‘I notched up a spectacular fail’: Sharyn Ghidella on her most embarrassing moment

It was public humiliation 101, and sometimes it’s best to not recall the exact details, but for Sharyn Ghidella, it helps if your fail is witnessed by the TV media community.

Brendan Smith, the driving force behind the Epic Walk for DV. Photo Steve Pohlner

I’ve never been very good at stepping outside my comfort zone. You know that horrible feeling we get when asked to try something new that we’re ill-equipped to take on.

We’ve all been there – standing at the crossroads, assessing the outcomes, weighing up the pros and cons, contemplating which way to go.

Sometimes sanity prevails. You realise your limitations. You chose the hi-vis vest and the
well-worn path to safety, all nice and cosy in the comfy chair.

But then there are times you just ignore the obvious hazards. Inexplicably, you don’t see the bright flashing sign saying: Danger: Do Not Proceed.

You say YES to the impossible and suddenly, you’re heading in the opposite direction. straight into oncoming traffic.

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Put the hazard lights on, honey, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

Over the years, I’ve had quite a few requests I’d consider occupational hazards.

Sometimes I’ve thrown myself in the deep end and come back up for air. And sometimes, I’ve felt like I was drowning, safe in the knowledge I really am more suited to curling up on the sofa than living on the edge.

It’s like when I was once asked to play golf with some incredible women who all knew their way around a golf course a lot better than me. The likes of legendary Olympian Dawn Fraser and netball superstar, Liz Ellis.

These women were uber athletes – the best of the best. Great hand-eye, power, speed and a golf swing Cameron Smith would be proud of.

Me: well, sure I’m athletic, if your version of a workout is walking at high speed around the supermarket.

I’m no golfer either. The only good swing I’ve ever had was at the park and, for me, it’s never been about getting a white ball into a cup. It’s more about avoiding structural damage to the clubhouse!

Still, I signed up.

Sharyn Ghidella has revealed her epic fail. Picture: David Kelly

Golfing royalty Karrie Webb was going to drop by to assess our progress and offer some instruction. Surely, if anyone could correct my swing, it would be Karrie.

I was sold on the hope, even if really … I was beyond all hope at all.

Karrie Webb could spend a lifetime correcting my golf swing and I’d still find the bunker. I saw so much sand that outing – I should have packed a beach chair and umbrella. It was public humiliation 101.

Now, based on that experience alone, you’d think I would’ve learned my lesson.

So why then did I recently say yes, when someone asked me to sing … in a car … and record it … for social media. A digital monument to my incompetence that can be easily accessed with one click – forever. What could possibly go wrong.

Every fibre of my being said NO … but this was for a good cause. My 10 News First colleague, Brendan Smith is raising money for the Epic Walk Against DV … and when someone says good cause, I always seem happy to operate outside my usual boundaries.

Now, in the interests of self preservation, I don’t remember a lot about my performance.

My greatest recollection is sitting in the car, wishing I was auditioning for the Masked Singer. At least if you’re dressed like a giant whale it doesn’t matter if you screech like one in distress.

I’m also told I sang ABBA’s mega hit, Dancing Queen.

(Funny, I thought I was belting out Mamma Mia, but perhaps they were just the words being uttered by my colleague when I started singing … and he realised his mistake.)

I mean there were dogs whimpering in the neighbourhood as we drove by.

Yes, yet again I notched up a spectacular fail …

So why, oh why, do I keep putting myself through this?

Well, the truth is, it’s not always failure when you fail. Stepping outside your comfort zone can be an amazing experience. The results may not be spectacular, but gee, I’ve had a lot of laughs along the way.

And those laughs, the good times, the money raised, the incredible people I’ve met, are far more important than succeeding at something, any day.

Social embarrassment is terrifying, but close yourself off to the unknown and you close yourself off to some of the best memories you can make.

I’ve always loved that saying “choose a lane”, but occasionally it doesn’t hurt to merge left or right, to see where another lane may take you.

Just try not to sing along the way, if you sound anything like me.

Originally published as ‘I notched up a spectacular fail’: Sharyn Ghidella on her most embarrassing moment