Sep
21
Weekend Today
Filed Under Erin Weed's Blog, Girls Fight Back!, Safety & Self-Defense
Early this morning I was a guest on WNBC’s Weekend Today in New York. I woke up at 4:30 am and was out the hotel door by 5:30. Since it was so early on a Sunday, New York was like a ghost town. In my 7 years of living out here (2000 - 2007), I’ve never seen it that dead before. It was kind of nice to see the city in such a different light. I had to hoof it two avenues to Rockefeller Center since there were no cabs around and it was a relatively short walk. (Less than 10 mintutes) I was about halfway there, right past David Letterman’s theatre, when a man approached me from behind. I sensed him coming about a second before he grabbed my left arm as it swung back with my confident stride. He was tall and foreign and wearing a black shirt and gray pants. I couldn’t hear exactly what he said through his thick accent, but it sounded like, “Come with me, lady.” That arm grab was all I needed. Who the hell did he think he was, grabbing a woman’s arm, traveling alone at 5:30 am on a desolate New York street? Oh no you didn’t…
I ripped my arm from him, and swung deliberately into my ready position with hands up and feet planted in a strong stance. Simultaneously, in a deep voice that I didn’t even know I had, I barked, “BACK OFF.” I kinda sounded like Satan. Or maybe more like the evil Ursula in the Little Mermaid movie. Regardless, it was throaty and beast-like and quite powerful. The man’s eyes got really wide - not sure if it was fear or surprise. Either way, he did an about face and walked away. I stayed in my stance until I felt he was a comfortable distance away. I then went on to my destination of NBC studios. Perhaps because of all my adrenal stress training with Bill Kipp at the Creepy Barn, my fear state vanished pretty quickly and I was back to my happy self in a matter of minutes.
When I got to Rockefeller Center, I was greeted by the show producer. She put me in a dressing room, but before doing so, she made me wait outside. She said, “This was a Saturday Night Live dressing room last night. Let me do a quick check…umm, you never know.” After that, I was off to hair and make-up. By 6:40 I was live on the air with Carolyn Gusoff teaching her how to do my ready position with the, “Stop. Leave me alone. I don’t want any problems.” I’ve never taught this with more conviction, mostly because I had effectively used it just minutes before.
After the live broadcast, I roamed the streets of New York for awhile, mostly in search of a cell phone charger. (which I left at home) No luck, since it was still too early. So I hit up some tasty brunch at a local french bistro and sipped strong coffee. A good day, and it’s only 9:30 am! Now off to play more in the Big Apple before catching my next flight…
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