The taping of The Doctors TV show featuring Dr. Will Kirby. Also when attending the taping of 1st show Sheila Kennedy (BB9) gets a role to play during a segment in the 2nd episode later that day.
When in Los Angeles for some meetings, the Elections, and other business during the 1st week of November, I heard that Dr Will Kirby announced that he would be taping a couple of episodes for the syndicated TV Show "The Doctors"
http://TheDoctorsTV.com
Will asked that anyone in the L.A. area that wanted to come to the taping, contact the show's office (via the website) and get their name on the list to be there for the show and give support in the process. I and a few others let him know that we would be there and got the particulars from the staff. After they took our information and emailed us the procedure informations, they said for us to be there by 8 a.m. and no later than 8:15 to check in. There were no cameras, recording devices, or mobile phones allowed so I was suffering Blackberry-separation anxiety but dealt with it. The parking lot for the studio and 'guests' was a very beautiful cemetery just north of the studio that has been there for some time and a few areas looked oddly familiar (most likely used in movie or TV show segments).
The show is taped in Hollywood area just southeast of Santa Monica Blvd and Vine in the same studio that houses Dr. Phil's recording studio. I later found out that The Doctors show is produced by Dr. Phil's company, which explained some of the poster size photos of Dr Phil and his wife in the waiting area.
When I arrived there was a line of people and someone that knew me from Will's Forum called after me and so we chatted for a little bit while waiting to go inside. Found out the line of people to the side were "paid audience members" or basically actors or models who could make some spare change being seat fillers in case they didn't have a full house. This was one of those days. As we were waiting, it came up that somone has emailed me that Sheila Kennedy (BB9) found out about this last second and was showing up for the taping. Just as we mentioned that, here she was. I have never had the pleasure of meeting her before and she was very gracious, interactive, and funny as well. She was wearing a very pretty satin like gray top with some classy jeans and great heels to match. Also I noticed how thin and in shape she was, reminding myself how I have noticed this of most former Big Brother house guests. Those cameras really DO add 10 lbs and more!! ha ha
We finally got inside to a cold waiting area surrounded by Dr Phil's photos and staff. They gave us the run down as to what would happen and then we followed them through the building past the Dr Phil set and into a bright big blue studio where we were directed to the front rows. There were two aisles of seats between us and the stage with the rows close together. As people got settled I was glad that I brought a sweater to go under the blazer at was indeed cold. I looked over to Sheila (sitting next to me) and she was doing everything to keep warm, while they set up for the first scene.
The warm up guy KNEW his role.. and did a great job on the instruction, prepping of the audience and it was very structured at the same time. There were a few jokes that Sheila may possibly use as will I at a date and time to be named later.. ha ha . When you were seated, and in place, that was it. There was no moving around till asked to do so. They even positioned people that had lighter colored hair to certain areas so to mix up how it looked on camera. I just thought it was very interesting as to the cinenmatography of the whole process.
As we were sitting there one of the production staff assistants came over to ask some girls who would like to ask 2 of the questions to The Doctors for the 2nd show's taping. We believed that Will was going to do back to back tapings as that was what we were told on the phone, so we volunteered Sheila to ask one of the questions. We would be there for the show anyway so figured why not have fun?? Then the crew member said she had 2 questions typed out on 5x7 cards. Sheila asked what were the questions and when she read the 1st one, we really could not see her reading that and surviving the fallout from the Internet LOL. The 1st question was about "blue balls" so that left her the 2nd question about "men waking up ..'ready to go'". The original printed question had another term but it was just too racy for TV so they changed it up. At this point it started to get fun knowing we would be there to see Dr Will Kirby do his segment but now Sheila was involved too. It was all very good.
As the show started up and The Doctors came out we were coached as to the clapping and more. The first segment involved Travis Stork (formerly seen on The Bachelor) standing next to the Screen of Shame with the outline of a man behind it and on cue the man dropped his jogging pants to promote the show's theme "Embarrassing Questions". Then they went to set up for the next segment and they taped a lot of this episode in order. They talked about dying the gray hairs 'down there' along with other personal issues that people wanted to get the answers to.
