The Anchor’s Desk with Scott Reister: Interview with ESPN Anchorman Anish Shroff
What it’s like to be an ESPN Anchorman
Q&A with an anchor at the World Wide Leader
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by Scott Reister
In the sporting world, it’s as unavoidable as a Cincinnati Bengal’s arrest, a Kurt Warner “God†reference, or a stomachache after Super Bowl Sunday. You don’t put mayonnaise on a taco, and you don’t call yourself a sports fan without at least some time spent on ESPN (or ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, ESPNMag, or ESPN.com).
Anish Shroff, my former co-host at KNDU (in WA), was talented and fortunate enough to become part of this cultural phenomenon when was hired to be an ESPNews anchor about a year ago. Shroff fills us in on what its like to be part of all the action.
Scott Reister: How did you get your current job as ESPNews anchor? Any hazing when you got there?
Anish Shroff: I was working as a reporter/anchor at WSYR-TV in Syracuse. I sent a note to Al Jaffe (one of the good folks who hires talent), asking if he would be so kind to give me feedback on some of my work. He asked if I’d be interested in an interview/audition – and that set the wheels in motion.
As for hazing, I didn’t have to skinny dip in the ESPN pond or go on a never-ending scavenger hunt, but pretty much everyone made fun of my car. They still do even though I got rid of it a few months ago. Apparently at the WWL, a dinged up ‘97 Purple Dodge Neon with no power locks, no radio, and no mojo doesn’t get it done. It would’ve made for a good episode of Pimp My Ride though.
Scott Reister: You’re like the hopeless guy on the ESPNMobile commercial! Moving on… Compare working at ESPN to other stations.
Anish Shroff: Basically, I don’t have to deal with a news director telling me that sports will be “shorter than usual” because there’s an incoming storm and weather needs more time. The great thing about all sports all the time is that sports is THE PRIORITY. It wasn’t really the case at the local level.
Scott Reister: Obama cut my sportscast in half tonight. I wonder if he knows he did that. Any other neat parts about working at ESPN?
Anish Shroff: You’re living, breathing, and drinking sports all the time. Anytime you start to complain, you come to the realization that your job is to watch sports, talk sports, and read about sports. Basically, you’re getting paid to do something that a lot of people do in their spare time. At most jobs, if you try to watch a game at work or check scores online you get in trouble. Here you’d be in trouble if you’re not doing that.
Scott Reister: My wife still doesn’t buy that line. What’s something the public would never know about ESPN?
Anish Shroff: That Bill Pidto might have been one of ESPN’s most popular anchors. From his Pidto-isms – “Whaddyahave” and “Prompter, I got a family to feed” … he was one of a kind. I only got to work with him for a short while, but he was beloved. On his last day, he got a standing ovation as we he walked through the newsroom. It was a touching tribute and something you don’t see all the time.
Bill, being one of the veteran guys, took me under his wing when I first got there, and I’ll always appreciate it. He was a character. Anytime I’d share the anchor desk with him, he’d remind me he used to do shows with Berman. It was all in good fun. I wish viewers would’ve gotten to see the real Bill more. (note: Pidto was hired by SIRIUS)
Scott Reister: Meet any celebrities? Who was the coolest?
Anish Shroff: When I first started, Will Ferrell made the rounds promoting Semi-Pro. It made me wonder if he gets royalties every time a sportscaster dropped an Anchorman line.
Scott Reister: Anish, I’m kind of big deal around here. With our man Ron Burgundy coming from lovely San Dee-yah-go (German for a whale’s reproductive organ), I wanna know…is there an East-Coast Bias?
Anish Shroff: Having grown up in Jersey, I never gave it much thought. But most of the NYC area teams get significant national coverage so you take it for granted. It was after working in Washington state for two years where it became clear that the media does favor the East coast. It seemed the West coast didn’t get equal coverage. Sure, the big wigs (USC, Lakers, Dodgers) seemed to get their share. But it felt like the second tier West coast teams were never on par with the second tier East Coast teams.
Scott Reister: How advanced is the technology at ESPN?
Anish Shroff: Any day now, the robot from Rocky IV is going to ask me if I want to dance.
Scott Reister: Can the ESPN empire get any bigger? I think the “Ocho” might actually exist in a few months.
Anish Shroff: An LA studio opens this spring. Would that be ESPN’s equivalent to Constantinople?
Scott Reister: When will I see you on a “This is SportsCenter” commercial? Those are the best.
Anish Shroff: One of the walls of my cubicle made one of the ads. Does that count?
Scott Reister: I’d count it. Tackle any mascots?
Anish Shroff: Nope, but if the St. Joe’s hawk ever comes around and he’s not flapping his wings – I think it would be my civic duty.
Scott Reister: Last question: do you get free ESPN?
Anish Shroff: If only I was tech savvy enough to hook up illegal cable.
Scott Reister: Hook us up brother.
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Scott Reister is a featured contributor to Midwest Sports Fans, as well as Dallas Sports Fans.
He is a Sports Anchor for the NBC affiliate in the Tri-Cities and Spokane, WA. To learn more about Scott, visit the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Local Sports page on KNDU.com.
To contact Scott: sreister@hotmail.com
Tags: anish shroff, espn, scott reister
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