First, go to Inside Higher Ed for a post with UD’s thoughts about the possibility of doing a series of Teaching Company lectures.
And now —
It was fun. The day was dreary, one of a spell of dreary days we’ve had in DC. But there’s nothing like a chauffeur at your door to cheer you up and remind you life’s worth living.
This was the same deal UD had when she went to the studios of ITN to talk about Kurt Vonnegut — swept through the city in a quiet ride featuring tinted windows and fine upholstery.
Only this wasn’t the city. It was the dull Dulles Corridor, miles of corporate headquarters along suburban Virginia highways.
The very successful Teaching Company, having outgrown its earlier digs, just moved to the brand-new — not even really finished — building where UD gave her lecture. Their two floors of studios and offices really shine, though the views of highways and tree clumps are uninspiring.
Escorted to a big dark room in which a podium, a cup of green Earl Grey tea, and a digital studio clock awaited her, UD made herself ready. She scanned each of her talk’s jacketed pages (so the mike wouldn’t pick up any paper-rattling) and chatted with her wonderful hosts. They were anxious she be comfortable. Would she prefer an audience? They’d be happy to rustle up some bodies. Is everything in the format okay?
Everything’s fine. There’s nothing UD likes better than the sound of her own voice, and she’s perfectly able to conjure a roomful of admirers — the same imaginary friends who ooh and ah as she plays the piano and sings That Ole Devil Called Love like Billie Holiday if she’d been a ‘thesdan.
From out the digital clock come the voices of her producers, telling her stop now and go now and sounds great. She times the thing just right, coming in at 29 minutes. They like it, and tell her she doesn’t need to do a second take.
May 28th, 2009 at 2:10PM
I enjoyed auditioning for them, too. I was too formal and "readerly" in my first take, so I did a more spontaneous, improv-feeling second take which they liked much more. Sadly not a lot of interest in a product based on colonial Africa among their buyers, apparently. They had wanted me to do a more "Africa since earliest times" hook, with what I thought was a bit of a nod in the direction of the "African civilizations/gentle Afrocentrism" market, which I didn’t really feel was my thing to do, but they were probably right that would have been an easier sell.
May 28th, 2009 at 2:51PM
Tim: Interesting! The only moment in the process I felt some fear was when they said that if my first take wasn’t spontaneous enough sounding they’d maybe “take all your papers away” and have me do the whole thing without any notes! I suspect the prospect of that near-impossibility for me was what propelled me into my way-hearty, way-improv-feeling approach the first time around. Brilliant direction on their part, in other words…
May 28th, 2009 at 3:53PM
Sounds like it went quite well, UD. Congrats. Can’t wait until a whole course is recorded and offered for sale. I’ll be a buyer.
May 28th, 2009 at 4:21PM
Thanks, Tom. Here’s hoping.
May 28th, 2009 at 5:13PM
"Tea? Coffee? Audience?" Very surreal!
Thanks for posting the process, and congrats.
May 28th, 2009 at 6:07PM
Many thanks, Digger.
May 28th, 2009 at 6:32PM
Just make sure to get a piece of every unit sold. Even critics of capital need to wet their beaks 🙂