Varitek Is Not A Fan of the Kiss Cam
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the Kiss Cam ain’t nothin’ but trouble.
Although I despise its presence at a ballpark, I suppose it’s slightly more palatable at a basketball arena. But only slightly. I have to think Jason Varitek hates the Kiss Cam even more than I do.
Friday night, Jason was at the Celtics-Nuggets game at the Garden, sitting courtside and doing the “hold-the-ball-for Lucky” publicity stunt at halftime. Tek was perfectly happy to be a part of all that. He was not, however, so thrilled to make a return appearance on the jumbo screens inside the Garden a little later in the game.
During a break in the action, the Celtics video people fired up the trusty ol’ Kiss Cam. Typical nonsense ensued- random people mugging (and mugging down) for the camera. But then those crafty folks focused on Jason and a lady sitting next to him (who tried desperately, but unsuccessfully, to scoot out of the frame). Jason was not pleased. Everyone cheered and hollered for him to kiss her, but Jason was unmoved. He sat rock still and stonefacedly stared ahead until the cameraman finally panned off of him. AWKWARD!
So word to the wise: Jason Varitek is not really interested in performing an onscreen kiss for the unwashed masses at the Garden. At least he’ll give a half smile to the camera, though!
SOOOOOOOOOOOo who WAS the girl??
Good question. The woman in the photo appears to be behind Tek.
Texy, I agree…hate the Kiss Cam.
The Unknown Brunette Lady. In the last picture above, she’s sitting directly to his left, just out of frame. Convenient!
I’m pretty sure the guys expect to be photographed or put on the screen when they go to games… but it was high comedy that someone in the Celtics booth had the balls to put Tek on the Kiss Cam.
Ohhh it was NOT Heidi Watney – now that’s interesting.
Ugh I hate the kiss-cam. And poor Tek! Maybe the camera-guy doesn’t want him to re-sign and is trying to run him out of town.
And the quickest way to get them to move the camera is to start drinking beer…most arenas instruct the camera people not to show people drinking, and the switcher will usually go to another shot right away.
Even more effective: give the camera the finger. A guy did that during Friday night’s game as well, and that camera panned off real quick.
Although I suppose Tek giving the finger to the crowd probably isn’t a viable option for him.
Um, he probablty didn’t want to kiss her because he didn’t seem to know who she was! She was sitting next to another man (on the other side) who she seemed to know very well.
Don’t start a sentence with “um”. It’s condescending. /pet peeve
Although I’ve always wondered what would happen if you ended up on the Kiss Cam with a total stranger. Or worse- a relative. Considering the number of games I go to with my brother, this is a fear of mine.
I don’t think it matters whether or not he wanted to kiss her, and I certainly don’t think we’ve got a problem with that… nor is it an issue of whether or not she knew him.
The issue is how absolutely hilarious that the camera guys were feeling particularly naughty and decided to pick a newly divorced local celebrity who has been the subject of incredible amounts of gossip.
It was absolutely hilarious.
If you’re sitting with your brother, you can just laugh and ignore. Or kiss him on the cheek, which is acceptable =)
I saw the picture the other day, I wondered what that look on his face was for. Someone at the game said the woman in the picture was not with him, was with another man. He was only there with his personal assistant, the man.
WTF is wrong with Tek’s collar in that picture?! It’s so freaking weird.
Also if that Kiss Cam operator is a Red Sox fan and doesn’t want Tek re-signed, I’ll give him kudos because that’s a pretty clever tactic.
I don’t think it’s hilarious. I think it’s in extremely poor taste. Just let the man enjoy a basketball game.
Nevermind the chick. Who’s the babe on Tek’s right with the frosted tips and less-than-conservative button- down shirt?
I don’t know why, but the look on his face seems to say “This is MAH popcorn. Get yer own.”
i think the kiss cam can be cute and fun, but when it’s put on people who aren’t together then it is weird. just motion, ‘i’m not with him’ must have been awkward for tek
I can imagine it was awkward. Although it must not have been a Sox fan, because I would have happily kissed him.