For some attorneys, there is nothing more nerve-wracking than appearing on television. For my 10 year old daughter, Lily, it is one thing to say you want to be on TV and another to experience it. As part of a charity auction, Lily’s Mom and I purchased the opportunity for her to do the weather forecast on the local Fox television station’s morning show, Good Day.
We knew someone besides Lily was on the morning show as well, since the paparazzi were not outside waiting on me (I don’t think). In the green room (which was much sparser than one might imagine) we met a few of the other guests. Actress Meagan Good was promoting her movie, Think Like A Man Too. She rolled in about 10 minutes before her segment with an entourage of six people (four very young and two around my age). She sweetly said hello to my kids and wished Lily luck with her segment on the way out. All told, I think she was in the building for 20 minutes.
Shortly thereafter, Colin Quinn came in (only needing one very nice lady to accompany him; I’m assuming his publicist). He was promoting his new tour, Unconstitutional. Of everyone in the building, including the Fox folks, Mr. Quinn took the time to chat with all of us. When we told him that Lily was interested in acting and singing, he said his biggest piece of advice was to “always try to write your own stuff.” It is always a pleasure to meet someone that takes a few minutes to talk to people. I always liked his stuff. Now I like it even more. You never know who you are going to meet and chat with. Maybe they’ll do a little bit to help promote your tour. A little positive PR in the legal industry never hurts.
Lily got a great dose of the reality of live television. The segment before hers dealt with who you might have sex with before your wedding night (celebrities, exes, best man and other great choices). Luckily, she did not seem to be too focused on that content. But I’m sure the parents of her girlfriends from school watching enjoyed it. Two of the three Fox anchors never spoke a word to her. She got miked up, met the host handling the weather, did her two minutes and was out the door.
Most importantly, her report was “fair and balanced.” After all, it was Fox. I’m always amazed how many lawyers get nervous before public speaking and media interviews. Regardless of your age, the more you do it, the more comfortable you become. I know that Lily’s weather experience will serve her well from a “nerves” standpoint down the road. And I’ll look to see Colin Quinn’s Unconstitutional tour–because as many of my law firm clients know–everyone prefers to send business to people that they like.