JOHN SENCIO can currently be seen as the host of HGTV's new show, Cash in the Attic. He has been a professional TV host and actor since graduating from Emerson College, where he majored in both television and film. For MTV, he wrote and produced his own skits, interviewed more than 300 celebrity guests and covered live events such as Woodstock and New Year's Eve Live in Times Square. In 1999 he starred in a sitcom for the WB and wrote, produced and starred in a TV pilot. He later directed his first independently financed feature film, the cutting-edge mockumentary, Action Weekend. Sencio has also hosted Simplify Your Life for FINE LIVING Network and co-hosts the nationally syndicated show, Home Delivery.

What’s the difference between the skills required of a host, and those required of an actor? At its essence, what is the job of a television host?
Because of all the hybrid and reality programming in the current television landscape this question is VERY timely. More & more hosts get acting jobs (think Greg Kinnear) and more & more actors are taking hosting gigs (think Ellen DeGeneres or Tony Danza). Because jobs in TV (and I’m framing the discussion in terms of TV rather than film because there are no “hosting” jobs in movies… generally speaking) are so difficult to book I believe actors and hosts need to be familiar with one another’s crafts because of the inevitable opportunities that will be presented to them. Aside from that, the sheer volume of reality programming dictates that there are more & more hosting jobs available every season. And needless to say both hosts and actors enjoying making enough money to eat – I know I do – especially burritos.

The skills required of a host and an actor at times are remarkably similar and at other times wildly different. I’ve been lucky enough (and believe me – there is a lot of luck involved) to make my living in front of the camera as a host and actor for the past 12 years. This of course isn’t a guarantee that what I say will make any sense – but depending on how much coffee I’ve had, it might.

First the differences: Hosts are not playing a character other than themselves. Yes they are playing a “persona” of themselves but they are not playing Joan of Arc, Tarzan, or Darth Vader. David Letterman, Oprah, Bill O’Reilly, Barbara Walters, Bob Barker, and Mary Hart are all presenting a version of themselves. In terms of mechanics you don’t usually have lines to memorize in the acting sense of the word (and with essential lines there are often cue cards and teleprompters for hosts). This is not to say you don’t need a great memory to be host – a great memory is essential but I’ll cover that in similarities (if I can remember). Hosts, unlike actors don’t worry about their characters motivation, prior circumstances, or plot points in the script. Actors talk to one another when they are in a scene while hosts often talk directly to the camera and the audience at home. Needless to say these facts illustrate the profound differences in the auditioning process for hosting gigs versus acting gigs. When you audition for an acting job there are many more variables to consider – how does the character walk, talk, think, move, breathe, dress, etc. When you audition for a hosting gig the host walks, talks, thinks, moves, breathes and dresses like YOU. Not that auditioning for hosting gigs is necessarily easier but the preparation is generally less complex. Preparing for an audition for Hamlet is usually more involved than preparing for an audition to host America’s Funniest Attack Dogs.

As for the similarities, there are many. You perform in front of a camera, you have to wear makeup, you do multiple takes, there are certain emotions you are required to bring out of the people on screen with you, you have to work with a director and producer, there are things you have to say (hence a great memory is essential), you need to be relaxed and accessible, and you try to develop that intangible chemistry that draws people to watch you. Actors and hosts are both entertainers. The best ones are also mildly crazy… “nice” crazy.

At its essence the job of a host is to be (to borrow an antiquated phrase) the Master of Ceremonies. I find that I’m hired to be the energetic glue of the show. I inform the viewers about what’s happening on the show, I inform the participants in any given show how the show actually works, I keep the excitement, drama and tension, (and very often humor) at peak level, tease the audience, and ultimately bind all these elements together. Somehow I’ve miraculously been able to trick enough casting directors, producers, and network executives into hiring me over and over again. Thank God for the Jedi mind trick.

Hosting a show cannot possibly be as easy as you make it look. What’s the most challenging part of working on a show such as HGTV’s Cash in the Attic or Home Delivery?
Yes, there are many challenging elements to working on shows such as Home Delivery and Cash In The Attic. But before I list them I want to state one of the remedies I use to diffuse the potentially performance impacting tension these elements bring about. RELAXATION. Relaxation is vital to both actors and hosts. However I would not recommend artificially induced relaxation. I always find being awake helps and you don’t want to be arrested on the set.

