|
An article on business and career by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE
Early in the career of TV host Joan Lunden, Barbara Walters
told her, "Take every crumb they throw you and handle them
magnificently." You never know which magnificent crumb is
going to be your big break.
Burt Reynolds had made ten films when director John Boorman
cast him in the film DELIVERANCE. Burt asked Boorman, "Which
of my films impressed you so you gave me this terrific part?"
"None of them," said Boorman. "I saw you guest-host the
TONIGHT SHOW. You were fearless controlling the five guests.
The guy in DELIVERANCE has to control three people in a
stressful situation." Which leads us to the next point:
At that time, Johnny Carson was the king of late-night
television. Burt developed a character for the show -- a
super-cocky, wisecracking, devil-may-care womanizer -- and
Johnny absolutely loved him. Burt's TV persona was not the
kind of guy you would want to live with, but it made great
television.
Their routines would go something like this. Johnny would
ask, "What are you going to do after the show?" and Burt
would say, "Oh, walk up and down Broadway and try to get
recognized." Then he'd wink at the camera as if to say, "I'm
having a good time, and being rich and famous ain't bad
either."
All guests had strict instructions not to talk to Johnny
during commercials, so Burt was chatting with Ed McMahon
when Johnny suddenly leaned over and asked, "How would you
like to guest-host while I'm on vacation?" No actor had ever
been invited to guest-host before, only comedians.
When Burt first hosted the TONIGHT SHOW, he had the staff
book his ex-wife Judy Carne. Everyone was astonished, even
Judy. They hadn't spoken in six years and still had
unresolved marital issues and a lot of animosity.
However, Burt Reynolds knew what my pal, copy-writing genius
David Garfinkel, is always telling me: "People love
conflict. They love to see people fighting who, deep down,
share affection and attraction." (Alan Weiss, PhD and I
make use of this principle in our "Odd Couple" marketing
seminars, describing them as "contentious, conflicting,
controversial -- see them agree and disagree on subjects
that mean the most to you.")
So Judy Carne came on the show, sat down and said, "Hmm, you
look good. " Burt said, "I hate to tell you, but so do you."
She asked, "What have you been doing?"
"Oh, hanging around street corners trying to sell
Burt-and-Judy towels," he quipped. "They are tough to get
rid of." She admitted that she and her current husband were
having problems. Burt said, "Well, I've grown up since we
were married." The audience clearly was hoping they'd kiss
and make up and get back together. Superb theater.
Have you ever felt that a particular job was beneath you or
too trivial to merit your best effort? You never know which
of the many things you do is going to lead to your big
break. That means you have to do everything well.
(517 words) |
