Cutting the Chai has moved to a new domain: cuttingthechai.com.
You can get in touch with Soumyadip at www.soumyadip.com.

Friday, September 30, 2005

My Minute-Centimetre of Fame


A few weeks ago I received a call from NDTV requesting me to fill in the empty spaces in one of their talk shows. I had been to one celebrity stuffed show before and was reduced to a shadowy face in the crowd. I wasn't even allowed to wave at the camera like the crowds in cricket matches and also forgot to ask the pre-prepared question thoughtfully provided to me by the producers. I was robbed of my few seconds of fame.

Therefore, I politely declined. Moreover my office is such that I have to be present there even on my funeral. But talk show audiences nowadays seem to be a scarce commodity. They persisted and I again declined. Finally, in a last desperate effort they said that they wanted to interview me on the topic of the show. Someone wanting to interview me? Is there a laryngitis epidemic out there?

I relented. After all I wouldn't need to wave my hands to grab attention. My seconds of fame would perhaps get stretched to a few minutes. But, their scheduled interview timing clashed with my working hours. They offered to shoot somewhere in the vicinity of my workplace (The laryngitis epidemic thing must really be true).

They came, they shot and they left. Promising to inform me about the date and time of the telecast. Made me talk a lot and act a little.

The programme perhaps has already been aired. Neither I, nor anyone that I know saw that show. I might have finally had my few minutes of fame, but I myself didn't notice it. But should I care? Naaah! There are more laryngitis epidemics on the anvil. And I'm enjoying my newfound dial-a-quote status, newspapers quote me somewhere inside the sleazy stories in the city supplements. But they inevitably carry a disclaimer at the end - Some names have been changed to protect identities. There go my few column-centimetres of fame.

8 Comments:

Anonymous said...

its fame but its not urs. ur got ur 15 secs of fame and pity u didn't even get to view it. and the tv channels must be pretty despo to try getting an interview of u. have they run out of people to talk to? and btw i got to know what i always suspected, the audience questions are pre-thought of.
some other day, some other time, maybe u'll get ur genuine moments of fame.

dwaipayan said...

what a pity!!!

K said...

TeeWee sucks big time.

aklanta said...

The other day I over heared the bus conductor instructing the driver to stop at the stoppage for a little longer.

" Wait, there's a 5 rupee coming"

I followed his eyes and saw one rushing towards the bus and only then got what he meant "5 rupee"...for him every passengers is just another avtar of money.

That's just how the people around us view us, adopting us according to the1r needs...

for the bankers you are an account, just as you are a "dial-a-quote " for the NDTV producer...

Abaniko said...

don't dismay. it's just a warm up to the real things that will make you ultra famous. just you wait.

Anonymous said...

ziggurats is me buddy!!!

Anonymous said...

Excellent, love it! xxx christian cartoons Bdsm movie with gia in it Faucet aerator car auto tv tuner Laser tattoo removal larned Busty chica pornstars chapter 7 bankrupsy and 401k Loss meridia weig Learn about cellular phones Results aspx q 94 dodge minivan Airbag light comes on in 2001 dodge caravan texas individual blue cross unicare humana health insurance Poker sayingmay all your hands be winners....

Anonymous said...

Best regards from NY! baby clothing shirts and tops sleeveless blouses jeep bacteria and hot tubs 49ers training video online Hacking system recovery disk infiniti m35 bypass dvd entertainment parking brake 2006 jeep liberty die cast Schools and food allergy willys army jeeps President cabinet members zyrtec price Freshlook dimensions colored contact lenses Find ionamin Cheap calls belize Chile's coat of arms Best dry skin care products Blackjack turtlemeat