ProducerCA's Blog

by producercz
Description: A producer's perspective behind-the-scenes at The Oprah Show
Posts (7)

Back in the Saddle

Posted on Aug 17, 2009 5:40 PM

It's August 17th and I am way behind in my blog writing. Here's the thing - we had a major comedy show with Mo'Nique, George Lopez and Dane Cook back in May (or was it June??) and I kept postponing my post because I wanted it to be really juicy and REALLY good. That show had so may elements to it, and I wanted to do a give you the chocolate-bar-inside- the-Good-Humor-ice-cream-bar inside scoop. (If you haven't had one of those ice cream bars with the chocolate bar centers, you're missing something.) Well, next thing I know it's August 17th. There's postponing - and then there's plain "you ain't getting to it -- ever -- sister." The biggest takeaway for me from producing that show was this: what makes one person bust a gut laughing can leave another person staring stone-faced at the person busting a gut thinking "just WHAT is she laughing at? That's not funny. It's stupid. Geesh." A few other things I learned: Mo'Nique is a sweetheart and actually sent me and another producer flowers to say thank you (for what - I don't know. She did all the work.) George Lopez for all his fame is still unpretentious enough to leave his real cellphone number on my answering machine. "Hi, Caroline. It's George." Just George. Like we're buddies! Love that! Kept the message. And Dane Cook is a total professional who works very hard at making comedy look easy. And it is not. But man, he and George and Mo'Nique were FUNNY.

So after that show, we worked for a few weeks and then went on summer hiatus (which I assure you I do NOT take for granted. Please refer back to my first post if you need a refresher on how lucky I feel to work here). After the cruise (Oprah treated the staff and their families to a cruise for two weeks) I came back and while riding a bike, got my tire stuck in a train track, fell and broke my wrist. I had surgery and my wrist now sports a metal plate and two huge pins that stick out the side and remind me of Frankenstein. I'm typing this with one finger on my right hand. Don't cry for me, Argentina, I'm hopefully getting pins out this week and then can type like the wind and write a longer, juicier post.

Here's what the team is working on if you want to throw your ideas in the mix: people who are famous for the wrong reasons. You know, an athlete who should be famous for some athletic achievment but ends up in the paper because of some other kind of scandal. Or a private citizen who is thrust into the spotlight all-of-a-sudden, and becomes a household name. Ideas, anyone?

- Caroline

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No matter how many times I've told people it's not true, acquaintances (and my mother) have this idea that because I occasionally work with celebrities, I'm secretly hanging out and having cocktails with them. Yes, in the eight years I've been here I've SEEN and maybe even spoken to dozens of recognizable faces. But no, I don't have anyone you would have ever heard of on my speed dial...or even my slow dial. But based on the number of celebrity magazines on newsstands ("Exclusive! so-and-so orders a large latte, extra foam!!!) and TV shows that profile their every move, it's safe to say we're obsessed with celebrities. So I thought you might be interested in hearing what it's like when we have famous people here at Harpo.

We have a team at the show devoted to booking guests - many of them celebrities. Once they're booked, that same team helps work on logistics - how is that person getting here, do they have something to promote, who is coming with them, etc. Once that's done, the bookers pass it off to the production team that's working on that particular show. Our job is to talk to the celebrity - or someone in their posse - about what we're planning for the show and get their feedback. We go to them with all kinds of ideas. (If we're interested, we figure you're interested too.) Sometimes, we'll ask if they'll give us a tour of their home, take us behind-the-scenes on the set of their latest movie or TV show. We'll ask them cook something for our cameras, or surprise a fan. (Speaking of surprises, here's a funny story from a few years back: I worked on a show where Usher was going to surprise a fan at a bowling alley. The fan's friend had written into the show and, of course, worked with us to plan the whole surprise. So, it's the big day and the two of them are bowling when Usher walks in to surprise them. The fan starts screaming and shaking and yelling and runs over and hugs him ... and hugs him...and then REALLY hugs him...and squeezes him. And here's the funny part - when her friend tries to go in and just shake Usher's hand, her friend shoves her out of the way! This friend who had written in and worked for days to pull off this great surprise gets totally shut out by the friend she hooked up! Reminds me of that expression "no good deed goes unpunished.") Anyway, if you watch the show, you know we've asked celebrities to do just about everything you can think of - and a lot of them have been very good sports.

