Hosting can be awkward sometimes.

A few months ago, I received my latest work’s schedule, unassumingly opened that mail and oh! I was going to host a big press conference attended by many really important people in the music industry. It was a serious-type conference and I had to do a formal style of hosting.

Firstly, I had never done hosting in a formal setting, and secondly, I didn’t even have a serious face! I had no poker face, at the time.

I watched news reporters on telly a few nights before the conference and tried to mimic them. That was the best example I could think of. That or lawyers at work. But I got bored of Law and Order episodes.

Well, the day came and I walked out on stage. Confident, poised, and ready to charm the audience with the skills I had acquired over the past few days of religious day time television watching. I walked out, said my good morning and right there, it all went downhill. The audience showed completely zero interest, and I got nervous and started to stumble over my words and soon enough I was walking off stage faster than I ran at my high school sports race! I ran backstage and my heart was beating so fast I am sure it missed a few beats. But it was not over. I had to go on at least 5 more times!

The next time was going to be better. I was sure of that. I had to announce a photo competition that was happening, sponsored by Getty Images. I bravely walked back out and announced “Has anyone heard about the JETTY image competition? Don’t forget everyone! There is a JETTY image competition going on, so don’t leave! This event is brought to you by JETTY images!”

Bringing it on with a smile!

I must have said Jetty a total of 3 times in that line. Maybe 4. My whole life, I have seen GETTY Images online, but never verbally said it out loud. I say Genevieve as “J”-envieve. And said GETTY as J-ETTY. Prior to that day, never before did I think I’d have to say Getty Images in a sentence, out loud, let alone in front of like 400 people, and the people from the company itself! Walking backstage, there were at least 4 people that corrected me. I also got an SMS from my colleague correcting me. There was a live twitter feed going on and someone tweeted “The MTV girl is cute and everything but someone should teach her how to pronounce Getty.” In my defense, I said that my name is Holly but a big number of people in this city call me Holy.

Throughout the day, everyone I met ended the conversation with “Oh and, by the way, it’s pronounced GET-TY images, darling.” By the time the 22nd person came by and offered their linguistic advice, I’d said “Oh, where I come from it’s pronounced a different way.” I was either seen as very ignorant, or potentially exotic. But either way, AWKWARD. Everyone I told since has said to me “What? You don’t know how to pronounce Getty?” Yes, indeed I did not. I live, I learn. In front of 400 people sometimes. C’est La Vie!

Do you feel awkward at times too? Don’t be! Take it from the Awkward. crew: Everybody has something that makes them stand out—and they’re not always happy about it. Watch the exclusive “Rock Your Awk” webisode and tell us what quirks YOU embrace in yourself. Join the conversation on Twitter! #rockyourawk

Don’t forget to catch the premiere of Awkward. this coming Sunday, 4 September at 10pm (WIB), 11pm (SIN/HK/PH) and 5 September at 12am (MAL)!