The money shot

The key to a talk show's success is what Laura Grindstaff calls the money shot - moments when guests lose control and express joy, sorrow, rage, or remorse on camera. In this new work, she takes us behind the scenes of daytime television talk shows, a genre focused on 'real' stories told by 'ordinary' people. Grindstaff shows us how producers elicit dramatic performances from guests, why guests agree to participate, and the supporting roles played by studio audiences and experts.