Behind the Scenes at Jimmy Kimmel Live’s “Wall of America”

Two things happened this year that give me a reason to stay up past 11:30 p.m.: I had a second baby and Cisco started a new partnership with Jimmy Kimmel Live.  Usually, I catch clips of late-night shows on YouTube. But when we partnered with the Jimmy Kimmel Live team to reimagine the fan experience, I knew I would have some great TV to watch while up with my newborn.

What they’ve accomplished with the Wall of America, powered by Cisco video conferencing, has been truly amazing. It brings a new and different dynamic to broadcast television. Sure, video conferencing on television isn’t new. The difference is video conferencing at this scale and quality!

The show’s team had a vision to not only create a virtual audience during live broadcasts, but also to have the ability to interact with the virtual audience in meaningful (and often very funny) ways. Whether home viewers connect to participate in a funny game, or talk “in person” with celebrities, the segments never disappoint.

Things I’ve learned since the Wall’s debut:

• America is full of interesting tattoos and people who aren’t afraid to show them! We’ve seen plenty ranging from Marvel comic characters to Betty White’s face.
• “Show-and-tell” takes on a whole new meaning when you have a view into audience members’ homes. Some of the funniest things aren’t what people are calling in to show, but what Jimmy ends up picking out in the background.
• The world record holder for the widest tongue lives in Syracuse, New York.
• People are not afraid to make a mess of their home or destroy personal belongings to win a prize on Dare Roulette.
• National Pancake Day is a real thing!

Since the launch of the Wall of America in February, we have received a lot of questions on how the technology actually works. We recently recorded a behind-the-scenes video with the show’s team to share a few details of how we brought their vision to television.

Partnering with the show has been an amazing personal experience for me and a game-changer for Cisco. It really demonstrates our ability to solve a customer’s unique business challenge in a new and innovative way.

Feedback from the Jimmy Kimmel Live team has been extremely positive: “I just don’t think there are other shows that have the ability to have direct interaction with their fans at home. We’ve always tried to be a forward-thinking, tech-savvy, and advanced show, and I think this just furthers that,” says Tony Romero, producer.

Watch Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC at 11:30 p.m. in most U.S. television markets – or check out the Jimmy Kimmel Live YouTube Channel.

Want to be part of the show? Register for the Wall of America

My favorite Wall of America segment so far is Dare Roulette – jumping jacks holding two glasses of milk!   What was your favorite Wall of America segment? Let me know in the comments.

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