Home Delivery was produced by NBC/Universal and aired 5 days a week. The most challenging part of this was the schedule - on the road all the time with very little sleep and no prep time. It was crucial to be rested, compassionate to our guests, and informative to our viewers. This show had a broadcast journalism element to it combined with reality TV and wish fulfillment. This was another challenging element – there are always new templates in reality TV that give you no exact examples to draw on. So unlike a sitcom format that everyone in the universe is familiar with, many new reality shows are figuring themselves out as they go. Sometimes when shooting in the field, production teams on new reality shows can look as baffled as the guests – now that’s entertainment.

Cash in the Attic is VERY interesting because it is an existing British show. What’s tricky is that it’s a hit in England but that version does not test well with a broad American audience. So our challenge has been to reinvent it. We were out in the field making sure that certain things were the same while keeping the overall production and energy very fresh. HGTV is going for a younger wider audience and the good news is that the premiere was their highest rated show in prime time. Miracles happen.

John interviews Steve Martin

You studied film & television at Emerson College. Did your education prepare you for a career in showbiz? Why or why not?
I just had this discussion last week. I believe there is a tendency with people who major in something entertainment or media related in college to convince themselves that their education was completely useless if they’re not a billionaire by the time they are 24. I suppose there was a time when I dabbled with that theory (I’m still not a billionaire). However, I recently saw an episode of The Simpson’s that changed my thinking (ahh… the wisdom of the Simpson’s). In the episode Bart went to France to be a foreign exchange student. To make a long story short, it was a disastrous experience for Bart and he was incredibly disappointed because he spent all of this time in France and never learned how to speak the language. However, in the middle of his tirade he realized he was yelling and complaining in French – he actually had learned the language! My point is that I believe most people are better prepared by their college experience for their careers than they think they are. This isn’t to say they are prepared extremely well.

So did my education prepare me for a career in showbiz? Now I realize it did. The backstabbing, praise, productions, insanity, self-delusions, rude awakenings, true friendships and resurrections I experienced in college have all had a real-life equivalent in Hollywood. Not to mention I sharpened my writing, directing, and performance skills in college. Of course it took me a decade to realize this.

Keep in mind all this advice has come from a grown man who just cited Bart Simpson to illustrate the relationship of college and career.

What’s the hardest lesson you’ve learned since graduating?
That I should not watch the Simpson’s so often… and a few other things. Like life, Show Business can be very arbitrary and illogical. I’m not a disciple of existentialism but we all know some average performers have become unbelievably successful while some brilliant artists never see the light of day. Why? Who knows. But I do know that you cannot let this fact get you down. You have to press on despite this baffling reality.

I’ve also learned that YOU HAVE TO DO THINGS YOURSELF – NO ONE WILL DO THEM FOR YOU. For example you have to get your own agent. Then once you have your own agent you have to realize they will not be absolutely perfect. You have to motivate your agent without pushing them away from you.
I’ve also learned that in Show Business people will lie about you, steal from you, and hope you fail. ON the other hand (and I know this isn’t your question but I have to mention the yin as well as the yang) I’ve found that there are people in Show Business who can be shockingly supportive, remarkably collaborative, and unbelievably helpful. Many of them also have great tans.

You always seem to have numerous “irons in the fire”… many ideas in various stages of development. Can you describe how you take an idea such as Pop Pizza, Action Weekend, or Be Cool and turn that idea into a package that’s ready to “shop around” to studios?
This question relates directly to part of my previous answer – “you have to do things yourself”. Having said that there are some very specific mechanics we went through to get from the moment of twisted inspiration to the completed presentation that we would show network executives.

1: I had to have to an idea. Is it a TV show or movie? What kind of TV show or Movie? Then you had to really refine that idea. And WRITE it out.
2: I had to have a partner or partners. TV & Film is a collaborative art form. I had to get them excited about it. In some cases I had to shoot and edit a little piece myself then show it to a producer to get them excited about the idea (as was the case with POP PIZZA). And believe it or not, with all the prosumer camcorders available and Final Cut Pro & Avid Express editing systems out there, putting together a presentation is easier and more fun then you think.
3: I had to create the actual product. Is it a 2 minute piece or 4 minute. Is it effects heavy or talent driven. Is it more of a mini-pilot or a sales piece explaining the show or is it a scene from a movie? Whatever the case – I had to create the product.
4: Sell, Sell, Sell. Some will argue this is the hardest part of the process and they might be right. What’s the strategy? Who are the potential buyers? Is an agent selling it or is someone setting up meetings for the producer and I? Although I’ve created 3 rock solid presentations I’m just now really learning about how shows get sold. I have a good friend who’s been selling shows for 8 years (and he’s successful at it) and he says it’s a numbers game (as well as a relationship game) – he expects to sell 1 show for every 20 he comes up with. However he always sites those producers who come up with one show then sells it. Like I mentioned earlier – it’s an arbitrary business.

