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4 Secrets To Becoming A Guest On Top Tv Talk Shows
Posted by randy on: 2005-10-24 15:17:54
4 Secrets To Becoming A Guest On Top Tv Talk Shows
Susan Harrow
The phone rings. You hear an authoritative voice say, *Hello,
I'm the producer of...Good Morning America or Oprah, or Larry
King Live* or any other top talk show, you name it. This is your
big moment, the break you've been waiting for. After you catch
your breath what do you do?
Producers make an instant assessment of you in thirty
seconds--or less. When you get that coveted call from a
producer, you aren't just *talking* to him: you're auditioning.
You are being screened to be accepted or eliminated as a guest
on their show. How can you pass the audition?
Secret #1: Ask Before You Speak
Before you even open your mouth to start pitching yourself and
your story to the producer, ask them a simple question: *Can you
tell me a little bit about the kind of show you envision?* In
other words, ask the producer the angle he is planning to take.
Doing so has two advantages. First, it gives you a moment to
overcome the shock and to collect your thoughts.
Second, once you hear the producer's reply, you can gear your
pitch to the type of information he's seeking. Listen closely to
the angle that he's interested in and tailor your points to it.
Publicists often use this technique to get their clients booked
on shows. They *get* before they *give* - so they are in a good
position to tell only the most pertinent information about their
client.
Secret #2: Wow the Producers with Brevity
Follow the advice of jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie: *It's not
how much you play. It's how much you leave out.* Keep your list
of talking points by the phone when you call a producer (or a
producer calls you), so you'll be succinct. You will already
have rehearsed your points so that they'll sound natural and
inviting. Be prepared with several different angles or pitches,
different ways to slant your information. *Nobody gets on these
shows without a pre- interview,* says publicist Leslie Rossman.
*Be a great interview but don't worry about the product you want
to sell them because if you're a great guest and you make great
TV, they'll want you.*
And keep in mind the words of Robert Frost: *Half the world is
composed of people who have something to say and can't, and the
other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.*
Secret #3: Prove You're Not a Nutcase
If you area nutcase on the air, the producer will lose their
job. What constitutes a nutcase? You may think it's a positive
trait to be enthusiastic (and it is), but anyone who is overly
zealous about his passion is considered a nut. Best-selling
author and screenwriter Richard Price talks about this
phenomenon as *The dangerous thrill of goodness.* He says, *What
happens is you can get very excited by your own power to do
good.* Don't get carried away by this thrill.
One way to tell if you're being too zealous is that you're
hammering your point at top speed with the energy of a
locomotive pulling that toot lever non-stop. I remember a man
calling me up about how he was single-handedly taking on
Starbucks - who, he felt, had done him wrong. He wanted me to
promote his cause. While this could have been a great David
versus Goliath type story, he was long on emotion and short on
facts. Some statistics or figures would have tempered his mania.
But he also never checked in with me to see if he had my
interest. By talking loudly and barely pausing for a breath, he
appeared to be a man who wouldn't take direction well. His
single-mindedness was off- putting, not engaging.
When you're talking to a producer speak for 30 seconds or so and
then check in by asking, *Is this the kind of information you're
looking for?* Listen for other verbal cues, such as encouraging
grunts, or *uh huhs.*
Secret #4: Can You Mark *The Big Point?*
Contributors to the popular radio show *This American Life,*
hosted by Ira Glass, have taken to calling the wrap-up epiphany
at the end of a story, *The Big Point.* This is the moment that
the narrator gives his perspective on the story in an attempt to
elevate it from the mundane to the universal.
Another radio personality, Garrison Keillor, is a master at it.
He tells long, rambling stories (not good advice for you), then
ties up all the story strands in a coherent and satisfying way.
As a great guest, you want to illuminate your story with a big
standout point that helps the audience see the significance of
your story in their world and the world at large. Rather than
hitting them over the head with a two-by-four, you want to share
your insights with a feather-like touch. By framing your story
you alert the producer to the fact that you're a thinker and can
contribute great insights and clarity to a story thus increasing
its appeal.
About the author:
Harrow's clients have appeared on Oprah, 60 Minutes, GMA, 20/20,
Larry King Live, E!, CNN, MSN, and in TIME, USA Today, Parade,
People, O, NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and Inc. Don't miss
your chance to appear on the top TV talk shows. Discover what it
takes to make the cut when you get that coveted call from the
producer: http://www.prsecrets.com
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