Think award shows are only for celebrities? Think again. If you’ve always dreamt of being on the big screen surrounded by the biggest stars in Hollywood, know that dream can become your reality. Being a seat filler at an award show is your ticket in.
We spoke with a Grammy’s seat filler to get the inside scoop on how you can attend these high-profile events. This interview will walk you through the simple steps to become a seat filler, from applying to what to expect on the big night. The best part is you don’t need a drop of fame to do it. You get exactly what you sign up for- no extra costs and no strings attached.
An Interview With Award Show Seat Filler, Kerry Hare:
Meet Kerry Hare, a college student attending SUNY Cortland, who attended the 2024 Grammy’s Award Show. She’s just like you and me. Here is a glimpse into the best night of her life:
How did you hear about becoming a seat filler? Is it for any award show?
“I found it myself out of pure curiosity. I just looked up how to go to the grammys because I wanted to go. The website I used only does the grammys and maybe a few other award shows. But, there are plenty of other websites that do other award shows.”
What was the sign-up process like?
“Very easy, basically filling out your name, your address, you have to submit a picture of yourself and your license. It was very easy, it took me maybe 10 minutes. There is a deadline to sign up that’s only a couple weeks out from the show.
When did you hear back?
“I heard back 2 weeks later, about 1-2 weeks ahead of the show. It’s a very fast turnaround.”
Did the website/organization that provided you the ticket provide you with anything else like accommodations?
“No, just the ticket, You have to figure out your travel, your hotel, everything else is on you.”
Did they give you any guidelines or instructions?
“They give us a dress code. Girls had to wear floor length dresses, you couldn’t wear white or red and heels were required or at least no sneakers were allowed. Guys had to wear a tux or a suit with a tie that had to be black or blue.”
“They had us[seat fillers] meet in a parking garage and we met at a building before the show.”
What was the process like being there? Does everyone have to go solo or can you bring friends?
“You can sign up for more than one ticket if you ask, but I only signed up for one ticket.”
Do you think chances of being selected are higher if you only request one ticket?
“I personally think yes, but the website claims it’s a completely random lottery system for selection.”
What was the experience like for you doing it alone?
“I would do it again and I would do it again alone. It was definitely scary, but I think I learned a lot from doing it by myself. That was my first time on a plane by myself. There were a lot of other people by themselves too. Everyone is there for the same thing so I made friends quickly.”
Is there anything someone who wants to be a seat filler should know?
“You can’t eat anything. At the tables, there is food and drink everywhere but you can’t touch it. If you touch it, they kick you out. People can bring food in the entry line and I recommend having a really big breakfast and bringing a plastic water bottle you can throw out there. But, if you didn’t bring any food you’re there from about 1PM to 8PM and you can’t eat anything.”
“And they take your phone when you enter and you have to stay after the show to get it back.”
What was being at the Grammy’s like? Who did you see? Who did you talk with? Did you have any interactions with celebrities?
“Being there was crazy. These celebrities are doing their job so I feel like I have to realize that even though I am a fan they may not be beaming ear to ear every moment. I think everybody learns that when they meet a celebrity.”
“I sat with Kelly Clarkson, that was my first interaction. I sat with her and we talked for a few minutes before she went back to her manager. I got to say hi to Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, boygenius, Miley Cyrus, Trevor Noah, Victoria Monet, Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Gracie Abrams, Noah Kahan, Beyonce, and Troye Sivan– that was a big one.”
“The conversations were pretty brief as they were leaving. This boy I met there and I said congratulations to the performers and the award winners. Billie Eilish said we looked so great. It was very casual and quick but everyone was nice. No one that I met was dismissive. I appreciated that they didn’t keep walking and ignore us.”
What was your favorite part of the whole show and experience?
“Sitting at the table with a girl that I met— who I became friends with in the duration of a week— with all of the celebs and their people at the same tables was so surreal. It didn’t feel like real life.”
Was there anything unexpected about the experience?
“A really cool part of being there is seeing the production side of the show. You get to see every behind-the-scenes thing that you could imagine when it’s a commercial. When the cameras are off it’s just a bunch of people running around getting things set up telling people where to go and what to do. It was so cool to see because you really can’t see that anywhere else.”
“Also, during the live performances it was fun to see other celebrities dancing and singing along to who’s performing. And just seeing the celebrities on commercial breaks when they aren’t being filmed walking around talking to one another, getting drinks, laughing. I feel like that’s when I got to interact with the most people.”
Were there any bad experiences?
“That day was pouring rain, there were protests for Palestine outside, and Chrissy Tiegen and John Legend used the normal ticket holder entrance which all made getting in difficult. That’s when Troye Sivan came by and we all stood under his umbrellas. Obviously we weren’t priorities– it was the celebrities that were priorities– so it took a while to get in. But, I didn’t find it that annoying.”
“Also, I accidentally took an empty seat that was reserved for some person and I got yelled at by this guy. He was like “Who are you? You didn’t even pay for a ticket, you’re a nobody” But I was just like okay, walked away and found another seat. A couple people had some not so nice experiences with people who paid for tickets.”
What was the best thing you learned from the experience?
“Just do it. Just go. Do whatever it is that you want to do. If you have the opportunity to do it you have to, there isn’t any good reason not to. Imagine if I had said no. It’s not that scary and you’ll figure it out.”