Former Zoner and Hubster Jentaps has sent us this wonderful “Taping ReporT” of her trip to the “The Colbert Report” all the way back on October 20th, 2008.
I was at the same taping as DB! I had absolutely the Best. Day. Ever! Thanks to Tiger, who gave me all the info on when to get there to try for stand-by tickets, we (husband and sis-in-law) arrived at the studio at 1:50. There was a guy waiting around outside who is evidently a relative of Mark the Audience Coordinator. He was waiting to have coffee with him. I told the relative to tell Mark that Jennifer said “hi.” (And, no, I don’t know Mark, have never been to a taping, have been trying for tickets for a month or so, and came from California by way of a conference in DC). Thus began our long wait for someone official to show up. By the time 4:00 rolled around, there were about 15 people in the stand-by line, and only a couple of regular ticket holders.
Two interns came out with a clipboard, and started writing down names. I’m soooo glad we got there first! They told us to come back at 5:00, and that they would give out tickets in the order that we arrived. We had a cup of coffee around the corner, and went back to a ton of people. All the ticket holders had shown up, along with about 25 VIPs. Mark came out a couple of times, and the Interns looked a little worried. Anyhoo, they handed out the red VIP passes, and the blue regular passes. At 5:42 they called our names – just us three! Mark asked us if it would be OK if we had an obstructed view or if we had to stand. I totally didn’t care.
We finally entered the audience room (after bag search and metal detector) at about 6:30 or so. Garrett (?) told us all we were the most important part of the show, that Stephen needed our energy. He tested us to see how loud we’d be. We all stood around for a while watching some old episodes (Green Screen Challenge w/ George L., and The Word – Sigh). Then Mark was back to ask us some trivia questions. He mentioned that the person who writes the blog, “The No Fact Zone” was there, and that she couldn’t answer any of the questions. He said nothing about people who frequent the blog, so I got to answer the first question, “Who was the guest on the very first episode?” I shot my hand up, and got to answer and get a T-shirt. Yay! I’m sorry to say I can’t remember any of the other questions, but I did know the answers. Wait, I remember some: What is the name of his book? What is the name of the recurring series about Congress? Then they left us to our own devices for a few minutes, so I called out “DB!”. DB called back, and asked who I was. “Jentaps!”
After more reminders about laughing hard, they finally let everyone in; VIPs first, then the rest of us. By the time we three got in, there were no more places to sit. The four people in front of us had to sit on the steps at the far left. Mark took us around the back of the seats and then to stand in the tunnel between the two banks of seats. Pete came out and did the audience warm-up. I thought he was a riot. He had a lot of fun with two young women who were sisters that both work for non-profits. He also “picked on” a lawyer, and a guy who was wearing flip-flops in pretty cold weather.
When Pete was done, Mark had us move out of the tunnel and around to behind the seats again. I’m thinking we won’t be able to see him go out. Surprise! He bounded right up to us and shook our hands! Squee! Then he went out, and I assume he ran around. Mark then had us stand in the tunnel between the of seats again. I was about 10 feet behind DB, Kinaesthesia, and Ms. I.
Stephen asked for questions from the audience, so I raised my hand (I was all ready with my question). I forget the first question and answer. Then someone asked if Stephen had thought of doing a “Better Know a State Constitution”. He hadn’t. I still had my hand up, so he called on me next. I told him I’d seen all of his dance moves, and did he tap dance? In the middle of my asking the question, he told me I could put my hand down now. Anyway, he said he didn’t, did I? I told him yes, and he asked if I could teach him how to do a time step. I said sure, and went up next to him, introduced myself, and showed him how to do a Stomp Buck time step. He told me to “slow down, lady”, so we went through it slowly. It was so much fun! It was like my fantasy came true! My husband and sis-in-law were beaming when I went back. As others have remarked, he has soft hands. And I spent a fair amount of time looking at his feet while dancing with him, and he does have big feet.
The show was pretty much what you all saw. The only retake was right at the beginning. They’d told us to really laugh hard when he does the intro, and evidently we threw him a little off, we were so loud. He had to re-do the very first thing after “Tonight!”
After Winton Marsalis’s interview, during the break, someone escorted DB and company through the tunnel to do I don’t know what, and I hope she tells us. Mark or someone asked if we wanted to watch the rest of the show from their seats. Yay. Just as we sat down, the cameras rolled, and Stephen said, “Goodnight”. It was over. He got up and low fived the front row, and thanked me for the time step.
Best. Night. Ever.
