Television: So You Want to Be a TV Star

Sooner or later the TV watcher who tunes in on a talk show is likely to decide that he could make more stimulating conversation himself. Harold Greenwood of Minneapolis is no exception—except that he decided to prove the thesis by buying two minutes of air time each week (at $102 a minute) and producing a show with himself as star.

Greenwood's miniprogram is televised over KSTP in Minneapolis and WDSM in Duluth during the network break in Meet the Press. Called Comment Capsule, it consists of a film interview with a different guest each week. A crewcut, slow-talking fellow, Greenwood, 36, is introduced as the president of the Midwest Federal Savings and Loan Association, but the plug in his "noncommercial commercial" ends there. The real pitchman is the week's visitor, for Greenwood never interrupts nor asks any discomfiting questions. All he does is get the guest started.

"Congressman, I've always admired your bold and courageous stance on the issues," was how he introduced Wright Patman of Texas, the country's most vociferous advocate of easy money.

"Thank you very much, Harold," replied the chairman of the House Banking Committee. "I'm certainly glad to know you better 'cause I know we have a lot in common." With that, Patman was off and talking.

All of which may partially explain the extraordinary availability of important guests, who seem as eager as Greenwood to show their faces on TV. Last week's was Urban League Director Whitney Young; before that the program offered Bayard Rustin, Senators Charles Percy and Wayne Morse, Billy Graham and Walter Heller. Next week Greenwood has filming sessions scheduled with Bobby Kennedy, Jack Benny and Conrad Hilton. For next month, when Greenwood goes to Europe, he has talks arranged with West German Foreign Minister Willy Brandt and, pending approval of the questions, Charles de Gaulle.