Everyone’s got ideas, but you’re one of the few who actually follow through and create a package that can be sold. In your opinion, what’s the difference between you and others who merely talk about ideas? Which of your qualities enable you to continue moving forward where so many others give up in frustration?
My first 5 years in the business were out of Manhattan. Then I moved to LA and my first week there I was talking about an idea I had with a producer and he asked me “are you a talker or a doer?” That struck such a deep chord with me. Although I’m not sure “doer” is a real word I knew I did NOT want to be a talker. Since then I learned there are about 1000 talkers for every one doer. That’s not to say there aren’t many motivated, creative, independent producers in LA but there are an OVERWHELMING amount of talkers and I promised myself I would not be one.

As to what quality specific quality separates the doers from the talkers and what has prevented me from giving up in frustration…well…I’m not sure.

What I do know is that you can’t allow yourself to get discouraged even when people say you suck. You also need other things in your life that make you happy. I’ve also found that when I imagine myself at 70 I suspect I can be very happy if I’m not the most successful guy in Show Business… as long as I can say I tried. However if I don’t try I’m not sure how I’d feel. Aside from that I really enjoy entertainment and I HAVE to try if I want to continue to work. I know all of this sounds like Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, motivational clichés but if adhering to some sort of positive philosophical outlook prevents you to walking into the casting offices on the Fox Studios Lot with a machine gun… well, maybe it’s worth it.

Oh yea, on a practical level I also try to do at least one thing everyday to maintain or move my career forward. It can be jotting down a show idea, updating my website (I get a surprising amount of work from it) or even something as simple as working out so the next time I’m on TV I don’t look like the Cookie Monster.

What are your goals? Do you have any role models you try to emulate?
Goals definitely evolve, change and morph the more I work. On a very practical level I want to simply pay the mortgage and feed the family by making a living in Show Business. I think my two most specific reoccurring goals are directing feature films and hosting my own show (ala David Letterman). Interestingly the first name that came to mind when you ask about a career I’d like to emulate is Greg Kinnear. Here’s a guy who was the host of Talk Soup, the host of Later on NBC then he becomes an Academy Award nominated actor with As Good as it Gets. What a jump! They only thing that’s odd as I talk this out is that I’ve never (at least on a conscious level) been bitten by the movie star bug. Although during an interview in 1998 a movie star bit me – she’ll remain anonymous.

You were a host with MTV for four years, a “to die for” gig. How did that job come about? What impact did that experience have on your life?
Talk about arbitrary. I did not have an agent, manager, lawyer, headshot, resume, or demo reel. A friend of mine in the radio business called me and mentioned during the course of a conversation that he saw an ad that MTV was looking for hosts. The only thing the ad said was “mail a demo reel to the station”. That night I borrowed a video camera and did 16 takes of a 2-minute segment I worked out. I wasn’t pleased with it. The next morning I recorded a 17th take. I mailed that take in and a week later a guy (who I’m still friends with today) called me from MTV and said they wanted to fly me to NYC for a screen test. I honestly thought it was one of my friends goofing on me so I started giving him a hard time. Then he put me on “hold”. I remember thinking oh s#*t… none of my friends have “hold”. Long story short, they flew me to NYC for a screen test. I had a night to review the script (which was on teleprompter) and remember changing it all around. I knew this was a little risky but I also knew there were 9 other guys auditioning and I wanted to stand out.

A month later I was offered the job. How did it change my Life? The question is how didn’t it. Really, it’s way to long a question to answer. A guy I used to shoot Bar Mitzvah videos with said “Dude, by getting this job you just cut 15 years of bulls#*t out of your life”. 12 years later, in hindsight, he’s probably right. It was an incredible launching pad. Not that maintaining a career post MTV isn’t without it’s challenges but overall it seems to have been an incredible benefit. Plus I got to keep a lot of cool clothes and I’m no good at clothes shopping.

MTV always looks like they’re flying by the seat of their pants. Can you describe what it was like to work there for four years? What are the most important things you took away from that experience?
I can’t speak for today but at the time MTV was a fast paced environment and very young. It was great to be able to do improvisation and be creative with the camera. It was an incredible way to develop my broadcasting skills. I also learned about the corporate side of show business. MTV is a massive corporation owned by Viacom and you have to know how to play within those parameters to succeed.

