FILE PHOTO: Comedian Colin Jost is seen at the Paris 2024 Olympics surfing site during competitions in Teahupo'o, Tahiti, French Polynesia, July 28, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File photo
TEAHUPO'O, Tahiti (Reuters) - Luke Bradnam is having an Olympics to remember. The Australian weatherman, radio broadcaster and keen surfer got the call to cover the Paris Games for Channel Nine in his home country and was loving it - then host broadcaster NBC asked him to step in when their star Colin Jost left the competition early.
"Initially, I didn't know who he was. He just looked different to the rest of us. We're all a bit weathered right, and he looked perfect," Bradnam told Reuters.
"And then I said to one of the officials 'Who's that?', and she goes, 'You know who he is'. And I go, 'I don't know'. She goes, 'He's married to Scarlett Johansson. He's from Saturday Night Live.'"
Bradnam said he spent a great couple of days with Jost before he unexpectedly departed, and did not hesitate when NBC asked him to step in. There was no explanation provided for Jost's early departure.
Bradnam's highlight was interviewing reigning Olympic gold medallist and five-time world champion Carissa Moore after the American bowed out in what was likely her last event.
"I said to her, 'Carissa, you don't know me, but I'm filling in for Colin, I don't know why. But you're about to talk to me and it's gonna go across America and I want to do your family back home justice, and I want to give you the respect you deserve.
"And I spoke to her about the heat she was just in and then I just spoke to her about the profound effect that she'd had on female surfing and female athletes in general.
"I said, I don't know if you're aware of the impact you've had but whoever stands on the dais eventually at the end of these has been influenced by you.
"And she broke down, she broke down and she hugged me."
Bradnam said he hugged Moore and told her she should be proud of what she had done for the sport.
"And she just squeezed, and I meant it, and I was really grateful that she got to have that moment."
NBC told him they loved it and now will be using Bradnam for South American affiliate TV Telemundo, the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world.
"I don't know who they are or where they broadcast but I'm on it. When surfing resumes, we're now doing South America as well," he said.
Bradnam's television moments at home include chasing a man who stole his car in the middle of a broadcast and jumping into stormy surf to rescue someone in between live crosses at a local beach, only to find they were already dead.
"I love live TV because you never know what's gonna happen," he said. "You could be pulling a dead body in and you getting your car stolen on live TV, or getting the call for NBC.
"You just never know and that's why for me, media is the greatest industry in the world."
(Reporting by Lincoln Feast in Tahiti; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
