Viewers of WFAA-TV in Dallas got a real treat today when they got to see the Queen of Daytime TV on their TV screen. Oprah co-anchored the 5pm news. This was all a part of her "Celebrities Go Back to their First Jobs" segment.
Actually, being a TV anchor wasn't Oprah's first job. According to her website,her first job was really in Nashville where she worked at the corner grocery store next to her father's barber shop. I guess the grocery store isn't there anymore.
It got me to thinking about my very first job. It was for a marketing company who sent out advertising mailers to residents. I was hired to "stuff" envelopes. I think I made about $3.00 an hour--which was a pretty big deal for a high school students in 1974.
My first job out of college was at WCIR Radio in Beckley, West VA. It was also my first experience with racism. To make a long story short, the sheriff at the time refused to give me information on a story I was covering and told me, quote, "I don't have to tell you nothin' little Missy. I think you might be in the wrong job. Your kind don't belong here."
I complained to my boss about the sheriff's behavior and the next thing I knew I was fired. I did have the last word in the matter. I sued the station for discrimination through the EEOC (which was actually effective back then) and WON! I got a decent little settlement and moved on.
So what was your first job?
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4 comments:
Taco Tia was my first job.. a summer job when I was 16. This was a tiny little hole in the wall fast food joint, but I worked with some great older women who loved to talk and laugh and laugh. It was a good first work experience for me. They had the best burritos!
Wow, Beverly, what an experience! I applaud you for the strength of character you had as a young woman to sue the station and come out the winner. But, most of all, I applaud you for "moving on."
That encounter would have left most people overwhelmed with anger and hurt. These feelings were totally justified, but they can tend to make people feel stuck in the past. You, however, had the courage to move past them and get on with your career and your life. Bravo!
Beverly, that was quite the comment, sickened me. I am glad you fought back.
My first job was at a Wendy's. The first one that I had ever seen (giving my age away here). Manager was training me and backed his entire front side up against my back side. Very deliberate. I was uncomfortable, embarrassed, and just moved away. Too dumb to know that the 30-something year old man was doing something that I could have reported. I was 15. Again, sickening! He fired me 3 months later. I never felt comfortable at that job. And I never told anyone why!!!!
wow, Bev and Mary. Sorry you had such bad experiences. My first job was washing cars in high school. My girlfriend and I wanted to make some money besides babysitting (or does that count? not sure)so we started a car washing business. Every weekend we drug our supplies around the neighborhood, knocked on doors, and washed a few cars. We didn't make a lot of money, but we had fun and got a great tan.
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