TV TIME
No make up. Due to the lighting, you can see how shiny my forehead is. Bling!
It's odd that someone who completely shuns televisions as I do would get onto TV in a foreign country but here's what happened.
I have a friend named George who is a producer. Yes, it was another of those sorts of conversations:
Logan: "You are a producer?"
George: "You know that I am."
Logan: "I do?"
George: "Yes."
If I don't have Alzheimer's, I may be able to fake my way into it. Unintentionally. Sad.
So, George called me up and wanted to 'make me famous' by having me on Georgian television. While I don't think it would make me famous, I figured it might be interesting. Since I was suppose to work for him that day and because I respect his opinion, I contacted Mark, the game designer I've been working for and he encouraged me to try it out because it was something new and different.
It was different.
They sent a car out to get me. I ended up talking to the driver in a mix of Georgian, English and Spanish. While I know that anyone who actually speaks Spanish would laugh at how little I know, I can 'make that shit work'.
We arrived at the station. George was curious as to how I would handle this but in the USA I was on TV for some horrible 'cable access' type show so the cameras and lights weren't new to me.
I spent a short time in an office where the mayhem normal to a TV station took place. A lady with blond-white hair seemed incredulous that in seven months I hadn't learned a lot of Georgian. Despite it being one of the hardest languages in the world that I can't even hear some of the consonant changes of the truth is that I just can't be bothered. But I didn't mention that. Probably a good thing as she turned out to be one of the hosts of the show.
After a short time of waiting, I was whisked off to the set. They were trying to explain I'd need to be wired up (earpiece, mic). Since I didn't see any boom mic operators around, figured that would be the case.
It would have been nice to be dressed in something other than a sweater and black t-shirt but I'm sure as hell not buying anything for a fifteen minute spot on a television show I don't even know the name of. If the president or prime minister of the country invited me over for dinner, I'd ask their intermediaries if clothing would be provided or if I had to go buy something for the night. Or if I can just come naked.
The earpiece they gave me came in really faint and kept trying to pop out of my ear. While it is accepted that you have to wait for the translation, it was horrible to be trying to get it and not hear what the guy was saying. This is at least part of the reason I look as clueless as I do. The rest is all natural.
Interesting stuff on the way they do things:
It was all live. They didn't tell me but it was. Interesting. Suppose it is cheaper than editing later.
The food on the table was not only real but fresh. I expressed surprise at this. Normally, food is either cold or fake. They told me "You can eat it if you want." Fortunately, I had enough common sense not to eat on camera. Survivors tell me it is horrifying enough to live through but I don't want the moments captured and shown to prisoners as torture. Violates the Geneva Convention. Even the wine was real. As you can tell by my slight choke it was pretty horrible. Stuff I buy in plastic bottles for 5 GEL per liter is better. Much better if I get the fancy stuff for 8 GEL per liter. Don't know why they had that stuff. Probably to discourage people from trying to drink it all.
There was no 'on the air' or guy giving a countdown. When you are on the air it comes as a shock to the guests I suppose. Well, at least those who don't speak Georgian.
The hostess had a laptop on the table. Not sure why this is. Haven't seen enough American TV to know if they ever do that.
No make up. Due to the lighting, you can see how shiny my forehead is. Bling!
At the end of the interview, I asked George what he thought. He seemed happy and said I spoke from my heart. Being just myself is what I was going for but I can't help but feel that if I'd understood the language it would have been a bit better.
WTF is up with my silly looking grin the whole time? Guess I am just a happy person. Or it was the fish hooks. Not sure.
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