There's A First Time For Everything

Today was a day of firsts. I sat in as a guest host on a radio show this morning. It was kind of cool; I've done radio before. It was a promotional spot they wanted to do in conjunction with my new book, Into The High Country.

Funny thing was, halfway through the show, who steps into the studio but ... Porter Wagoner.


Porter & Chet Atkins

The legend himself. He loves to bass fish, and so he fit right in. I can't believe my promo spot was upstaged by Porter Wagoner! I tell you this: he was a gentle soul. Such a nice man. We talked some about his nifty outfits that he is famous for in country music lore, and we even talked about fishing some, too. I wish all celebrities were as nice as he was when you meet them. So that was a first.

From there I moved on to do something else I've never done. Film a TV commercial. I now know what actors mean when they say that sit around the set for hours to shoot 10 minutes of film. It took them 90 minutes to set up for a 30 second commercial. Yet that's not their fault. You have so much to do ... lighting, camera angles, shadows, props, audio issues, and then finally the commercial itself.

The line of "firsts" doesn't stop there. No. Today was unique in that it was the first, and hopefully last time, that I have to wear makeup. You got it. Just like a girl. Here I am the guy who left his church to start an outdoor ministry for guys who love to hunt and fish and yet I find myeslf sitting very still in a chair while bright lights light up my face as they apply makeup so that I look better on camera.

I told them that if they even mentioned lipstick I was leaving the set with no discussion!!

What a day. And it ain't even close to over yet!!