This entry will be the longest because I include my experiences of being an audience on various tv shows in addition to concerts and Broadway. All of these are worthwhile, although some require some planning – so the sooner you know your dates for your visit, the better, as you can start looking into audience opportunities. If you have a student ID, in addition to reduced prices at museums, there are other things to consider in terms of discounts; for instance, rush tickets at the NY Philharmonic for just $25 for eminent classical concerts. I highly recommend it.

NY Phil https://nyphil.org/concerts-tickets/subscriptions/discounts. I have attended a few classical concerts at the NYPhil. Being used to the LAPhil, I need more convincing about this setting. Also, I was sitting in the orchestra seats behind the conductor instead of sitting behind the orchestra, so I faced the conductor. There is something magical about observing the conductor, and something was missing during these performances. Since I wasn’t listening to Dudamel, I deemed it less necessary when I booked the tickets, and coincidentally, these tickets were more expensive than where I prefer to sit!

On that note, Dudamel has announced he is leaving the LAPhil for the NYPhil. I hope he does not get disappointed - the LAPhil is much more spectacular to me. The only thing that wins at the NYPhil is the twinkling lamps just before the performance begins. I could also wish for more diversity among the players… but that aside… I thoroughly enjoyed the concerts, although I am a classic chic - that is - I prefer the classical and romantic periods. Not the modern stuff. One performance had a piece from 1963, and while I acknowledge that new composers deserve a chance, that one piece, I wasn’t sure if it was a joke or not (obviously not) - but I was ready for it to be over as it was just noise in my ears! Another concert I attended had a new piece composed by the conductor. That experience was much better, with the piece being more of a romantic film score style. It was beautiful, and with an excellent soloist playing the clarinet - speaking of diversity - he was the only black man on stage during that whole performance despite there being around 80-90 players…

Broadways shows are a must. You can check out the TKTS booths at Times Square for same-day rush tickets. But that doesn’t leave much time for planning, and if there is a show you feel you must watch, just pay and don’t miss the opportunity. However, do find a list of what is actually playing during your visit, as once I got so excited (and nostalgic) when I saw a sign for Sunset Blvd. that there was no doubt that that was the show I had to watch as I missed Los Angeles! But… that meant I did not notice that Hello Dolly had been another option. This mistake cost me the opportunity to experience Bette Midler, which would have been spectacular, but more so, it starred David Hyde Pierce, one of my all-time favorite comedians. Niles in Frasier is one of the funniest characters of all time! I went to a restaurant once just because I had read that he and his husband loves to go there. No, I didn’t see him - I did see Kathleen Turner, however, who, if you were ever a Friends fan, would know her as Chandler’s dad. So that was amusing 🤩

Suppose you would like to try an alternative entertainment. In that case, being in the audience on one of the many TV shows recorded in NYC is a fun and exciting way to experience something more unusual – and perhaps view some spectacular interviews. I have been lucky to get tickets to every single thing that is being recorded; the only one I have yet to visit is Tamron Hall (sorry for canceling – twice!)… she along with the Drew Berrymore show and The View (which has Whoopi Goldberg) are the three daytime shows. Then there are the four late night shows: The Daily Show, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Stephen Colbert. On special occasions, there are recordings of the Jon Stewart show – and yes – I got a ticket for that as well.

The Drew Berrymore show was the only place where we had to sign a waiver of being vaccinated and give them written permission to use and perhaps alter our appearance on tv! Eh. Sure... whatever… My aunt came along for this event; otherwise, I have attended all the others alone. Since we attended on Giving Tuesday (the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving), we were each handed a goodie bag upon leaving. Treats of various sorts and a comic book – I ate one bag of mini muffins – the rest we gave to a homeless person on the train.

The recording was fun. Drew is super sweet and engaged with the audience; however, I had little interest in the people interviewed, and there were three different segments, which we were told would each air at different times. There was an interview with two actors, another with a doctor about women’s personal hygiene, and finally, a segment about odd food combinations as seen on TikTok. As I write this, I do not recall anybody warming up the audience, but my aunt assured me there was somebody, but clearly not very memorable then… or maybe I was preoccupied?

The ONLY reason I wanted to attend The View was that I have always been a huge fan of Whoopi Goldberg, and an opportunity to experience her was a yes, yes, yes – please. So, when I got the ticket, I was thrilled – but of course, I got the worst spot and sat directly behind a camera so I could not see her without leaning a little too suspiciously toward the person sitting to the left of me. Instead, I had a perfect view of the other 3-4 ladies, with whom I had zero interest! Nonetheless, I did get a nice view of Whoopi, and she is just fantastic. The other ladies, in their beautiful garments, had perfect hair and make-up, and then Whoopi in a hoodie and crocs! I love her and cannot wait for Sister Act 3 to be released.

