Jeff Hullinger, WXIA
By Jeff Hullinger
Question: What does speaking in third person mean?
Answer: Talking about one’s self as though you were talking about someone else.
Two GOP candidates for Governor habitually spoke in third person.
“…the voters want John Oxendine,” says John Oxendine.
The candidate did that Sunday during the debate on Georgia Public Television and then Monday when I interviewed him inside The Varsity.
My guess is a political or speech consultant has encouraged Mr. Oxendine to refer to himself in public as John Oxendine.
Nathan Deal looks and sounds like a man cast to be governor by a television show or movie. He speaks in short clipped sentences and always stays on message.
He too has been speaking in the third person.
Monday before boarding an airplane at PDK, “.. Nathan Deal has the right ideas for Georgia,” said Nathan Deal.
Huh?
Maybe it’s a trend.
“Jeff Hullinger enjoyed covering Tuesday’s election results” said Jeff Hullinger.
Not a candidate: Deion Sanders
With my move from sports to news- – I thought I was done hearing such phrases.
Athletes usually constitute the majority of those who speak in third person.
Deion Sanders owns the line, ” Deion will make an impact” said Deion Sanders.
Ricky Henderson also would speak in paragraphs using third person.
“Ricky Henderson must do what Ricky Henderson must do” said Ricky Henderson.
Maybe we can blame Seinfeld reruns.
Remember the Jimmy episode? A hip guy who spoke in third person.
Try this tonight.
Speak to your spouse in third person and see how far you get.
“Jeff Hullinger would like his wife to bring him a cup of decaf coffee” said Jeff Hullinger
On second thought.
Or is that third thought?
Hullinger is a reporter at WXIA. This post originally appeared on 11alive.com/bullpen.
Posted by Talking in the third person | Radio & TV Talk on July 21, 2010 at 3:10 pm
[...] On Live Apartment Fire, WXIA-TV reporter Jeff Hullinger (right) mused about how Gubernatorial candidates Nathan Deal and John Oxendine were prone to talking about themselves using their own names rather than “I.” [...]
Posted by Mr. Bear on July 21, 2010 at 5:36 pm
We are amused.
Posted by Mr. Bear on July 22, 2010 at 3:36 pm
I am obligated to report that I did as instructed and walked into the kitchen of our lovely home, telling my spouse that “Riley O’Connor would like a cup of coffee.” The wife did a legitimate double-take, asking “What????”.
I explained the situation, took a step back and then said: “Mr. Bear would like a cup of coffee.”, to which she responded “Well, why didn’t you say so? Where would you like me to bring it and do you want cream in that coffee?”
Over coffee, we came to the conclusion that saying “The people want Nathan Deal to be the next Governor” sounds a lot better than saying “The people want ME to be Governor”, a little less egotistical. If you can say that about a politician.
Posted by ATL Traffic Queen on July 21, 2010 at 6:11 pm
I think both Dan Aykroyd and Norm McDonald did Bob Dole sketches about this very topic! Funny!
Posted by Quatro53 on July 21, 2010 at 6:41 pm
Funny and witty.
Posted by Girl producer on July 21, 2010 at 11:56 pm
I like Hullinger’s work at WXIA.
Posted by sammy on July 22, 2010 at 11:12 am
sammy sez mr laf ought to quit his dead-end day job and focus more on orginal laf material.
Posted by live apt fire on July 24, 2010 at 3:17 pm
mr laf sez sammy or somebody else ought to write this blog, or another blog like it.
Posted by Laxpat on July 24, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Haaa!!!!! Touche’ you win!
Posted by Jim on July 23, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Sammy, c’mon, they’re about to teach him the new secret handshake, he can’t leave now!
Posted by Element on July 24, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Yeah. I could absolutely see Jeff Hullinger speaking about Jeff Hullinger in the third person. No argument here.
Posted by Juner Girl on July 24, 2010 at 3:12 pm
I’m enjoying Jeff on television again.
I like his news anchor work last weekend too.
Posted by Laxpat on July 24, 2010 at 5:51 pm
Jeff – I lived in L.A. when you were there. Seeing you here makes me feel less homesick! (But still feeling culture shock…) :0