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CONFESSIONS OF A TRAVEL WRITER: AFTERTHOUGHTS

Posted in Image/Video by Shira with View Comments

Aug2009 11
from left: Shira Lazar, Charles Runnette, Andrew Evans, Chantal Martineau & Jimmy Im

from left: Shira Lazar, Charles Runnette, Andrew Evans, Chantal Martineau & Jimmy Im

Last night, I was in NYC for the premiere party of “Confessions of a Travel Writer” on The Travel Channel. I was one of five journalists- the only new media blogger might I add- the show followed on a press trip in Chile this past February. I was blogging/videoblogging daily for Condenast’s Jaunted.com, for which I have now become a regular contributor. It was an incredible experience to say the least on all ends- from the destination to the talent and crew. It was a truly magical and positive shoot!

The one-hour special was an airable pilot, and was not promoted whatsoever by the network. Instead, we relied on our own minimal grassroots promotion to get the word out. We created the confessionsofatravelwriter.com site, a facebook fan page, told colleagues and friends, as well as promoted it through our own social networks. Oh yes, and if you speak Spanish, below is a fun profile on me and the show in the Chilean newspaper LUN (BTW- it says I’m 36 and I’m really 26. Damn fact checkers!)

LUN Article

Fortunately, the network also placed us in between two episodes of one of their top shows, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations.

Well, considering the above it was still somewhat surprising to see all the buzz and conversation that erupted even an hour after the show aired. Just as we attempted to bring viewers the good, bad and ugly of travel writing, reactions seem to have varied as well. But the fact is, there was a reaction and a ton of it!

There was the good on about.com and Caroline in the City, the bad on Gadling, and the balanced on Worldhum. Yet, when something gets this type of roller coaster discourse going, I have two thoughts:

1) All press is good press.

2) Apathy is where creative ideas die.

So the fact that a show with no promotion at all could have people tweeting non-stop and firing up blogs with hits and comments, says something powerful.

A few things though need to be noted:

Charles Runnette & Shira Lazar on location in Chile

Charles Runnette & Shira Lazar on location in Chile

1) Charles Runnette, the narrator of the show has gotten a ton of heat for being well… perhaps beyond snarky and bit bitchy. As a good friend of his, I must say- and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know this- it’s TV and therefore story lines and personas are exaggerated. Does Charles whine sometimes? Yeah. I do too. He was also writing for Virtuoso, a high-end magazine whose audience might not be like all of us. It’s important to point out though that unlike a lot of the notable and great Travel Channel shows currently airing, we were trying to peel away at the perfection and reveal what really happens on a press trip when you bring together different types of people without the script and the ego stroking of every destination and tourism board. I’ll actually be doing a video blog with Charles shortly, so look out for that. In the end, I just think people need to know that he’s actually an accomplished, compassionate, sincere and hard working individual and friend. But, people love to hate à la Simon Cowell, and the fact is that if there’s five people on a show, there’s always going to be one person that brings that out.

2) There’s still no word about whether The Travel Channel is going to pick up the show. Obviously, I’m a bit biased but I feel like the time is NOW for a TV show and network to bring an entertaining yet more editorial, raw and personal look at traveling and the work that goes into telling those stories. Hopefully, if we do move forward they’ll take everyone’s opinions into consideration including to display a bit more of the spot we visit and the story lines of the other writers.

3) In the meantime, set your tivos! You can catch the show airing again this Sunday, August 16th at 11pm est. You can also tell Travel Channel that you want to see more Confessions Of A Travel Writer on their site.

All in all, I hope a show like this uncovers an inspiring world many might not have known- that of five somewhat quirky journalists and one of limitless possibility that is only a plane ticket away.

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  • Well I’ll actually be doing a video blog with Charles shortly, so look out for that. In the end, I just think people need to know that he’s actually an accomplished, compassionate, sincere and hard working individual and friend.
  • But the fact is, there was a reaction and a ton of it!
  • raw and personal look at traveling and the work that goes into telling those stories. Hopefully, if we do move forward they’ll take everyone’s opinions into consideration including to display a bit more of the spot we visit and the story lines of the other writers.
  • Just as we attempted to bring viewers the good, bad and ugly of travel writing, reactions seem to have varied as well. But the fact is, there was a reaction and a ton of it!
  • Just as we attempted to bring viewers the good, bad and ugly of travel writing, reactions seem to have varied as well. But the fact is, there was a reaction and a ton of it!
  • we were trying to peel away at the perfection and reveal what really happens on a press trip when you bring together different types of people without the script and the ego stroking of every destination and tourism board.
  • A travel show is an exciting showcase of interesting places to go and where. If you totally address these, you'll surely go a long long way.
  • It seems that it was a great show, but i want to go to chile!
  • There’s still no word about whether The Travel Channel is going to pick up the show. Obviously, I’m a bit biased but I feel like the time is NOW for a TV show and network to bring an entertaining yet more editorial, raw and personal look at traveling and the work that goes into telling those stories. Hopefully, if we do move forward they’ll take everyone’s opinions into consideration including to display a bit more of the spot we visit and the story lines of the other writers.
  • Great post!
  • hah i knew this wud happen, thanx.
  • enjoyed the show a lot actually- not sure what could be viewed as a real negative- Hell I would jump at the chance to join you guys and do some cooking at the locations you were at- that I think would complete the group(not me per say but a cook/chef)
  • manhattantower
    I found the show entertaining and informative. Love the travel channel but do get tired of them showing the same shows over and over. This was a refreshing change. Hope you all get to Fort Lauderdale sometime. I would love to host you at my property.
    Russel
  • Thanks Shira. My husband and I have travelled to many of these exotic places in Chile. So glad we watched -- it's sometimes refreshing to get a non-chamber-of-commerce viewpoint. Thanks too for the link and I've written the Travel Channel asking for more programs.
  • Beatrice09
    I watched the show last night, and I really really loved it.
    I loved the fact that it is more real, that Charlie had to talk surrounded by mosquitoes...awesome! See, sometimes its cold, hot, you are hungry, tired, that's the way it is supposed to be!!!
    Loved Chile!!!
  • rachel
    You shouldn't stick up for this guy--anyone who does should have their head examined. All he did was complain--about EVERYTHING--and I'm not going to chalk it up to editing. He himself even said something along the lines of "if you're a travel writer who complains, try something else." All this guy does is complain...maybe he should become a penguin shit shoveler at the local zoo--that seems right up his alley
  • jason
    hey rach-
    did you miss the times when he said good things about the lamb at the estancia, or the all the wine, or the massage, or the quirky hotel (remota?), or Valparaiso, or the parks in Patagonia?

