In mid-July, I received a call from "Live! With Regis" about a possible Fall Internship. The call caught me by surprise because I had never applied for this particular show and I wondered how they got hold of me. After speaking with the Intern Supervisor, Christine Composto, she told me that WABC-TV's chief intern recruiter, Kelly Crosby, had recommended me. I had spoken to Ms. Crosby some time back about an internship at "Good Morning America," but unfortunately all the positions were filled. My resume was kept on file, and was brought up when the fall semester was around the corner. I was scheduled an interview one week after the initial call. One of the producers of the show interviewed me and said that I would be notified in about a week if I had made the cut. The next day, while on the bus, my cell phone rang and it was Kelly Crosby. I was told that the internship was mine and the rest was history.
My first day was on September 5th and I had to arrive at 8:00 A.M sharp. I was assigned to the studio during the filming of the show. This meant that if I was needed by any of the producers, I would be there to assist them. One memorable experience was being able to sit in Regis' chair assist the directors with camera and lighting angles. The lighting directors told us the importance of lighting and how it could make or brake a person's appearance. After that session was over, I went upstairs to the office, and was introduced formally to the staff. Michael Gelman (the Executive Producer) is the person that everyone in the office answers to. Many times he seemed crass and on PMS, but I
guess you have to be that way sometimes when you produce the highest rated morning show in the country. The main task that I had to master was how to master the phone and computer research. Interns are responsible for viewer comments, general phone calls to producers, and overall handling of calls that comes in from the main extensions. The rest of the day was spent getting used to the of fice environment.My days at the show were Tuesdays and Thursdays 8AM-6PM. At first I couldn't believe the schedule and quickly labeled it sweat shop hours and was convinced Kathie Lee had something to do with it before she left. There is a ten-dollar stipend for each day, and I have to admit that is more than most internship is willing to dish out. Regis Philbin makes appearances pretty often in the of fice, but he usually is a very busy man. I did a lot of celebrity research and clerical work. I was able to meet some great celebrity guest such as: Carmen Electra,Sara Ferguson, George W. Bush, Denzel Washington, some Survivor cast members, and whole list of others. Producers also get on a daily basis free goodies such as books, CD's, posters, food, magazines etc. They usually have no use for the items, but interns are first in line to take whatever they want. Interning at "Live" hasn't been as rewarding, but with I have talked with past interns and they promised me that it will pick up and in the end, it will pay off. Although I did have fun to a degree, I don't feel as if I gained anything of great substance from the internship. Meeting celebrities and getting a first hand look at how a variety show is put together is a wonderful experience, but I wished what the other interns told me will hold true. I have been networking in an effort to find an Internship that'll give me the experience and I have gotten some good information from guests and employees at WABC.
There were some really good high points during the semester, but since I interned or only two days a week, I think I lost some credibility with some of the producers. I guess they figured that my days weren't consistent and I couldn't be trusted with "major" assignments. Little did they know that I could handle just about anything thrown at me. Another aspect that could have contributed this semester's disastrous internship program at "Live' was the lack of interns. Normally there would be at lest twelve interns, and they would share the crappy tasks at hand, but with a low turnout of four this semester, we were forced to do more than the usual. This internship could have gone anyway, but unfortunately there were more negatives than positives. Having said that, I have to admit that there were some sentimental feelings towards the end of the program, but I knew that there would be bigger and better opportunities in the near future.
Interning at "Live! With Regis" has been a glamorous experience, but I can't say that I got the most out of it. There are perks such as free CD's, books, food, magazines, VIP seats, and an environment filled with celebrities, but nothing much than that. One aspect is the prestige of having the show on your resume since it has such a huge following. I think seeing how television people operate was a plus because it gave me an idea of what to expect in the real world. There are quite a few of staff members that need an attitude adjustment, but there are also those who will be the nicest people you'll ever meet. Regis is a down to earth person, but it's really annoying to see how some of his staff kisses up to him in a pathetic manner.
The best advice I can give any future "Live" interns is to intern at least three times a week, don't have high expectations, and never mention Kathie Lee's name around Gelman. If you're like me and venture outside the "Regis" environment, you'll find plenty of down to earth people on other levels and will always run into Eyewitness News anchors and reporters in the elevator. You'll receive tons of free goodies and interact with Regis, but do this internship if you're looking for material experience filled with glamour and one hour of excitement because after the show, everyone falls back to planet earth.