At this show, they had somebody who entertained and interacted with the crowd. This is the first female comedian, so that was a nice change. She asked the audience questions and then reacted to them with snarky and clever remarks, and we were all laughing – so it worked. Whoopi also interacted with people in between takes. I wish I had had something clever to say as she communicated with an audience member and, once back on camera, said something fun related to their conversation.

Even though it wasn’t Giving Tuesday, we received a goodie bag upon leaving. This time it was a bindle sip and stash bottle (very nice, and considering they had taken my plastic bottle upon entering, it made up for it…), then two lip glosses, a box of shea butter, and a mug with the text ‘Love.’ Not bad at all, although I have only kept the mug… I was happy as I left and swung my bag back and forth while walking through Central Park.

The Daily Show – since Trevor Noah left, they are currently experimenting with a new host every week – and I was lucky to land on Wanda Sykes – she is hilarious. While she seemed a little nervous (first day and all), she was hilarious but did not take the time to talk to the audience. Here too, a comedian came and interacted with the crowd to warm us up and laugh. He asked if there were any foreigners – I raised my hand (only do that if you are willing to talk, I learned…). Now, I had to explain where I was from and what I was doing. I said I had a degree in anthropology, and he then asked what that meant; I told him I do archaeology, to which he commented on why I first said anthropology if I meant archaeology (clearly, he doesn’t know anything about anthropology…). This guy liked to nag people – not the best trait in a comedian, I find… he moved on to two college kids and focused on stereotypes when they explained they were from India and studied engineering. Another man got roasted when he dared mention that he liked to go hunting… I guess nervous laughter warms you up as well.

The Late Night Show with Seth Meyers. Attending these screenings by yourself can be beneficial. At least I have gotten really good seats (besides when wanting to see Whoopi…). Appearing by myself, often there is one seat left on one of the front rows, and then here I come, and I get placed nearer the front. This happened this time, where I ended up on the second row on the aisle to the left (important as this is closer to the desk, which means, this was where Seth came to stand when he wanted to chat with the audience).

Also here, before the show began, a comedian came in and talked to us – this time, I felt courageous about raising my hand when asked if there were any people from abroad – I had not anticipated that the guy would end up interrogating me, and I this time had to explain why a girl from Denmark with a degree in anthropology, needed a break from California, and what else I was doing in NYC – I have now learned my lesson, and look down when the comedians come around…

The show itself was super cool. Seth is fun, and I loved his monologue (and stuffed dog). I didn’t know that each week they get a guest drummer for the band, and this week it was Fabrizio Moretti, the drummer from the Strokes, a band I listened to A LOT some 15 years ago – so that was kind of cool. But, more importantly, Tom Hanks was the guest that night – one of my all-time favorite actors, and I was beyond ecstatic when he came on. Being Hanks, he pulled out a few lottery tickets for the MEGA one just before one of the biggest drafts ever. He handed one to Seth and one for the band to share… but a little later, as his time was up and the cameras off, he walked over to some ten more people and also handed those a ticket, which included staff and people on the front row – just a few feet from me – that, of course, got me daydreaming about how I would be spending the winnings from a ticket from Tom Hanks – it would be the most amazing thing ever! Alas, I didn’t receive a ticket, and the daydreaming is over.

The Late Night Show with Jimmy Fallon. Now, for somebody who doesn’t actually watch TV, Jimmy Fallon was essentially the only one of all these shows whose sketches I have watched over the years, usually in the form of clips on YouTube and Facebook… while the others can be fun too, there is just something about Jimmy Fallon’s show that seems so original, harmless, and FUN. I have often laughed out loud, and several things are stuck in my brain, such as the tight pants song or ebony and ivory with Terry Crewes... So, when I got this ticket, I couldn’t believe my luck. I had tried in the past without success. Perhaps it helped this time that it was off-season – whatever the reason – it finally happened and did not disappoint.

No comedian – no awkward answers – just screens showing some of the funniest interviews and bits from the show throughout time, and we were all laughing – so what a fun way to warm us up with anticipation of another fun show to come. The only disappointment, if I can express it, was that our entertainment was a band, rather than some of the many games he plays with guests. However, I cannot complain as the show’s guest was no other than Pedro Pascal – aka. Mandalorian, or, in my favorite role, as Javi, from The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent… possibly one of the best (and funniest) bromances I have ever watched. He is such a sweetheart – and he knows it…

During one of the breaks, Jimmy came up to the audience – again, I had lucked out with a single seat awaiting me when I showed up. I was on the fifth row by the aisle. The woman sitting next to me interrogated me to see if I was somebody special since she had asked the staff if she could get that seat, anticipating Jimmy would come and clap hands (which he didn’t end up doing). But the staff had responded to her that the seat was reserved. I assured her I was nobody special. Anyhow… the second guest on the show, her mother sat two seats behind me by the aisle, and Jimmy came up and talked to her, literally standing RIGHT NEXT TO ME! (yes, I sound like an infatuated little school girl…) - it gets better – he was talking about a story from when he had been golfing – sorry here I began to tune out – not least as suddenly he was right in front of me just starring into my eyes as if he was telling just me the story – this happened twice – which made me feel very special for a moment – and of course, my neighbor afterward enviously commented, that “you got a pretty good seat, huh” (#252 to be exact). What a memorable day – not least to also to experience the Roots live!

