European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 08, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse Rolonda Watts squeezes into a crowded Field by Scott Williams a television writer the floor manager declares "30 seconds to air and Rolonda Watts swivels her big smile beaming out to the studio , her eponymous talk show i about to air another live broadcast from new York City. It s highest rated among this sea son s Scoyen new syndicated talk shows. Against is table shed shows of its kind it ranks 10th, according to the show s syndicator King world the same peo ple who Syndicate the monster hits jeopardy and \ Heel of Fortune. Kulonda airs at 10 . Act saturday on Abc super Channel. The show also ran weekdays until super Channel replaced it with european Money wheel starting monday today s topic kids killing kids. Her guests include the family of attain youngster and appearing live via satellite Jesse Jackson. Then something happens just to remind you that it s live television. We have no teleprompter the floor manager announces seconds later she Speaks calmly into her Headset Mike to the control room Whf Mill have no teleprompter talk to me talk to Watts frowns worried but still Calm. Where s a hard copy i need a later unwinding in her Small peach tinted dressing room Watts recalled her state of mind. I m thinking i May have to Wing this off the top of my head but i m also thinking about the tape that has to Roll ind i d better know the out Cue and f can t remember it the script materialises. Watts flips it open and finds her out Cue. Ten seconds announces the director. The countdown begins. The cameras and the Stu Dio audience focus on Rolonda Watts. The smile re appears. So Loo do the words on the teleprompter the director throws it to Watts and she begins to speak. It turned out the prompter was t the show s Only _ glitch. Minutes before airtime the first guests were complaining their plane tickets were not fir to class and threatened not to appear unless their expenses were paid. In the last moments they relented. I be never been that to the Edge before sighed co executive producer Bruec it Kay. One hour liner,.backstage after the show the discs Are by a memory i love going live because it s my background said Watts a former to reporter and Anchor in new York City and because you have to Rise to the Occa Sion. There s a certain magical Energy that happens when you re live. _ most of the times in news 1 was on on on then break then Back to on on on again she said with tin s show it s like one on on on on on on on be. It s like juggling. But i " the difference from news to that you get " so much More time to delve into some of those issues that touched me personally where i Felt that a Rizin ule and 30 seconds is nowhere near enough Watts said the one hour format lets her present problems and resolutions or to present Suggs Lions from experts and audience members in the Sui Ilio live by satellite and calling in on the phone " if we get a Good going on and peo pie arc u ally i Altif n into it Well let Thil ovuvc.iva-. -j5jr it lion take its time she said. We kind of produce on our feet As we re out there.". During the commercial Breaks Shell huddle with. Mckay shuffling guests and extending segments a lot if that is driven by the audience reaction a. Hot people Are calling it s what America wants to talk about,".witfs. Said. We re Able a town Hall meeting As opposed to just reporting a Mory. It s ,.and it s All i at the name Lime she Frump ated by the. Limit Aliis of incl him. Today s show did t sern adequate t o talk about this did it she said. That s Why we re going to. Have another one on this topic " " Watts is convinced that the to show can lie an adequate forum for issues because. Jul Longs for a multiplicity of topics and viewpoints _ there arc so Many angles to cover when soil re dealing with gun control and child welfare and crime the Ait does t seem adequate,".slic Ina ii it " but i will say ibis it is jus enough to gel peo Lethi Kiril. Moving arguing doing Oviet a i Lihi ". The stuff Veall Tav
