Warming up a paid audience for a live TV show in Los Angeles is a tough gig — even for experienced and talented hosts like myself.
Anywhere else but L.A., people are generally excited to be on TV. They’re wide-eyed as they enter the studio and bursting with energy as they find their seats. By the time I’m standing on stage, I merely use the power of alignment to direct that energy and excitement to create a magical experience.
But some L.A. audiences are not for the faint of heart. They require talented hosts to get everyone on the same page and accomplish the goals of the show. If I try to change the energy in the room instead of meeting these folks where they are and aligning them, the day will surely decline.
The challenge
You see, the majority of live shows are taped in L.A. There are studios everywhere. Filming TV shows is… mundane to residents of the greater Los Angeles area. It’s so mundane that showrunners often pay people to fill the audience rather than bribing them with the shiny (free) opportunity to appear on TV.
Paid audiences in L.A. have been through the motions dozens of times. Watching the magic of TV unfold in front of them is their 9 to 5. They’re in it for the paycheck.
The job of a talented host is to transform a case of the Mondays into the fun energy that needs to happen when the cameras start rolling. But I can’t pop on stage and force that energy out of them. I can’t demand that they cheer and clap and get vocal on command.
No one likes to be told what to do.
What I can do is relate to what they’re experiencing. I can connect to them and align the goals of the show with goals they didn’t realize they had.
Here’s (a simplified version of) what I might say:
“Who’s here to watch a show today?! [after excited reactions, I jokingly say] “Wooo!! Well, then you are in the wrong place. You’re not here to watch a show, you’re here to be a part of the show!”
I then go on to explain how significant they are to the show, how to not look crazy on national television, and why having fun and engaging in the show is better for everyone involved. Before you know it, the audience is onboard and hyped and that’s the power of alignment.
The subtle power of alignment
The power of alignment is a key to becoming a talented host. It’s one of five elements I’ve identified that separate an experienced and talented host from a mediocre one:
4. Listen and speak with your whole body
3. Alignment over change
2. Authentically connect
1. It ain’t about you
This third element, alignment over change, is probably the trickiest to teach. But it’s necessary because any audience is comprised of different perspectives, different circumstances, and an ocean of different moods. When you feel the energy level of the audience at a 2, you can’t forcefully yank the audience up to a 10. They WILL turn on you.
How do you get all of that diversity onto the same page?
You do it through the power of alignment. Where change can be drastic and harsh, alignment is a more subtle, coordinated approach.
Think of it like steering a car. If you suddenly swerve to the right, most drivers will instinctively yank the steering wheel to the left — hard — to correct the swerve and straighten the car. But you’ll find yourself overcompensating and oversteering. Now your car is swerving across three lanes of highway.
Another example is back to my days living in the hot summer heat of Florida. Most stores and office buildings will jack the AC way high to compensate for the 100-degree weather. So you’ll freeze while buying tasty treats but then melt as soon as your body walks outside the door.
The key to correcting extreme swerves, or extreme temperatures, is through subtle adjustments until you’re back in alignment with the road. Or back within the normal range of body temperature.
“Yes, and….”
So how does alignment over change play out as a host? A lot of the rules of improv apply.
You generally start an improv scene with an idea from the audience and one of the actors will kick things off with their idea of where to take the scene. A rookie improv partner might reject your idea or negate it and try to direct the scene where they think it should go – that’s just a poor partner. Subsequently, you may try to force the scene back on your track – also poor improv etiquette.
Good improv actors are taught to roll with the change and justify. Instead of protesting with an emphatic “No!” we’re taught to say “Yes, and…”
You align with the curveball your partner just threw and work in your own elements. Two perspectives are merged into one story that flows from one line of dialogue to the next. As an exercise, with a partner say, “No, because..” to every prompt or idea they give you. Then try the exercise again, but this time say, “Yes, and..” and build upon everything that’s said.
Which version feels better? In which scenario did you feel expansive and the energy more uplifting?
The key to great improv [and life] is staying focused, listening, and being open-minded to varying perspectives and goals. Every talented host knows their goals before the event starts. What are you asking from the audience? How are you connecting the audience to the brand? Sell a specific product? Build hype for the next moment?
Once you have the vision set, you can take strategic steps toward your end goal and leap! The more I’m present, the more energy that I’m exchanging, and the more I’m involved, the better the show is going to be for everyone watching.
Managing expectations
Nobody likes change. But change is the one constant in this world. The role of a talented host is to help the audience navigate those changes with charisma and grace.
Earlier this year, I was a host during the Super Bowl Experience, which included an opportunity for the crowds to get autographs from their favorite players.
Every year, people bring jerseys, footballs, and memorabilia for their star player to sign. And occasionally, we have to explain to them that players are ONLY signing the cards the NFL has provided.
I can’t change the disappointment some fans might feel about not getting their Patrick Mahomes jersey signed. But I can align them with the excitement of meeting their football hero face-to-face and taking home a coveted autograph. I can align them with the excitement of the event so that their overall experience is still memorable and fun. I’m a memory architect and I have the privilege of designing their experience.
The power of alignment over change is not a skill you master overnight. Even the most talented hosts are still honing their skills in this subtle art. Mastery only comes with continuous practice.
What are some ways that you can use alignment over change in your life?