Off Camera with. . . Steve Weissman

Steve Weissman (Rich Arden / ESPN Images)
Steve Weissman (Rich Arden/ESPN Images)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to Off Camera with. . ., a Front Row series that introduces you to some of the studio anchors and hosts at ESPN. Today, we meet Steve Weissman, who joined ESPN in January 2010 as a studio anchor.

Favorite Hobby: I love to cook. I grew up watching [television chefs] Julia Child and Martin Yan, who made cooking seem easy and fun. During my first job in Alpena, Mich. [WBKB-TV], there wasn’t much to do on a Saturday night, so I would watch Iron Chef on the Food Network. Now I try to come up with a new dish every week. Having an art concentration in college [Northwestern], I’m very particular about my presentation. So most of my food is unfortunately cold by the time I actually eat it! You can see more of my food pics by following me on Instagram @steveweissman.

How did you choose your profession: My mom likes to say The Washington Post Sports section taught me how to read. I was greatly influenced by the sports personalities in D.C. I grew up reading [former Post sports writers and current PTI co-hosts] Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser and watching [former D.C.-area sportscaster] Glenn Brenner. As a third grader, I was able to interview Brenner and he really inspired me to become a sportscaster. I still have the mini-cassette recording and his signed headshot.

Hidden Talent: Art. My great grandfather and grandmother on my mom’s side were both artists, so I was raised going to museums every weekend in Washington, D.C. I completed my first stone sculpture before I was 10 and continued to pursue that passion in college. I make big abstract oil paintings and have a series of photographs highlighting Chicago’s incredible architecture.

Favorite mentor: At ESPN, many of the people I look up to are now my colleagues. I will never forget my first show with [SportsCenter anchors] Linda Cohn or Stuart Scott. I learn so much from the talented people in this building.

Favorite quote: I’m a huge fan of motivational quotes and always tear them out of magazines or put them in my phone. One I recently saved is from [tennis great] Andre Agassi’s book “Open” which says: “The same court on which you suffer your bloodiest defeat can become the scene of your sweetest triumph.”

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