The trick to getting tickets for TV tapings in this city is to be from out of town. You visitors have a much better chance than we New Yorkers; producers are gun-shy about filling their audiences with obnoxious locals and see everybody who's not from New York as being from the heartland -- and therefore their target TV audience.
If your heart's set on getting tickets to a show, request them as early as possible -- 6 months ahead isn't too early, and even earlier is better for the most popular shows. You're usually asked to send a postcard. Always include the number of tickets you want, your preferred dates of attendance (be as flexible as you can), and your address and phone number. Tickets are always free. The shows tend to be pretty good about trying to meet your specific date requests, but don't be surprised if Ricki is far more responsive than, say, Dave. And even if you send in your request early, don't be surprised if tickets don't arrive at your house until 1 or 2 weeks before tape date.
If you come to town without any tickets, all hope is not lost. Because they know that every ticket holder won't make it, many studios give out a limited number of standby tickets on the day of taping. If you can just get up a little early and don't mind standing in line for a couple (or a few) hours, you have a good chance of getting one. Now, the bad news: Only one standby ticket per person is allowed, so everybody who wants to get in has to get up at the crack of dawn and stand in line. And even if you get your hands on a standby ticket, it doesn't guarantee admission; they usually only start seating standbys after the regular ticket holders are in. Still, chances are good.
For additional information on getting tickets to tapings, call the NYCVB at tel. 212/484-1222. And remember -- you don't need a ticket to be on the Today show.
If you do attend a taping, be sure to bring a sweater, even in summer. As anybody who watches Letterman knows, it's an icebox in those studios. And bring ID, as proof of age may be required.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart -- Comedy Central's boldly irreverent, often hilarious mock newscast tapes every Monday through Thursday at 5:45pm, at 513 W. 54th St. Make your advance ticket requests by phone at tel. 212/586-2477, or check with them for any cancellation tickets for the upcoming week; the line is open Monday through Thursday from 10:30am to 4pm for tickets.
Last Call with Carson Daly -- Tapings of the MTV heartthrob's new NBC late-night gabfest is much like a grown-up TRL, without the countdown or screaming sweet 16s. Tapings are on select weeknights at 7 and/or 9pm. You can reserve up to four tickets in advance by calling tel. 212/664-3056. Standby tickets are distributed on the day of taping at 9am outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza, on the 49th Street side of the building, on a first-come, first-served basis (read: come early if you actually want to get one). Note that a standby ticket does not guarantee admission.
Late Night with Conan O'Brien -- Conan tix might not have the cachet of a Dave ticket, but they're a very hot commodity nevertheless -- so start planning now. Tapings are Tuesday through Friday at 5:30pm (plan on arriving by 4:45pm if you have tickets), and you must be 16 or older to attend. You can reserve up to four tickets in advance by calling tel. 212/664-3056. Standby tickets are distributed on the day of taping at 9am outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza, on the 49th Street side of the building (under the NBC Studios awning), on a first-come, first-served basis (read: come early if you actually want to get one).
The Late Show with David Letterman -- Here's the most in-demand TV ticket in town. Tapings are Monday through Thursday at 5:30pm (arrive by 4:15pm), with a second taping Thursday at 8pm (arrive by 6:45pm). You must be 18 or older to attend. Send your postcard at least 6 to 9 months in advance (two tickets max; one request only, or all will be disregarded), to Late Show Tickets, Ed Sullivan Theater, 1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. You can also register at www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow (click on "Get Tickets") to be notified of tickets that may become available for specific dates you select over the next 3 months. On tape days, there are no standby lines anymore; call tel. 212/247-6497 at 11am for up to 2 standby tickets; start dialing early, because the machine will kick in as soon as all standbys are gone. If you do get through, you may have to answer a trivia question about the show to score tickets.
