How to Attend a Live TV Show Taping

Tickets to tapings of TV shows are free, but can be very hard to come by on short notice. Most shows accept advance requests by email, phone, or online—but for the most popular shows, like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the request backlog is so deep, you might even have to wait a few months before they'll accept any new ones. Same-day standby tickets are often available—but be prepared to wait in line for several hours, sometimes starting at 5 or 6 am, depending on how hot the show is, or the wattage of that day's celebrity guests.

The Shows

The Colbert Report. More tongue-in-cheek than the Daily Show (with a more knowing audience, too), Stephen Colbert leads his "nation" through shows Monday through Thursday. Check the Web site for dates with open tickets. Sign-up for standby tickets happens in front of the studio at 4 pm the day of the show. 513 W. 54th St., between 10th and 11th Aves., Midtown West, New York, NY, 10019. 212/586-2477. www.colbertnation.com. Subway: C, E to 50th St.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The smirking, amiable, and incisive Jon Stewart pokes fun at news headlines on this half-hour cable show. The program tapes from Monday through Thursday; you can request advance tickets by checking the calendar on the Web site. For standby tickets, show up well before the 5:45 pm doors-open time. Audience members must be 18 or older. 733 11th Ave., between W. 51st and W. 52nd Sts., Midtown West, New York, NY, 10019. 212/586-2477.

Good Morning America. Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos host this early-morning news and entertainment standby. GMA airs live, weekdays from 7 to 9 am, and ticket requests (online only) should be sent four to six months in advance. 7 Times Sq., at W. 44th St. and Broadway, Midtown West, New York, NY, 10036. 212/930-7855. abcnews.go.com/GMA/tickets-good-morning-america-audience/story?id=144752. Subway: 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, S to 42nd St./Times Sq.

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy Fallon is settling in nicely at 30 Rock—it helps when your house band is the Roots and when Justin Timberlake is a frequent visitor to your show. For tickets, call the Ticket Information Line for a maximum of four tickets, about one month in advance. Single standby tickets are available on taping days—Monday through Friday—at the West 49th Street side of 30 Rockefeller Plaza; arrive before 9 am. You must be 17 years or older. 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Midtown West, New York, NY, 10112. 212/664-3056 ticket information line. www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com. Subway: B, D, F, M to 47th-50th Rockefeller Center.

The Late Show with David Letterman. Letterman's famously offbeat humor and wacky top-10 lists have had fans giggling for more than two decades. Call 212/247-6497 starting at 11 am on tape days—Monday through Thursday—for standby tickets. For advance tickets (two maximum), you can submit a request online or fill out an application in person at the theater. You must be 18 or older to sit in the audience. Ed Sullivan Theater, 1697 Broadway, between W. 53rd and W. 54th Sts., Midtown West, New York, NY, 10019. 212/975-5853. www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/tickets. Subway: 1, C, E to 50th St.; B, D, E to 7th Ave.

Live! with Kelly. The sparks fly on this morning program, which books an eclectic roster of guests. Standby tickets become available weekdays at 7 am at the ABC Studios (7 Lincoln Sq., corner of W. 67th St. and Columbus Ave., Upper West Side). Otherwise, write for tickets (four tickets maximum) a full year in advance or fill out a form online. Children under 10 aren't allowed in the audience. Live Tickets, Ansonia Station, Box 230-777, New York, NY, 10023. 212/456-3054. Subway: 1 to 66th St./Lincoln Center.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Master baker, crafts maker, and champion of all "good things," Martha Stewart hosts her show with a live studio audience and various celebrity guests. The program generally tapes weekdays at both 10 am and 2 pm. You can request tickets only through the Martha Stewart Web site. Often, show producers are recruiting for groups of people (like nurses, new moms, or brides-to-be), and if you fit that category, your chances of scoring tickets increase. Occasionally standby tickets are given out two hours before showtime. Audience members must be at least 10 years old. 221 W. 26th St., between 7th and 8th Aves., Chelsea, New York, NY, 10001. 212/727-1234. www.marthastewart.com/get-tickets. Subway: C or 1 to 23rd St.

Saturday Night Live. Influential from the start, SNL continues to captivate audiences. Standby tickets—only one per person—are distributed at 7 am on the day of the show at the West 49th Street entrance to 30 Rockefeller Plaza. You may ask for a ticket for either the dress rehearsal (8 pm) or the live show (11:30 pm). Requests for advance tickets (two per applicant) must be submitted by email only in August to snltickets@nbcuni.com; recipients are determined by lottery. You must be 16 or older to sit in the audience. NBC Studios, Saturday Night Live, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, between W. 49th and W. 50th Sts., Midtown West, New York, NY, 10020. 212/664-3056. Subway: B, D, F, M to 47th-50th Sts./Rockefeller Center.

Today. America's first morning talk-news show airs weekdays from 7 to 10 am in the glass-enclosed, ground-level NBC studio across from its original home at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. You may well be spotted on TV by friends back home while you're standing behind anchors Ann Curry, Al Roker, and Matt Lauer. (If you bring a funny sign, you're more likely to catch the cameraman's attention.) Rockefeller Plaza at W. 49th St., Midtown West, New York, NY, 10020. Subway: B, D, F, M to 47th-50th Sts./Rockefeller Center.

Tips

Prepare to have your pockets and bags checked before you enter, and leave the camera at home, as snapping a shot during a show—even with a camera phone—isn't allowed.

Wear layers: TV studios blast the air-conditioning.

Sitting in a TV audience can be more boring than watching the show at home. You'll have to wait intermittently while sets are changed and stars' makeup is refreshed; if your seats are in back, you may feel far from the action.

Audience laughter is carefully orchestrated. There will be "Applause" signs signaling when to clap and staffers gesturing for you to laugh louder.