Toothless...

There is one question about my job that I tend to be asked ALL the time... "Why do you guys only inteview people who are missing teeth (or at least look like they should be)?"
The answer: They are the people who are willing to talk.
You see as a reporter part of my job is to get reaction to whatever is happening.. the crash, the murder, the tornado, the blah, blah, blah.
I always said I would be the reporter who did not do that.. well, real world came and sometimes you just have to suck it up and interview the crazy looking people.. besides they usually say things that just make great TV.
For example: One day I was doing some tax story and I was at the IRS building in a room with like 100 people. I couldn't leave until I found someone to make the story more personal, meaning talking to someone who was having to pay taxes. I asked pretty much everyone in that room to talk, even made a little announcement asking for a volunteer. Nothing!! The only person in the entire room who would talk to me was a lady who was not toothless, but fits the stereotype. She therefore made it in my story.. now no one in that room that day could say I didn't try.. and even though more than half of the people in the room looked "normal" not one of them made it on TV.
So, my point... IF a reporter ever comes up to you and asks to interview you.. for the sake of "normal" people just do the interview. It really is painless. Don't say you're in a hurry because you probably aren't and we can tell when you are using this lie.. we hear it every single day.