My Montel Moment

Yup, it's true. I'm going to be on the Montel Williams Show.

No, it's not true that I'm going to be on a show about paternity tests.

My appearance, believe it or not, is actually work related. Honest.

My show will air on Halloween. Set your TiVo now. I mean, come on, this is not to be missed.

They sent a car to get me. That was cool. They even offered me an overnight in the city, but I passed on it. I'm away at night enough, didn't want to do it if I didn't have to.

So the black Mercedes picked me up with a driver who didn't speak much English. So, we didn't talk. Which was fine. I wanted to do some work on the way down. I tried -- then started to get car sick. So, just put the iPod on and fell asleep until we arrived.

I didn't tip him. Not sure what the protocol is. But I didn't like him, so I didn't tip.

I get to the show and they put me in the green room -- which, by the way, isn't green. In my case, it was a very faint yellowish/creamish kind of a color. There are also a number of green rooms. Mine was number six. There were seven total.

Then the producer came in to go over things. Then the interns came in every 20 minutes to make sure I was ok. Did I need anything? Could they get me something? They were very pleasant and definitely made me feel like a guest.

Then it was time for lunch, which was not good, but I was starving, so that was fine.

Hair was next. I mean, come on, what could they possibly do with me? Not much, apparently. I was in there for 30 seconds. Some very feminine guy ran his fingers through my hair while spraying me with stuff and his co-worker (a female) kept saying, "Yes, that's it. Yes, that's perfect. Oh, this is good."

I could not make that up. But, I mean, have you seen my hair?

Back in the green room for 15 minutes before being called to make-up.

I sat in the chair while this woman took the shine off my forehead. The best way I could describe her? All I could think of was a rock groupie. No, not a modern day groupie. But someone from like the late 1970s, but still in her groupie clothes and still wearing her groupie hair.

At last, time to go down to the studio. There were seven or eight of us guests. We were behind the stage at first where microphones were put on us. Then we were on the side of the stage, waiting for our cue to go out to our seats. While standing there, we heard Montel interacting with the crowd, giving them instructions on how he'll call on them for questions during the show.

This was a big issue because psychic Sylvia Browne was the featured guest and everyone there wanted to ask her a question.

After 10 minutes, we were led out to our seats and mine was front row -- six feet from Montel and Sylvia. The set was decorated with mums, pumpkins and corn stalks -- all fake. Like most shows, the studio is very small -- actually cramped is a better word. It always looks bigger on TV.

We were the second of three shows taping that day.

Montel was going to introduce each segment by showing a videotaped piece -- then he comes out of that and talks to the guest in that piece. I didn't know when mine was going to come up, but it ended up being last. I was more nervous than I thought I would be. I was fine in the taped piece, but he then asked me something, I answered. Sylvia asked me something, I answered. Then, I asked her a question and then he was moving on to someone else.

It was very fast -- probably four minutes total. But, you'll see me a lot on the show because of my location.

I was happy with the result -- at least I think I am. The real test will be when it airs. I was surprised at the nerves I had. I've been on everything from Good Morning America to CNN to local TV, yet I had more butterflies here. Not sure why. Maybe the live audience had something to do with it.

After the show, I was ready for my car ride home. I got in the car they had for me and asked the guy how he drew the short straw to drive to Connecticut. He was like, I'm going to Penn Station. I said, well, I'm not.

They goofed on my travel plans. Had me going back on a train. A train that wasn't going to get in until almost 11. So that wasn't going to work. Twenty minutes later a new car was there to get me.

I liked this driver. I slept for about 45 minutes -- and then we chatted quite a bit. I tipped him whe we got back.

That's about it. Tune in on Halloween and let me know what you think.