"The Talk" and My Big TV Debut

Since I moved to Los Angeles 23 years ago, I’ve been lucky to attend several television show tapings.  My first one was “My Two Dads” with Paul Reiser.  That followed with shows like “Night Court”, “227”, “The Facts of Life”, and “Arsenio Hall”.  So you can tell by the titles that it’s been a reallllllly long time since I’ve seen a show taped live.

Jump to Wednesday and my most recent TV experience: “The Talk” with Leah Remini, Sara Gilbert, Julie Chen, Sharon Osbourne, Holly Robinson Peete and Marissa Jaret-Winokur.  I’ve got to say, this is probably the most fun I’ve had at a show - and I didn’t even get a free gift!

I can’t say I’ve been watching a lot of talk shows.  I try and catch Ellen when I can, but I’m not a devoted fan.  I used to watch Oprah but now I just tape her shows and catch the ones that interest me.  I watch more for the guests she has, not so much for her anymore.  I can’t take watching The View anymore since that show has become way too political.  I was a huge fan of Bonnie Hunt but that went off the air.  So when I found out The Talk was going to air, I was ready for a daily show that would hold my interest.  Now… I find that I don’t really care who the guests are, I turn in simply to see the Ladies.  Love them.

So, my first impression was that the studio was really beautiful… the table that the ladies sit around was directly in front of the seats so you felt that you were right there in the middle of the conversation.  Considering this show has only been on for a month, and the fact that it tapes live (live to New York, us Los Angelinos get everything taped back), I was impressed by how streamlined and professional everything went.

But this show really is about the women. 

Julie Chen: From the moment she comes onto the set, the first thing you notice is just how beautiful she is.  Honestly, I don’t think the camera does her justice.  She is regal.  You certainly know who is in charge.  She has a presence that makes you just want to stare at her - her clothes were perfect, makeup perfect, voice perfect, timing perfect… she’s so damn perfect you kind of want to hate her… but you don’t because she is just so polished and professional that you sit there and think how much you’d like to be her.

Sharon Osbourne: This woman is just the nicest person on the planet.  Seriously… and I’m not sucking up because I don’t know her at all.  But… she did shake my hand at the end of the show and I did tell her that it was nice to meet her.  And it was.  She is funny… she is clever… and she believes in the family bed (that’s when the kids sleep with you if you’ve been living under a rock).  Yay Sharon!  You’re my new hero.

Leah Remini:  Leah is the kind of girl you just want to go have lunch with and spend the afternoon talking to.  She is usually loud and boisterous but she is always fun.  She calls it like she sees it, and you have to appreciate someone who stands by her beliefs even if they are completely different from the rest of the women.  She would be the friend to tell you that your butt looks too big in those jeans.  I also shook her hand and told her she was great.  I know, I’m a sap. 

Marissa Jaret-Winokur: So when we got tickets to the show, I was a little worried that I would go on a day when Marissa wasn’t there.  She is usually only on about 2 shows a week and I just adore Marissa.  Lucky for me, she was there today.  She is so fun and bubbly, the kind of person you would totally want as your best friend.  And Marissa… I loved the purple dress and Sharon’s pulling your dress down to expose more boob was hysterical (and luckily OFF AIR).

Sara Gilbert: I’m sorry but I have a hard time looking at Sara and seeing anything other than Darleen, the character she played on Roseanne.  She hasn’t changed a bit.  No really… not a bit.  She is the tiniest little thing… small and thin and you just want to go up to her and feed her.  Let me tell you, Sara did a whole bunch of promos at the end of the show and this woman is on top of her game.  You can tell she is such a hands-on mother because she is always talking about her kids, who are just the cutest little girls.  It’s really nice.

Holly Robinson Peete: Like most of the free world, I used to watch Holly when she was on “21 Jump Street” (one of my favorite shows).  I gotta admit, I have a huge girl-crush on Holly.  She is so funny and smart and just plain nice.  She was the one who chit-chatted with the audience and was really appreciative of everything she has.  Her daughter was in the audience that day and I could tell it meant a lot to her to have her there.  Talk about a hands-on Mom.  I don’t know how she raises 4 kids and works on a talk show.  She is definitely someone you’d want to have lunch with and just pick her brain.

So when you walk into the studio, it doesn’t matter what number you have on your card, the staff seats you wherever they see fit.  They like to get a good balance in the audience so we were lucky to be seated in the second row in the center.  The front row was taken up by VIP’s (wish I knew how they got those seats).  But… halfway through the interview with Jerry O’Connell, someone came and moved me… yes, actually told me to move… to the FRONT ROW!!!!!  The woman who was there before me was moved…. to the SIDE OF THE STAGE.  I don’t think she was very happy about that.  But… I was IN THE FRONT ROW!!!!!

Unfortunately, if you watch the show, all you can really see is the back of my head. (I should have had my hair done.)  So midway through Jerry’s interview, the brown head on the right side of the screen is ME!  My big TV debut.  You can also see me towards the beginning (I’m in the 2nd row then) and at the very end of the show I’m standing up (front row, third from the end, turquoise, black and white dress).

All in all, I had a great time.  It was fun.  And I will definitely be going back.  Maybe next time I’ll get some swag.