Show day .... I've seen celebrities walk in by themselves and I've seen celebrities come in wearing sunglasses with 20 people in their entourage. Some are exceptionally friendly - Hugh Jackman and Kelsey Grammer come immediately to mind but there have been many - and some go into their greenrooms, close the door and don't make an appearance until show time. (Forgeddaboutit - not naming names!) There are two main dressing rooms - called "green rooms" because apparently the first dressing room EVER had green walls - where every guest gets his/her hair and makeup done, has a little bit to eat or drink, or just chills before the show. We love celebrities - but we love all our guests - and everyone, famous or not, gets the VIP treatment in our greenrooms.

One more thing our guests have in common - they love to check out the photos in the greenroom hallways. No matter who they are, or how famous they are, people seem to be fascinated by the photos of Oprah with dozens of different guests that line the walls outside the dressing rooms. There are photos of her with celebrities, politicians, Big Bird, Steve Irwin and a crocodile, and even Bob Hope. I don't know how many pictures are up there (of course, it's only a small number compared to the thousands of guests OW has interviewed) - but it's a great snapshot of 23 years of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Maybe you'll be a guest on our show some day - and can check out the photos in person!

Happy April.

- Caroline

25 Comments
 

Lightbulb Moments

Posted on Apr 23, 2009 2:27 PM

You could call me a tree hugger. For a lot of people "thems fighting words" but not me. I grew up with a mom who recycled in the '70s. She used to save all our newspapers and Campbell's soup and Fresca cans, then drive them to a local place that recycled. At that time, curbside recycling? Forget it. Money back for your aluminum? Never heard of it. This was the era when people regularly threw garbage out car windows and no one talked about miles per gallon. Growing up in a house like I did, it became second nature to rinse out my bottles and hunt down a place to recycle them. I can't - truly, I cannot - throw a glass bottle or can in the trash to this day. I'll put it in my purse and take it home with me rather than stick it in the trash. (Recent embarrassing example - I went out to a restaurant and the waitress plunked a pretty heavy glass bottle of water on the table (tap water. I don't drink bottled water unless my only other option is licking from a puddle). When we were done, I took the bottle with me to take home and recyle. Seconds later, the waitress ran out to the street after me to demand her bottle back. She said they wash and re-use the bottles for customers - and shot me an "Are you crazy, lady?" look.) [Ed note: My mom also served whole wheat bread when everyone else was getting Wonder, and skim milk when other kids got chocolate. "Treats" consisted of oatmeal cookies and apples. In grade school, I would quietly chew my single oatmeal raisin cookie and stare as my friends pulled out little pudding containers and candy bars from their lunchbags. But back to the environment...]

Looking back on it, I'm happy my mom was so consciencious. I think my weight and health are better as a result. And I also got this life-long respect and concern for the environment. I don't take clean water, clean beaches, or clean air for granted. I write all this to give you a little back story about something that happened to me two years ago. We have plastic carry-out food containers here at the Harpo cafe and when I see people using plastic, I'm in the habit of politely trying to recommend they use paper (we have those Chinese food carry-out containers that I think are kind of chic) instead of plastic. So, as usual I was in line trying my best to be diplomatic with someone about her plastic carry-out when a fellow producer named Eric told me something I've never forgotten (it's only been two years, I know, but I will NEVER FORGET this information if I live to be 100) - he said "Do you know there's a swirl of plastic twice the size of Texas swirling in the Pacific Ocean? It never sinks. It's all this plastic that ended up in the ocean and because of the currents, just keeps moving and breaking down into smaller and smaller particles." I thought he was crazy, had misheard a story, or maybe bought into some crank spam message. Then, he sent me a link from the LA Times. In addition to the article, there was a video link showing a scientist cutting open an albatross on an island in the Pacific. He cut the bird open and this dead animal's stomach was completely full of ... plastic....all plastic....plastic bottle tops, twisties, bags, tiny pieces of every color. It is so disgusting I had to stop watching.

Since that day, I have not looked at a plastic fork, carry-out container or shampoo bottle the same. I don't want it to end up in some albatross or dolphin or whale.

April 22nd we're doing our Earth Day show. It's a topic close to my heart (clearly) and I asked the bosses if I could do it. They were kind enough to say "go for it." My goal for this show - convey the beauty and fragility of our planet while showing how SMALL CHANGES that are good for the environment can also save your family BIG MONEY. We're in the middle of putting together the best ideas from experts across the country, and getting all the latest information - and money-saving ideas - out there. I want to produce a show that will make both the whales and your wallets happy. Oh, and thanks for being my eco role-model, Mom!

