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My experience at Colbert was a mixed bag. They got all the guests in the lobby and one of the workers told us that our energy was very important, Colbert really

by pradn 8y ago

My experience at Colbert was a mixed bag. They got all the guests in the lobby and one of the workers told us that our energy was very important, Colbert really feeds off of it, that it's important for the show. So they told us of the importance. But during the show there wasn't much prodding I guess. I forgot if they had an opener comedian. What was a bit offputting was how quiet Colbert was when the camera was not running and how much more energetic he was when it was. I know they are playing it up for the camera, but it does make it feel ungenuine. And add to that the format of the talk show. Each of the guests sorta comes up with a routine, planned by their publicists. If all goes well, they get their message across while being spontaneous. A hard thing to do, but also something that feels authentic. It's not just two buddies hanging out on TV. You also realize that the TV audience is by far the most important part of the filming process. You're just a setpiece. I'd almost say don't go to a talk show taping if you like them.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
PavlovsCat 8y ago
> two buddies hanging out on TV. I had to think of Dick Cavett when I read that. They don't make 'em quite like that anymore. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dick+cavett+interview https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dick+cavett+int...
- WAthrowaway 8y ago
  Dick's interview with Groucho Marx shortly before the latter's death is legendary
abtinf 8y ago
> It's not just two buddies hanging out on TV. I think this may depends a lot on the guest - search youtube for clips of Norm Macdonald on Conan. Then again, maybe Norm is just that good at faking it?
- blackstrips 8y ago
  I think Conan, with his current show, has more freedom to let his guest go off script which helps with the spontaneity. Fallon and Colbert are pretty controlled probably due to their mainstream audience - and advertisers. It’s interesting to contrast Bill Burr’s appearance on all 3 shows. Burr is most at home on Conan and worst on Colbert - who ran the interview like an interrogation; lost a lot of respect for Colbert after that (if you are going to be a wet blanket, might as well not book him). On Fallon ... it’s hilarious to see Fallon fumble and panic as he tries to steer him towards the script then giving up half way.
tomjakubowski 8y ago
The Nathan For You episode, "The Ancecdote", along with his subsequent appearances on Kimmel and Seth Myers, are required viewing on this subject.
chrisseaton 8y ago
The audience of some of those shows whoop and howl in a crazy way, totally disproportionate to how funny the jokes are even if you're really into the show! I'm sure nobody sits at home roaring with laughter at every line but for some reason they do it in the audience.
- ricree 8y ago
  Crowds feed of one another, especially when it comes to outward reactions. At home, you're usually either alone or with a small group at most, which tends to limit how enthusiastic people get.
- mcv 8y ago
  I bet it's different when you're there. When you're at a fun event, the crowd has been warmed up, and everybody laughs, it's much easier to laugh then when you're home alone. I only watch him on Youtube, but Colbert's audience comes across as quite genuine. Sometimes he doesn't get quite the reaction he was expecting and reacts to that. And he's genuinely funny, so the audience doesn't need much prodding. I find it interesting to hear that he's quiet when the cameras are off. Trevor Noah also puts some "between the scenes" bits on Youtube where he banters with the audience. Not full of scripted jokes like the regular bits, but frequently funny, and he seems quite genuine.
eridius 8y ago
> What was a bit offputting was how quiet Colbert was when the camera was not running and how much more energetic he was when it was. I know they are playing it up for the camera, but it does make it feel ungenuine. If Colbert was as energetic off-camera as he is on-camera, I'd expect him to get tired really fast.
specialist 8y ago
"how quiet Colbert was when the camera was not running" I have some experience campaigning. I can relate. Being in public is exhausting. A real marathon. Politicians, performers, athletes are super human. Talent, smarts, drive, charisma aren't even close to enough. You also need strength, endurance, cast iron stomach, amazing immune system, and a mental resilience to keep pushing forward. I'd totally shut down the moment I went "off stage". Exhaustion. Rehearsing the next stump speech. Replaying the performance in my head. Remembering a zillion things that need doing. Writing about this... It occurs to me that running for office is what transformed me from extrovert to introvert.
callmeal 8y ago
>What was a bit offputting was how quiet Colbert was when the camera was not running and how much more energetic he was when it was. That's normal for introverted performers. There's a whole lot of them, from George Harrison, Kurt Cobain, David Bowie, Charlie Chaplin and more, who have been known to be quiet when offstage, and turned on when performing.

