I don’t watch much television, so I didn’t catch the CBS business docu-drama, Undercover Boss.  Did you?  It’s ok, you can admit it.  The world loves reality TV (which, by the way, is something that we, as writers, producers and creators have to come to terms with – we don’t have to go to R-TV’s extremes, but there is an element of the genre that excites audiences – what can we do to our entertainment to excite ours?).

UB featured bosses anonymously joining the lower ranks of their companies to learn more about what it’s like to be on the front lines.

For example . . .

A Waste Management CEO sifted cardboard.

The 7-11 CEO made doughnuts.

The CEO of Hooters . . . well . . . you don’t want to know.

Producers, Artistic Directors and Theater Owners don’t have the anonymity factor in most organizations to learn from their “fellow”-employees about the real issues they face everyday, but they could learn a lot from their audience.

So, all of you Producers, ADs, Owners, Writers, etc . . . take a shift at a show and work merch, usher, take tickets, sell tickets at the BO, etc.

You may have to miss the latest episode of Real Housewives of Bangladesh, but I guarantee you’ll never look at your audience the same way again.

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Special thanks to blog reader Malini for giving me a heads up about this show.  If you’ve got something that you think will make an interesting post, don’t hesitate to send it my way!  Just email me.