C.O.Z.Y

Prologue

The stylist pulled out the clip that held Amara's blouse in place. Today's show was good, the audience was very responsive, and the conversation was interesting. Once the stylist walked away an intern came over and unclipped the mic before addressing Amara

"Ms. Azor, Jamie wants to see you"

"Right now?"

She nodded and waited for Amara to get up, this is clearly an urgent matter. Once she entered the small break room that doubled as an on-set office, the look on Jamie gave her said everything

"My ratings?"

Jamie nodded while flashing Amara another sympathetic look as the sigh broke from her lips, she could tell Amara really thought she was doing better

"Tell me what the hell is going on Jamie"

"It's not your personality, they like your insights and what you have to say on the show, the problem is they lose interest outside the show. Nothing about you is interesting to them, you have the lowest social media following even though you have the most presence, your promotions get the least amount of views, you get the least amount of questions sent to us for you. Outside of the show you kind of disappear in the eyes of the viewers."

Amara hands clinched; she was so tired of hearing this crap about the audience's interests

"Then the viewers a blind. I am the daughter of two black immigrants, I went to a public school, I got myself into one of the best high school in the country and then fought my way to an Ivy league. I've got a bachelors, a masters and a PhD and I'm a polyglot with not two or three but five different languages under my belt. I've spent years working and now I speak on a talk show. I mean I'm not a braggart but damn, I would say that's plenty to be interested in."

"And you have, you are an amazing woman...you work your ass off and fight for your place...your every woman."

"Exactly, I am every woman."

"Damn straight you are"

"I am"

"You are...and that is the problem."

Amara turned back to Jamie with a questioning look waiting for her to explain

"Amara you are every woman, you connect with the audience on a level that they understand, you are just like them matter fact they can look in the mirror and see your reflection. They understand your situations and they live certain aspects of your life and that is fine, just not on TV. A good talk show is made up of a blend of three types of hosts, the undeniable mess who they can laugh at and see as their mess of a best friend who just can't get their life together, they bring in drama like no other but that is why they are kept around for the drama and the ego boost it gives you when you compare them to you. They want the strong sassy friend, the tell it like it is, tough love is real love person. The mama, the one who has their life together and gives you advice on how to be like them. Your aware that we casted everyone to these rolls Arsinoë is the mama, she was a working girl before she meets prince charming, settled down and had three kids, now she's the poster girl for 'how does she do it?' she plays the part of the goal for so many women, Rebel is the gay blacktivist who's also Muslim, sassy, strong, keeping it 'real'."

At that point Amara had to take a sit, it sucks when they start making sense

"Noelle is the child actor who went wild but is pulling it together, Kita is the party girl who lives on the shade room, with a new athlete every month. Then there's you...who doesn't really fall into a category, mundane and normal to a fault. You have no mystery, nothing they hear about you makes them think 'oh why would she do that' all your decisions are predictable. If this show was a pie, Arsinoë and Rebel are the crust, Kita and Noelle are the filling."

"What am I?"

"The pan.