The Chew
by Leyna O'Neill
Some of my friends and I have taken up the best little hobby recently. We go to talk shows. The tickets are free, and there is the potential to get swag, be near celebrities, and be on tv. WHY HAVEN’T I DONE THIS SOONER? Our first daytime television endeavor was abc’s new show The Revolution. I had high expectations because one of the five hosts is Tim Gunn, who I adore. However, things were a little chaotic. Our taping was hours off schedule and the only way they could convince people to stay was to offer (mediocre) pizza and pay us out with forty bucks cash. Seeing as I have no income and it cost $25 just to get into the city, I took their offer, as did my friends. After waiting around in a cold basement for what felt like an eternity, we were finally sent into the studio and taping began. This show was a mess. It was so drawn out and it was very clear that it was a new show that hadn’t quite found its footing. I hope they get it together because as of now it feels like it was just slapped together. Aside from the many bumps in the road during the taping, the show itself just did not grab me. Maybe it was just our episode “Sweat and Debt”, but I was not impressed. The debt segment was especially disappointing because their guest was a consultant who was just plain mean to the woman she was trying to advise. Instead of saying, that vacation with your son may have to wait awhile, she just said, that ain’t gonna happen. She didn’t really offer any advice, she just told the woman that she was doing everything wrong. Ugh, she made my skin crawl. The worst part was that I had to watch this episode when it aired to look for myself in the audience, obviously. I guess it was all worth it considering they must have put me and my friend Amanda on screen at least five times. It was hilarious. They used the worst camera angle and the lighting took me from porcelain to blinding white, but I’ll take it!
I think the show itself seems more disastrous in retrospect, especially after yesterday when I went to a taping of The Chew. It was just so much more exciting, well put together, and entertaining, and it’s on the same network. I had seen a few episodes of The Chew and I thought it was okay, of course I loved Clinton Kelly from What Not to Wear fame, but the other hosts didn’t really do anything for me. That changed yesterday though. Even though we had the worst seats in the house and got the worst of everything, the experience was still infinitely better than The Revolution. I’m pretty sure we won’t be on tv, but we got free Jacques Torres chocolate, and a pussy cat dolls workout dvd which I may or may not try after this post…The hosts were extremely friendly as were all of the crew members. The executive producer Gordon Elliot’s dulcet voice enchanted my friends, I myself was curious about DJ Ethan who I may have agreed to a blind date with…well, in my head at least. It was just so much fun and I can’t wait to go back and be a taster! A select few get to actually try everything that the hosts make and they are definitely on tv, soooooo that’s clearly where I need to be.
I have been bitten by the daytime television bug! I want to hit ‘em all up, Martha, The View, Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray…the list goes on. I think of it as taking advantage of unemployment. My next stop is a late night one, that’s right Jimmy Fallon, watch out! Some very experienced audience members are headed your way come February. Can’t wait!
