How to Become a Talk-Show Host

Video Transcript

"So, you like to talk, you've got the gift of gab, you're kind of a personable person. So, you want to be a TV talk show host? Well, I'm Joe Pauly, I've got about 20 years in the TV business and some in the entertainment world, and I'm going to try and help you out. Is there one magic way of doing this, to become a TV talk show host? No. But, there are ways of doing it. First rule of thumb I can tell you is go to school. Get a broadcasting or a journalism degree. Learn the business. That's going to be my best advice for when you're starting out. Once you've got your degree, intern at a TV or radio station. Any experience you can get behind a microphone or in front of a camera, do it. Experience, experience, experience. Once you're doing it, network. Meet as many different people in the business as you possibly can. Join trade organizations. Surf on the Internet to find different ones, anything you can do to gain experience. The is the age of the Web. Get with some friends of yours, maybe create your own little talk show on the Web, anything you can to do it, get noticed by people. And once you've got that, create a tape, start sending it around. Maybe get a job as a producer or an assistant producer for an existing talk show is going to be another possibility. Experience is your key. Get out there, get known. So, what's my advice? Get a broadcast degree, network and gain experience. Keep doing it, somebody will find you. The cream always rises to the crop. Good luck, I'm Joe Pauly."