By KELLY KULTYS
NEWS EDITOR
First, there was just Fordham Nightly News (FNN), the student-produced, student-run news program with updates on a bit of everything inside and outside the campus gates. Last year, the studio launched two new shows –“Fordham Mornings, a Wednesday morning talk-show mainly for Fordham students, and Overtime,” a sports-talk show that covers every professional league as well as Fordham sports. In the coming weeks, the studio will launch a new show, ‘The Desk; which was “inspired by a combination of Weekend Update, The Daily Show and Whose Line Is It Anyway.”
The idea for the show came from Lindsey Festa, FCRH ’13, current student-director of FNN, and Will Ganss, FCRH ’14.
“It was actually something that Will (Ganss) and I had been talking about since last year,” Festa said. “Our studio was recently renovated, and for us not to take advantage of this new space would be silly on our part. Plus, there are probably many students who might not want to watch the news and are looking for something a little bit light hearted. We knew that there were students who wanted something like this to start, but it was just a matter of when the right moment was, timing etc.”
Festa and Ganss drew from their own personal tastes and preferences to gather ideas for the show.
“Will and I love SNL and other comedic shows and we knew that there were students on our campus who were able to bring that same humor and energy to a show of our own,” Festa said.
The duo hopes that the show will air on Feb. 14 if everything goes smoothly.
“We have already cast our show, which was a really exciting process for Will and I,” Festa said. “The screen tests that we held really brought to light that there are many students here at Fordham who are truly talented when it comes to comedy. Personally, I was really blown away by some of the writing that was sent to us.”
Festa and Ganss created the show to help drive a wider-variety of the student population to the studio’s channel 10. This show provides a niche for students who do not necessarily want the hard news or to listen to a sports talk show.
“The Desk is something different,” Festa said. “Will and I realize that not every student wants to watch something serious, so we want to provide that outlet. It is a great way to showcase the comedic talent that students have and by broadcasting this, we’re really hoping that this will inspire other students to get involved in the future.”
Students can look forward to many parts of the half hour show, but Festa said that there are some parts she specifically is excited to see.
“One segment that I am particularly looking forward to is something that “Whose Line Is It Anyway” used to have on their show,” Festa said. “One of our correspondents will be placed in front of the green screen, not knowing what is behind him/her. With the help of our anchors, the correspondent has to figure out what is going on.”
Festa and Ganss have already cast the show through a series of screen-tests and call back auditions. Their cast includes on-air talent, such as anchors and correspondents, writers who send in their material, which Festa and Ganss sort through to use on the show and of course their student techs who run the equipment necessary to put on the broadcast.
“‘The Desk’ will consist of two main anchors who will deliver comedic news stories,” Festa said. “We will have characters come in for interviews, as well as special segments that will allow for more on-air opportunities.”
The show will also feature a few segments of improvisation for those who enjoy that comedic dimension.
Fans of “Fordham Nightly News,” “Fordham Mornings” and “Overtime,” or new viewers attracted by the comedic dimension, can tune in to Channel 10 every Thursday from 7-7:30 p.m. to catch “The Desk.”
