Dictionary definition of “red light fever”

red light fever

n. 1. excitement or unusual behavior when confronting a recording device, specifically: nervousness, giddiness, or talkativeness in front of a live microphone or video camera; the desiring or seeking of media attention. 2. in vehicles, a tendency to have a false start during a race; to run a red light. Subjects: English, Automobiles & Transportation, Media, Music, Sports & Recreation, Slang

Editorial Note: Television cameras and radio microphones almost always have a light on them or nearby that indicates “recording” or “on the air.”

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Citations: 1990 St. Petersburg Times (Florida) (Oct. 12) “Let The Music Flow” p. 24: In terms of my own playing, it’s some of the most unselfconscious work I’ve ever put on record.…I kind of tricked myself into it; avoided the red light fever (a red light in the studio indicates that recording is in process) by telling myself I’m not making a record. 1994 Peter Wilmoth Age (Melbourne, Australia) (July 10) “The Revenge Of The Nerd”: Some people have red-light fever, they can’t wait to be in front of a camera. I can’t wait to be off the camera, basically, which isn’t to say I don’t get great pleasure when it works. 1999 Kirsten B. Mitchell Morning Star (Wilmington, North Carolina) (Mar. 30) “City in line to nab red-light runners” p. 1B: Red light fever is racing through the General Assembly. Officials in seven cities, including Wilmington, want to follow the lead of Charlotte and nab drivers who run red lights by photographing them in the act. 2001 Jonathan Higgins Satellite Broadband (Mar. 1) “DTH finds a new beat” vol. 2, no. 3, p. 46: We had to ensure that each member of the band didn’t just fall into the normal “red-light syndrome,” concentrating on their visual performance only when the nearest camera cue light was on—because effectively they were each on air all of the time. 2001 Carole Malone Sunday Mirror (United Kingdom) (Sept. 9) “Now Rosie looks a right, er, twit again” p. 25: Which is tosh of course, because the exceedingly plain Ms Millard (she could be Anne Robinson’s sister) is a blatant attention-seeker who’s never been the same since Liz Hurley told her she had magnificent breasts. She also seems to have forgotten that her job is to report the news, NOT to make it. Methinks the lady is suffering from what’s known in the trade as Red Light Fever. 2002 CNN (Apr. 4) “Wolf Blitzer Reports”: Well, I think anybody in those jobs who has been doing it for a long time, they can be demanding. I think they all have that red light disease, when that little light in front of the camera goes on. But Gumbel is a professional. And, look, he has another gig over at HBO doing “Real Sports.” 2003 Perry Smith Wall Street Journal (Apr. 17) “Armchair Generals” p. A12: The “red light” syndrome: It is awfully easy to fall in love with the camera and work hard to get as many interviews as possible. Unfortunately, in American TV the way to get lots of “air time” is to be provocative and critical. 2003 [Jules] Gearslutz.xom (July 24) “Your first recording ever”: Around 1970 aged 10 my Dad and I went into a booth in Victoria Station where you could record a “45” seven inch record. (like in the video for “Tribute” by those joke heavy metal idiots…???) We told jokes and giggled, I think I still have it. There must have been a cutting lathe in the booth somewhere…We definetly had red light fever! 2005 WhoWon.com (Apr. 24) “Lights a big factor in Coles County wins” (in Charleston, Illinois): The weather could have been better this past weekend, but many racers bundled up and braved the elements to try to win a little money. It seems everyone had red light fever. Four out of five finals at Coles County Dragway, USA were decided on the starting line by red lights. 2006 [Bill@Welcome Home Studios] Music Player Network Export Forums (Jan. 20) “Odd studio experiences”: Obviously, the singer had red light fever. The engineers or producer should have taken the situation in hand and given that guy some sort of comfort level. They hosed him. 2006 [Steve Lombardi] WasWatching.com (Jan. 24) “Will They Have A High Sign?”: David Cone had red light fever and never killed the team. 2006 [WI Huck] @ Franklin, Wisconsin Diesel Place (June 13) “DHRA Drag Racing @ GLD in Union Grove 6/9/6”: The track did an excellent job of getting us finished, again. If you noticed, both of the trucks in the finals had red light fever, but Dennis’ came on first which made Bob the winner. 2006 612 ABC (Brisbane, Australia) (Oct. 27) “Paul Capsis and Andrew Denton”: And he will be back for another season of Enough Rope next year. “When I finish with television, I’m not going to be one of those people who’s hankering…for what’s called “red light fever’—I’m always puzzled by those people that want to go to the opening of a wound, and want to be seen everywhere and in the social pages.”

Posted 30 Oct 06 | Permalink | Tell a Friend