Oh, and here are my pix from out front: [Link]
October 20th, 2008: The Taping ReporT!
I was at the same taping as DB! I had absolutely the Best. Day. Ever! Thanks to Tiger, who gave me all the info on when to get there to try for stand-by tickets, we (husband and sis-in-law) arrived at the studio at 1:50. There was a guy waiting around outside who is evidently a relative of Mark the Audience Coordinator. He was waiting to have coffee with him. I told the relative to tell Mark that Jennifer said “hi.” (And, no, I don’t know Mark, have never been to a taping, have been trying for tickets for a month or so, and came from California by way of a conference in DC). Thus began our long wait for someone official to show up. By the time 4:00 rolled around, there were about 15 people in the stand-by line, and only a couple of regular ticket holders.
Two interns came out with a clipboard, and started writing down names. I’m soooo glad we got there first! They told us to come back at 5:00, and that they would give out tickets in the order that we arrived. We had a cup of coffee around the corner, and went back to a ton of people. All the ticket holders had shown up, along with about 25 VIPs. Mark came out a couple of times, and the Interns looked a little worried. Anyhoo, they handed out the red VIP passes, and the blue regular passes. At 5:42 they called our names – just us three! Mark asked us if it would be OK if we had an obstructed view or if we had to stand. I totally didn’t care.
We finally entered the audience room (after bag search and metal detector) at about 6:30 or so. Garrett (?) told us all we were the most important part of the show, that Stephen needed our energy. He tested us to see how loud we’d be. We all stood around for a while watching some old episodes (Green Screen Challenge w/ George L., and The Word – Sigh). Then Mark was back to ask us some trivia questions. He mentioned that the person who writes the blog, “The No Fact Zone” was there, and that she couldn’t answer any of the questions. He said nothing about people who frequent the blog, so I got to answer the first question, “Who was the guest on the very first episode?” I shot my hand up, and got to answer and get a T-shirt. Yay! I’m sorry to say I can’t remember any of the other questions, but I did know the answers. Wait, I remember some: What is the name of his book? What is the name of the recurring series about Congress? Then they left us to our own devices for a few minutes, so I called out “DB!”. DB called back, and asked who I was. “Jentaps!”
After more reminders about laughing hard, they finally let everyone in; VIPs first, then the rest of us. By the time we three got in, there were no more places to sit. The four people in front of us had to sit on the steps at the far left. Mark took us around the back of the seats and then to stand in the tunnel between the two banks of seats. Pete came out and did the audience warm-up. I thought he was a riot. He had a lot of fun with two young women who were sisters that both work for non-profits. He also “picked on” a lawyer, and a guy who was wearing flip-flops in pretty cold weather.
When Pete was done, Mark had us move out of the tunnel and around to behind the seats again. I’m thinking we won’t be able to see him go out. Surprise! He bounded right up to us and shook our hands! Squee! Then he went out, and I assume he ran around. Mark then had us stand in the tunnel between the of seats again. I was about 10 feet behind DB, Kinaesthesia, and Ms. I.
Stephen asked for questions from the audience, so I raised my hand (I was all ready with my question). I forget the first question and answer. Then someone asked if Stephen had thought of doing a “Better Know a State Constitution”. He hadn’t. I still had my hand up, so he called on me next. I told him I’d seen all of his dance moves, and did he tap dance? In the middle of my asking the question, he told me I could put my hand down now. Anyway, he said he didn’t, did I? I told him yes, and he asked if I could teach him how to do a time step. I said sure, and went up next to him, introduced myself, and showed him how to do a Stomp Buck time step. He told me to “slow down, lady”, so we went through it slowly. It was so much fun! It was like my fantasy came true! My husband and sis-in-law were beaming when I went back. As others have remarked, he has soft hands. And I spent a fair amount of time looking at his feet while dancing with him, and he does have big feet.
The show was pretty much what you all saw. The only retake was right at the beginning. They’d told us to really laugh hard when he does the intro, and evidently we threw him a little off, we were so loud. He had to re-do the very first thing after “Tonight!”
After Winton Marsalis’s interview, during the break, someone escorted DB and company through the tunnel to do I don’t know what, and I hope she tells us. Mark or someone asked if we wanted to watch the rest of the show from their seats. Yay. Just as we sat down, the cameras rolled, and Stephen said, “Goodnight”. It was over. He got up and low fived the front row, and thanked me for the time step.
Best. Night. Ever.
Oh, and here are my pix from out front: [Link]