One of the things I loved about working in television in Los Angeles for 7 years was the occasional opportunity to see a live taping of a sit-com or talk show. For any of us who have ever attended one of these events we know what a production they are. Audience members, who are paid nothing, but valued highly for their role in making performers look good, are ushered into crammed sets well ahead of time to get ready for the show.

The audience usually spends several hours at the taping, even though the final edited piece is much shorter. There are commercial breaks and re-takes to get the final version just right. And during these pauses the producers employ someone special. He (or she) is called an audience warm up comic. This person’s sole job is to keep the audience enthused, excited, and anxious to be a part of the next segment of the show.

One of the very best audience ‘warmer-upper’s was a man named Johnny Olson. You may remember him as the original voice of ‘The Price is Right,’ who immortalized the line, “Come on down!” When it came to warming up audiences, Olson was a Hollywood legend. Years before he worked with comedian Jackie Gleason who would simply not go on stage if the audience hadn’t been primed by Olson – even if it meant flying Olson in from across the country.

What made Olson so successful and beloved by Hollywood heavy weights, and oversized egos, like Jackie Gleeson and Bob Barker, was his ability to focus the spotlight not on himself, but on the ones who would follow him. Olson didn’t attend most of the industry parties he was invited to, nor did he get very involved in the highly politicized world of entertainment. He simply understood his job, showed up, and did it. He understood that the spotlight was not for him, but for another.



As you and I contemplate the ‘readiness’ themes of Advent we can’t help but examine our own roles as forerunners and preparers of the Way. This week and next our Sunday gospel readings ask us to walk in the shoes (ok, sandals) of another famous Johnny who made a career out of promoting the one who would follow him. We will marvel at the Baptist’s seriousness, single-minded focus, and calm understanding of his role in life. And we can’t help but ask questions about ourselves.

For we all are Johnny Olsons.

How well do we understand our roles as preparers for the One who is to come? What are we doing to shine the spotlight not on ourselves but on Christ and God’s work in us?
What might we do in the week ahead to prepare for Christ’s coming?