Remember that time when I was explaining how our life in New York City is pretty ordinary most of the time, until something epic happens (see The One with Cash Cab)?

Well,  something epic has happened again!

We recently welcomed three Facebook executives, two producers from Good Morning America (GMA), and two camera people into our apartment! Yes folks, the Tidy Dad Family is about to make their morning show debut!

Here’s the full story:

Answering the Query

Morning show producers are normal people, just like you and me. And from time to time, producers for shows post queries on local Facebook groups. My sister-in-law stumbled across a post from a producer from GMA. Here’s the query:

I’ve learned a few things about responding to queries and know that you have to immediately set yourself apart from the crowd! So I promptly sent a response and included the fact that my family fit the brief and that I was planning to make a mirror glaze cake over Thanksgiving!

The producer from GMA sent a quick reply and we arranged for a phone interview that afternoon.

The Audition Process

While walking home from work, I gave the producer a call. I shared my family’s plan for Thanksgiving and why we’re not celebrating with extended family (see Tidying Up Our Holidays). I also shared my love for baking (see Baking Beginnings) and how we like to spend time together as a family of four over the short Thanksgiving break.

The producer then shared that the segment for GMA was going to feature the new Portal by Facebook device. She wanted to hear more about how we currently video chat with our families. She said that part of the segment would be a pre-filmed piece about a family using the device to chat with grandparents. Then the family would talk about their experience LIVE on GMA on Black Friday.

She asked if I’d still be interested. Of course I said, “Yes!”

I then had to choose a grandparent who would be featured as part of the segment with us, if we were chosen. I immediately thought of my mother, who should be a TV star. She’s just destined to be discovered.

My mom is outgoing, funny, and full of zany, crazy ideas. It’s safe to say that I inherited a few traits from her. The producer said that she would give her a call, and I said, “you’re going to LOVE her.”

After getting off the phone, I called my mom. Up until this point, she had no idea about the query or that I was talking to a producer. She was on a trip in Florida with my step-dad and she literally screamed “YOU ARE KIDDING,” when I told her that a producer would be giving her a call.

I explained the query, my conversation with the producer, and what they were looking for in a family for the segment. My mom was very excited and I felt confident in my decision to have chosen her to be part of this crazy adventure!

And then the text conversations began:

After wrapping up her call with the producer, my mom sent me another text:

The Story of The Dolls

Here’s the back story on the dolls:

Several years ago for Christmas, my mom bought Mabel a large doll with lots of clothes and accessories. The doll was too large to fit in our suitcase for our return flight, so my mom said the doll could live with her in Kentucky. It would be the special “Nana” doll.

Every time my mom comes to visit us, she brings Audrey Ann (and now Matilda’s doll, Bonnie Rose). We have lots of adventures with the dolls. My mom always jokes that Audrey Ann has seen and done more than most adults!

So while on the phone with the producer, my mom talked about the dolls and she said the producer loved it!

The Long Wait

My mom and I waited a week to find out if we’d been selected to take part in the segment. My mother told all of her friends and family about her interview. She also answered all of my phone calls that week within the first ring.

“Did you hear anything?” she’d ask.

“No, Mom. This is how auditions go. Sometimes you find out, sometimes you don’t.”

I emailed the producer for an update and learned that she was in the process of interviewing a few other families. She said the final selection would be up to the Facebook team, and that I’d hear something soon.

My mom continued to send me lots of texts. Every day.

Facebook Chose You

After days of trying to keep my mother calm, we ultimately got the call that the Facebook team had chosen us! They mentioned they were intrigued by the unique story of Audrey Ann and Bonnie Rose.

The producer also shared that we’d now start the logistical process of determining a good shoot date. She also wanted us to think about what we might do together during the video chat.

Here is what the producer said the shoot would entail: A crew would be sent to Kentucky and a crew would be sent to our apartment in New York City. My family and my mom would each be interviewed separately and then we’d video chat with each other using our new Portal by Facebook devices. She requested that the “Nana” dolls be featured and that we do an activity together.

My mom, the master of ideas, told the producer she could send us a care package filled with supplies to make chocolate acorn cookies and fall-themed paintings.

The producer loved her idea and preparations for the shoot began!

Day of the Shoot

The GMA producers, Facebook executives, and camera crew arrived at 7:30am for a shoot that they said would last about 4 hours. Simultaneously, another 7-person crew was doing the same thing at my mom’s house in Kentucky. After touring the spaces, installing the Portal by Facebook devices, and setting up the camera equipment, we put on our microphones and the making of TV magic began.

Emily and I sat down together for a joint interview at the start of the shoot. The producer wanted us to talk about how we met, what it’s like to live in New York City, and the difficult parts about living so far from grandparents.

It is hard not to have grandparents who live close enough to enjoy the ordinary moments of everyday life with our girls. The grandparents can’t just take the girls out for a few hours or stop by our home for the afternoon. We video chat occasionally, but the girls like to hold the devices and run around the apartment to show off things or tell stories. It ends up being dizzying to the person on the other side!

We learned that the Portal by Facebook device would be attached directly to our television screen, and has a camera that automatically pans and zooms to keep up with whatever action is going on in the room. The girls would be able to walk, talk, and play while video chatting, and always stay in the frame! This is transformational for video chatting! We were so excited to try it out!

But first, the girls were interviewed together. They answered questions about the dolls, visits to Kentucky, and their Nana. Mabel was uncharacteristically shy and Matilda squirmed all over the couch, but they were cute!

After our interviews, the crew reset the cameras. We turned on the Portal by Facebook device, and our video chat with Nana finally began!

During the call, we made special cookies, painted, and interacted with the dolls! We almost completely forgot that cameras were rolling!

That’s a Wrap

4 hours after our initial start time, the producer called the shoot “a wrap”! It’s remarkable how long it takes to plan, arrange, film, edit, and produce a 5-minute segment for television. After packing up the cameras, the camera operator walked over to me and said, “Facebook couldn’t have found a better family.” A huge smile spread across my face.

Having a camera crew in our apartment for 4 hours was just another reminder of how crazy life in New York City can be sometimes. If we lived anywhere else, I can’t imagine that we would have stumbled across the same opportunity. I am also so glad that we got to share this experience with my mom.

We are nearing the one-year anniversary of the Tidy Dad launch. It has been incredible to reflect with Emily on all the experiences we’ve had this past year. I’m so thankful to have this platform to share my journey, and grateful that you are following along.

Update: Our full segment about video chatting using Portal by Facebook aired on Friday, Nov 29, 2019 on Good Morning America during the 8:30am half-hour. Check out our behind-the-scenes story about the LIVE portion of this adventure at Morning Show Surprise. It includes a link to the segment!

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