Live! with Regis and Kelly -- Tapings with Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa are Monday through Friday at 9am at the ABC Studios at 7 Lincoln Square (Columbus Ave. and W. 67th St.) on the Upper West Side. You must be 10 or older to attend (under 18s must be accompanied by a parent). Send your postcard (four tickets max) at least a full year in advance to Live! Tickets, Ansonia Station, P.O. Box 230777, New York, NY 10023-0777 (tel. 212/456-3054). Standby tickets are sometimes available. Arrive at the studio no later than 7am and request a standby number; standby tickets are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, so earlier is better.
The Ricki Lake Show -- Tickets can be requested by calling tel. 800/GO-RICKI, or filling out the online form at www.ricki.com. You can also use this line, or register on the website, to volunteer yourself as a guest for shows such as "I'm a 30-Year-Old Virgin -- Will You Be My First?" or "Stop Being Naked Around My Man!" You must be 18 or older to attend.
Saturday Night Live -- SNL tapings are Saturday at 11:30pm (arrival time 10pm); there's also a full dress rehearsal at 8pm (arrival time 7pm). You must be 16 or older to attend. Here's the catch: Tickets are so in demand that the lottery system for advance tickets is usually suspended. However, you can try for standby tickets on the day of the taping, which are distributed at 7am outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza, on the 49th Street side of the building (under the NBC Studios awning), on a first-come, first-served basis; only one ticket per person will be issued. If you want to try your luck with advance tickets, call tel. 212/664-3056 as far in advance of your arrival in New York as possible to determine the current ticket-request procedure.
The Today Show -- Anybody can be on TV with Katie, Matt, and cuddly weatherman Al Roker. All you have to do is show up outside Today's glass-walled studio at Rockefeller Center, on the southwest corner of 49th Street and Rockefeller Plaza, with your very own HI, MOM! sign. Tapings are Monday through Friday from 7am to 10am, but come at the crack of dawn if your heart's set on being in front. Who knows? If it's a nice day, you may even get to chat with Katie, Matt, or Al in a segment. Come extra early to attend a Friday Summer Concert Series show.
Total Request Live -- The countdown show that made Carson Daly a household name is broadcast live from MTV's second-floor glass-walled studio at 1515 Broadway, at 44th Street in Times Square, weekdays at 3:30pm. Crowds start gathering below at all hours, depending on the drawing power of the day's guest. Audience tickets can sometimes be reserved in advance by calling the TRL Ticket Reservation Hot Line at tel. 212/398-8549; you must be between the ages of 16 and 24 to attend. If you're not able to score reservations, arrive by 2pm (preferably earlier) if you want a prayer of making it into the in-studio audience; a producer usually roams the crowd asking music trivia questions like "What's Britney Spears's middle name?" and "Who's the lead singer of Linkin Park?" giving away standby tickets for correct answers. And don't forget to make your WE LOVE YOU, CARSON! signs large enough to be captured on camera. You may also be able to watch or participate in other MTV tapings; stop into the MTV Store on the corner of 44th and Broadway, where flyers for tapings and events are sometimes stacked next to the register.
The View -- ABC's hugely popular girl-power gabfest tapes live Monday through Friday at 11am (ticket holders must arrive by 9:30am). Requests, which should be made 12 to 16 weeks in advance, can be submitted online (www.abc.go.com/theview) or via postcard to Tickets, The View, 320 W. 66th St., New York, NY 10023. Since exact date requests are not usually accommodated, try standby: Arrive at the studio before 10am and put your name on the standby list; earlier is better, since tickets are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. You must be 18 or older to attend.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire -- The trivia show is filmed at ABC's Upper West Side studios. To request tickets to be an audience member, send a postcard to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Columbia University Station, P.O. Box 250225, New York, NY 10025. Ticket requests are limited to four, and you must be 18 or older to attend. You can also request tickets online at http://abc.abcnews.go.com/primetime/millionaire; click on "About the Show" to get to the tickets page, where you can check for the latest taping schedules and standby procedures.
