BRIDGEPORT — A familiar face from the neighborhood will soon appear on the "Steve Harvey" show.
Invited to talk about millennials and the intersection of politics and social media, Little League kingpin and former aldermanic candidate in the 11th Ward John Kozlar will appear on the show at 2 p.m. Tuesday on NBC5.
His appearance on a show viewed by more than 2 million people is an experience the 27-year-old law school graduate won’t soon forget.
“It was uplifting,” Kozlar said. “It was like living a [celebrity] lifestyle for a few hours."
The road to the "Steve Harvey" show began Oct. 21, when producers called Kozlar to ask if he’d want to be a guest on a show about millennials and social media.
The episode would air in a month, they said, and Kozlar agreed.
To his surprise, producers wanted him at the television studio the very next day.
On Oct. 22, he showed up to the studio, walked through security and entered a different world with places called “wardrobe” and “makeup” — and the mysterious "green room."
Kozlar eventually discovered his very own green room, his name on the door.
“It was really cool to see your name on there,” Kozlar said.
Leading up to the show, time seemed to stop, Kozlar said. It wasn't until he heard the applause of a live audience and saw their welcoming faces that it seemed like someone pushed the fast-forward button on the universe.
“It was like years before you get on air,” he said, “and then seconds when you’re on.”
Steve Harvey, who struggled his way from the bottom as a carpet cleaner and comedian before landing his big break, was a pleasant man to work with, Kozlar said.
When the cameras were turned off, he got to hear some of Harvey’s inspirational life story.
“He’s a very down-to-earth guy,” Kozlar said.
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