Behind the glitz and glamor of talk shows lies a dizzying maze of cables, monitors and recording stations.

While viewers watched two of the most talked-about Americans strategize across the stage, I watched the people watching—the very people whose voices are now being cast throughout the world (think NBC, Buzzfeed, Al Jazeera, etc). I watched them process every second, exchanging glances, smirks and shakes of the head.