Then I got a nudge from Sheila as she noticed that Dr Will Kirby was walking out with the man that was behind the screen and they both sat down in the front row directly in front of Sheila and I. We thought we had his attention as we whispered "Will!!" as he was taking his seat but you could tell he was in "game face" mode and listening to the State Manager's direction for him. He and the 'patient' went up on stage for a run through that only took a second to do as to staging and where to stand on certain cues. Then we were ready to roll camera and the taping comtinued. The Doctors went through a few questions and then introduced Dr. Will Kirby a Board Ceritfied Dermatologist from Beverly Hills and they spoke about a very sensitive and embarrassing issue for both men and women, involving Jock Itch.
Will addressed this with great ease, and was very informative about the subject. Then Travis had him come up on stage to proceed as to a demonstration of a skin test for any fungus. They went behind the screen and went through the motions of getting a skin scraping. During all of this Travis and Will spoke about the procedure and causes. Then when he came out ffrom behind the screen with the patient, he discussed the diagnostics, treatment, and prevention as well for this irritating affliction. He did the entire segment without a mistake and no retakes. It was possibly one of the smoothest processes in the day's taping. When his segment was done he and the patient exited to the back and the show continued.
After a few more segments they took a break for everyone to go back out and get some food or water etc outside. We went to see where Will may have exited to but there was no sign of him. While waiting we talked a little bit about Big Brother but mostly got to talking with Sheila about a non-profit she really supports and is a favorite of hers. "999 for kids" http://www.999forkids.org It is a great non-profit that helps kids who are medically abused and rescued from bad situations through the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and other groups too.
For the next Episode "Women Vs Men" they were separating the Women and Men in the audiences and the other girl and I went to the back area of the studio for this show. They took Sheila and the other girl to the back stage area to prep them prior to the Q and A session. Then when they did the opening segment involving people surrounding two different tanks full of tad poles and eggs, they had Sheila line up just behind the female Doctor for the introduction. Then they moved her back 4 rows for most of the show and when it came time for then to do the Q and A they moved Sheila and the other girl up to the front row.
When they asked the first a question they actually gave the other girl a 'lead-in' by introducing her so she was able to be properly cued but when it came time for Sheila's question they just asked if anyne else had a question, making her have to raise her hand to get the attention of the Doctors, even though it was already 'set' for her to say something. Although the other girl got the intro Sheila did a fine job of picking up the ball and running with it. She asked the basic question and when Jim the Pediatrician came back with a cute banter joke she was ready for him with a fast and funnier reply. She too was natural and charming in her interaction and was glad to see her have fun with it.
After that they moved her back a few rows and I had previously given her my sweater to warm up with and I noticed that she instantly put that on as the studio got colder with the day's taping. Fnally it was the end of the 2nd taping and there wasn't a return of Dr Will Kirby. When we exited for the next break I asked a production member as to his whereabouts and she stated that he had left for the day. Later I found out that this was not the case as he came back later for the 3rd and last taping of the day at about 3pm. That show airs today (at this writing on Nov 20th) and he was asked back for a 3rd taping to air on Monday November 24th too!!
Anyway after what we were told about Will leaving, we all decided to not go back for the 3rd taping as it was getting late. I was already about 3 hours or more behind on leaving for appointments and then heading home. so Sheila left but not before exchanging information so to let her know when the taping would air. She was nice to share a photo with us and we talked about getting together next time I was in town. All in all for a 5-6 hour process it was a fun way to spend a day for 'Free" It was also wonderful to meet Sheila, and to see Dr Will Kirby in action, doing the voo-doo, that he does, so very well!!
www.KirbyDermatology.com
www.TeamChilltown.com
www.WillKirby.com
