THE BIRTH OF BZZZ!

By Annie Wood

So, there I was, in my ripped blue jeans and my "rock star" baby tee with my baseball cap on backwards. It was 1996, I think. I was just fired from my MTV job and heard that EB Productions was looking for a contestant coordinator for a show in development called BZZZ! I showed up with my book of potential contestants and sat down with the head honcho, Stu Billett. He showed me a run through tape of the show and asked me what I thought. So, naturally, I told him, it had problems, there were things I would change, why is that like that and it needs to move better and furthermore...what's with that host?

So, I was hired. Not as a host. But, as a contestant coordinator. There was no dress code and no crazy competition and quota (like at MTV). It was a great working environment, plus, Stu didn't mind that I had to take a month off because I already committed to filming Cellblock Sisters. I was getting a regular paycheck, acting, making new friends...life was good. Then, it got real good.

The run through host (I don't remember his name, honest) was a stand up comic and was really into telling his jokes more than leading the game along. So, one day when he didn't show up for a run through, I barged into Stu's office and said, "listen, I've figured it all out. What the show needs is energy. You need someone to keep it moving, you need someone to keep it fast paced, you need someone . . . well, you need me! He looked up at me and smiled and I was on. I hosted my first run through. I warmed up the audience with Henny Youngman jokes, "My dog is so smart. He saw a bench that said, "wet paint", so, he did!" So, even though I told that joke - the show clicked. I had no jokes of my own so I concentrated on the rules and the contestants. We taped that run through and Stu and I edited it and we both pitched it around Hollywood.

Tribune bit - it sold - we did the show local and then it became nationally syndicated! I went on the Tonight Show and Politically Incorrect to talk about it and I also did tons of radio shows (KISS FM, STAR 98.7, KROQ, GROOVE, etc.) and I became co-producer of the show and hired my best pal, Jules, to be my traveling companion. They sent me to tons of places to promote the show. Like Boston, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago, Nashville, Kansas and even France! In fact, the show is now on in Germany (with a German host) and the original 203 shows are re-running on WGN cable. Anyhow, that's my story, in a nutshell.

Glad you like the show! Oh, I'm assuming you like it because you are reading this. But, maybe you don't. In which case, what the heck are you reading this for?

Love and peace,

Annie