“North Carolina People” is a fixture of WUNC-TV, North Carolina’s public television network. Retired University President William Friday hosts the modest little show, a half-hour of Friday quietly talking with one Tarheel citizen. I recently got to accompany a friend when he was the guest. Lew Ledford is head of North Carolina’s state park system and grand master of Masons here this year.

I should not have been struck with the ease of preparation that Bill Friday (now more than 90 years old) exhibited. After all, he’s been doing the show for more than 30 years and 1,500 guests. He arrives with a few handwritten notes about 30 minutes before taping and talks with his guest during makeup. They then shoot straight through the 25 minutes of the show -- a quiet conversation about the guest’s area of expertise.

These views are from preparations for the taping.