Playing audience, audience

This has to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever done! Okay so I was asked to go and watch this new show that's going on air to see what the set looks like, how the show plays out, etc. Basically spy by pretending to be an audience member.

So my friend and I land up promptly on time, skip standing in line with the paid audience who are awaiting to get in and instead smoothly walk in as we are guests. And we thought everything was going smoothly...

For non TV people yes audiences are often paid audiences. There are different price points, depending on the quality of faces you want on your show.

So we get to the loud, garish set and are vying for the corner seats or any other seats, and the criteria being to stay far as away as possible from the camera. Unfortunately, we kept getting asked to move a little this way and that... till we were right in the middle of the second row. Then the enthusiastic audience coordinator starts doing what he loves the most... getting the audience to behave like monkeys and to follow him.

The ring master made us clap, practice a standing ovation, enact a sad face, go ooohhh, aaahhh, whistle, repeat some stupid, inane slogan and punch our fists. Yes, we did it all to blend in and not stand out. To make matters worse, the camera guy fixed his frame on the two of us and we were picked out to look at the camera and to do all above.

Yes I will be on TV, but posing as a stupid audience member. :(