The money shot

trash, class, and the making of TV talk shows

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Laura Grindstaff: The money shot (EBook, 2002, University of Chicago Press)

1 online resource (331 p.), 1 pages

English language

Published 2002 by University of Chicago Press.

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He leaped from his chair, ripped off his microphone, and lunged at his ex-wife. Security guards rushed to intercept him. The audience screamed, then cheered. Were producers concerned? Not at all. They were getting what they wanted: the money shot. From "classy" shows like Oprah to "trashy" shows like Jerry Springer, the key to a talk show's success is what Laura Grindstaff calls the money shot-moments when guests lose control and express joy, sorrow, rage, or remorse on camera. In this new work, Grindstaff takes us behind the scenes of daytime television talk shows, a genre focused on "real" stories told by "ordinary" people. Drawing on extensive interviews with producers and guests, her own attendance of dozens of live tapings around the country, and more than a year's experience working on two nationally televised shows, Grindstaff shows us how producers elicit dramatic performances from guests, why guests agree to participate, …

1 edition

Subjects

  • Television talk shows United States.
  • Nonfiction television programs United States.