Late Night with Seth Meyers is now back and filming at Studio 8G in Rockefeller Plaza. He was able to start filming the show at the beginning of October after the Writer’s Guild strike was concluded. My friends and I had the opportunity to attend the taping of the Oct. 23 show, which featured comedian John Oliver along with the stars of Dicks: The Musical, Aaron Jackson, and Joshua Sharp. I wasn’t too familiar with any of the guests featured on this episode but, I was still excited about this experience as a Seth Meyers fan.
If you know anything about NBC show tapings, you know they like the guests to arrive very early. Our check-in time was anywhere between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. The earlier you arrive the better, since they always overbook and admission isn’t guaranteed. After getting our IDs and tickets checked, we were officially granted access to the show. There were still a few things that had to be done before entering the studio, but at least we knew they had a seat for us at the taping. We then had to go through security and receive our wristbands and tickets that contained our seating row before getting escorted into the lounge. The lounge was crowded by the time we arrived and there was nowhere to sit – it felt like being on the subway at rush hour!
Shortly after the Pages came in. They start talking to us about our phones being off and away, and using the bathrooms or drinking water for the last time before the taping started. After the final warning, they started lining us up based on our ticket letters. They started with single letters A through Z and then moved to double letters A through Z. We were double K. I had no idea what to expect for our seats since it seemed like we were one of the last people to be called up. We were eventually escorted into a secret elevator that had no buttons. From there, we were guided into the studio and ushered to our seats. Our seats were actually amazing. We were placed in the center of the third row. My friends and I were in shock, we thought we were going to be seated in the nosebleeds.
Before they start the taping, a comedian comes out to talk to the crowd and make sure everyone is enthusiastic. He told us to keep smiles on our faces and we even practiced clapping, since we were the ones responsible for the show’s background noise. The comedian also did some warm-up questions, asking people where they were from and where they went to school. He did ask us where we went to school and then totally bashed Pace University. It was only a little embarrassing but added to the experience. Then, Meyers came out and gave an appreciation speech before the cameras started rolling. The first segment they taped was called “A Closer Look,” which is a political segment where he makes fun of politicians through impressions. Then John Oliver came out for an interview to promote Meyers and his show in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve. Next the stars of Dick’s: The Musical came out to tell the audience about the origin, plot, and where the musical can be seen. The host concluded the show by interacting with several audience members including me. Most people he chose asked about parenting and his kids, but I chose to ask him about his good friend, Pete Davidson. If you know me you know I love Pete Davidson, so I had to jump at the opportunity to ask Meyers what Pete was like in real life. He told me what you see is what you get. His response is what made this experience truly a 10 out of 10. Overall, this was such an unforgettable adventure. I loved being able to see how a TV show is filmed and everything that goes on behind the scenes. Even though the taping is pretty long, it honestly went by so fast and was such a great memory to share with my friends.