The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert. Now, I do not think I have ever watched more than 10, maybe 20 min combined of Colbert interviews – not sure why – it just hasn’t made it onto my radar (same for the others except Fallon…). These guys are fun, and I love their sarcastic commentary on political agendas… we will see – maybe I will get a TV one day and start watching rather than having to catch snit bits here and there.

This was the worst experience in terms of physical endurance! We were waiting in line for the longest time (I think they were running late for whatever reason). It seemed like it needed to be more organized. Worse, the theatre was extremely cold, and I was freezing even with my coat and scarf on. So minus points for all of that. Additionally, the comedian was vulgar and rude (not my kind of humor), and I often nervously laughed to avoid looking too cringed. This guy picked random people to get up on stage and share their stories, and here I did all I could to look away. Oh, hell no, I had nothing to share with him or the rest of the audience. “I am not a prude” (our motto down at the prude club…), but humor based on vulgar language and negatively talking to people lacks a level of sophistication I prefer in comedy. So, I was not warmed up when the band and Stephen came on; on the contrary, my arms were so cold and stiff that clapping was just a nuisance.

Anyhow, the band was entertaining with an excellent female contrabass player and a cool trumpet guy – not the Roots, though. They announced that Stephen would come out before the show and talk to us, and we could ask questions. He received a few random ones – but he was eloquent, pleasant, and spoke highly of his wife – so kudos. Then the show began, and the topic on Stephen’s mind was the balloons and the so-called UFOs that have been shot down recently. Today’s guests were John Oliver (another host whose shows I have never watched…) and Ron Klain, former Chief of Staff to Biden, who retired in early February 2023. John and Stephen had an amusing conversation about how John was on his top 6 of Johns, which he wanted to challenge to earn a better spot – ending in much silly bickering. While Ron received a few questions about classified information – he answered very diplomatically. The performing band that came on at the end is not worth mentioning besides saying that the girls in their tiny outfits were freezing too.

The Problem with - Jon Stewart: This was extraordinary. I had arrived early as this show required covid testing – so I ended up being number four in line to enter the studio for a seat. This was the first time I was that early. As with everywhere, it is all semi-staged, and specific seats are reserved for people with particular looks – some diversity attempt. This room, too, was freezing, and we all kept our jackets on – this was made up for since I got the perfect seat. Front row, four seats in (there were two seats in front of the first two seats!), so I had a perfect view with nobody blocking, in between cameras, and right in front of Jon’s desk! I was also the first to see him when he came out the backstage door – not least as he came too early, and a security guy put up his arm and made him wait…

Before we got to the show, here too was a standup comedian – also a female – and pregnant – why is this important – because her whole comedy bit centered around how she had gotten pregnant… she was overall funny, I suppose. She had some goodies for the audience who interacted – but having learned my lesson, I know those goodies can come at a high expense. She was kind, though, and not ridiculing anybody. Between takes later on, Jon asked if there were any tourists, and I regret not yelling yes as they had a nice little conversation going. Alas… maybe next time…

Back to the show – there were a lot of recorded bits we watched and reacted to. Jon was amazing. Charming and fun. He came on and said, “oh, this show is going to be quite a banger…” this was a typical dad joke – as the segment was on gun control… While this show is intended as comedy, it is cringy sometimes, as some interviewees are just beyond incompetent. The three invited guests were good, though, but as with any such show, and knowing a fair bit about the topic, I was left with a feeling of so much else that could (should?) have been covered. I know they only have so much time; still, the idiotic guy from Oklahoma in one interview - I would gladly have traded him for more suggestions on preventing gun-related violence. But this is me being overly critical. Thank you, Jon. It was epic.

To sum up – do it; it is a lot of fun to be in the audience – sign up – go to 1iota.com and create a profile and start putting in requests for tickets… I wonder why all of the Late Night hosts have their guests to the left (their right)? Is there something psychological in that? These days, in the early post-pandemic era, it is very different from show to show whether you have to show evidence of being vaccinated, wear a mask, sign something, covid test, or do nothing at all – that is all just part of the experience. Some are well structured, and you get in fast and can sit; for others, you have to stand around for a long time or walk a lot of stairs (so be prepared). How they decide where you sit in the audience differs significantly from show to show. At one show, a single girl in the line behind me got a number very different from mine, and I ended up on the second row while she was way further back in the middle. Do I have a favorite… no, they were all unique in their own ways, but highlights may still be Fallon and Tom Hanks – and Pedro – AND Jon Stewart… argh.. AND WHOOPI!