What are the most important things I took away from that experience? Get tape of your work! A great demo reel will get you more work. I was able to get virtually all of my tape from MTV and that footage still pays dividends as I integrate bits and pieces into my current reel. Also nurture your contacts (from ALL your jobs). I was on the phone today (yes the day I’m doing this interview) with one of my very first producers from MTV. We haven’t worked together since 1998 and career circumstances are bringing us to a potential new collaboration. Hopefully it will be fantastic – not a train wreck!

John as a "skin head" in Escape from L.A. w/ Kurt Russell

During that time, you interviewed over 300 celebrities ranging from Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster to John Travolta and Halle Berry. What qualities do you most admire in the celebrities you’ve interviewed? Do any particular interviews stick out as your favorites? (If so, why?)
I have to confess I do admire the tenacity and resilience of many of the celebrities I’ve interviewed. I’ve heard many of our biggest stars say one of the keys to their success is their ability to deal with rejection. I believe it - celebrities get slammed all the time. I was lucky enough to spend a day with Mel Gibson. Now whether you love the guy or hate him you have to admit it’s got to be insanely difficult to juggle all the staggering criticism and praise he received over The Passion. But somehow he did.

As far as favorites go, well… that’s an excellent and tricky question. Honestly (and I mean this) I had tons of fantastic interviews. So I’ll only mention just one: Kurt Russell. I was a huge fan of his movie Escape From New York. I was going on and on about how cool a movie it was so he said if they made sequel I could be in it. A year later he called and put me in the movie – it was just a day part but it was a blast.

In your opinion, what are the key elements of a successful interview?
Listen, listen, and listen. Do you ever watch an interview and go nuts because the interviewer talks over the guest? If you want to be a strong interviewer ask yourself “am I someone who listens during a conversation or is waiting to speak?” If you really listen during an interview you will find many more magic moments then if you are waiting to hear your own voice.

You list two “development deals” on your resume, one with Paramount and one with Fox. What exactly is a development deal, and why does everyone in Hollywood want one?
First of all people often confuse “development deals” with “holding deals”. Holding Deals are when a studio pays talent to basically not work for any other studio and hopefully (especially for the talent) a project will come up at the paying studio that is right for the talent. But there are NO guarantees the talent will get work. The only guarantee is that the talent will be paid and will not work for any other studios. Most of the performers I know do not like holding deals.

In theory “Development Deals” are far superior to holding deals because the contract is structured around the premise that a specific project will be created for the talent and generally the money is better. Why wouldn’t everyone in Hollywood want one? Because of a little term know as “development hell”. Having a show tailored to you is great but a development can be incredibly slow. And while you are in “development” there might be great projects you hear about that you want to go out for but can’t because you are in “development… hell”. That’s not to say successful shows haven’t been spawned from development deals – they have.

In my particular case the week after my second development deal expired (the Paramount / Fox arrangement was a joint venture that overlapped) I was picked up to do an entirely unrelated series with the WB. Go figure.

A career in showbiz is notoriously “up and down”. What (if anything) do you do when you’re working to prepare for a time when you might not be?
First of all I save my money. Yep, it sounds obvious but I know many people who forget to do this.
The other thing I do is stay creative, play music, write, shoot with my video camera, and edit family video, whatever. But I stay active and passionate.

I also continue to network. It’s important to stay connected with your industry contacts.

You always need to remind yourself of what you do even when you are not doing it!

In your opinion, what is the biggest misunderstanding aspiring actors have about a career in showbiz?
That there is a final destination. Look, you don’t step into the same river twice. You are constantly changing and so is the business. Recently I read an interview with Patrick Swayze. I forgot that there was a moment when he was the BIGGEST movie star in the world. 2 massive movies (Dirty Dancing and Ghost) People magazines Sexiest Man Alive and any script he wanted. Then his entire career changed. He still has work (Donnie Darko – very entertaining), recognition, money, and hopefully happiness (he seems like a cool guy in the interview) yet a VERY different career than he once had.

Aspiring performers tend to believe there is a place where they will arrive where they are safe. There is no such place. Once you have a career in Show business you have to enjoy it, maintain it, enjoy it, reinvent it, enjoy it, and have a life outside show business as well. Also, it’s important to not let the industry make you insane. Oh yeah, enjoy it – it shows in your work.

Good Luck! I’m going to have a burrito.

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