Everyone has a New York bucket list. Whether you live in the Big Apple or are here on vacation, the city has tons to offer. Broadway shows, bus tours, museums, eateries, and parks. Another fun thing to do is catch a live taping of your favorite show.
I recently attended a taping of “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and it was one of the best things I’ve done since coming to New York. Here’s a recap of what went down and how you can score tickets of your own.
The first thing to do is book tickets from www.1iota.com While this sounds as easy as a click of a button, the process can be a bit tedious. Here’s a breakdown of when tickets are available:
Tickets for “Saturday Night Live” are by far the rarest of the bunch. A lottery runs in the month of August for the upcoming season. If you’re lucky, you might score big.
The waitlist for “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” opens once per month for the next month, so waitlist tickets for March will be available on the first Friday of February. Following @FallonTix on Twitter will let you know when ticket requests open. The key point to remember here is that even if you do request tickets in time, you will be placed on the waitlist. Guests will be contacted once their status changes.
I managed to request tickets when they opened (I believe they were available for five minutes before a “SOLD OUT” banner flashed on the screen. Sadly, my status was never upgraded.)
“Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” – These tickets are easier to score, as the demand is not as high. While there might be a waitlist (as this was the case for me), requesting tickets for three different dates will improve your chances of an upgrade.
Other shows taping in New York City include: “Good Morning America,” “The Chew,” “Last Week with John Oliver,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” and more.
It’s important to note that there are two different ticket types: General admission and Priority admission. General admission tickets are first-come,first-served while Priority tickets are guaranteed. However, from experience I can say that it makes no difference what type of ticket you get, as long as you get to the studio on time.
Once you’ve scored your tickets and confirmed your spot, read the attendance policies thoroughly.
On the day of the taping, I arrived at the NBC studios in Midtown an hour before check-in time, thinking that I would be able to lineup and secure a spot. I quickly learned that there was no such thing as early lineup. Contrary to what I expected, there was no line outside the building or anywhere around it. The guards at the security check point told me to come back five minutes before check-in.
When I did, the empty space had filled with people clutching tickets and hoping to get in before the maximum capacity cutoff. Luckily I made it.
Once we checked in, which included ID verification, passing through a metal detector and a bag check, we were welcomed into the infamous Peacock Lounge, which was absolutely beautiful. LCD panels in various shapes and sizes lined the walls and showcased slideshows of Seth Meyers and his guests.
While I would have loved to take pictures, it was prohibited. A party beside us thought they’d sneak a selfie, and unfortnately, were caught. They were asked to delete the pictures off their phone and threatened with not only missing the show, but being banned from ever attending a Late Night taping, again.
A staff member came into the lounge and told us who Seth’s guests were going to be. She also hosted a dance-off for front row tickets, which was fun to watch. Then, it was finally time to go into the studio.
We then headed downstairs where we went through a hall adorned with SNL skit photos. Why? Because on our way to the Late Night studio, we actually passed the SNL studio! It was cool seeing the iconic monologue set-up and the stage where so many musicians performed.
Once we were seated in the studio, the warm-up comedian made sure everyone was in an energetic mood and ready for the show. A few minutes before the show, Seth came out to thank the audience for coming and chatted with us for a bit. He was genuinely nice – even off camera.
Seth returned backstage and 60 seconds later, the show was off with the “Closer Look” segment, followed by two interviews with two guests, a musical break, and a short audience skit.
We found out that the band was unable to make it for the taping and that there had to be a pre-taped performance, so during this time, Seth actually returned back to the audience, apologized, and offered to answer any questions the crowd may have about the industry or himself to make up for it. Let’s just say, he made sure we weren’t bummed about missing the band.
Overall, being a part of a live studio audience was a fun experience that I am lucky to have crossed off my New York bucket list. If I could do it again, I totally would, and probably will. I highly suggest attending a taping of not just Late Night, but any show you like. Trust me, you will love it.
Fun fact: Seth still uses cue-cards as opposed to a teleprompter. When asked why he does, he said because he doesn’t want to lose his cue-card employee, whom he’s known for years!
Seth, you’re amazing!