A bubbly Claudia Trejos is describing her first nights as KTLA-TV's weekend sports anchor. "I held on to the desk and said, 'Help me, God. I know I've been a bad girl, but you got to let me hang in here,' " she says, giggling.
Trejos is more lighthearted than one would expect right now.
As a transplant from the Spanish-language sports scene, Trejos' appearance on KTLA a month ago had a cold reception from some English-language media critics.
Her accent--which is light in off-the-air conversation--was ridiculed. Others questioned her lack of experience in the English market--especially because she replaced well-respected broadcaster Ed Arnold.
In thoughtful moments, Trejos reflects on the criticism, some of it from a Los Angeles Times sports columnist and some repeated recently in the New York Times.
"It hurts," she says.
But not badly enough to make her retreat.
The former UCLA medical student comes from a long line of fighters. Her mother, Graciela Gonzalez, was in her 40s when she finished high school and became a judge in Colombia. Her father, Arjemiro Trejos, never finished high school but became a successful businessman.
"It was a little more painful than I thought it was going to be because I know I'm good, I know sports--and I know I haven't risen to my level," Trejos says. "But the only way to get to that level . . . is through criticism."
In addition to her own determination, she counts on the support of Jeff Wald, KTLA's news director.
"You see, the personality you see here has not yet been able to develop on the air," Wald says. He hopes to shape her into a distinctive talent, different from some broadcasters, who, he says, look and sound alike.
Trejos, 30, also draws support from her younger sister Lorena and nephew Camilo--who live with her and are her only family in this country.
And then there are the athletes.
"The one that touched me the most was Ismael Valdes. He said, 'I've had bad days, I've had bad seasons,' " says Trejos of the Dodger pitcher. "They're taking a minute or so to say, 'Don't worry about it. You're going to be OK.' "
Others, such as Laker spokesman John Black, the Dodgers' Raul Mondesi--even former Dodger Dusty Baker, now the San Francisco Giants manager--have called or have encouraged her in person.
Last week, she says, boxer Oscar De La Hoya told her: " 'You know, Claudia, I've been watching you on the air all this time, and I didn't realize you had an accent. You talk just like me.' "
