MovieChat Forums > The People's Court (1997) Discussion > The hallway interview is annoyingly usel...

The hallway interview is annoyingly useless!

posted 10 years ago by Ruthie09
10 replies | jump to latest

I cannot stand the hallway interview after a case! It always amount to rehashing the case in 15 seconds or less. You lost or won... Tell me how you're feeling or leave. But don't rehash the case and don't trash the verdict.

And on a sidenote, why don't they show the litigants the correct place and direction to stand for the hallway interview before the case starts??? Kurt is forever having to try and reposition the person so they're facing the correct direction. It's annoying.

In fact, they should just eliminate the hallway interview entirely. And while we're at it, Harvey needs to stop asking the people outside questions about the case. Ask about something related to the concept of the case ("have you ever bought a used car? Did you take it to a mechanic first?", for example), but not the case itself. They're too busy being excited that they're on TV to give a coherent answer about the actual case.

Grrrrrr.

[–] Gubbio 10 years ago

Curt Chaplin never bothered me. I think his entire purpose is to make the litigants look ridiculous for a few more minutes.

He's been there a long time. Someone in charge must like what he's doing. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAU_TNXXFfk

[–] LittleBrother55 10 years ago

I avoided this message board because I'm admittedly a "compromised" People's Court fan.

For some reason, I got into the show in its original Judge Wapner era, ignored it for a while, then got sucked back in during the Milian era.

But it's a kind of love/hate thing for me; I usually tape the show on my old VCR just so I can fast-forward through the boring, repetitious parts.

Anyway, all this to say that I have always found the present hallway guy, er, Curt at best-- he's superciliousness and bumptiousness personified. He's obviously there to crap all over the losers, and to uphold the company line (The Judge Is Always Right!) if the litigants dare to "diss" the judge and the decision in any way.

Sometimes he sucks up, or at least lightens up, a bit to the winners, especially if it was one of those melodramatic tearjerker cases. But even then, he typically finds a way to repeat the "lesson(s)" they were supposed to learn during Milian's lectures.

Aside from all that, I also have wondered a million times why, given that this is a established series with a decent budget, their stage managers can't figure out a way to "choreograph" the litigants when they come out for Curt's exit interview. It's not like they haven't had time to improve on this "hot spot", and it's odd that they choose to re-invent the wheel every day instead, with that shuffling "Curt Do-Si-do".

Professionally staged productions use marks on the floor to block out where "performers" are supposed to stand. I assume that there's some sort of rehearsal for the litigants-- not to "rehearse" their testimony, but more like a wedding rehearsal run-through.

But it's probably the case that non-professional litigants emerge too keyed-up, distracted, and generally bedazzled by their 15 minutes of fame to find their marks on the stage floor. FWIW, I would think that some sort of podium, or better yet a sort of "dock" enclosure, could be designed that would automatically guide the litigants to stand and face the camera.

I won't get started on little Harvey Levin throwing leading and tangential questions at the typically confused and ignorant rubberneckers in the street; that's a whole different rant! (I wonder if it's in his contract that he gets to promote the "rescue dog" concept, though.)

[–] weeping_wounds 9 years ago

Remember he is also playing the Doug Llewelyn part from the Wapner days. Right there in the hallway ready to antagonize.

[–] Lvly_LJ 9 years ago

Doug Llewelyn I liked, Curt Chaplin I do not! He's a little snot and I like it when the angry litigants just walk right pass him.

[–] detroitmarauder22 9 years ago

But if it was choreographed we wouldn't get those awesome moments when people walk the wrong way, right at the camera!

[–] There-Can-Be-Only-One 9 years ago

I have been saying it for years - we need to cut Curt and the hallway interview, and use his salary to film more episodes so we have fewer reruns. Win/Win. Curt brings down the whole quality level of the show. I loathe him.

[–] stppat 9 years ago

It is so funny that most of the time they walk the wrong way down the hall. I sometimes wonder if Douglas or a producer, tell them to exit out to the left. But their told this while standing at the witness stand, hence confusing them. It's the only rational way I can explain it. Oh, and the only reason I watch the hallway interviews, is to see if someone will really go off on Curt, JUST ONCE!!! Haha

[–] Gubbio 9 years ago

It is so funny that most of the time they walk the wrong way down the hall.

Obviously, our view of "the hallway" is a set.

But, when they walk toward the camera, I always wonder what's ahead of them.

Are they walking into a cavernous backstage area? I mean, what do they see that makes them think that's the way out?

[–] LittleBrother55 9 years ago

I'm not bored or obsessed enough to monitor it, but off the top of my head I think it may be the case that litigants who leave the courtroom angry, or are otherwise worked up, are more likely to veer off in the wrong direction.

I'd like to see a video of the stage/set from perspectives you don't see on the show. There might be a hallway or doorway with an "EXIT" sign that attracts (distracts) litigants, or maybe they're just walking away from the bright lights.

Or they just might be so disgusted that they're in Flee Mode, hoping to avoid Curt and even Douglas, who's always waiting to escort them out. 😉

I still think that it's normal for litigants to be discombobulated after their stressful "trial", so they might not be able to remember stage directions, follow footprints painted on the floor, or stand on marks as actors learn to do.

They could put up a more basic version of the witness table or lectern out there, though-- something unobtrusive that even an unhappy or upset person could "target" on the way out.

Maybe they're afraid the litigants would bang into it or something. I guess the producers think it's too trivial to fix, or maybe they wrongly think it's part of the show's charm.

[–] canadazbest 9 years ago

I can't imagine why anyone would be in Flee Mode from Douglas, that is one handsome man😍I was just about to start a new thread with one simple question: does anyone else think Kurt is a total goof? Seems at some point his wife thought so? He hasn't been wearing his wedding band in quite some time!! But his personal life is NOMB, got a little carried away there😀 I'd love to see a "behind the scenes" segment instead of a third case sometime that shows the entire layout of the set - wouldn't y'all??