“I just went on the Internet in February and applied for the tickets. When I found out that I had gotten them, I started dancing up and down in front of my computer at the office,” exclaimed Mary Jean Mulherin, a native of St. Paul, Minn., who made seeing “The Late Show With David Letterman” the centerpiece of her vacation in New York. Though it was pouring rain when we met outside the Ed Sullivan Theater after the show, Mulherin was beaming. “It was an experience,” she said.
“There was so much activity during the commercial breaks! All these people start running around, surrounding Dave. It looked like they were bossing him around, actually. They kept talking and talking at him, and he just kept shrugging.”
“I got to meet the latest Survivor castoff,” her son John Thompson interjected. “He was in the deli. I shook his hand and got an autograph!”
For many Americans there is no bigger–and cheaper–thrill than seeing the taping of a favorite TV show. Celeb spotting is a guarantee, as is an insider’s peek at all of the technical wizardry that goes into the production of even the most basic show.
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In Los Angeles, New York and Chicago–where the majority of the network hits are filmed–tickets are given away free, making these tapings the least-costly activities of those big-wallet cities. In the county of Los Angeles it is actually against the law to sell a ticket to a regular TV show (although exceptions are made for certain awards shows and charity events).
Distribution methods vary from show to show. For popular talk shows, such as Oprah, Letterman, “The Tonight Show” and “Live With Regis and Kelly,” it’s advisable to apply well in advance, either by mail, phone or on the Internet (details below). For those who just wish to see a show, large ticket distributors serve as clearinghouses for sitcoms and game shows.
With the exception of mega-hit “Friends,” whose audience is made up entirely of the friends of the “Friends” (no “general admission” tickets since Sept. 11), it’s not all that difficult to get your laughter and applause “immortalized” at any number of tapings. For those who want to get their own face on the tube, there are such audience participation shows as Jerry Springer, Ricki Lake and the like. If getting yourself on TV is important to you, dress up a bit for the taping. Just as producers cast guests very carefully, they will often put the better-looking audience members within camera range, as examples of the type of “swell folks” who watch the show.
Some details you should know: Most sitcoms and some game shows go on hiatus from late March through late July, meaning there are few of these types of tapings during these periods. With the exception of “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” (which accept audience members as young as 10), the minimum age for most audiences is 16, sometimes 18. As tickets do not guarantee admission, smart audience members present themselves at least an hour before the taping, and might have to sit from two to three hours for the filming of a half-hour sitcom.
Following is an abbreviated list of ticket sources:
Audiences Unlimited (www.tvtickets.com or 818-753-3470): The largest “broker” of free tickets in the United States, it distributes for such shows as “Will & Grace” and “Whose Line Is It Anyway.” (Most of these are shot in L.A., one or two in New York.)
Audience Associates (www.tvtix.com or 323-653-4105): The biggie in game and talk shows, it often has tickets for “The Tonight Show,” “The Price Is Right,” “Jeopardy” and many sitcoms, including “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “Just Shoot Me.” The company periodically provides unpaid extras for big Hollywood films (10,000 for “Spider-man”), which requires a full day’s commitment. Mostly Los Angeles.
Paramount Studios (www.paramountshowtickets.com or 323-956-1777): This L.A. studio arranges audiences for such shows as “Becker” and “Frasier.” Call or go online five days in advance for tickets.
“The Late Show With David Letterman” (www.cbs.com): Write to Tickets, c/o The David Letterman Show, 1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, or apply online. For standby, call 212-247-6497 at 11 a.m. on the day of the show (you might be required to answer a trivia question). Letterman shoots Monday through Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., Thursday at 5:30 and 8 p.m.
“The Oprah Winfrey Show” (www.oprah.com or 312-591-9222): Films in Chicago, twice a day on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from September to early December and from January to early June. A very hot ticket; reservations are taken one month in advance by phone. Best time to call is between 1:30 and 3 p.m.
“The Jerry Springer Show” (www.uni-television.com/jerry or 800-96-JERRY): Taped in Chicago; day-of-show tickets often available.
“Live With Regis and Kelly” (tvplex.go.com/buenavista/livewithregis/ ticketsandfaqs/index.html): Go to the above Web site for info on postcard applications. Standby tickets available to those who line up at the studio (67th Street and Columbus Avenue, New York) at 7 a.m. Audience members usually invited after the show to see “The View” too.
“The Price Is Right” (www.cbs.com): Tickets available at the ticket window, 7800 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, but not for the day of taping. Go online for info on advance reservations.