Life, Love, and Other TV Show Topics

Vocabulary and Expressions
l Talk is cheap
l Sensationalism
l Chatter
l Channel surfing
l Fan mail
l A captive audience
l Sponsors (of a talk show)
l Commercial break
l Host/hostess / Personalities
l Oprah Winfrey
l Dini Petti
l Did you watch TV talk shows in your first country? Why or why not?
l Do you watch TV talk shows now? Why or why not?
l Who are your favorite TV talk show personalities?
Talk Shows and English
l Can listening to talk shows help you learn English? Why or why not?
l What kinds of English might you hear on talk shows? (Formal/informal; expressions vs. standard English)
l What are some difficulties with learning English from talk shows? / Topics
l What kinds of topics are generally covered on TV talk shows?
l Why do you think talk show hosts choose these topics?
l If you had to choose a talk show topic, what would you pick?
l Do you think talk show hosts should have more discretion about the topics they pick? Give reasons for your answer
Audience
l Why do you think people like to listen to talk shows?
l Do you think talk show hosts give good advice? Why/why not?
l Where are some places where people can get good advice?
l Why do you think people are willing to tell their deepest secrets on talk shows?
l Would you be willing to tell your deepest secret on a talk show? / Qualities
l What are some qualities that make a good TV talk show host/hostess?
l What are some qualities the broadcasters might look for when selecting candidates to appear on a talk show?
Extra Time:
For Group Discussion
Assign members of your group to talk show roles: one person can be the host/hostess, others can be the guests, and some people can be the broadcasters and decide what to include or exclude from the show. Decide on your topic before beginning the exercise.

Hostess: Welcome to Life, Love, and Living! I’m your hostess, Jenny Wilson. Today on our show we’ll talk about the sensational life of our famous guest, pop star Wynette! And now, here’s Wynette herself!

Wynette: Hello, everyone! I’m so pleased to be here on the show today. And it’s great to see you, Jenny.

Hostess: Wynette, can you tell me more about your life as a pop star? What’s it like, having so much fame and fortune? Do you ever wish for a quiet life in the countryside?

Wynette: No, Jenny, I can’t say I do. I love the attention being a famous singer gives me – and I’ve always enjoyed dressing to the teeth. I never have to worry about money, and I’m always meeting interesting people.

Hostess: How did you get the idea for your latest song, “Say You Love Music”?

Wynette: Well, I was driving down the highway in my new Ferrari, and I was listening to the stereo at top volume. That was my inspiration for this song – because I love music!

Hostess: I understand that you’ve written your autobiography.

Wynette: That’s true. You can pick it up at any bookstore, you know. Some people have criticized it, saying it’s full of idle chatter, but it is the story of my life, you know – and not one to be overlooked!

Hostess: Do you have plans for future music albums? I could talk until I was blue in the face about the success your album has had – it’s been the longest surviving record album on the music charts.

Wynette: Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. My next album will be called Wynette the Great!

Hostess: Well, we’ll all be looking forward to that. It’s time for a commercial break…don’t go channel surfing, we’ll be right back!