Granting Wishes II

How did you catch NBC's eye for Three Wishes?

Grant: This happened in a very interesting way. My manager was in the hospital over Christmas for a month and was very sick. She only answered two e-mails during that entire time, and one was to NBC because she heard they were looking for a host for a new reality show. She had read the premise of the show and said, "Oh my goodness, this is right up Amy's alley!" I don't watch much TV and I'm not a big fan of reality shows, so she didn't tell me that she sent this. She answered the e-mail, saying she felt I would be great for this job. She sent them a press kit, including the very best video work I've ever done-like if I was on Oprah and made Oprah laugh. She tailor made this to really make me look fabulous-without telling me.

She got a call back from NBC, and then she called me and said, "I sent in your resume without asking you because I think you'd be great for this job. And they've called back and want you to come for an interview." I went to NBC and said, "I'm not a big TV watcher, but I love the idea of your show. Somebody's going to make a great host and whoever that host is will have a front row seat to some pretty amazing things. I'm throwing my hat in the ring and you pick whoever you want." That was about as emotional as the meeting was. Then she called back and said, "They want you to do it."

How did your previous TV appearances prepare you for the program?

Grant: We filmed the first show and it was kind of long hours, but my mom called and asked how it was going. I said, "I feel like so many extraneous things in my life prepared me to do this TV show. None of it feels like work." It all feels like stuff I've done in other parts of my life-meeting with children, talking to people, going to hospitals. I think about all the houses I've built with Habitat for Humanity, and how many kids I've already met with Make-A-Wish Foundation. Now they're just doing it with a TV show to try and encourage people to get involved with their next door neighbor and be a better part of their community, and I think, "Oh my gosh, I feel like I'm following a bread crumb trail." It really felt like a gift to me at this point in life.

What's the basic premise of the show?

Grant: Each episode so far is based in a small town. Basically we're there for a week. The first day of the week we set up a wish tent and we invite people to come and bring their wishes. I get on the radio that morning, I go up and down the main street. We pick small towns just because it's possible to show up and actually have a presence. If we were going to show up in Chicago, people would go, "Oh great, a bigger traffic jam. Please leave." We solicit wishes and choose the ones we're going to grant. Fortunately I'm not part of that process because it would just be way too much emotional pressure.

The first day is a long day. I bet we saw 500 people that stood in line waiting to say, "My name is so and so and my wish is X, Y, Z." I knew we were onto something really special. I find myself getting a lump in my throat, because I realize most of us want the capacity to give back to people who've meant something to us. That sort of feeling prevails with the entire week. It's not Extreme Makeover: Home Edition; you're not redoing the world. But it's people talking to each other. Every week we'll pick these three wishes and then filming the process of granting those wishes.

Are there talks of continuing Three Wishes for another season?

Grant: Right now, I think they've ordered nine shows so that's as far as I'm looking down the road.

What advice would you give those hoping to have their wish granted on the program?

Grant: It sure doesn't hurt if you've got five minutes on your hands to log on and wish for something. It needs to be connected to a small town, but most of us have small town roots somewhere. That's just the way they've angled this show right now and there's no magic formula. Like with any reality show, the magic is what happens once you get there.

Source