My afternoon with Anderson – and how you can have your own date with Anderson, Jimmy, Kelly, David, Wendy, John…

This past Thursday I got to go see this man. Doin his thang. With Drew Barrymore. And it was free. Anderson for FREE my friends! Get in on this. Stat.

Show tapings are always a surreal experience… you watch these mega personalities light up your TV, and then BAM – they’re standing 5 feet in front of you. Just doing their job… which happens to be entertaining millions as a TV host. And then walks out some A-list superstar celeb just being herself and talking… 5 feet from you. It’s as if all of a sudden your TV exploded and became your real life. And it’s awesome.

I should disclose that as a host/producer myself, I totally nerd out on set. I mean… the studio! The camera! The control room! The teleprompter!! I was in my element. But please – Just look at Anderson’s studio! How could you not be in love?!?

Everyday, he looks out over New York City. Absolutely breathtaking.

One more time… this time with my super hip, old hollywood filter. Makin it happen. Come on… just please.

So yes, I loved my experience at the Anderson taping. Clearly. Buuuuut one of the best kept secrets in NYC is that you can go to any show that tapes in NYC… FOR FREE.

Some of the best and most iconic shows on TV film right here in the Big Apple: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, SNL, Late Show with David Letterman, Daily Show with John Stewart, The Colbert Report, Kelly Live, Wendy Williams… just to name a few. All of these shows need audiences – and this is where you come in my friend.

They need audiences… you want to be entertained. This elusive, mutually beneficial relationship is something that rarely occurs in NYC – but when it does, you gotta get on it.

So if you want in on this piece of awesome (and yes, you do) here is what you do: 

1) Figure out what shows you wanna check out. And your answer should be all of them. Show tapings are high energy, exciting and a one of a kind experience. Honestly, there’s no such thing as a bad taping. No matter the host, no matter the guest, no matter the show… I promise – you will be entertained.

2) Check out the show’s website for information on tickets/audience. Most shows have an entire department committed to audience relations (they want you!) Normally, you can either apply online or call the show directly.  Many shows also offer standby tickets for day-of sales.

3) Now comes the waiting… it’s here that you remember that however badly a TV show needs an audience, they will always have the upper hand. In most cases, you request tickets from your chosen show and wait until they contact you with the date of the show you can attend. Sometimes you can request a span of dates you would prefer… but that’s if you’re lucky.

4) So now you’ve got your date, you fill out all the necessary paperwork and confirmation, and you arrive on the day of the taping. Now it’s time for some BIG TIPS: Make sure you read all the directions in the email confirmation. Make sure you print out and bring your ticket with you. Make sure you are there EARLY.

Waiting in the cattle call line nice and early for my tickets!!

5) More on that early point. TV is a stickler for this one. They give away more audience tickets than actual seats. So if you want into the show you have already planned your entire day around… get there early.

6) Wait in line some more and then start the seating! My big tip here – go to the bathroom before you sit down!! Yes, even if you don’t have to. They won’t let you leave your seat once you sit down, and you do not want a full bladder ruining your experience.

7) You’re in your seat… the warm up comic has warmed you up… and it starts. BAM. You’re part of TV. And it’s free

Let’s take it to the Blogs:

- NYTix lists all the shows that tape in NYC annnnnd they give you the links to get the tickets. They can’t make this any easier!

- Fodor’s provides a step by step guide for getting TV show tickets.

- Can’t get enough of entertainment in NYC? Whatsgoodinny says star tours around NYC are a must for locals and tourists alike.

- If you’re interested in checking out Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, make sure you read Mark in the City‘s post about his studio audience experience first!

- Cityscoopsny breaks down the ticket process for NYC’s hottest shows by degree of difficulty.

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What shows can you just not wait to attend??

Comedy at the Grocery – laughs at a place of food puns.

I kicked off My Resolution To Get Out of the Apt and Experience Literally All of the Over the Top Awesome Things NYC Has to Offer in style – with a night of Comedy at The Grocery!!

A little background on Arlene’s Grocery according to Arlene’s: “Arlene’s Grocery (yes, it was a grocery) opened its doors in 1995 – breaking ground in the then treacherous Lower East Side. Upcoming bands flocked to the seedy neighborhood to experience the sonic beauty of the smaller 150-capacity room which played host to garage rock, punk, and bohemian newcomers, such as Jeff Buckley.”

And now some info on the event - Comedy At the Grocery: “Comedy at the Grocery is a monthly stand-up comedy show held at Arlene’s Grocery in the Lower East Side, featuring some of the best and brightest comedians and writers in the business. Past performers have written for and starred in Chappelle’s Show, Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, MTV, VH1, and much more!”

A place that prides itself on formerly being a grocery store and currently being home to rock stars and comedy is a place that I want to be a part of. An event that features the best of the NYC comedy scene with special drop ins from comic celebs is def an event I want to be a part of. All in all – you wanna be here.

Show creator and host, Julian Kiani, chatting it up w/ comics Jermaine Fowler and Nick Poyner

I went to the show on January 12th and as promised, it was filled with some of the best comics and some awesome surprises. SOME HIGHLIGHTS:

- Every month, the show is organized and MC’ed by Julian Kiani. And this past show, Julian crushed it with an all-star line up and kick butt MCing. He even showcased a fan of the month – If you wanna be the next fan called out… and the answer is yes, you do… then go like Comedy at the Grocery on Facebook!)

- There was a stacked line up of Comics: Dan St. Germain, Wyatt Cenac of The Daily Show, Eric Ledgin (accompanied by Justin Shanes), Ryan Hamilton, Myq Kaplan, and The Vigilante

- Full bar in the performance room. Annnnnd a super awesome bar attached.

- At 5 bucks, it’s a night out that anyone can afford.

- Bonus tip: To get an extra jolt before the show, check out the D’espresso across the street. My Soy Cappuccino was banginnnnn!

- NEXT SHOW: The show is switching to the first Monday of every month – check out their facebook page for more details.

Let’s take it to the blogs:

- Let’s Talk NYC notes the frequency of SNL cast members… both as performers and in the audience.

- NYMag awarded it a “top 6 shows to Catch”

What comedy show should I go check out next??