Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - TV Show Tapings

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I am going to NY the second week of March with a couple of friends. We would like to be in the audience for at tv show taping but we are too late to order tickets the conventional way. Does anyone know any tricks for us on how to get into tv show tapings at this point?

You might consider "standing by" - I attended a Rosie O'Donnel taping last year and despite the fact the show was "sold out" all of the stand bys got in - apparently there are a lot of no shows.

Visit the Visitor's Center located on Broadway between 46th and 47th Streets. They may have tickets for some of the late night lesser popular talk shows. Standby tickets are available on any given day prior to the taping. Shows that may have room for standbys on any given day are Rosie O'Donnell, the show that is on Channel 7 (Regis Philbin?) and the Letterman show. Check the websites for standby information at the shows website. Rosie and the Channel 7 show are taped in the morning; Letterman in late afternooon. Letterman, I think, is done by a lottery.

It has been several years ago, but I have waited for stand by tickets for Letterman and they were very difficult to come by. I tried two differrent days and did not get in either time. Any one know what the likelihood of getting standby tickets now would be?

How do you get tickets more in advance for these shows?

Check their websites for info about getting tickets in advance. It used to be a matter of sending a postcard with your requested dates on it. I don't know if it can be done by email now. Again, several years ago Letterman tickets were booked a year in advance.

Check out the websites below that my friend emailed me a while back. Have fun!! Get your 15 seconds of fame. In New York, everyone wants to see and be seen, whether for a glimpse of their favorite celebrities or for their turn in the spotlight. Here's how to get into the audience for some of the most popular television programs that are taped in the Big Apple. Live! with Regis <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...002/47/19/> Find out why this New York personality is the king of daytime AND primetime television. The Today Show <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...000/45/01/> Katie, Matt, Al and Ann await the hoards of viewers outside their show's windows. Rosie O'Donnell Show <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...000/90/28/> The queen of nice is kid-friendly but still has a sharp, New York bark. Late Night with Conan O'Brien <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...000/90/27/> Conan's show blends comedic skits and celebrity conversations. Late Show with David Letterman <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...001/31/80/> Bursting with New York sarcasm, Letterman still draws a solid following. Good Morning America <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...015/60/17/> A thriving morning program that's good clean, wholesome talk. Total Request Live <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...015/60/12/> Teenage heaven right in the middle of Times Square-it's "American Bandstand" for Generation Y. The View <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...015/82/09/> Watching "The View" is like watching your girlfriends sit around and converse about everything from Hollywood gossip to politics. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...015/82/12/> A dry-humored comedian on the Comedy Central who tells it straight (sort of). Who Wants to Be a Millionaire <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...015/82/80/> We all do, but only the ones who make it to this game show's "hot seat" really stand a shot. Saturday Night Live <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...001/31/74/> This aging comedy show still offers a barrel of laughs and intriguing celebrity hosts. New York TV Show Tickets <http://newyork.msn.citysearch.com/E/...010/03/17/> Tired of never getting those standby tickets to your favorite shows? This service might help you.

Hi, If you have months in advance to plan, I'd suggest going on the various network's websites to send postcards to vie for a couple of seats. I was successful three times with Letterman, one for one with Rosie, and one for one with Geraldo (defunct). In fact, on Letterman, my hubby and I got picked twice to sit at the front with a stab at the current events (I got to answer the second time and walked away with a $100 certificate at Patsy's in Time Square). If you don't have the time to plan so far in advance, then show up in the morning (again, check the website when they open) and hope for stand-by tickets. The tapings are a lot of fun, and if you don't walk away with parting gifts or a tv taping, it's still an interesting experience to be right there!

Sorry Mina, but those links appear to be out-of-date.

Here is a web site that facilitates getting tickets to TV show tapings in NYC (all free, no scams or anything): http://www.nytix.com/index.html

Was given tickets to see Craig Kilbourne Late Night show in LA. It was a lousy experience. They treat you like cattle. They give you tickets for another show as you walk out. You can't pay me to do that again.

Went to a David Letterman taping a couple of weeks ago. The taping itself was fun, as was the joking around Dave does with the audience before the show begins. However, before going into the theatre, they treat people like absolute imbeciles. You are told at least 10 times in a patronizing manner what sounds you should and shouldn't make in the theatre. You must show up a couple hours early and stand in line for 45 minutes to check in and be given a number which signifies the order in which you enter the theatre when you come back two hours later. While checking in, they treat you like a little child, forcing you to repeat after them the time to come back, what happens if you have to go to the bathroom during the taping (you can't come back), etc. Again you must wait in line for a long time. I realize that it is expensive to produce a show and they don't want the audience to screw it up, but I think they could probably still accomplish that while treating people with respect.

Jeremy, now I'm curious -- what noises did they specify that you're not supposed to make? Passing gas? Puking? (I'm serious -- I'm trying to imagine what sounds they specifically instruct you not to make, especially since if they're telling you not to do them, somebody must've tried it in the past!).

Grant, the forbidden noises include whistling, yelling anything out, screaming if your home town is mentioned and most of all "woofing" noises made by the audience on the old Arsenio Hall show.