"I'm an instant star. Just add water and stir"
It's as strange to see oneself on television as it is to hear oneself on tape.
Last night, I was in the audience for a Dutch live early evening talk show. One that I'd only begun watching 10 or 12 days ago. And that, completely out of the blue, a friend of mine then invited me to.
The experience of going into a tv studio was actually quite a pleasant one. The crew and host were chatty and super friendly -- prior to entering, we had been asked to switch off our phones and put our belongings in a locker, so the picture was actually taken by one of the cameramen on his phone and sent straight through. I was surprised by how small the studio was, in fact...it seemed so much roomier on the box! Saxophonist Candy Dulfer (of Lily Was Here-fame) and her band took care of the musical interludes, which was something of an unexpected treat; while discussions on the night ranged from what it meant to be Dutch (boring!) to the upcoming Democratic debates (less so). Afterwards, we were fed and watered; that is to say, we were treated to a lovely steak dinner, wine and coffees included...If the opportunity presents itself, I'll definitely do this again ;-)