OBSERVATIONS
An encounter with ‘Talk Show’ 
By: Tenzin Yangdon

A friend from work asked me to accompany her on a shoot for a talk show. Apparently shoot team needed some audience to fill up the empty benches (and we thought people fight to be on tv!). It was something new for me and sounded exciting. I even took Ann, my roommate along with me.

When we reached the venue, a friend told us we were part of the crowd in the discussion. All this is very vague. We had no clue what was expected of us. Rupa, my friend was busy running around with a hassled look on her face. She obviously didn’t seem like she had time to stop and explain what exactly our role in the talk show is suppose to be.

The three of us were feeling alienated and out of place. Besides us, the rest of the “audience” looked so comfortable, like they knew exactly what had to be done. Then eaves dropping, we realized they were actually hired to sit for the discussion.

Five minutes before the shot, Rupa informed us that we were supposed to join the rest of the audience and “please try to look interested”, she said. Clap when everyone is and ask a question if we feel like it, she added. Of course the guest for the talk show was already informed of questions they would be facing. So they are prepared. 

Fortunately or unfortunately, Adithi, my friend and I couldn’t be a part of the talk show for some other reasons. So there sat Ann, my poor roommate, amidst the junior artistes looking completely lost but trying desperately to look interested. Adithi and I were allowed to sit in a corner where the cameras wouldn’t focus.

Fairness Cream, a cosmetic cream sponsored the programme. The topic of show was on some social issues. It is a complete irony. A Fairness Cream, which gives false hope of becoming fair to millions, is out there to change the world or at least to dig on some of pending social issues. The irony just gets starker as we see the contrast between the guest and the host.

The guest was a social worker championing the lives of the children of sex workers in Mumbai’s red light area. She was simply dressed in starched cotton Saree. She did look like somebody who might have done some good work. But then again, I wondered why someone like her would agree to come on a show such as this. I wondered whether she regretted agreeing to come. She didn’t look too involved in the show for sure.

The set was pink with matching lace curtains. The tables and chairs were pink. They didn’t spare the staircase either. She descended down the stairs to the host desk. She choreographed her walk few times, walking up and down the staircase while the rest of the cast and crew were busy discussing if their costumes were appropriate. 

The host did look a little familiar. She’d done numerous advertisements before. In person, she isn’t as charming as she is on the screen (but then again, that’s how it is in most of cases).
The pink chairs were in place and the show is ready to roll. Thereon followed innumerable retakes on the pre-decided questions. She had to constantly look at her flash cards to recollect the exact words. We could see the crew getting annoyed at her incapacity to even form her own words. The audience, however, was completely indifferent. They were used to such anchors as they told me later. They really didn’t have anything to do with the subject on discussion per se. They’re out there doing their job. That is to behave as if they are deeply engrossed and interested during the talk show and discussions.

 Forgive my prejudices, airhead anchor asked and the guest answered, the audience looks absorbed in the discussion when the camera panned on them. Off camera, some of them were catching a nap, quite literally. So while the guest spoke passionately about her work and the audience right in front of her was sleeping.

A funny chap I saw there. He dozed off when the discussion was at its peak. He suddenly awoke upon hearing claps and immediately, he takes on his role and looks completely engrossed in the discussion. Nobody could have guessed that he was fast asleep moments ago. And he continued to applaud fervently till the talk came to an end. As though the talk had touched him deeply. I wondered aloud in my mind why he took a sudden interest in the discussion. Then I noticed, the cameras were straight on him. He knew it too, thus the great performance. An actor through and through I must say. Later he even asked Adithi and me if it was our first job as paid audiences. We denied politely. I told him that if I was I for sure wouldn’t have minded taking some acting tips from him.

The last question took the longest. Madame host was trying to come up with a question of her own, but kept repeating herself and to that the guest kept reiterating the same answers. And so the Q & A went round and round and with it, my head went round and round. I wanted to leave the room as soon as possible. But I caught Ann’s angry face and meekly sat back rather disgruntled. Yes I put her through this and I knew I’d get it from her. I in turn glared at Adithi for sweet-talking me into this sham. Adithi look at Rupa to vent her anger but the poor girl is already tense with the pseudo director.

We wait till the last shot is okayed and hurrah! It does happen the same day! Our journey with the show was till there. If all had gone well beyond this madness, then the show would reach millions of homes across India. Of course whether people watch it is another matter. And despite myself, it was a possibility that many might even enjoy it. For they don’t have any idea of what went into the making of it. All the blunders would be edited out, and most importantly it would be packaged well. Nobody knew that the questions asked weren’t the host’s own. That the guest was looking disinterested but that is her own nature. But actually it was because she was exhausted from repeating her answers like a parrot.  

Some of the audience was there just to make a day’s living while some others were conned into it. The person clapped the loudest was the chap who fell asleep at earliest. The crew couldn’t hear beyond the director’s high-pitched shouts. Strangely the director himself had no idea what was happening on the set.

So the viewer sits at home and enjoys the intelligent talk happening while the rest of us are so very glad that the “ talk show” is finally over