My daughter Katie has a great job, and I, as her loving mother, am the recipient of some very cool perks because of it. Working as an assistant to a Talent Publicist in the entertainment industry, Katie has, on numerous occasions, brought home some great free stuff. The best thing, though, that Katie has given me, her loving mother, has been experiences.
Yesterday I went to a filming of The Ellen Degeneres Show. Katie was able to get me 2 much-coveted VIP tickets, so I took my hair stylist and great friend, Gordon, who is a huge Ellen fan.
If you ever go to see The Ellen Degeneres Show, be prepared for a lot of waiting and a lot of exercise. Even with our much-coveted VIP status, we were still required to wait for 2 hours to enter the studio. The people watching was pretty fantastic, so we didn’t mind. Once in the studio, we were led to the front of the audience section, and because of our much-coveted VIP status, we had amazing seats in the third row. In fact, if you watch the show today, January 16, you will probably see us when Ellen does her dance through the audience – I’m in a blue shirt, Gordon is in red. We were thisclose to Ellen.
Third row. I don’t know who that woman is.
But back to the exercise part. There was a great warm-up guy leading the audience in lots and lots and lots and lots of applauding, whooping, dancing and noise-making. He got audience members to come to the front and dance, alone – for a free t-shirt. He told us when to make noise and when to be quiet, when to get up and down, up and down. We barely sat during the filming – we had to keep dancing. My hands hurt from all the applauding!
The guests were great. Phillip Phillips sang, and since I am a huge, huge fan – I can’t decide if I want to adopt him or cougar him – I was super-excited to hear him live. Jennifer Lopez was as glamorous as can be, and I swear her butt is a feat of engineering – it moves in ways I’ve never seen on another person. She and Ellen chatted about their glamorous lives, which was both interesting and depressing at the same time. I mean, I WANT TO BE J. LO! Kyle Chandler was on the show too.
This is the song Phillip Phillips sang on the show.
Ellen herself was not very engaging with the audience. She came out and did her job, and was focused on the task at hand. Gordon and I were a little surprised that she wasn’t more Ellen-ish with us, but I can imagine that she has so many people asking her for so much every minute of every day that it’s just not possible to connect with her audience on a personal level. Tony the DJ was the same way – but I love his laugh!
Watching the process of the show being made was fascinating – it takes a lot of people to film a talk show.
I no longer have the much-coveted VIP status and have returned to my ordinary life – but it was fun for a few hours to be part of something that is such a well-loved part of so many people’s days.
Watch The Ellen Degeneres Show today, January 16, to see Phillip Phillips, Jennifer Lopez, Kyle Chandler – and maybe Gordon and me!
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SOunds like a great day out. And what fun to see your daughter’s world. With a great kid like her, your life has much coveted VIP status, lucky mom.
Grown and Flown recently posted..Birthday Celebration as We Turn One!
She’s the real VIP in my book
That’s so interesting that she wasn’t interactive with the audience because when you watch it, it seems like she is!! But, it sounds like you had a blast and SO much fun!! I would love to go and see Ellen!!
Lee recently posted..This Is What 12 Looks Like
Ha, How great is this!! I love that you got to do this. I will try to watch at 3 and catch your famousness on the screen. My sister went to see Oprah once and said she was a b___, to the audience. I took my Mom to see The Phil Donahue show years ago and it was cool to do. We got to see the Bozo show (huge around here back then)being filmed from the hallway while waiting in line. You got to see some great guests along with seeing dramatic butt moves unknown to mankind.
sue recently posted..Polhemus Savery DaSilva Cape Cod House Renovation
Oh man… SO jealous! Glad you had fun!
Geek Girl recently posted..Guest Post & Recipe By Anne Newsome
How fun! I love TV tapings (especially since I don’t *work* on them any more!) Johnny Carson was the same way – very quiet and shy in person, but came alive when it was showtime.
Donna recently posted..Resolutions: The New Year of Magical Thinking
I saw the taping of the Jonny Carson show a couple of times when my mother’s friend Wayne Dyer was on. It was very exciting!
Wow, I feel like I just went to the Ellen Show! That was awesome Sharon, let me live vicariously. I want more on Kyle Chandler!!! I loved Kyle Chandler on Friday Night Lights and Zero Dark Thirty!!!
As for JLo’s butt I don’t even know where to start on mine!
Thanks Sharon….
Forget about comparing your butt to J.Lo’s. It’s as if it’s a living, breathing thing all on it’s own. Truly miraculous.
Thank-you for sharing your exciting experience with your readers! I’m glad you had such a wonderful time!
