After taking my last final this December, my mom and I hopped on a plane to New York City to spend a week together exploring the Big Apple. We had plans to see some Broadway shows, eat some trendy hipster food, soak up culture in museums, and of course, go shopping. Our plans did not include ending up on national television-but that’s exactly what happened.
On Thursday morning, our alarms went off at 6am. We managed to drag ourselves out of bed, but moved sluggishly. Our bodies rebelled against the unwelcoming cold and darkness, but we had a mission: to see Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza, where our beloved TODAY Show is filmed.
For years when I was in middle and high school, the TODAY Show was a morning tradition before leaving for school. A hot, buttered English muffin and the sound of Matt Lauer’s voice made up our breakfast table. The patterns were familiar. They s When Al Roker gave the weather report and switched to see what was happening in “your neck of the woods,” I knew it was time to head for the bus.
Once I was in college, though, these traditions went away. My dorm room didn’t have a TV, and my breakfast table was one of many in a giant dining hall. Now, whenever I come home for break, we always try to watch the TODAY Show together.
With all of that in mind, it shouldn’t be a surprise that we wanted to visit the set of the TODAY Show when we visited NYC. We shuffled into Rockefeller Plaza around 6:50am, with only ten minutes to spare. We weren’t nearly early enough to get a spot in the front, so we stood behind a family of women in matching Christmas sweaters.
Our teeth chattered and toes froze as we waited to go on the air. The women in front of us were trying to get picked for an “Ambush Makeover,” but they were told they had too much makeup on. Suddenly, I hear my mom shouting, “PICK ME! I’m not wearing any makeup at all!”
To my surprise, they ended up taking her name, and then circled back around the Plaza to tell us she’d been selected. We went absolutely wild…and then they told us to react again, for the camera this time. We screamed, we hugged, and my mom yelled “GOOOOO DAWGS!” because what else to do when you end up on live national television?
Next, they briefly interviewed us about our excitement for the makeover. After that, unfortunately, they took my mom away so they could to her hair, makeup, and wardrobe. Unfortunately, I had several hours to kill in the meantime. My toes may have frozen, but I did get to see Jane Lynch!
Just before 10am, I was ushered into the greenroom for the big reveal. One of the interns led me into the main studio and walked me through what was about to happen. I put on my blindfold and stood next to Kathie Lee and Hoda as I waited for my mom.
She walked out, I took off my blindfold, and I was absolutely shocked. With the new hair, tons of makeup, and rockstar outfit, she was almost unrecognizable! She felt the same way, exclaiming “WHO IS THAT?” when she looked in the mirror.
Our moment on the air came to an end, and we were led out of the studio. It was a crazy morning, but for us, the real insanity began when we shared the video on Facebook. People were commenting and liking our posts left and right. My mom particularly enjoyed the moment of celebrity.
Moral of the story? Anything can happen in New York, even when it’s 7 in the morning and you are least expecting it. Catch our moment in the sun here at TODAY.com!