Thanks for the "shout out" Matt. Yes, I know more about this practice than I care to.
The paid audience phenomenon started as early as the early 1980s with special consideration given to groups of 20-30 or more. Besides contributing to a group's fund-raising efforts (Little League uniforms, etc), the production company would sometimes pay for the bus. The fact is a large organized group is great; once confirmed, they are sure to be there, and they have their own wranglers to babysit their needs. If the production company pays for the bus they are unlikely to be leaving early!
From a warm-up performer's standpoint, these groups were and are golden. They are already friends, and already "loose" and responsive. A brief talk with one of their wranglers could give you a ton of material based on the big-mouth, funny members of the group, and the nature and politics of the group. Guaranteed ice-breakers and laughs.
Paid audiences became standard practice in the early 1990s. I think my first encounter was when I filled-in on "Pictionary". My personal take on the phenomenon is that the increasing length of tapings and marginal warm-up entertainers who fail to keep audiences entertained through the longer sessions are significant but secondary factors that keep local civilians from lusting after TV tickets.
The dirty little secret that even TPiR with its little or no stop-down time, which only expects an audience to sit for a little over an hour, and gives them about a 1 in 30 chance of appearing on TV and winning something has used paid audience members from time to time for a couple of decades weakens that argument. I think the real reason is that the quantity and quality of TV production just stopped making the experience special. Watch GSN reruns of shows from the 50s - people dressed-up with ties and pearls to visit a TV show. By the 80s we were lucky if people bathed!
Dozens of cable channels and endless infomercials created a wave of production; we burned-out people with low budget, less show-bizzy, start-and-stop tapings, and overall less "special" experiences. Even the proliferation of home videocameras and PC editing also ended some of the mystery and magic.
These days, on any given tape date there are usually far more seats that need to be filled than tourists interested in watching a show tape. Besides, 300 tourists, each with a ticket, doesn't mean you can count on even half an audience. Paid audience members show up, on time, dressed as you request, and stay until the end.
Paid audiences serve other purposes. Entertainment shows with professional performers such as sitcoms and the almost dead genre of variety NEED a full and reacting crowd for the benefit of the performers. Sweetening audience response is costly when done convincingly; some producers would rather spend that money up front and minimize the need for sweetening. And as Matt indicates, some shows such as Weakest Link take a lot of audience reaction shots or feature the audience prominently.
Having an audience in the studio has always been an investment that is often an expensive proposition. First and foremost, insurance rates are higher, and most local municipalities require fire marshall(s) to be present with a live audience. Pages need to be present, and of course a sparkling warm-up personality needs to be hired. Nowadays more than ever, security guards and/or outside security companies complete with metal detectors and wands are needed. The networks and studios (Paramount, etc.) have always employed audience recruiters to generate interest and distribute tickets at tourist spots such as the Farmers' Market, the Universal Tour and Grauman's (Mann's) Chinese Theater. Even printing tickets and fulfilling mailed ticket requests carry costs. With an outside company fetching and babysitting audiences some of these direct expenses disappear.
The "paid audience" business is now big business with several companies well established and profitable. There is little use for tourists; these companies utilize locals who can work long hours, sometimes on short notice. There is a reasonably high turnover rate among the workers and the majority of faces keep changing. The backdoor entree to the coveted world of showbiz attracts a great many flakes who are quickly weeded-out by virtue of their irresponsibility or inappropriateness. A few "jerks" on the set more than a couple of times can cost the audience company the lucrative contract.
The long-standing, valued workers are usually entertainment professionals who are either on their way up or their way down in acting careers. I've worked with paid audience members who I now see with minor roles on WB or UPN sitcoms. One of my favorite things about working with these folks is discovering the few gems in their midst... the composers (remember the 60s hit "Walk Away Renee"?), the elderly character actors with familiar faces, the proud up-and-comer who is smiling ear-to-ear because of his recent 3 days on a film as "Juror #4", etc.. Mark Walberg worked for years as one of the premier warm-up performers. Only recently we reminisced about some of our memorable favorites from among the paid audience ranks. Some are a pleasure to see when you step out on stage.
Out of respect for the operators of these businesses I'll remain vague about some of the details. The job pays near minimum wage and may include a lunch allowance. The production company pays enough above minimum wage by the hour for each employee to allow for the supervision, booking, overhead and profit of these employers.
The good audience companies earn their repeat business by recruiting and carefully supervising cooperative employees with professional demeanors. I've seen them magically deliver 100 people on an hour's notice. Others try and die by virtue of the unphotogenic, uncooperative and language-impaired people they deliver to a workplace where time is big money.
Paid audiences are a big part of the business that is, for good or bad, here to stay.
Randy
tvrandywest.com
