Last week I shared how I’d been invited to participate in a televised discussion on KSL’s “Studio 5” about issues surrounding non-Mormons living and raising families in predominantly LDS communities. You can read “Riding the pink elephant to Studio 5″ here.

Having a television producer and a cameraman show up at your house sounds glamorous and exciting, maybe even pretentious (unless your neighbor committed a crime). I suppose it’s a little of each, but it’s also nerve-wracking and exhausting. I’ve experienced this once before – in March for a different local television show – but this time I felt more anxious.

Before producer Mindy Dunyon and cameraman Corey arrived last Wednesday afternoon, I ensured the inside of the microwave was clean, my sons’ sheets were laundered, bathroom drawers were toothpaste- and spit-free, and that Mary’s (our dog) bed pillows and stuffed toys were Febreeze-d. Then 10 minutes before the doorbell rang I got dressed, fixed my hair, and applied a lot of make-up like a crazy person. I also realized that every pair of pants I own had shrunk.

I can’t say that the two hours of talking or videoing flew by. Yet, it was a blur. What did I say? How did I answer that question? Did I smile too much? Not enough? Can I have a do-over? I bought new pants!

I don’t want to mishandle topics that are serious and sensitive – or pretend there hasn’t been some heartache and confusion on both sides of a religious divide. In the same breath, keeping things light with a spritz of humor can help people move through challenging discussions and make forward progress.

The producer had me quote lines from my book in a conversational tone. That felt unnatural, but I figured she’s the one with the creative vision. At one point, she had me look into the camera and say, “My name is Chrisy Ross and I’m not a Mormon,” – a parody of the “I’m a Mormon” campaign. The irony being that I look (to some) like a Mormon stereotype.

I don’t know how the two-minute pre-produced piece will look, or exactly what will be discussed on the live portion of the segment. I believe the intention is to promote fair-mindedness on both sides of the LDS member/nonmember divide. At a minimum get people to think, maybe even have conversations of their own.

Friday, November 16, at 11:00 AM, I’ll be on Studio 5 to support producer, Mindy Dunyon, in her effort to shed some healthy light on a topic that I believe touches most Utahns. I hope you’ll watch.

Chrisy Ross is the author of To Mormons, with Love: A Little Something from the New Girl in Utah. She lives in Alpine with her husband and three sons, and blogs at ChrisyRoss.com.