TRENDS ON TAVIS

First off, I want to thank everyone who tuned in to see my first national TV appearance talking up my book on "The Tavis Smiley Show." It was great fun and everyone on set--from the make-up artist to the producers--made me feel totally at home. As a journalist, I'm so used to peppering others with questions and now that I am on the receiving end I can more fully appreciate how on-your-toes one must be when representing your creative work. I must say it was pretty cool to have the dressing room right next to Motown founder Berry Gordy (he was there to discuss Michael Jackson) and a huge bowl of fruit plus assorted snacks and beverages at my immediate disposal. I paced the dressing room for what felt like an eternity as I waited to be miked, but as soon as I step foot in the dark, air-conditioned studio, cameras and lights angled on me and Tavis, my nerves quieted and I started to get into the groove of it all. It's been so much fun fielding all the positive responses from you all who tuned in, and have made me realize even more how much of a need there is for a book that focuses on what it's truly like to be young and male in America. So many of you have written to express gratitude for exploring a topic that many of us shy away from and doing it in such a way that's easily accessible, funny, warm and, yes, sometimes unsettling. Oh, and there's been much talk about the shoes. So, for you footwear mavens out there, I was wearing pale seafoam green Michael Kors platform wedges from, like, five seasons ago that I threw on because the black shoes I'd planned on pairing with the dress no longer fit (blame two past pregnancies). Was going to post a link where you could all find them, buy no such luck yet--maybe try Ebay?

And for those of you who still feel inclined to watch me and my shoes. Ha ha...

www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/generic.html?s=tavi08s2bb2qa3f