TryGOLD- Free

Kamala's Party - Producing Chicago The DNC covered nearly impossible ground to raise up Harris as the new hero.

New York magazine|August 26 - September 08, 2024
Producing Chicago The DNC covered nearly impossible ground to raise up Harris as the new hero. At a political convention, power is rendered as geography. The rank and file are stuck in the rafters of the arena; the delegates jostle on the floor. Donors and VIPs are positioned up in a ring of luxury suites, their status-conferring badges and passes flapping from their many lanyards. The staffers toil down in the bowels, harried and molelike, their eyes on their phones. But at last week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, maybe the most important piece of real estate was a narrow space up metal gangway stairs at the back of the United Center, where Ricky Kirshner worked in front of a bank of a half-dozen flat-screens. The Democrats in the hall were extras in a televised event, and Kirshner was producing the show.
- By Andrew Rice - Photography by Mark Peterson
Kamala's Party - Producing Chicago The DNC covered nearly impossible ground to raise up Harris as the new hero.

At a political convention, power is rendered as geography. The rank and file are stuck in the rafters of the arena; the delegates jostle on the floor. Donors and VIPs are positioned up in a ring of luxury suites, their status-conferring badges and passes flapping from their many lanyards. The staffers toil down in the bowels, harried and molelike, their eyes on their phones. But at last week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, maybe the most important piece of real estate was a narrow space up metal gangway stairs at the back of the United Center, where Ricky Kirshner worked in front of a bank of a half-dozen flat-screens. The Democrats in the hall were extras in a televised event, and Kirshner was producing the show.

At 7:45 p.m. Chicago time on the convention’s third night, Kirshner took off his headset to talk for just a moment. “I’ve got Stevie Wonder coming,” he said. A veteran producer of awards shows like the Tonys and the Golden Globes, Kirshner had been tasked with creating compelling entertainment out of a four-day speech marathon, making the most of the precious hours of prime time that the television networks had committed to the Democrats each night. He was coordinating, chiefly through nods and signals, with two directors at his table, who were running the stage and the house cameras, while communicating what was coming next to the networks through his headset.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NEW YORK MAGAZINEView all
'We're Running Out of Mansions'
New York magazine

'We're Running Out of Mansions'

How The Gilded Age makes absurdly low-stakes period drama into must-watch television.

time-read
8 mins  |
June 16-29, 2025
THIS SUMMER WE'RE EATING IN GROCERY STORES
New York magazine

THIS SUMMER WE'RE EATING IN GROCERY STORES

They're more affordable, more flexible, and a lot more fun than restaurants right now. HERE ARE THE 65 BEST SPOTS TO GET STARTED.

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 16-29, 2025
What a Cosmetic Chemist Buys at the Drugstore
New York magazine

What a Cosmetic Chemist Buys at the Drugstore

WE ASKED Dr. Julian Sass, the creator of a viral sunscreen database and an expert fact-checker of product claims, about the most effective items he routinely picks up.

time-read
1 min  |
June 16-29, 2025
Alfargo's Marketplace
New York magazine

Alfargo's Marketplace

On a recent Friday night, shoppers (and sellers) parsed through vintage pieces at the pop-up menswear bazaar held at NeueHouse.

time-read
2 mins  |
June 16-29, 2025
Attention Seeking
New York magazine

Attention Seeking

Amid a growing awareness of our dwindling ability to focus, people are trying to reverse the damage, with mixed results.

time-read
6 mins  |
June 16-29, 2025
The Emancipation of Addison Rae
New York magazine

The Emancipation of Addison Rae

The TikTok star's debut album breaks with the past.

time-read
4 mins  |
June 16-29, 2025
Play on Words
New York magazine

Play on Words

A Eurydice production that’s lush with language.

time-read
3 mins  |
June 16-29, 2025
Appealing Pieces for Petite Balconies
New York magazine

Appealing Pieces for Petite Balconies

Designers and tasteful apartment dwellers share the furniture that has made their tiny outdoor spaces worthy of spending time in.

time-read
1 min  |
June 16-29, 2025
E. JEAN CARROLL'S UNEASY PEACE
New York magazine

E. JEAN CARROLL'S UNEASY PEACE

IN THE YEAR AND A HALF SINCE DEFEATING TRUMP IN COURT FOR THE SECOND TIME, SHE'S WRITTEN A NEW BOOK—KEPT SECRET, UNTIL NOW—AND PLOTTED HER LEGACY.

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 16-29, 2025
Everyday People Brian Wilson and Sly Stone were musical innovators.That's where their stories diverged.
New York magazine

Everyday People Brian Wilson and Sly Stone were musical innovators.That's where their stories diverged.

THE VAST MAJoRITY of humans alive now aren't old enough to feel the shell shock from the musical paradigm shifts of the 1960s.

time-read
5 mins  |
June 16-29, 2025

We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies. Learn more