What a fun day! Heck, you deserved it after raising such a wonderful child who is doing so well for herself. I also had one fun day when my friend, a filmmaker, invited me to a closed set while she filmed Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal. I met them, and sat with the Director, Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters, nicest guys because we talked about where to get the best smoked salmon!) and film crew while they put headphones on me to listen in. Isn’t it fun to be Queen for a Day? Fun post…
Cathy recently posted..I Hug You With My Words, Forever
I love Billy Crystal – how fun that you got to meet him. And there’s no bigger star than Robert DeNiro!
Thanks for this fly-on-the-wall peek at the Ellen Show! Her reading of 50 Shades of Gray was one of the funniest things I’ve ever watched.
Pauline Gaines recently posted..What I’m Thankful For: Every Other Friday
That was pretty funny, wasn’t it!
Very cool…. A nice perk and so great your daughter shared!! My son works in professional sports and my stepdaughter works for Disney. Both jobs have a few “perks”, but both kids live too far away for us to reap much benefit. Thanks for letting me live vicariously today…
Brenda @ MyMidlifeProject recently posted..31 Random Facts About Me
You’re so welcome – thanks for reading and commenting!
Can’t wait to look for you on the show later! Sounds like it was a blast — and I LOVE Philip Philips too!
Lois Alter Mark recently posted..The Soundtrack to My Life
He’s the best, isn’t he? I have a hard time imagining that anyone on this season of American Idol will come close to his talent.
Hey, what a great experience!!! When I lived in Westlake Village, I pulled up to a stop sign and who was in the car next to me?? Yes…Ellen. She gave my friend and me the most awesome smile and wave — and then my friend and I stalked by car out to her ranch about 15 minutes off the freeway where she lives on the weekends. I’ll never forget the look of pure joy on her face. Luv her!
Nancy Wurtzel recently posted..Alzheimer’s Action: Seven Ideas to Help Caregivers Take Back Some Control
What a great perk for your daughter and to share it with her Mom! How generous of you to share with your stylist. I love the Ellen show so surprised she was not more engaging. That’s show biz! I missed it so will look for you on line!
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Thank you for sharing this! It’s interesting how watching a show on television, you can easily remain oblivious to all of the hard work and “staging” that goes into creating a great production. I’ve been to a couple of shows myself… not hers (though I’d love to) but it was very similar as well. Wendy Williams even makes references to some of the backstage ideas on her show while it is airing… She ask about lighting, she reminds the prompter to prompt the audience to laugh, and she even makes fun of the way she gives certain cues for the staff to “get in place” while a short commercial or infomercial shows up. Thank you for bringing some humility to what seems like an unobtainable goal for most everyday people like you and I!
Connie Omari recently posted..Tribute to Fatherless Daughters
Sounds like you had a blast! J Lo and her butt are pretty amazing. Mine has a life of it’s own too, but in a different (very different!) sort of way. When I was a teen my friend, whose dad was a producer, took me to see the taping of the Johnny Carson Show and Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert. I got to meet Donna Summer. I don’t think I sleep for weeks after that!
Carpool Goddess recently posted..The Decade Of Dressing Badly: Fashion Mistakes Of My Youth
Seems like you came on a good day – I like all three guests. TV tapings can be such a surreal experience as you see the work behind the scenes.
L Palmer recently posted..The First Annual W.I.T. Awards – (Film Category)
What a great experience! So happy for you! I had the opportunity to go to the Regis & Kelly show once. Was very interesting to see how things work at an actual taping. Gave me an entirely new perspective on the talk shows.
Kate recently posted..First Lady of Style – Michelle Obama
I just love Ellen it w ould fun to meet her. Watching her show you get a whole different impression of her and how she is with her audience.
A few years ago I went to Dr Phil show taping and was very disheartened. We first checked in where we had to hand over our cell phones then all 200+ of us were ushered into a very small gated outdoor area where we waited in the rain for over 3hours!It was like we were prisoners.Once we finally got inside there was no apology or even acknowledgement of our terribly long wait with nothing but a small bench to share amoungt all of s poor audience members.Dr Phil came off as incredibly arrogantand acted as if we ,the audience, didn’teven exist.Just awful.
When I went to the Ricki Lake Show, they took our phones too. So aggravating!
Sounds like a great day! A friend of mine took me to The Talk and I couldn’t believe how loud the audience was! Glad you had fun. Your daughter has a great job.
enchantedseashells recently posted..How To Look Like An Alien While Shopping For A Ball Gown…With My Beautiful And Sweet Friend From So Cal
Sounds like a great day! A friend of mine took me to The Talk and I couldn’t believe how loud the audience was! Glad you had fun. Your daughter has a great job. I don’t think I would have stayed if someone tried to take my cell, tho!
enchantedseashells recently posted..How To Look Like An Alien While Shopping For A Ball Gown…With My Beautiful And Sweet Friend From So Cal