KMOV field trip

The view across the studio from the news set

Do not use this sink.

This morning, I went along with my friend and colleague Evan for his appearance on "Great Day St. Louis" at KMOV. I was his celebrity handler, which means I shlepped his gear into the studio and made sure he powdered his face.

It had been years since I'd been in a TV studio, though, so I mostly just observed the process. Notable:

• KMOV's three studio camera are unmanned. Except for one handheld camera, they're remote controlled by a guy sitting at a desk.

• Everything on TV looks huge. In reality, the set is tiny. The "Great Day" set can't be more than 40 feet wide. Across the room is the news set; the robotic cameras roll between the two.

• Also, many set pieces are faux and/or covered in Scotch tape, apparently not visible on TV.

• Dull colors photograph brilliantly, and dim light becomes bright light. It's magic, I tell you.

• The kitchen is fully functional except for the sink. Do not use the sink. No!

• I had an overwhelming urge to clean the stainless steel and dust the cabinets.

See the rest of my exciting behind-the-scenes photos here.