How to Be a Successful TV Host with Bill Boggs

Vivan Cognani: Celebrity chefs and culinary stars are rising to be part of our food media experience. I’m Vivian Cognani here at the Upper Side in New York City with a 4-time Emmy Award winning television talk show host. So let’s go behind the Barnett, and see how it’s done. So, I’m here with TV producer, write, director and dog owner, Bill Boggs. Bill Boggs: That’s right, this is a dog. I’m Bill Boggs Vivian Cognani: Daisy. Bill Boggs: Daisy, the dog. Hi buddy. Vivian Cognani: So cute, really. Never thought. Bill Boggs: So are you. Vivian Cognani: Thank you. I love the compliments. We’re getting off to a good start. Bill Boggs: That’s not a bad idea. Vivian Cognani: So, Bill, these days, every one has got a Podcast, a web show, and if they’re lucky enough, they’re on broadcast TV. So, we’re here with you to get you best tips, tricks and techniques to be a successful TV host. Bill Boggs: Well, the first thing is, I think, what kind of show you want to host. Do you want to host a show like this, a talk show, or do you want to host like a reality show like Survivor. It depends on what it is. Vivian Cognani: What, your specialty is talk show? Bill Boggs: Yes. I basically have been a talk show host my entire adult life – interviewing people. I won four Emmies and I like talking to people and so I think, one of the key things is – Vivian Cognani: You’re easy to talk to. Bill Boggs: Listening. Listening, I think listening is a totally under rated art. People think that listening is like passive, but listening is actually an activity. And I think that—who is it? Bob Eye, who is the President of Disney said, “If you want to make somebody more interested in you, spend more time listening to them.” So one of my first tips would simply be to cultivate the art of listening. Basically, what you—after a long career in television hostings, many different show and being executive producer of what that a Junior show in Court TV, I wanted to get back after two executive producing jobs. I want to get back on television. And I thought, what am I really interested in? I’m interested in food. I’m interested in certain sports. And I’m interested in travel. So, I ended up with a show in the Travel Channel. Ten years on the Food Network and — Vivian Cognani: The Bill Boggs’ corner table on the Food Network. Bill Boggs: First is actually TV Diners with Nina Griscam. Then Bill Boggs going to table and Allison is on something called Food News and Views. So, I spent a decade on the Food Network. It was huge amount of fun. And the reason like how I got all do is that I just wheeled my self on to it. Vivian Cognani: Can I wheel my self on to it, too? Bill Boggs: Yeah. So, you’re doing that right now. Vivian Cognani: I’m channeling your energy. I hoping you got me out some good luck on me/ Bill Boggs: Here’s what happened. I knew I wanted to work in the food area. So, I did a radio show in Greenwich, Connecticut called “Let’s eat Free” every Saturday for two years. Vivian Cognani: To build a following and build an audience. Bill Boggs: Well, to build the experience. And I love the things I did on “Let’s eat” on the radio. I ultimately ended up doing on the Food Network, interviewing celebrities about their lives and about their interests in food, stuff like that. So, what happened was when I heard the Food Network that they created, I had—somehow, I had the credibility in food because I’ve been doing this radio show. Vivian Cognani: And you have the practice which is another great tip. You really need practice. Practice makes perfect. Bill Boggs: Yes, that’s correct. It is an ongoing process. Yeah, good lighting is important. Your monitor always brings out the eyes. Vivian Cognani: It’s very important because eyes connect with the viewers. Bill Boggs: Right. I’m your guests. Vivian Cognani: Yes, you’re guest, very important. So, Bill, you’ve interviewed over six thousand personalities, a lot of them celebrities. Where can we see some of these? Bill Boggs: A lot of them dead, too. Vivian Cognani: A lot of them dead. That’s true. So where can we see these amazing footage. Bill Boggs: Well, I, obviously, don’t have tapes of all six thousand books. Over the years, I’ve kept highlights of interviews with all manner of people. And what we’re doing now is make a sort of effort to put them on billboggs.com so that I can actually share my work with the world. And this is going to go on in perfect tuning. So, if you’re going to billboggs.com, they’ve got everyone to Martha Stuart to James Brown, Placido Domingo, Miles Davis. I mean amazing array. Vivian Cognani: Fabulous photos as well. And you look at them and you won’t even believe. First of all, you look totally different who pictures hysterical and hair is a totally different look. Bill Boggs: It’s 70’s or 80’s hair. Vivian Cognani: Yeah, there are some 70’s/80’s hair going on in there. Bill Boggs: First of all because a hard back in on Paper Back last year. And essentially, what I did was I interviewed 44 leaders in their field. And in the food world, they deal with Bobby Flight and Matchione family, Daniel Blue, about why they were successful, about what the internal ingredients of success was. I had two thousand pages of transcripts. I organized a book about the content, not with people. So, it’s not a linear book. We don’t go from Clyde Davies, Maria Barcelo or Jim— Vivian Cognani: You go on themes from their success. Bill Boggs: Themes. Exactly. Vivian Cognani: You’re that guy. That a great way to kind of understand it. Bill Boggs: Yeah. Vivian Cognani: They’re inspirations that they all hold coming. Bill Boggs: Right. Vivian Cognani: And we share a couple sharing and come in as well. Bill Boggs: This is good. Just going like this. Vivian Cognani: I like it. Bill Boggs: Welcome. Vivian Cognani: Well, thank you so much, Bill. It was wonderful to spend time with you. Bill Boggs: I am happy you have time to spend with me. Vivian Cognani: Stay tuned to Behind the Burner, where we give you the tips, tricks and techniques that are lighting the culinary world on fire. (For Q&A, photos and more visit behindtheburner.com)