- Caroline

21 Comments
 

Could use a kitten right about now...

Posted on Apr 17, 2009 1:21 PM

Hi anyone who is reading this. It's Monday, 7:40 p.m., my eyes hurt, and I could use a kitten.

For that to make any sense I have to give you a little back story. The producers at the show work in teams. 5-6 producers (from producer to various associate producers to production assistants) work as a unit on a show from beginning to end. That means we end up spending many, many HOURS and DAYS together...brainstorming, writing, talking about our lives, laughing, sharing ideas, embarrassing each other, dancing (me), singing badly (me), eating, commiserating...all the same things that happen in any company. But just a little more INTENSE because we spend 98% of our time TOGETHER. Your team is your posse. And I happen to love my posse.

On good days, when all is well here in our little corner, we laugh & joke. We tuck into the team bag of healthy snacks - you know the stuff we should be eating when all is right in the world? Dried apples, walnuts, almonds, dried apricots. I drink my 8 glasses of water. We say "You look great in the color!" and nice stuff like that.

When we're having a tough day, I'll often walk to the cafe for a cup of green tea. I'll take a walk around the block. A chocolate covered pretzel can work wonders.

Then there are the seriously challenging days - the real doozies - when say, the guests aren't working out, when writing a script is like wading through mud, when a show idea we had high hopes for ... becomes hopeless. The team knows that at THOSE times, a little chocolate or a cup of tea, or even a call from my mom ... isn't going to do the trick.

What I really want is a kitten and some ice cream.

I know this will pass. It always does. And we'll all sit around after our show and say "I loved it. I thought so-and-so was great! The audience really laughed at your tape piece" and so on.

And then we'll turn to each other and say "You know, you should wear blue more often. You look beautiful in it."

But right now, a kitten and a bowl of mint chip ice cream sound pretty darn good.

28 Comments
 

Sweet Baby James

Posted on Apr 17, 2009 12:33 PM

Oh man, I love James Taylor. I've been listening to his music since high school. Last year, I became a member of my local PBS station so I could get a copy of his latest concert as the "freebie" that came with it. If I were around when records were the thing, (cassettes were it) I would have worn out the needle on my turntable (remember those?) playing his classics. Whenever I see your smiling face...Carolina on my mind....How Sweet it is....I've seen fire and I've seen rain....(the Sr. Associate Producer on the team told me an hour ago should would only do something I requested if I would stop singing James Taylor songs in my office already...)

Anyway, this is all build-up just to say JAMES TAYLOR IS MAKING HIS FIRST OPRAH SHOW APPEARANCE ON OUR SHOW THIS FRIDAY! And we're the team that's working on it. I'm thrilled. Now, the big issue what classic song should we ask him to play??? Thoughts?

We're also working on packing a bunch of other interesting stories into this Friday's Live show. We've been checking out stories from around the world. Literally. (There's this touching story about a dog in New Zealand that you have to hear to believe. Not sure if we can make it happen by Friday - but for you guys - we'll try everything!) Some serious, some light, trying to work on the perfect mix.

Anyway, back to reading Charlie Rose interview with Yo-Yo Ma and his best friend, Sweet Baby James. There was a young cowboy who lived on the range....

Send me your song choices!

- Caroline

POST SHOW UPDATE:

I have to go on record with this - James and his family were some of the sweetest, kindest, most easy-going guests I have EVER worked with on the show. What you didn't see is that after we finished our live show, JT continued to play for another half hour for the audience. AND THEN he went next door to The Oprah Store and signed autographs and stood for pictures with anyone who wanted them. Took close to an hour. This is one time I can happily report that a guest not only lived up to every (optimistic) expectation I had - but exceeded it. I love you even more now, JT!

- Caroline

15 Comments
 

Smelling the roses

Posted on Mar 30, 2009 4:29 PM

Hi everybody -

If you read my blog from last week you know 3 things:

thing 1) I like mint chip ice cream

thing 2) I like kittens

thing 3) I had a really tough week.

