OK, my loyal and faithful readers ... let’s get right to it ... Billi Pod is majorly pissed off about what happened, or perhaps better ... what didn’t happen ... at yesterday afternoon’s entertainment event ...
2:15==>“The filming of a Daily Show interview with Herman Cain, conducted by John Oliver. A ‘special guest’ will also stop by.”
What, you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well ... I am gonna give you more details than you probably want but ... it is Billi Pod’s way of venting ... so let’s get started ... with ...
First, a reminder ... I had secured my reservation through one of my ticket services. The filming was to take place downtown at The Schimmel Center For The Arts @ Pace University, was to take 2 hours and 45 minutes and we were admonished that we MUST stay until the very end. I was told to be in the Will-Call line not later than 2:00pm.
The timeframe worked out like this ...
1:35 - got in line. About 50 people were ahead of me. It was windy and just a bit chilly. Very long line behind me.
1:45 - advised running late. Won’t be let in until 2:30. Suggests that it is because Cain is late.
1:50 - Herman Cain arrives
2:00 - advised more delays. Not to be let in until between 2:30 and 3:00
Bitchy young woman in black keeps walking up and down the line telling us to stand up against the wall ... saying ... “at least it’s not raining” ... bitch!
2:30 - nothing
3:00 - nothing
3:30 - nothing. People, including Billi Pod, getting upset. What's happening in there?
3:50 - line starts to move, finally.
4:00 - inside the studio with a decent seat. Oh well, thought I ... now let the interview/filming begin ...
BUT ... BUT ... WTF??
We were informed that the interview had actually taken place while we, the audience, were outside and that our role would be to provide audience reactions to various scripted scenes as directed by the Director. Cue cards were given to several “actors” in the audience.
John Oliver told us he would give us signals when we were to applaud, laugh and stand. He asked us not to laugh when he asked questions, even though the question might sound funny. WTF??
Then, he introduced Herman Cain, who came on stage as we stood and loudly applauded. Nice ... not ... because the entrance scene was shot 3 times, each with just a little different twist.
Oliver and Cain sat at a desk and then various video vignettes of his short Presidential campaign were shown on a large overhead screen and we were cued to applaud at the end of each one.
It was painfully obvious that the dialogue between Oliver and Cain was totally scripted. In fact ... they would just say a few words that made no sense and we were directed to applaud.
Then the “special guest’ appeared. It was James Lipton of Inside the Actor’s Studio fame and he was given a saved seat in the audience. There were then 3 scripted scenes where he stood up to ask Cain a question. Then 3 actors stood and also asked questions. Cain’s responses were virtually unintelligible, but we were directed to applaud after each one.
4:30 - it was time for Cain to leave and we were directed to stand and applaud and cheer loudly, which we did. He actually made 3 exits, each a bit different. He apologized to us for not staying to sign autographs etc, saying he had another scheduled appearance in the City. Yeah, right.
For the next 30 minutes there was a brief scene between Oliver and Lipton, with several takes, and then weirdly, Oliver sat at his desk and recited lines as the cameras scanned the audience.
For the final about 10 minutes we were directed in laughter, applause, standing and cheering ... and then it was over.
We were told that the show will probably be released on Comedy Central next week but the date was uncertain. We were also asked not to tell anyone about what had happened during the taping. Yeah ... right ...
It was 5:15 when I left the auditorium and as I was walking to the subway station I began to feel used and that is what really pissed me off. In actuality, we were unpaid Extras. Actually, we all had paid service fees to get in, so we paid for the “privilege” of being unpaid Extras. The more I thought about it the more upset I got.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Jon Stewart and watch his show every night at 11:00. I like John Oliver and Comedy Central.
In the past I had seen 2 filmings of Letterman and 1 each of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, so I thought I understood the process, so ... I thought that I was going to see the actual filming of a show ... not what came about yesterday. Bottom line, someone ... probably the production staff ... deliberately misled me/us, no doubt about it.
And, that is why Billi Pod was/is upset ... he was 110% mislead and used.
Would I have opted to go had I known the whole truth? I honestly don’t know ... but it should have been my choice.
Anyway ... my loyal and faithful readers ... thank you for staying with me. If and when you watch the interview when it is released just remember ... it ain’t what it appears to be ...
When the event was over I came back to PHC and decided that I would stay in and watch the final game of the YANKEES/ORIOLES series with our ace CC Sabathia on the mound.
Well, as you know ... CC had another very rough outing, lasting 6 innings, giving up 4 runs. The game went into extra innings with The Bronx Bombers winning in the 10th inning on a 2-run homer by Nick Swisher. Nice.
Tonight’s entertainment event is ...
8:00==>MOM - A ROCK CONCERT MUSICAL - “Five suburban moms start up a band to play a fundraiser at the local high school gym and inadvertently become a phenomenon. Battered by sex, drugs, alcohol and the sheer exhaustion of life on the road, the women struggle to find a balance between who they were and who they have become.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket).
This show won an award at the New York International Fringe Festival.
I think I feel better having posted about the “interview” and I am now over it and will move on.
GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!
Billi Pod
“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”
ALEX-238
1 comment:
I was there and felt the same.
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