Say What, Say What...

Picture this.  You're the MC at an awards event.  The show has been flowing nicely for an hour. Suddenly the event manager calls you backstage.  You need to fill ten minutes of time with 'something interesting'.  Why?  A scheduled item has been shifted further down the programme.  You need to get on the stage now.  Question is, Are you prepared?  Can you do it?

When things are progressing in an orderly way, the master of ceremonies can function as if he is a jet on autopilot.  It's when things start to unravel that he begins to really earn his fee.  The MC must go about his duties with poise, making sure he has the attention of the audience.  Nobody in the audience must suspect that something unscheduled is happening.  Is it easy to pull off?  No.  The key to success is one word: PREPARATION.

 Last week, I was hired to host an awards event for a major drinks company.  The guests were executives and managers from Europe and all over Africa.  In our pre-event meeting, one of the organizers asked me if I did comedy.  "Only at home and for my kids" was my reply.  But the question got me thinking.  What if I need to entertain the audience at some point during the event?  And that's exactly what happened.  Fortunately I was ready with some material about what makes us Ghanaians unique (everything from how we love answering questions with questions to our use of the word 'tea' to refer to all breakfast beverages...but that's a confession for another time).  Feedback?  I'd say it went well.  Just tell the comedian Funny Face to relax, I'm not coming for his job just yet!