How Two CBS Producers Added Irony To My Raw Word Appearance
Recently, I had the opportunity to appear on The Raw Word to discuss my new book, “What To Do When Jane Knows DICK About Dating.” If you are a talk show junkie, viewer or part of the media-entertainment crowd, you know that
The Raw Word is a new talk show hosted by Dr. Michael Dyson in which Ice-T and Final Level Productions is producing. Joining Dr. Dyson is Real Housewives Claudia Jordan and Dr. Daniel Rattner. Andre Jetmir is Executive Producing. Sinclair Broadcasting is giving the show a four-week test run on Sinclair Stations.
Preliminaries out of the way now, I have to tell you that I had a blast on the show. Backstage was hopping and the producers were extremely nice, from the top down. Having flown in the day before from New York, I carried with me four extra books just in case the shipment the publisher sent to the show to give to the audience hadn’t arrived prior to my doing so. Needless-to-say, those few additional books barely hit Burbank without being coaxed out of my hands by women eager to read them, including one producer from CBS who I happened upon at dinner, one producer standing outside CBS studios in the pouring rain waiting for her Uber, one producer working at The Raw Word herself, and one single woman staying at my hotel, The Garland (a lovely place, mind you). When these ladies heard why I was in town, they all wanted one. Everyone of them were having dating issues and needed the advice. And so, I gave the books away, all the while praying that the shipment had safely made it to the studio.
With the rain continuing to pour down the day following my arrival, I showed up at CBS studios, a drowned rat. Thankfully, the ladies in the make-up and hair room put me back together then sent me on my way to my green room, which I chose not to stay in rather preferring to emesh with the show’s busy team. So I stayed backstage (out of the way) and watched.
The craziness was fueled with excitement yet flowed to a controlled rhythm orchestrated by Andre Jetmir, himself. When it came time for me to join Claudia and Dan on stage, I was ready to jump in and play my part in the creation of what everyone around me was hoping would become a long running show.
The banter between me and the hosts was effortless, with lots of great questions and an equal amount of Facebook and audience participation. And then there was the laughter. What can I say. The audience was a lively bunch and we played off each other rather well as a result.
No "second takes" required, and everyone feeling good, I hopped in an Uber back to the airport, the bonus of which included completely bypassing the Noreaster that had hit my home state of Connecticut just hours before. Two-thumbs up on that one. I guess Mother Nature knew I’d be tired upon my return.
All in all, it was a wonderful time, one I hope continues for all those I met that day working hard to carve their own little niche in talk show television. It’s not easy, but if anyone can do so, those hooked up with Ice-T and Andre Jetmir can. Neither of these gentlemen have been messin’ around in their careers up-to-now and given Sinclair is currently betting on them, I daresay, today ain’t the day they are about to begin.
Break a leg one and all!