I'm Sarah and I'll be your Hostess tonight...

Hosting is far more difficult than it looks.

When performing as a troupe member, you are given permission to screw up, to look silly, to fail, and the director or judge will buffer the negativity by being a jerk and taking on the role of “lightning rod” and harnessing the audience’s displeasure. Once this occurs, the audience feels validated and then they side with the performers.

As host, there is no one to take on your struggle. You are flying solo and must be charming at all times. In modeling, it is suggested that you “make love” to the camera. In hosting, you need to “make love” to the audience. (I’m using this in subjective terms with serious boundaries.) As a host it is necessary to be incredibly witty and to make the audience be a little in love with you.
This is not easy all the time, as there are plenty of technical difficulties, rowdy audience members, moments of forgetfulness, and other various unexpected glitches that aries during the show.

Here’s a few tips on hosting that I am in the process of learning:
Relax. The audience wants you to be the expert, so be the expert. Take ownership.
Don’t fret about getting it “right”. Just focus on the energy and developing rapport.
Have fun. When you have fun, they have fun... and that’s what they’re paying for
Keep the pace moving but don’t rush.
Look your absolute best when hosting. The audience should want to take you home.