Many people have said a lot of things about the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics in Paris. Mostly the outrage, or outrage over the outrage, has had political or religions bents, but I just listened to a podcast by my all-time favorite podcaster, Cal Fussman.
I have listened to Big Questions with Cal Fussman (or the Fussman Files to Larry King) since the start. A friend turned me on to Tim Ferris, right about the time Cal’s second spot aired. It was so good; I went back to listen to the first one. And then started looking for more. Tim shared his podcast for Cal to interview Larry King before he finally stepped out on his own and created Big Questions. Cal is by training a journalist, one of the few remaining in the US, but above all, he is a storyteller.
Rare shot of me with my mouth shut, listening
Cal has his own marvellous stories. The only thing better than hearing them is to see him tell one live. I got to witness the Mikhail Gorbachov story within arm’s reach of him at an intimate storytelling workshop in München in 2019. His interview skills are to be studied. He can get you to tell your story in ways you never imagined, but he can also tell other people’s stories in phenomenal ways, too. Satchel Paige, taking on his former teammate who was the greatest hitter in the Negro Leagues, is a great story turned phenomenal when Cal tells it. To paraphrase an old football coach, in a storytelling contest, Cal could beat you’rn with his’n or his’n with your’n.
In this episode, Cal tells the story of Dave Wattle winning the 800 meter race in 1972. He introduces Jim McKay, one of the most legendary sportscasters of all times. Interspersed with the play-by-play, Cal shares other snippets about the race. The climax of the story, as Dave comes from 50 feet behind the pack to win by hundredths of seconds, is edge-of-the-seat excitement—even for someone who doesn’t watch track and field. And it is Cal’s call that gets me. As I’m walking through a wheat field in Germany listening, my heart leaps as Cal describes Jim announcing Dave while Dave, wearing a baseball cap, wins the gold medal..
It’s no surprise that Cal tells an exceptional story. But before this story, Cal tells the mic drop on the opening ceremony. It’s worth a listen, it’s the first 5 minutes (if you don’t want to hear the complete podcast). No politics, no religion, just facts. Facts and a question: “Have we reached a time where in representing yourself you have to insult somebody else?”
One thing is clear, Cal Fussman is the gold medal winner of story telling. And he has dropped the mic on the opening ceremonies in my book.