This is the first in a series of columns aimed at providing a behind the scenes look, and hopefully a more positive view, of how some people are coping with being quarantined, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

You probably already know – Hollywood production companies have shutdown operations. Most television shows are not being taped right now, and that has put my friend Robert G. Lee out of work.

Lee works as a warm-up comic, currently for the rebooted sitcom One Day at a Time. I interviewed him over the phone this week, and asked him to describe what exactly he does as a warm-up comic.

“Most of the shows you’ve seen, there is someone who comes out between takes to keep the audience entertained,” he said. “For example, if the writers don’t get a good laugh, they have to rewrite something, so there’s a break in taping. Another example is, I did my last taping for One Day at a Time recently, and it was a Halloween episode. So the first assistant director said, ‘Well, get ready for this one because between these two scenes, you’ll have a half hour to keep the audience going, until we come back.’ We feed them a snack, and I have contests, but my job is to not care about myself. The warm-up comedian can’t be concerned about going out and telling jokes. They have to go out and assess the mood of the audience, be aware of the show, and know the audience has come for a different reason. So, people who have huge egos, can’t be TV warm-ups, because it just doesn’t work, it’s not about you. Now by the time the show is over, hopefully the audience loves you.”

Lee said he usually begins warming up the audience about 30 minutes before the taping begins. He duties also include introducing the cast members and producers to the audience. He’s been doing this a while, but was fortunate to land his first job.

“I started back, in the mid-80s, on The Golden Girls, that was my first TV show,” said Lee. “When I got The Golden Girls, a friend of mine was doing it, and he left to do another show, so he brought me in because we had worked together. Then I called and got Designing Women, then I called Perfect Strangers and when someone was sick, I got Perfect Strangers. I finally got a track record and started working for a lot of shows.”

At one time, Lee was the warm-up comic for four shows taped each week.

“My career as a TV warm-up comic is interesting because I’m that one guy that no one in the country knows, but a few producers in Hollywood know and I’ve been able to make my living this way,” he said.

Lee mentioned that although he doesn’t really get to become friends with the actors, he really enjoyed working with the stars of Cheers, Becker and The New Adventures of Old Christine.

“You don’t really build up relationships with stars, they have their own life, but I will say Ted Danson and Julia Louis Dreyfus are just the greatest people on the planet. They’re kind and they fit into what I like to say – you become what you always were, and if you were a jerk and you were hiding it until you became famous, then you don’t have to pretend any more when you become famous and you’re a jerk. But people like Ted Danson and Julia Louis Dreyfus, were great people beforehand and they realize how lucky they are to be doing their series and they were just fantastic.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, Lee and the crew were taping the current season of One Day at a Time, which airs on POP-TV and TV Land.

“We were in the middle of it, and then this started and they pulled the plug for the audience shows,” he said. “They shot one without an audience, then SONY shut down everything. So, right now we’re in that holding pattern. I will say this, SONY has so much class, they paid the entire crew for three episodes that were canceled, and not just a few people, they paid the entire crew, so that to me is one of those – all right, I’ll be loyal to you. I will get insurance this year, because SONY paid for a couple of episodes they didn’t have to.”

Because he is only working on one sitcom at this time, Lee recently jumped back into stand-up comedy and began touring again.

“I don’t do comedy clubs, because I work clean, and so I find other avenues,” he said. “That’s where the work in churches and corporations comes in. Of course, now, there’s nothing. So, because everything has dried up, I’ve had to reinvent myself again. I’m working on a program online called The Corona Diaries. It’s a daily time capsule written for people in the future explaining what our culture was like during this pandemic. No matter what happens, you adapt. You figure out; how can I reach my audience? How can I stay creative? What can I do?”

You can see Lee’s entire resume on IMDB.com. Check out “The Corona Diaries” on YouTube and Facebook; find the links at his web site, www.RobertGLee.com.