Warning: this post has no redeemable value, other than how it points to my potential for being a cyberstalker. And, it amuses me.
So anyway, one of the fun things about living in Central Oregon is watching the Z21 news (or NewsChannel 21, or whatever the hell they’re calling it these days) and, well, making fun of the on-air talent, especially the ones that are just starting out.
See, our little local station here is pretty much bottom of the rung, as I understand it, for journalists who want to have a career on television. They typically get hired right out of college and Z21 becomes the training ground within which they learn the trade and work like dogs so that they can move up the ladder. And when a Z21 reporter gets their wings, they leave Z21 and pop up somewhere else, like Eugene.
Maybe you see where I’m going with this. At any rate, Libby Beaubien, one of said newscasters, recently disappeared from the news and I figured she’d moved on. Yep. She surfaced on KESQ News Channel 3 in Palm Springs, California, under the name Elizabeth Beaubien. Seems like it’s a good move, though I wonder if the name “Libby” was too colloquial for the station. Anyway, the part of this that amuses me the most is comparing the KESQ highly-staged, over-colored photo with this much more down-to-earth candid one:
(Found via kasey and TextAmerica.)
Hey, it’s all good. Just remember though, folks, the internet sees and remembers all.
Comments
22 responses to “When Z21 reporters leave the nest”
Boy ain’t that the truth. 🙂 Z21 is great to watch, because there’s always the chance to see them crack up on screen. I thought about making up a list of all the newscasters that I could remember, but that’s almost as hard as making a list of all the people who worked at McDonalds last year.
Probably the one I miss the most was Marc Toy. He had that almost Thurston Howell accent (Gilligan’s Island). My wife and I were just waiting for him to say "lovey" once.
The current sports guy, Ben Hayes, is great. The funny thing is he looks 14, but he’s good. He’ll go someplace.
Hey, my wife saw Marc Toy on one of the Portland stations when we were up there a while back. Seems like I remember he was pretty good, too.
Probably the best crack-up on screen I saw was Libby (ironically)… it was near the end of the 11pm newscast, and there was some fluff story about some ritual/holiday in India or Burma or somesuch, and she just lost it laughing because on the video was the picture of this guy with a big bullfrog, he was holding it up like a doll or something and making it dance around. She lost it, laughed through the end of the newscast, and I remember she "disappeared" from the air for a few days… coincidence?
Ok, the one that weirds me out is the guy from Spokane on the Portland station after we moved.
The guy from Portland (Rob M) is on CNN now.
That’s a hilarious picture, btw
Marc Toy, like many ex-Z-21ers, landed in Eugene, at KEZI. He came over to do features for a Bend week last summer and we did a lil 10-minute "what’s top news in Bend" deal down by Mirror Pond. (I recorded it with BendBroadband’s new DVR but some power glitch or something turned it into gobbledygook;-/
Barney – did you get him to say "lovey"?
Augh! It’s like they sucked the soul right out of her! The down-home Libby has disappeared, only to be replaced by an evil Palm Springs doppelganger named Elizabeth!
When I was living at Lava House, my roommate and I would stop whatever we were doing to watch Z21 every night.
Something bad would happen, a word would be mispronounced or the camera angle wouldn’t to switch or the wrong video would get cued up, and we would bust out laughing.
And wait a second… are those dollar bills stuffed in the collar of her shirt?
I was wondering that same thing, Dane: What the heck is that in her shirt?
I remember freaking out when I went to school in Eugene, turned on the local news, and found that many of the old folks from Z-21 were over on KEZI. I was hoping to watch quality journalism, but no luck.
Lisa Verch was a hottie, however. She was on Z-21, and showed up on KEZI, so I never argued with that. She’s not there now, however, so I don’t know what the heck happened to her.
Since I know Libby personal, i can say this… her real name is Elizabeth and Libby was a nickname. I will have to ask why she is back using Elizabeth.
Marc Toy was in town last night. I was at a Z21 party and he had some other former z21 gal with him.
I love that photo of her.
OK, got the scoop from the boy. he says the station said told her they couldn’t promote her has libby so they made her go by elizabeth.
this is why i only used my broadcasting degree for 6 months.
has anyone seen Ted Saris, the new weather guy? it’s like watching comedy.
Wow, this turned into quite the local comment thread 🙂
Dane and Jake– yeah, I believe it’s money stuffed into her shirt/bra… it’s definitely a double-take kind of picture.
The new crazy weatherman rules! I think we should invite that guy to our next blogger get-together.
the boy said he will ask ted for us.
OK, I can’t say that I’ve seen the new weather guy (I generally avoid watching Z-21). I’ll have to watch now to see what this guy’s all about it.
He’s usually on the weekend editions… it’s something else. He’s super-enthused, high energy and seems like he has ADD or something… sort of reminds me of watching Quentin Tarantino in interviews.
Wow…this is a cool site…I am a former Z21’er myself…it’s interesting to get some news about my old co-workers…
Since Shannon won’t use her real name, I will. Isn’t that lovely that someone makes comments about her boyfriends place of business. Grow up.
i put money down my shirt but push it out of sight. that looks tacky
Lisa Verch reports in Phoenix now
Jennifer Hill is at Tampa Bay doing weekend and noon weather as of Fall 2003
Where is Marc Toy now?! I turned on the news one morning (Mid August I think?) and Al Peterson and Andrea Stark said that Marc & Caroline Howe had gotten married. I just checked the KEZI website and now they’re pics are removed? Marc was hilarious! My boyfriend and I would watch KEZI every morning just to watch him and listen to his jokes…..such a crack up! Such a shame he’s gone…….although Al comes up with some doozies sometimes as well.
I love this site. I worked at Z-21 for years and have many stories about "behind the scenes" that you’d enjoy. For anyone that’s watched Z-21 for at least ten years, have you noticed the KATU weekend crew? Susan harding is the news anchor and Joe English does weather. They worked at Z21 together about ten years ago. Joe Hughes, the sports guy back in the the early/mid 90’s is at KIVI in Boise. Ben Williams, who did weather during that time, lives in Seattle and is in real estate. One last nake for you to look up: Amy Troy was on the air at Z21 back in the early 90’s as "Amy Houts" (her maiden name. She’s now in San Antonio and is on a web site as one of the "hottest tv anchors" in America.
Ted Zarus is a very nice person, I saw him at the Redmond Hospice benefit, he was with the band, playing the drums and was very good! I met his family one afternoon in Sisters, a very nice man, I wish he and his family much luck and a Merry Christmas