MY FIRST TELEVISION INTERVIEW

         Two weeks ago I taped my first television interview.  I’ve been a presence in television green rooms since 1973 when I started my career as a Broadway press agent, but this was the first I was the interviewee.

         The name of the show I did was “Theater Talk,” which airs on PBS-TV (Channel 13), WLIW-TV and CUNY-TV in New York City and has about 60 national affiliates.  My episode airs this weekend. [SEE AIR SCHEDULE BELOW.]  The hosts are Michael Riedel of the New York Post and Susan Haskins, who also produces the show.  I watch the show every week and am keenly aware of the stature of their previous guests including Hugh Jackman, Helen Mirren and Denzel Washington.  I am thrilled

         Michael and Susan saw developmental performances of my one-man-show, “Call My Publicist! – The Starry Education of a Broadway Press Agent,” and enthusiastically invited me to be on their show to talk about it.  We taped my episode about two weeks ago.  Honestly, I have no idea how it went.  How objective can I be?  We sat down, we talked, time flew and it was over.  All I can say is I had fun doing it.  I was anxious doing my first TV interview but I hope that doesn’t show too much. 

         It’s one thing to accompany Maggie Smith, Lena Horne, Geraldine Page or Yul Brynner when they appeared on a TV talk show or news program.  It’s quite another to experience to leave the safety of the green room and be taken to a stage with a camera crew, a set and lights.  Goodness knows, I had excellent role models who taught me the art of doing TV interviews.  There is no better teacher than Carol Channing.  But taping "Theater Talk" was putting their training into action.

         Regarding “Call My Publicist!,” I am now working to build a team to support me in producing the show in New York City and around the country.  This spring, I’d like to perform it in a small theatre in New York on a regular basis to build an audience and create word-of-month.  My dream is to start once a month, then twice a month, then once-a-week, then more if there is demand.  Around the country, I’d like to do it in theaters, universities, colleges and high schools.  I did a reading of my show at a high school in a Philadelphia suburb, and the kids responded extraordinarily well.  Because I explain and impersonate many of the people I talk about, they “got” David Merrick, Lena Horne, Sandy Duncan, Eartha Kitt, etc.

         Please tune in to “Theater Talk” this weekend, or watch it on your computer, if the show does not air in your city.

“THEATER TALK” AIR TMES

Friday, November 20 at 1:30 AM on Channel 13 in New York City

[Technically speaking, it’s Saturday, November 21 but you have to stay up late on November 20 to watch it.]

Sunday, November 22 at 11:30 AM

OUTSIDE NEW YORK

The Program on CUNY-TV at www.cuny.tv.  Go to the website and do a search for “Theater Talk”.  My episode will be on the website beginning November 22.