Survivin' - [B.C.]

Chapter 44: Survivin'

I groaned and let my head fall onto the table.

Fuck.

========= SURVIVIN' =========

Ben did as promised, and he helped me figure out how to behave at a professional interview. We covered bases like how to talk, how to walk, how to acknowledge the audience, how to greet the host, and how to act like we wanted to be there.

Ben called it the "First Base" when he told me that jokes and mildly sarcastic comments were allowed. The fans seem to like it better when all of your responses aren't robotic, and the hosts usually get a kick out of it anyway. Mostly, though, talking was sort of the carrier of the entire interview. You had to speak politely yet not passively; you had to answer questions but not give anything away or say something too personal; and you had to give a three-part answer to whatever question was asked:

1. Acknowledge and restate the question.
2. Answer the basis with just the right amount of detail.
3. Restate both the answer and the question as a closing statement.

Okay, English Teacher.

"Second base" was walking. He got up and demonstrated how to enter the stage for the interview. Brisk strides, head held high. Don't go too fast but don't go too slow. Feel free to add something silly and lighthearted as you enter, but make it your first priority to get to your seat. Ben had me stand up and copy him, and he had to stop and correct me at least five times before I got it right.

Then came "Third Base" (where I started giggling at the name he gave it). When I stepped onto the set for the interview, I was to give a brief wave or nod to the audience. When I sat down, I was allowed to do it again with more enthusiasm, or make a polite remark about them. I didn't see myself doing either of those.

"Fourth Base" was on how to greet the host. It was a rather short section because all you really have to do is say hello and reciprocate when the host says they're happy to finally meet you. And if it's your second time talking with them, say 'it's good to see you again as well!'

The fifth and final base was how to act like you actually want to be there. You can be a tad despondent and they'll chalk it up to be a bad day, but you have to smile and clap and participate in everything. You also have to dial back some of the passive-aggressive remarks. Things like that can get you bad press coverage.

By the mid-afternoon of May 5th, I was fully prepared for an interview on the Tonight Show.

We were on at 8, so for five hours, I would have to find a way to cope with my anxiety. I played with my keyboard, singing along with Ben and Sophie to some of our favorite songs. We tried to keep the noise level down, though, because we didn't want any complaints from the people in the rooms beside us.

There was one point where Sophie asked Ben if we could just go out and do something for awhile. It was spring, after all, and New York is packed full with things to do. Ben disagreed though, using the excuse that we were far too popular now to just casually explore New York; especially after something like the show at Radio City Music Hall.

Sophie capitulated and didn't bring it up again, and she resorted to taking photos of all of us as our activities bled from making music to wrestling. Ben and I tend to do that often.