5 lessons from my three minutes of TV ‘fame’

I played my harmonica on national television.

Recently, some co-workers and I went to a taping of “The Steve Harvey Show.” While we were waiting to be seated, a show employee approached our group and asked whether any of us wanted to ask Steve a question for the next day’s taping.

She was talking to the right people—journalists always want to ask something.

While we were brainstorming questions to ask Steve, I mentioned to the staff member that I play the harmonica. If you watch tomorrow’s show, you’ll realize the word “play” can be interpreted loosely.

Here was the question the producer wanted me to ask Steve: Is it OK to play the harmonica at the end of a first date? She also asked me to bring along my harmonica and play it.

For the sake of daytime television, that’s exactly what I did.

Even if you’re not planning to be on “The Steve Harvey Show,” there’s a lot I learned from my television debut. Here are a few tips for your next big media interview:

Show, don’t tell