I was giving some clients a tour of my building the other day and one of them asked me if there was a signature Olympic moment in my career. There have been many instances that I might’ve shared. God knows, you spend 20 years working on something and you’re bound to have a couple of good stories. But I didn’t go with my favorite, I went with my funniest.

In 2012, Ryan Seacrest was riding the crest of a very big American Idol wave and I had the privilege of being his producer at the London Olympics. Seacrest is a super engaging guy and he was fired up to do any story on the Games we suggested. Well, in the Men’s 10,000, Mo Farrah practically burned the track stadium down with his gold medal win. Closely following in his vapor trail was training partner and US athlete, Gaelen Rupp, who took silver. To Seacrest, I pitched an interview with the two of them for the next night before they picked up their medals. He was all in. The runners’ team agreed to shooting with us for 10 minutes by the warm-up track. Not ideal conditions as there was a lot of buzz in that area around Usain Bolt getting ready for his prelims in the 100. But, being the track geek I am, I would have shot the interview in a small commode if that’s what was necessary.

For his part, Seacrest was a champ. Though not really up to speed on all things running, he quickly understood the lack of American excellence in the distance world and the profound meaning Rupp’s performance held. Just by interviewing these two guys on Primetime television, we would be elevating the sport considerably.

So, we got to the track and we made do with the options we had available to us. I had the Director of Photography position the subjects with their backs to the warm up track. Seacrest was going to be camera left. At most, we would get about 5 or 6 questions in. Ryan knew what to ask and was truly excited for the interview.

As usual, when shooting in a very public space, my butt cheeks were getting squeezed pretty tight. We needed to get this done quickly, Seacrest needed to look good interviewing them and I had to get back and cut the piece to air that night back home in the states. It was a full plate of high wire stress.

The cameras started to roll, the first question inspired a bit of a chuckle from the boys and then somebody screamed, “MOBOT!!!” I am sure the veins in my neck started to bulge. Ryan listened to the answer from his opening salvo and launched into his second question. Before either runner could answer, the same “MOBOT!!!” rang out and this time, Mo Farrah looked over his shoulder distracted by the idiot that was screaming Mo’s nickname.

Only in television does this stuff seem to happen.

Galen fielded the question and unable to identify the screamer, Mo returned his attention to the interview. In my mind, I dug for a way to deal with this distraction in the edit. I could always show the race and cover up Mo’s distraction.

Ryan started to ask another question. Before he could even finish it, “MOBOT” rang out.

I had had enough. I saw this piece going to Hell. I could feel Seacrest getting a little peeved and I am damn sure Rupp and Farrah were wondering what was going on. I had to do something and a bit of my building rage was what I tapped into. Par for the course at that point in my life.

I took one big step back from Seacrest’s side, looked over to the warm-up track and before I could focus on who I deemed to be the perpetrator, I roared, “Hey, we’re trying to do a Goddamned interview. Not helping.”

A large black man stood at the finish line of the warm up track. He knew I was yelling at him and, after a moment, I knew he was responsible for the MOBOTs. Afterall, like a shamefaced kid, he stood with his hands on his head, his arms forming the arches of an “M.” This was Farrah’s signature “Mobot” gesture at the end of a big race. The man on the track was paying homage to the little Briton and I had spoiled his tribute. And tough shit if he was the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt was not going to ruin my dream distance interview with Ryan Seacrest and two of the biggest stars at the London Olympics.