broadcaster, and he has an incredible memory. I mean he has been everywhere and tends to remember everyone and everything and that is really special to people. He makes people feel very special. For me there are some things that Ron does that you can’t learn because it is just Ron. I mean I am never going to have the kind of memory that he does. You just can’t learn that. I have certainly learned a lot by being curious and being engaged and Ron knows how to make people feel special. Obviously there really is no better education and he has been very kind to me. Spotlight: Can you tell us about your latest project, “Top of HER Game,” on Sportsnet? Tara Slone: Well, ‘Top of HER Game’ is currently on pause as we try to figure out what the next steps are. Top of HER Game is a female focused series with women in sports specifically from athletes to builders and role models of all kinds. It was, I hate to say it, but it was born out of the pandemic and the pause on live sports really highlighted for me the fact that there is no con - versation surrounding women in sport. We know that statistically only 5% of sport coverage is devoted to women’s sports. That data, kind of hit us all hard, but what was amazing was the program was created as an opportunity to focus on something new and it was only supposed to be six episodes but we have shot over forty now and the brand will continue and I just think it is super important to continue to talk about these stories and talk about the quality of sport, the athleticism and the systemic problems. I mean there is so much when you talk about women in sports that doesn’t get typically spotlighted in a mainstream way and we are looking to change that. Spotlight: Speaking of putting the spotlight on the lives and careers of some of sport and culture’s fearless females. What mentors did or do you have now? You inspire many, but who inspires you and why? Tara Slone: Oh wow, well I mean thinking that music was my first love, I looked up to a lot of singers and rock stars and so I would say my first role models in life were people like Chrissie
It is going to be nice to get back on the road after this long break. I think people are really craving connection. Obviously, everything they do at this point has to be covid safe so it is not going to look exactly like it did before, but I think you know it is a really unique show and we tell the stories that you do not see on every other hockey broadcast so I am glad we get to do it again. I think the first thing is that everybody is proud of where they come from. Everybody from octoge - narians to hockey superstars and kids. I mean we are all proud of our hometowns and where we come from. I mean just the way I talk about being from Nova Scotia. So, to have that expressed out to the rest of the nation and you know we really do our best to share some of the aspects of all these communities. So that is what I think is the number one appeal of the show. I think the fact that it is a live event from the festival perspective and the broadcast perspective is really fun. We are able to focus on smaller, seemingly smaller things. We can talk about a senior hockey team from 1958 that won a cup, but it doesn’t get touched on in bigger NHL broadcasts, but I think people locally really appreciate that stuff because yeah, we are known for that, so I really think on a bigger scale it highlights peoples sameness at the same time as highlighting people’s differenc - es, if that makes any sense. You know, I think we have similar passion for connection, for hockey for rooting for and also for rooting against home - towns, for our countries, but then everyone is an individual and also wants to be treated as such and I think hometown hockey does a good job of combining all of these things. Spotlight: What is it like to work with a veteran sports commentator and iconic broadcaster like Ron MacLean? Tara Slone: I mean I don’t think calling Ron a legend is hyperbole at all. He has been doing this for over three decades and has become truly embrained in not just the hockey culture of this country, but I think the national identity we know. He is who he is for a reason. He is an icon because he is so good at what he does but also because he is so invested in people, and I think people see that authenticity. I mean he is an incredible
Hynde and Debra Harry and Annie Lennox, even Madonna. I didn’t really like Madonna when I was young, but I knew what she was doing was important as a woman. Then of course there are always tons of male musicians to look up to, Bowie for me was always a big one. I do think that it had to do with that he was just totally him. He morphed into a million different things. Personally, I am lucky I have a really great and supportive family. I mean I was always able to soak that in and always given a lot of wisdom. In the tv realm I would credit Michael Landsberg with quite a bit. Michael had a sports talk show called ‘Off the Record,’ I am sure you remember it was on the air for over two decades and I was on that show when I was in Joydrop. I was one of a few women that they would call rou - tinely to have a conversation about work even though I was a rock singer and I started actually doing some web consulting for them but again I was still a rock singer with no broadcast aspira - tions but when I started thinking of moving into broadcasting as a career Michael was the one who helped me compile my first demo reel, gave me lots and lots of great advice and continued to give me great advice throughout my career and not just about tv but Michael was very open about his journey with mental health and I had a period of where I had panic attacks on tv and was suffering from pretty debilitating nerves so he really helped me with that as well. I give him a lot of credit.
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
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