Conan TV Taping 05.26.2011

Hi all! :)

I recently scored tickets to see a Conan O'brien TV taping (Episode 1098 on 05/26/2011)! :O I know, I know... HOW DO I KEEP GETTING TICKETS TO ALL THESE RANDOM EVENTS!? Haha, I honestly don't know, but I consider myself VERY lucky! :) Conan tickets are given out by lottery so it's really all in the luck of the draw. I actually originally got tickets to the May 13th taping, but that show got cancelled and the Conan team rebooked me for the May 26th taping.

Being a Thursday, it was rather difficult finding people to go with me, but I managed to wrangle up 2 other friends.

Wristbands

We got there around 1pm. Even though it was still way ahead of the 2:30pm check-in deadline, I would recommend going there even earlier. We had to go through security, have our ID's checked, and then check in with the PAs (production assistants?), who gave us wristbands, our tickets, and a group number. Then, we were free to roam around the waiting area or leave to grab something to eat. The group number served to keep our place in line so I would suggest going early so you get a lower number and then going out to lunch somewhere nearby.

Tickets, Group Number, and Email Confirmation

Group #28 landed us in the middle of the right section of the audience, which isn't too bad, but it would've been cool sitting closer.

Burrito and Torta Truck

As we waited, one of the PAs informed us about a food truck that usually parks outside so when it came, we decided to try it. Neither I nor one of my friends had eaten lunch and it is always a good idea to eat before a TV taping. (I'm speaking from experience. *cough* Mad TV *cough* Catch 21 *cough* It's never fun finding yourself almost starving in the middle of filming! x__x)

Asada Torta

The truck itself was one of those no name "original" food trucks that mainly served burritos and tortas. (Haha, there's no fancy fusion food like kimchi quesadillas or honey feta fries here.) I got the carne asada torta. (Sorry about the crappy picture quality. These pics were all taken with my phone's camera since we aren't allowed to have camera cameras.) The meat was a bit on the dry side but the ingredients seemed fresh and it was a good pre-TV taping meal.

Water and Music Provided

Something that I loved about Conan's waiting area was that they provided water for everyone and music for people to listen to. They're so considerate of their audience! (When I went to the Mad TV taping ages ago, we had to stand outside in the sun waiting in line. Not fun.) Also, I wanted to note that the security guards are friendly and helpful too! It must be great working there! As a total aside, they also have some of the nicest port-a-potties I've ever been in. They still smell bad like regular port-a-potties, but there's AC and automatic sinks! Strange and yet kind of cool...

Conan T-shirt ($30 there, but $25 online)

Back of the Shirt

There was also a small merchandise shop that opened up while we waited. They had shirts, hats, and wristbands. I caved and ended up buying the shirt above because I liked the color and how the back said "I WAS THERE". (When I came home, I checked online and found that it was cheaper buying it online! D:< The prices were different for the women's shirts for some reason (with some being more expensive online while others were cheaper) so I suggest double checking the online prices before going to the taping if you're considering buying something.)

The waiting area

At 3pm, they started escorting groups to the studio. We were in the 3rd group (Groups #21-30). We walked through the WB lot and got to see where they film The Big Bang Theory (which is across from the old Friends set), Two and a Half Men, and a few other studios. I didn't get to take any photos since they made us turn off our phones, but the guests for the day were Dana Carvey, Mike Zohn & Evan Michelson (from Obscura Antiques and Oddities), and Tinie Tempah. The guests themselves didn't really interest me, but it was a fun experience. I was really hoping Tinie Tempah would sing more than one song (maybe even off camera for the audience present), but that didn't happen which was a bit disappointing.

Some things I noticed while filming: Andy Richter is actually a lot bigger in person! When he stood next to our MC warm-up/prep guy, it looked like Penn and Teller! Haha! The stage itself is also a lot smaller in person. As Dana Carvey said during filming, it really is a rather "intimate" experience. Case and point: one of the guys in the audience had a sign asking, "Can we touch your hair?" and during one of the breaks, Conan went up to him and let him touch his hair! How cool is that!? Just goes to show that Conan really cares about keeping his audience happy! :D

As we were leaving the taping, some people from the Lopez Tonight show stopped us and asked if we wanted to go to his taping. I wanted to because the guests seemed interesting (Randy Jackson, Russell Peters, and someone from Kiss), but my friends wanted to leave to go to the bathroom instead. -.- Perhaps next time... It's alright we didn't get to see them though. It gave us time to go to Porto's Bakery and grab dinner at Fuddruckers.

Conan Check-In is on Level 1

One thing I wanted to see before we left was the Warner Brother's tower, but I missed it! One of my friends spotted it as we were driving, but when we turned, a big building got in the way. Bummer... :( Oh wellz... next time, rite? ;)

"We're walking... we're walking... and we're stopping..." ~ Miss Information (Yay for everyone who remembers Animaniacs! :P)