See Spot Ref: BU alumnus calls the Puppy Bowl

It’s been a year since we at The Daily Free Press have caught up with Boston University alumnus and referee of Animal Planet’s “Puppy Bowl” Andrew Schechter. It’s that time of year again, however, and puppy lovers everywhere are preparing for perhaps the biggest Sunday night of television of the year. In an email interview with The DFP, Schechter weighed in on everything from his days at BU to what he expects to see in this weekend’s game.

What did you study at BU?

I was a College of Communication student, majoring in Film and Television with a concentration in English.  I graduated in 2006.

Were you involved in any extra curricular activities at BU?

I acted in and directed Stage Troupe plays, worked as a Program Assistant for the Orientation Office, cheered on the Terriers at Agganis (and Walter Brown) Arena, and you could even find me making a sandwich or two at the BU Pub.

How was your overall experience at BU?

I loved my time at BU.  Even though it’s a big-city institution, it has a small community feel.  While taking advantage of all the resources (especially the dining halls) and participating in extracurricular activities, I was able to study a diverse course load, which I believe helped prepare me for the “real world.” And, I’m still friends with guys that I met living on the 8th floor in Towers my freshman year.  I have great memories from my four years at BU, and I try to swing by campus whenever I’m up visiting Boston.

Is there any particular class or professor from BU that sticks out in your mind?

Three classes and professors stick out to me, as they all had a direct impact on how I became a producer (and soon thereafter the Puppy Bowl ref) for Animal Planet. First, Jeremy Murray-Brown’s documentary class provided my first look into the power of nonfiction storytelling. Then, Charles Merzbacher’s directing class taught me how to manage and bring out the best in other creative professionals.  Finally, the BU in LA program, overseen by Bill Linsman, afforded me the hands-on experience I needed to take my first steps in the entertainment business.

How did you become the referee of “Puppy Bowl”?

As a coordinating producer for Animal Planet, I’m afforded the opportunity to work on a wide array of programming.  And, four years ago, I was lucky enough to be assigned to work on Puppy Bowl IV.  While reviewing the creative and budget with a room full of executives, the topic of who would play the part of the “referee” came up.  I whispered to the executive producer that I would love to be the referee, and knowing my background in acting, she threw my name out to the group.  At first, the room erupted into laughter because, at the time, the referee was just a glorified pooper-scooper. But now, four years later, I’m proud to say that I have developed the role of the “ref” as a staple of the show, and I couldn’t be happier to help out, both behind and in-front of the camera.

What does being the referee for the Puppy Bowl entail?

While the puppies are running around the miniature football field, it’s my job to keep a “clean” game in every sense of the word.  I call puppy penalties such as “unnecessary ruff-ruff-roughness” and “unpuppy-like conduct” when the puppies are acting a little too rambunctious, and I also throw the yellow flag when a puppy has a “foul” on the field. There are puppy touchdowns, puppy substitutions and puppy timeouts that I’m also in charge of announcing.

What is the best part of officiating the Puppy Bowl?

The best part of being on-the-field at Puppy Bowl is that I get to spend my day with 47 adoptable puppies.  Even though the tone of the show is tongue-in-cheek, and we all have fun producing the program, there is a real, important message that we promote: the importance of animal adoption. We’re very proud to say that all the animals featured in Puppy Bowl (which include the puppy players, the Bissel Kitty Halftime performers, the chicken cheerleaders and the hamster blimp pilots) are from reputable shelters and rescue groups. You can really find the perfect animal for you at a local shelter, and the fact that I get to raise awareness of this is icing on the cake.

Is it hard dealing with the personalities of a bunch of superstar puppies?

The puppies clearly know that they’re the stars of the show and they aren’t afraid to show it! I remember one instance when I went on the field to call an “illegal use of the paws” penalty.  Just when I was about to make the call, a Pyrenees puppy jumped into the water bowl and began splashing me with its hind legs.  Luckily, we were able to capture the action from the water-bowl-camera, but it was a humbling experience.  No one steals the spotlight from the puppies, not even the ref.  All the Animal Planet “pup”-licity for the Feb. 6th airing must be going to their heads.

Have you ever had to break up any vicious dogfights?

Believe it or not, the puppies are pretty well behaved. The show features natural puppy behavior and promotes puppy socialization.  Still, every once and a while, there’s a dog whose bite is worse than its bark.  Luckily, we have American Humane representatives and puppy handlers on set, so they also have an eye on all of the action.  Nonetheless, I’m always happy to get in between two pups –the worst thing that usually happens is that I get a whiff of puppy breath, along with a slobbery kiss.