Mornings With Barney by Dick Wolfsie (e book reader .TXT) 📕

“So, tell the viewers,” I asked during first segment, “what is the first thing you do if a driver is admitted to the ER with a head injury?”

“I’d take off his pants,” she said.

I think she was a bit nervous. Or a very friendly nurse.

Of course, now with YouTube and reality TV, there’s a whole new generation of the public convinced that the dumber you appear on the screen or in a video, the greater the chances of being seen nationally and becoming a star or at least a topic of national conversation.

Back in the nineties, I happily capitalized on a goof with self-deprecation, calling attention to the misstep. Reporters with breaking news stories don’t have this luxury. Even today, serious journalists don’t want a YouTube moment if it compromises their professionalism.

Dealing with an individual’s trepidation about being interviewed on TV is a responsibility I take seriously. Many of my guests have never been on TV or have had an unpleasant experience: a host who was not prepared, or asked bizarre questions, was distant or uninterested.

Barney truly made a difference in the minutes before an interview. Those who might have otherwise been total wrecks seemed to calm down a touch if they first interacted with Barney. While Barney’s modus operandi usually involved sniffing his surroundings when we first arrived, he would ultimately come over to greet the guest and give a friendly wag. I wished he could have gone over some of the questions I was going to ask, but that was my job. Giving a guest—especially one new to TV—some idea of what the interview is about goes a long way toward making the experience less stressful. Unless it’s an adversarial interview where your intent is to play gotcha, there is no excuse for the reporter not helping to prepare the interviewee. In my opinion, too many reporters and talk show hosts don’t do this.

Having interviewed over 25,000 people in the past three decades, I do have tips for those who may someday find themselves on TV.

If you are reading this and have a memo on your desk to return a call to 60 Minutes’ Mike Wallace, forget this last paragraph and seek legal help. If you have something to hide, my tips will not help you. If you have clean hands, call Mike Wallace back.

Here are some things to remember—the three As.

Attitude: Being interviewed is not brain surgery, although if you have an MD or a PhD in neuroscience, the interview might be about brain surgery. You know more about your topic than the reporter or host, no matter how prepared he or she is—which is why you have been invited on the show to begin with. You are the resident expert on your topic, so relax and feel confident.

Answers: You are in control. No matter what you are asked, there are ways to get in the information you want to convey. Decide on a few things you want to say, a few points you want to make, and practice giving them in short, informative sentences. If you are truly not trying to hide anything and your answer is entertaining and informative, your interviewer will be happy.

Suppose, for example, that you have written a book about your travels around the world. Your favorite story is how you taught a polar bear at the North Pole to play the violin.

Q. So, Mr. Lewis, I understand you’ve been to the South Pole.

A. Yes, and it was glorious, but nothing compared to my incredible experience at the North Pole with a polar bear.

If the interviewer still wants to know about the South Pole after that, he’s an idiot. Unless, of course, he has substantial evidence that you ran an illegal dog-sled operation at the South Pole.

Attire: Earth colors are best. Avoid black and white, which tend to wash out your face. Most people wear the right colors by sheer chance, so unless you are Zorro, a nun, or a member of the KKK, you’ll be fine.

Men should always wear long socks. Even George Clooney has an ugly lower leg. No hats, dangling-jewelry overload, or chewing gum. These don’t apply if you are there to talk about the return of the derby, sell cheap jewelry, or represent the short-sock fan club, but there is no excuse for gum. Also, ladies should not wear extra makeup and men will generally be given a little powder for the forehead if the interview is in-studio. If you sweat profusely because you’re nervous, read this article ten times before doing the show. If you’re completely bald, you will still look bald on TV.

If you’re going on a talk show, get to the studio at least an hour early. Chances are, the producers will put you in a waiting area called a green room. In the green room (which is never green), you will have a chance to talk to other guests. If you discover that the host is a jerk, that his goal is to embarrass his guests, and that he has a horrible reputation for not keeping his word, you will then have time to sneak out.

In most cases, a producer will visit you in the green room. Tell the producer what you want to talk about. She or he will share this with the host. Some hosts will come by themselves and speak to you in person, but many think this ruins the spontaneity of the show. Bull! I’ve done it for thirty years. If your interview is of a personal nature, request, even demand, a short chat with the host beforehand. If you are being interviewed by a street reporter, still make an attempt for a personal conversation first. Again, some reporters and hosts won’t do this, though it’s sometimes an issue of time rather than preference.

Finally, some showtime tips:

Sit up: Most couches on sets are very soft. Once