisted, hateful individual.
posted by The Card Cheat at 1:39 PM on February 14, 2009 [3 favorites]

When I was a kid, Bob Jordan came down to a library in Andersonville and read books to kids. I got his autograph on a bookmark. He was a cool dude, but very professional (even around kids). Now I see this and go, "HOLY KRAP...coolest dude in the world".

Its nice to see that Chicago still has excellent staff on the news teams like Bange, Jordan, and Skilling telling the public the news rather than the can-kinda-read once models on the LA local news.

Long Live Chicago.
posted by hal_c_on at 1:44 PM on February 14, 2009

I guess it's time to change the secret handshake.
posted by Pronoiac at 1:57 PM on February 14, 2009 [4 favorites]

That was fantastic.
posted by brundlefly at 2:11 PM on February 14, 2009

I didn't not like it!
posted by found missing at 2:13 PM on February 14, 2009

I love them.
posted by chococat at 2:55 PM on February 14, 2009

That was cool. I enjoyed that a lot.
posted by cashman at 3:07 PM on February 14, 2009

worth a loud LOL.
thanks!
posted by liza at 3:17 PM on February 14, 2009

They even gone and brushed that dirt off of their shoulders.
A sure sign that I'm tuned into the motherfucking greatest.
posted by mannequito at 3:23 PM on February 14, 2009

Was I the only one expecting something along the lines of NBCs morning news' Dance Friday? (Which WGN's morning show claims was "stolen" from their Friday Dance)

I find Dance Friday hilarious because I swear nobody working at that station can dance.
posted by nooneyouknow at 4:24 PM on February 14, 2009

That was hilarious!
posted by P.o.B. at 5:11 PM on February 14, 2009

wow. just wow. it takes a lot of actual skill to memorize that many components (and a tiny bit of insanity).
posted by ericbop at 5:14 PM on February 14, 2009

Even though Mr. Jordan's an African-American, I don't think the pair of them could be any more white.
posted by WCityMike at 5:14 PM on February 14, 2009

"I love scotch! Scotchy, scotch, scotch!"
posted by orme at 5:51 PM on February 14, 2009 [1 favorite]

Now just add the hot weather girl and we've got a hit!
posted by wowbobwow at 6:41 PM on February 14, 2009

Now just add the hot weather girl and we've got a hit!

What, do they have different anchors depending on the forecast?
posted by danb at 7:02 PM on February 14, 2009 [3 favorites]

I liked it, but I'm not sure it's all that spontaneous. It looks to me like a loosening up game that Improv/theater people play to get the juices (individual and group) flowing. My wife and I were discussing it and saying they must like each other. And then a pause. And then: Or hate each other and this is the only way get a friendly vibe on set.
posted by DU at 7:52 PM on February 14, 2009

For some reason, I find their little skit to be a comical mockery of international events.

Well done no matter what.
posted by JoeXIII007 at 8:06 PM on February 14, 2009

I was having a really crappy day today, but this really cheered me up for some odd reason.
posted by SteveTheRed at 9:03 PM on February 14, 2009

Crimping is real.
posted by Grimp0teuthis at 9:06 PM on February 14, 2009

That was charming.

I wonder if they've ever had a perfect run through of that? Or if a perfect run-through is the requirement to add a new item to the list.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:38 PM on February 14, 2009

My favourite part of the routine, where they shoot each other, became doubly my favourite when I saw the explanation in the interview:

"The shotgun comes from Dick Cheney"

My favourite news story from three years ago just keeps on truckin'...
posted by roombythelake at 10:33 AM on February 15, 2009 [1 favorite]

For those of you haters...

Gosh, you mean that the WGN newscasters are actually PEOPLE?!?!?

Since, you know, people actually do things that are not logical since they actually have needs and desires that don't fit your narrow templates?

Or is it because you can't dance?

Sorry, couldn't resist an overblown and not very funny poorly presented sarcastic moment.

On about your business now. Nothing to see here.
posted by Samizdata at 1:11 PM on February 15, 2009

That was much funnier than I expected it to be.
Good on 'em, that's what I say.
posted by smartyboots at 8:58 PM on February 15, 2009

*zoink* *boink* *bllurrrrllllp!*

And now the news. Twelve thousand people died in India today in a massive monsoon that washed away an entire town...
posted by markkraft at 9:04 PM on February 15, 2009

This is great. Watching this, I get the impression that these are two wonderful people, folk who haven't had too many of their interesting corners broken off by life.
posted by JHarris at 3:11 AM on February 16, 2009