THE DIRECTOR

Sophomore Brandon Parker went to Los Angeles over spring break hoping to get lucky on "The Price is Right." And though his dreams of a "Showcase Showdown" didn't come true, he received an equally exciting parting gift for waiting in line: tickets to "The Wayne Brady Show."\n"I've been a fan ever since I watched 'Whose Line is it Anyway?' and decided to see him since we were so close to the studio," Parker says. "Wayne was very entertaining, energetic and seemed to really enjoy his show and entertaining his guests. You could tell he wasn't there just for the cameras."\nOne thing Parker couldn't help but notice was how tightly directed the show was.\n"All of the people on the set were very friendly and seemed to have everything planned out to the very last detail," he says. "Although there were ad-libbed parts, the show carried on quite well from my perspective and we had a great time."\nWhat Parker didn't know at the time was that much of the success of "The Wayne Brady Show" can be attributed to former Indiana University student Barry Glazer, now a director with credits ranging from the Wayne Brady Show to over 40 other television series and specials.\nGlazer studied theater at IU in the '50s, but dropped out before graduating to become an actor in New York. He credits the department for sparking his early interest in acting.\n"What inspired me was the great theater department," Glazer says. "All I was interested in was getting to New York and acting, even though my whole family had nothing to do with show business."\nBreaking into the competitive New York theater scene was harder than Glazer expected, and he soon found himself giving tours at the NBC studio.\n"I would always use different accents on the tours," Glazer says. "People wouldn't know if I was from the south or what."\nGlazer's career outlook was bleak when one day he witnessed a director preparing for "The Perry Como Show." Not only did the director set the stage for the show that day, but for a new direction in Glazer's life.\n"(The director) was yelling and he just had total control," Glazer says. "It was fascinating. I had never seen a director work like that. I said, 'Forget acting, that's what I want to do.'"\nGlazer soon found himself as a fill-in director for the news, and quickly moved to another New York station where he directed an early rock 'n' roll show similar to "American Bandstand."\nThe young director's style, which later helped set the standard for music videos, eventually caught the attention of ABC in Los Angeles where Glazer oversaw daytime programming.\nIt was there Glazer began his most well-known directing work on "American Bandstand" from 1971-88.\n"One day Dick Clark came up to me and said 'I don't know you from a hole in the head, but I'm going to let you direct next week.' He said, 'If you do good, stay on. If you do bad, goodbye.'"\n"I went home and threw up I was so nervous," Glazer says.\nSince that time Glazer has worked as director or producer for literally dozens of shows, including "LIVE! with Regis and Kathie Lee!" and the "The Suzanne Somers Show." His work has gotten him two Emmy awards and a dozen Emmy nominations.\nGlazer doesn't have a favorite show and just enjoys directing, but has especially enjoyed directing "The Wayne Brady Show."\n"'The Wayne Brady Show' is one of the best things I've worked on in a long time," Glazer says. "There are some of the most creative talents I've ever worked with here."\nThose who work with Glazer say he has an incredible talent for directing a live show and thinking quickly when things don't go the way they're supposed to.\n"One of the best things about him is he has the ability to be incredibly spontaneous," says "Wayne Brady Show" executive producer John Redmann. "He's calm even among last minute changes. And when things happen that aren't planned he rolls with the punches and covers them up."\nGlazer says the impromptu nature of live television is his favorite thing about directing.\n"Your adrenaline is rushing because anything can happen," he says. "There's all these goofs and mistakes and things that should be bleeped out but don't always get bleeped out. I love it."\nAnd for all Glazer's success, it apparently hasn't gone to his head.\n"He doesn't have any ego or attitude," Redmann says. "Crews love him. They'll do anything for him."\nUnfortunately, "The Wayne Brady Show" did not get picked up for a third season, but Glazer will direct "The Tony Danza Show" later this year.\nSo what advice does Glazer have for current IU students thinking of following in his footsteps? First he suggests taking courses in TV, especially anything about production. These courses were not available when he attended IU. But other than that, he says there's a lot of luck involved in breaking into the business. \n"I hate to say this, but it's basically who you know and where you are at the right time," he says.