Making TV Magic from Scratch with Richard Wilmore

My guest this week is Richard Wilmore, the host and executive producer of the wildly successful daily talk and variety series Make Your Day Richer TV. From 2016 to 2022, he hosted the award-winning The Richard Wilmore Show. He also co-hosts the Wolf Media Fest podcast. Behind the scenes, Richard helps numerous podcasts and livestreams with production, editing, and talent booking needs through his company, Make Your Day Richer. Richard talks with me about how he found his calling as a talk show host, why you should start where you are with what you have, the challenges of making work for hire and turning your art into a business, the importance (and difficulties) of listening to yourself, and a lot more. Episode breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 04:09 Supportive parents let Richard explore. 09:06 Young Richard pretended to be a weatherperson, then talk show host. 13:11 Performing as himself felt natural, but nerves still linger. 17:16 Richard describes building colorful sets to energize his shows. 22:18 Created talk show sets in basements, bedrooms, and studios. 27:04 Richard and Nancy reflect on starting shows with minimal gear. 32:44 Burnout can happen even doing what you love most. 37:15 Turning creativity into business poses unexpected challenges for artists. 41:21 Listening to your gut is crucial but not always easy. 46:29 Self-doubt and outside opinions complicate creative decisions and direction. 51:49 Guests surprise Richard; reaching out directly often leads to yes.   Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and theatre.   If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend. Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack. Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!