They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you can teach a Board of Commissioners chairman who’s seemingly been on the board forever a new trick or two.
And not only did Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston learn the new trick – he loved performing it so much that county residents can expect to see a lot more of it in the future.
In this case, the secret weapon, the trick, if you will, was a tool many politicians love – a teleprompter.
That device, of course, displays the text of the speech on a screen that lets the speaker give his or her remarks without constantly looking down at note cards or sheets of paper – as Alston has done his whole life when making speeches.
The first time in his life he ever used a teleprompter was on Wednesday, Sept. 20, when he gave the much-hyped 2023 “State of the County” address, which apparently will be an annual event now – and you can bet future versions will use the teleprompter as well.
The night after the speech that was seen by a large audience in the Commissioners Meeting Room as well as on the internet and on local cable, an effusive Alston remarked about his newfound love for the device. He made the remarks during a Thursday, Sept. 21 Board of Commissioners meeting.
Alston said that, at first, he had trepidation about using a teleprompter and he wanted to give the speech the same way he had given speeches his whole life.
“We went back and forth on this teleprompter thing,” Alston said at the September 21 commissioners meeting. “I had never used a teleprompter before. And, they said, ‘Well, Skip, just try it. Try it for us.’”
It didn’t take long for the formerly set-in-his-ways chairman to be won over by the newfangled machine (that was actually invented 73 years ago).
“I realized, for the first time I don’t have to look up and look down,” and obviously elated Alston said. “We tried it and it worked – because of them.”
He said he and other county officials felt the speech went very, very well.
“It was a team effort and I just really appreciate it,” Alston said.
Wow, I guess he will be walking on water next!!!
Nice to see our Chairman can read. Next he’ll hire a Speach Writer.
If you think Skip writes his own speeches, then there’s some cheap land you might be interested in.
Congrats to Skip for trying something new. I have to admit, he’s a pretty good speaker anyway, but his address in this instance was well done. If he starts telling about a relationship with “Cornpop” or how he nearly lost his cat and Vette in a house fire, get him off of it.
Looks like skip is going to raise taxes to support his teleprompter addiction.
Oh my goodness gracious… all Skip and Run needs is something to make him feel more powerful!! Someone please for heavens sake, shut that run of the mouth clown up and remove him from office! He’s as embarrassing as Creepy Dementia ridden Brandon Biden!!
Skippy “thinks” everyone loves or respects him. If only he knew the truth. Oh, wait, he does. He just doesn’t care what the residents of GC think. He’s only out for himself. And controlling the countys money. Someone honest better be watching that bank account closely with him in charge of spending it! Can we say Museum. Clowns, clowns everywhere in the commissioner seats! Except for 3 who try their best to wrangle the clown show and that’s been proven impossible.
Go vote Republican!
Better move big dog the chances of that a slimmer then bimbos on a girls trip. But aye if you decide to move someone will come fill your spot The real estate market is Fuego!!
Will he use it to announce his planned return of the mask mandate?
Please… where is Billy Yow when we need him…lol
Hell yes.
Yo Yow! I still have the t-shirt.
Yes!!! I still have the shirt too. Bring back Billy Yow and put some common sense back into our commissioners!
I always get that warm cozy feeling when politicians get together and clap and pat each other on the back for a job well done.
Ok big city. another one this weekend. you’ve been really quiet lately comparing Greensboro to other cities. What happened. Crow can taste like bovine matter, can’t it
A teleprompter works better than typed notes on the podium.