I will be travelling to LA at the end of the month and was wondering if anyone could tell me the procedure for going to a taping of, say, Jay Leno or other shows out there. Also, which are the best choices? Please help!

Dear Angel,

Do you really think there are any shows worth going to????? Serious! What a waste of time.

Native

Hi Angel...try Audiences Unlimited...you can print a "ticket" from home...it doesn't necessarily guarantee you a seat because you still have to get in line, but your chances are still good.

Leno tickets probably will be tough. If they're still doing it this way: you can go to the studio in the early a.m. of the day the show is being taped and see if anything's available.

Also, the Chinese Theater on Hollywood Blvd. used to be the prime spot for geeting tickets to tapings, although mainly for game shows. People there hand out tickets just to make sure there's someone in the audience.

These two websites can get you tickets to most tapings:

http://www.tvtickets.com/default.htm
http://www.tvtix.com/

For Jay Leno, you can mail order in advance (I think) or show up at the NBC gift shop when they open and get tickets.

For all tapings, the tickets are free adn do not guarantee you a seat! I live in LA and once stood in line for over an hour to get into Will & Grace, but was then turned away. Forget about trying to get tix to Friends and some other popular shows. Those are done my mail MONTHS in advance.

I've been to Leno, Politically Incorrect, Just Shoot Me, and Dennis Miller. All of them were fun, a different kind of experience. Don't expect to meet the stars or anything.

If you go to a sitcom, tapings last 3-4 hours as they do take after take after take of different scenes with the writers often rewriting on the spot if a joke doesn't fly.

As someone mentioned, there are usually people hanging out by the Chinese Theatre with tickets--that's how I went to Politically Incorrect.

So, that's my advice from someone who's done it! Good luck!