    Or were you just too busy seething about someone with a dry sense of humor poking fun at his own job?

    Lighten up!
  • I was scrolling through the channels and I was like; "wait isn't that, that girl from the internet behaving badly at the dinner table?". A few more minutes in "Yup".
  • dsugita
    Personally I enjoyed the episode a lot more than I thought initially. I appreciate that beyond the typical 'one host' point of view, you had a whole team of people to pick through their thoughts/criticisms. I'd like to see the show get picked up, if only because I love seeing destinations that I may never get to visit, but if I end up there, I'll have some point of reference.

    I think the editing was right to focus on your blogging of the trip and the candid photos etc, as we're now in a world where 'in the now' media is so prominent. There will always be a place for these 'feature' pieces in print, but the rawness of blogging/twittering gives such a different look at someone's adventure.
  • carlhancock
    Shira,

    On one hand you say you were trying to show what it is really like on a travel press junket... and on the other hand you say Charles was playing a character by exaggerating things, etc. Which is it? Can't have it both ways.

    If you were showing what REALLY happens on a trip like that you wouldn't be playing characters or exaggerating anything. You would just be yourself, and if being yourself isn't interesting enough... you shouldn't be on the show.

    If I want fake reality drama i'll watch MTV or VH1. It's disappointing to see this type of second rate reality programming make it's way to the Travel Channel.
  • Shira Lazar
    Yes- you can't have it both ways. What I meant is things can be exhaggerated in terms of edit etc... while Charles could've said great the 80 percent of the time , the 20 percent negative could be all that's edited in therefore portraying a part of who he is but not all of who he is. Make sense?

    We were all ourselves but you also need to remember that that 1 hour you see is edited from an entire week of shooting. That's a lot of stuff that's cut out. Just saying- some stuff to think about....
  • riffs
    Loved it. Hope there is more.
  • Hi Shira,
    Just watched the show. I'm glad I could come here and read your thoughts about it.

    Some of those van and boat rides seemed really long...

    Beautiful country.
    --Steve
  • ian_homespun
    Hi again Shira,

    I figured, I'd comment here. I think the portrayal of Charles really helped get a point across: travel writing is not, in fact, vacationing. And, as you mentioned Shira, there really couldn't have been a better airing time than between episodes of "Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations". To be completely honest, I think that the way Charles was represented in the show was almost necessary. When sandwiched between two episodes of one the network's leading shows, something new could be easily forgettable (especially when you consider Bourdain's effervescent and oftentimes cynical witticisms). Charles' narration gave the debut a nice edgy feel - a sort of energetic interlude between the Bourdains. It helped it stand out. It obviously stayed in quite a few peoples' minds after watching it. And to me, Charles never came across as pompous - just tired, as I'm sure he was.

    Well, thats my opinion on the Charles "issue".

    As for you Shira, more power to ya!

    Travel Channel could really benefit from a program like this!

    All the best,
    Ian
  • namenamename
    you were so annoying in the show!
  • lizmitchell
    I still want to go to Chile!
  • That is my dream too.
  • "All press is good press."

    For who? For Charles? For you? For the other writers?

    I'm not sure if this was good press for the profession or for Chile.

    I definitely applaud you and the other writers for getting the word out about the show as well as you did. The level of engagement and response on Twitter, World Hum, Brave New Traveler and other sites, however, doesn't engage the questions of the ways in which aspects of the show might be disingenuous.
  • Shira - Regardless of what any of us think about how the editing played out and portrayed Charles, I know it had to be a fun and exciting experience. Have a blast in whatever you do and congrats for landing a pilot that aired on Travel Channel. That in itself is a major accomplishment.
  • Thanks for your thoughts, Shira. There certainly was a lot of reaction to the show (mostly about the host) but the fundamental concept underlying the program seems to have been well-received. Hope to see more of you on Travel Channel!
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