Several of you were surprised this blog isn't a sugar-coated description of life here at Harpo. We do have lots of perks here - no question - but putting on our show sometimes (like last week) was a tough slog. I wanted to write that blog smack dab in the middle of the mud because if you're reading this, I assume you want to know the real deal. Anyway, as I had hoped, the show was great. (We don't have an airdate for it yet - but when we do I'll tell you all about it. The show was about how people live and we profiled three VERY, VERY different lives...one of which I know will be controversial. But one of Oprah's missions - and my team's - is to open our minds to lifestyles different from our own - by seeing what we have IN COMMON. The hope is the more we can see ourselves in others, the less likely we are to criticize or even hate people for being different from us. )

We taped that show last week so now my team is in a bit of a chill mode. ("Chill" being relative.) The production teams generally work in two-week cycles. We get a show topic anywhere from 3 days to more or less two weeks out - and in that time we figure out how we're going to approach a topic and who our dream guests would be.

The first week is the slow one in the cycle - we're coming up with ideas and writing links for oprah.com specific to the guests we're looking for. ("Do you have a messy house? or "Do you have an unusual occupation?" or "Were you once married to a man but fell in love with a woman?" that kind of thing.) If we're not getting a great response on Oprah.com, we'll tap other resources looking for guests. We'll call contacts, support groups, experts, troll the internet, read newspapers and magazines. Then, we dive in and start calling. We'll often talk to dozens - sometimes hundreds - of people looking for the perfect fit. What we're looking for in a guest is pretty simple - someone who is articulate, thoughtful, HONEST, a good talker, with an interesting story. I've been doing this for a long time and I can often tell within 5-10 minutes of talking if I've found someone great. Most producers will tell you the same thing - you'll be on the phone for only a few minutes and - BAM! - you know you've found your Segment One guest. "She's great! Love her! Fantastic!" Before I was in my current job, when I found "the" person, I would run my notes into my producer's office yelling "I've got her! Our segment one guest. Love her. LOVE her!! Gotta book her, gotta book her, GOTTA book her! " and shove my notes under my boss's nose (still need to work on my delivery even now.) The thrill of finding that perfect guest is still there.

Thanks for sticking with me during my last tough week. This one has been great - and I'm back to eating almonds and I'm having a green tea right now...

- Caroline

19 Comments
 

Someone Pinch Me!

Posted on Mar 11, 2009 6:20 PM

When I heard we were going to start blogging about the show, I have to tell you I got a little giddy. I think people are so curious about the show and how we put everything together - and I LOVE the fact that I can open a small window and let you all see inside.


OK, so first two questions I get about WHENEVER people hear I work here - "What's Oprah like?" Let's be clear here - we're not exactly hanging out having tea together! I work here - and she's my boss, not my "buddy." BUT she's brilliant, and funny (she cracks herself up a lot), creative and really, really generous.

Second question I get - "What's it like to work there?". The HONEST, HONEST answer (hand on heart) - it's the hardest job I've ever had and it's the best job I've ever had. I remember eight years ago when I moved back to Chicago and got a call-back from The Oprah Show after dropping off my resume (I had worked in TV in NYC for years). I was staying at my parents' house (in the same room I grew up in - stuffed animals and all) and I SQUEALED. I literally squealed...and I think I chirped a little ... and then danced a little jig ... and then I yelled downstairs to my parents - "I just got a callback from The Oprah Friggin' Winfrey Show!!!" Mom: "Great, honey!" Pause. Then my dad turned to my mom when he didn't think I could hear him and said "Wow. Good to see her excited about something for a change." (Guess my being bummed about moving back to my childhood room was more obvious than I thought.)

So here I am, eight years later - and still excited. I still dance jigs in my office (and the senior production assistant on the team cringes and tells me I'm embarrassing myself.) Over the next few months, I hope I can share with you what makes it the most challenging and the best job I've had. Just to get us started - one of the best parts: talking to people I never, ever would have come across if I didn't work here. That goes for Hugh Jackman - (he's even better looking in person and I almost fainted when I went in to his greenroom to introduce myself) as well as the family who talked about what happened when their mom came out as a lesbian. (Stay tuned for THAT show - it was juicy!) I'll log on when I have something I think you'll be interested in ... and I'll log on when I need your help with something. I would love this to become an open dialogue. I'll tell you what's on my mind - and I hope you'll do the same.

That's all for now from my little corner at Harpo. Here's a little toast to new beginnings!

- Caroline

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