What do an air traffic controller and a pitcher have in common? Just ask @BlueJays RHP Joe Biagini! pic.twitter.com/oO0y69F7UT— Intentional Talk (@IntentionalTalk) May 16, 2017
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I linked to this in last night's game treat. (someone suggested it and I like it. What do you think?) I only watched the first minute or so and figured I'd post it for everyone to enjoy. Who doesn't like Joe Biagini?
It starts out typically with banter containing subtle digs at each other. Then Biagini brings his own talking point - a letter that was sent to him and a suggestion that they create a poll out of it. He's helping them out, giving them something to talk about.
And then they spring something on him. "What wish will Biagini grant us?" Look at his face when they cut back to him after the fancy graphics they did. He's not happy. It doesn't look like this was something they mentioned beforehand. He brings his head down to school his features. He's trying to be graceful as Chris Rose reads the options out. Kevin Millar is pissing himself laughing. All three options are designed to embarrass Biagini.
He then asks, "Is there a penalty if I don't do that?"
Non-assholes would say yes, make up something and let him get out gracefully. But not these dudes. They up the ante: "You can take off your pants." He looks around, really uncomfortable.
This is when I'm going to remind people that he has said that his humour is a way to deal with feeling awkward. Would they have asked any of the stars of the game to do this stuff? This feels an awful lot like hazing.
Back to the interview. Biagini's fumbling at this point, really wanting to get out of it. Rose finally gets a clue and tells him he's a baseball player, go run the bases. So he takes off the head set and half-heartily runs the bases. The camera pulls to a wide shot and I'm pretty sure as we see Biagini leave, Uncle George Poulis (on a cell phone) comes out of the dugout and watches as he does it.
And this is when I remind these assholes that Biagini is a starter scheduled for Wednesday. I don't know when it was filmed but there's no one else out on the field. Was this before workouts or afterwards? Was Biagini's leg muscles warm? Were we risking something happening to him for a joke?
Joe Biagini is funny and good-natured. This sure as hell felt to me that he was being taken advantage of. It's his job to do these interviews so he's in no position to push back. (Was this aired live?) No player should be put in the position Joe Biagini was. He's a ballplayer, not a trained comedian.
It's not cool and I really hope someone talks to the laughing loons in New York. This is not ok.
