On stage and in life, the show must go on

One thing I learned from all my years on live television is that the show must go on no matter what happens. Accidentally adding an ingredient into a mixing bowl before it was time, forgetting to plug in my glue gun prior to my segment, or leaving the ribbon I needed to make the bow for a wreath at home — those are just a few real life examples.

When confronted with these obstacles, you have to be quick on your feet and somehow make things work. Every second of unfilled time on live television seems like an eternity. There is no time to pause because the cameras are rolling!

There have been many times in my life when I stared directly into the eyes of a problem while people watched. I learned quickly that the only way to handle this kind of situation is to be real. You can never go wrong when you do.

Recently I spoke at a large conference in Atlanta. For weeks, I had planned how I was going to execute on stage what I had envisioned in my mind. I had all the bases covered. I had checked and rechecked everything many more times than was necessary and felt confident everything would be perfect.

I decided to create a spring tablescape for my audience including a faux cake made completely out of flowers reminiscent of the elements on a float in a Rose Bowl parade. I also wanted to create an unusual cake stand for it to be placed on when finished.

I used a melamine plate that looked just like glazed pottery. I had a small hole drilled in the center of it so it could be secured with a screw to a wooden dowel that would then be planted into a beautiful pot. By doing this, the cake would be elevated high above the table. I know, there’s a lot going on constantly in this mind of mine.

I stowed all the elements I had prepared for my presentation in a closet near the room where I would be performing. Unbeknownst to me, something or someone bumped the plastic plate causing it to crack. I didn’t discover the crack until I was on stage — moments before the audience arrived. The plate literally separated from the wooden dowel, losing its ability to support the floral cake. Without it, my entire centerpiece was collapsing before my very eyes.

I could have lost it! I could have screamed and yelled, but there was simply no time to do either. So, instead I used the few minutes I had to re-secure the plate with the help of a little smoke and mirrors. I felt as if it would hold long enough, but now there was another problem. The plate wasn’t level anymore. So, I took a deep breath, checked my look in the mirror and confidently walked on stage as if nothing was wrong. It was time for me to be real.

I decided to do what I’ve done many times on television and on stage. I put my ego in the back seat and told the audience exactly what happened. It wasn’t going to ruin my day. It wasn’t going to do anything except show the audience I’m a real person who has to deal with real problems on a daily basis.

It’s amazing what happens when you are willing to share your vulnerability with others. They like you even more. Life is not perfect and neither are any of us. My mother often told me, “In life you’ll win some and you’ll lose some, but always be yourself!’

In case you’re wondering, the cake plate held long enough for a good photo to be taken, but not before I had to twirl the cake around and ask the audience which angle appeared to be less crooked. They obliged. The show went on and everyone had a great time. We should all try to be authentic more often. It genuinely makes a big difference.

This story was originally published June 9, 2017 at 1:05 PM with the headline "On stage and in life, the show must go on."