 |
|
|
 |
personalities
What
a week!
Sincerity
and understanding: the modus operandi of PBS broadcaster Joe Vella
Interview
by Zillah Bugeja
Monday
My working day starts at 4.45am and ends at 7pm.
I never get the Monday blues, instead I get them on Sunday, have
done ever since I was a child. I think Maths on Monday first thing
must have been the reason why!
I have a very hard job, it's an emotional struggle. Being the producer
and one of the presenters of a breakfast show, L-Ghodwa t-Tajba
on PBS, means that getting the job done on time and to my satisfaction
is a constant struggle.
Since October we've had 375 guests and 120 different features. Every
10 minutes we change subject matter, so the programme is on my mind
all of the time.
I have a good chemistry with the other presenters, Marbeck Spiteri
and Chris Cauchi.
The problem with some presenters is that they project their ego,
and that's a big mistake. I think the way to go is to be sincere.
It's not the first time I cried on TV while talking to someone.
Whatever happens in the country affects us on the programme too.
I don't know how to deal with stress – I leave the room when
I can, have a cigarette and then go back in and talk about football
or whatever. I try to forget about the problem. Nor do I shout!
In the evening I watched Il-Mandraggjana, Guze Chetcuti's masterpiece,
although I don't watch much TV except for CNN and football on any
channel. It was to bed by about 10pm.
Tuesday
After waking, I wash and leave immediately, then I have a cigarette
and a coffee at work. I relax while driving, that's important to
me. I know what I'll be doing for the next two hours because I know
that when you're there you have to tackle the problems that arise.
You only have an hour for preparation. There are always problems
to deal with during the show, like guests calling in sick and you
have to ad lib during 10 minutes. Once Joyce Borg was our guest,
and she had an accident while actually in PBS car park!
It was a hobza from the machine for lunch, as usual, and out for
filming. Film clips and therefore editing are also an integral part
of the show. Whenever I have an interview I try to illustrate it
with footage. The programme was plain sailing for once today.
Back home, and I stay there. Did some work too, because most of
the time I'm out there on the go, and it's only when I'm sitting
down that an idea clicks, so I write it down and think about it.
I need ideas in order to survive.
Wednesday
Went to Professor Darmanin because on the 10th I'll be removing
this cyst on my face. It bothers me because on TV it looks bigger
than it is.
I always put on my TV make-up at home at about 5am, just foundation
and powder. I've been wearing make-up for about three years, but
last September I had to go to the beautician to give my face a good
clean. I'm a man aren't I, so I just remove it roughly, but it's
not enough – you can say that I last cleaned my face last September!
Sometimes I forget that the make-up's on when I go to meetings,
but that's okay, it makes me look younger!
Doing morning shows has become part of my routine, I used to do
a morning show on the radio, for Radju Malta. Once someone jokingly
called me ‘the angel of the morning'. You have to show people
that you're the first person awake, and that you know what happened
during the night, they'll be waiting for you. Like on Sunday, I
woke up at 2am to watch the Oscars, so I could be there first thing
to say that our Gladiators won. It's a matter of giving a service,
not just earning a wage. Every Friday I tell viewers to ‘have
a good weekend and to enjoy their family. Well, a woman once called
to say that it was on a Friday that she was going to commit suicide,
and hearing me say that is what stopped her! Every year on the anniversary
she calls to thank me. This is why I feel you should be sincere
on TV, sincerity leaves an effect on the audience.
Thursday
Oh God, what a long day! We filmed in the afternoon, till 8pm, I
ended up a wreck. We were filming the feature about the disabled
sport being played at the Marsa Sports club. It was raining but
we managed to shoot the interview with Paul Micallef who is a very
dedicated chairman of the Special Olympics. He once came on the
programme to ask viewers for donations of furniture to furnish the
new premises, after that he phoned to thank me – they'd received
enough to fill the whole place! That's the kind of impact the programme
can have!
After filming it was back to the studios, making the last preparations
for the following day's programme. My secretary Vincent Scerri and
I worked on the schedule. I have a good rapport with Vince, in fact
I have a good rapport with everyone.
Friday
This is the day I take part in a radio programme on Voice of the
Mediterranean, a station which transmits on short wave. The recording
is done at about 1pm, and the programme is transmitted on Sundays.
The programme gives information about Malta, the latest news, and
so on. I compound the news we receive from the DOI. It's another
type of experience: knowing that anywhere in the world you can hear
a programme in Maltese, that can lift you up to Heaven. It's not
the first time that someone told me he heard me while in Russia!
I'm an actor as well. I slowed down the last three years but acting
is in me as well. In fact, acting helps me in broadcasting too,
technically what I've learned I can use for broadcasting.
This afternoon I took part in a one-hour documentary about Dun Gorg
Preca. My part was of Don Mauro Caruana, the archbishop who didn't
want to grant Dun Gorg permission to start the MUSEUM society. The
filming took place in the old Curia in Valletta. It's a huge palace,
the Church must be so rich, it was full of paintings and antiques.
I resemble the said archbishop, and I did fit into the part.
After filming went home, and then out to Peppino's for a drink.
That's my place on weekends. Then we went to Baystreet, we walked
there, it's worse when you walk, I think! And we had a drink at
Rock Café.
Saturday
I usually get up at 9am and take the car to be washed. At noon precisely
I was at my mother's for lunch, your mother's cooking is the best
in the world. It's not just food, it's love, you feel it, you taste
love. She cooks pasta most often.
I love my family. I've been separated for five years now, I live
on my own and I still miss my children Jonathan and Tiana a lot.
Thankfully my dad is still going strong. He goes to my brother's
place to help with the house. I'm happy for him, that he's active
instead of just sitting down or fighting with my mother.
I take a siesta on Saturdays, it's a luxury, not just for my body
but for my mind. From Friday afternoon to Sunday mornings my mind
is clear, the nicest time to be with me because I can communicate.
Went to the cinema to see Castaway. Tom Hanks deserved to have been
given that small gold statue.
I spend a lot of money on the weekend on food and entertainment.
It's a must, I go to the Radisson which has become a mecca for people
in the media and theatre. We end up there at midnight often to eat.
Sunday
As a rule, I go to my daughter‘s to see her and her son Liam.
We spend the morning there and go to my mum's for bragioli. After
two, I take her back and go home myself. In Winter, I love to spend
time in the coutnryside, especially Wardija with a close friend.
We talk about things there wouldn't have been time to go into details
about during the week.
My brother-in-law loves Formula One, so we planned that we'd meet
up at my mother's to watch it at 7pm. I got a bottle of wine and
wanted to celebrate my birthday with everyone there – I'm now
43. As soon as I opened my front door to leave, I found everyone
in the alley, as a surprise for me! It was great, I was so happy.
We all watched Formula One together, but my nephew was disappointed
because he's a Ferrarista.
How do I feel about getting older? I don't feel 43, it's not the
age, it's the mentality that counts. I can discuss any subject with
young people and feel what they feel. So this is what 43 feels like?
|
|
|