by pradn 8y ago

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

PavlovsCat 8y ago

> two buddies hanging out on TV. I had to think of Dick Cavett when I read that. They don't make 'em quite like that anymore. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dick+cavett+interview https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dick+cavett+int...

WAthrowaway 8y ago
Dick's interview with Groucho Marx shortly before the latter's death is legendary

abtinf 8y ago

> It's not just two buddies hanging out on TV. I think this may depends a lot on the guest - search youtube for clips of Norm Macdonald on Conan. Then again, maybe Norm is just that good at faking it?

blackstrips 8y ago
I think Conan, with his current show, has more freedom to let his guest go off script which helps with the spontaneity. Fallon and Colbert are pretty controlled probably due to their mainstream audience - and advertisers. It’s interesting to contrast Bill Burr’s appearance on all 3 shows. Burr is most at home on Conan and worst on Colbert - who ran the interview like an interrogation; lost a lot of respect for Colbert after that (if you are going to be a wet blanket, might as well not book him). On Fallon ... it’s hilarious to see Fallon fumble and panic as he tries to steer him towards the script then giving up half way.

tomjakubowski 8y ago

The Nathan For You episode, "The Ancecdote", along with his subsequent appearances on Kimmel and Seth Myers, are required viewing on this subject.

chrisseaton 8y ago

The audience of some of those shows whoop and howl in a crazy way, totally disproportionate to how funny the jokes are even if you're really into the show! I'm sure nobody sits at home roaring with laughter at every line but for some reason they do it in the audience.

ricree 8y ago
Crowds feed of one another, especially when it comes to outward reactions. At home, you're usually either alone or with a small group at most, which tends to limit how enthusiastic people get.
mcv 8y ago
I bet it's different when you're there. When you're at a fun event, the crowd has been warmed up, and everybody laughs, it's much easier to laugh then when you're home alone. I only watch him on Youtube, but Colbert's audience comes across as quite genuine. Sometimes he doesn't get quite the reaction he was expecting and reacts to that. And he's genuinely funny, so the audience doesn't need much prodding. I find it interesting to hear that he's quiet when the cameras are off. Trevor Noah also puts some "between the scenes" bits on Youtube where he banters with the audience. Not full of scripted jokes like the regular bits, but frequently funny, and he seems quite genuine.

eridius 8y ago

> What was a bit offputting was how quiet Colbert was when the camera was not running and how much more energetic he was when it was. I know they are playing it up for the camera, but it does make it feel ungenuine. If Colbert was as energetic off-camera as he is on-camera, I'd expect him to get tired really fast.

specialist 8y ago

"how quiet Colbert was when the camera was not running" I have some experience campaigning. I can relate. Being in public is exhausting. A real marathon. Politicians, performers, athletes are super human. Talent, smarts, drive, charisma aren't even close to enough. You also need strength, endurance, cast iron stomach, amazing immune system, and a mental resilience to keep pushing forward. I'd totally shut down the moment I went "off stage". Exhaustion. Rehearsing the next stump speech. Replaying the performance in my head. Remembering a zillion things that need doing. Writing about this... It occurs to me that running for office is what transformed me from extrovert to introvert.

callmeal 8y ago

>What was a bit offputting was how quiet Colbert was when the camera was not running and how much more energetic he was when it was. That's normal for introverted performers. There's a whole lot of them, from George Harrison, Kurt Cobain, David Bowie, Charlie Chaplin and more, who have been known to be quiet when offstage, and turned on when performing.