Re: Upside-down lavs

[gizmo1160] "We had to resort to PZM mics as backup mics but finally used ECM 77 mics drilled into the news desk surrounded with a little foam rubber as packing.
And a big note on the lip of the desk that only the talent see and the audience doesn't it goes something like " PUT YOUR *#!!%* MIC ON ...ITS YOU THAT LOOKS STUPID!!!" I hope this explains why mics may be placed upside down on the news reader .. more for looks than sound.
"

My favorite happened during a live news update at an indy TV station, years ago.

The talent came running quickly to the set, sat down, the camera op told her to clip on her mic, and then a fast countdown to live air.

The audio was WAY off-mic and echoey.

We went to the spot break after 30 seconds and I popped on the studio PA and asked if she, in fact, had put on her mic.

Her reply? (it will live with me forever.)

It's on. It's on my BOOT (she was wearing high-top boots).

I naturally asked WHY...

"It's ugly and I had no place to clip it on my blouse," she said.

Yup. Stuff happens.