Do you love watching television? I do probably more than I should admit. You watch your favorite shows and see people clapping along in the audience. You may wonder how they get to be in the studio while you are sitting on your couch. Sure you can travel to NYC or Hollywood and go on tours. Tours that will charge you while promising a behind the scenes look and possible celebrity sightings. While those tours provide info and entertainment let me show you how you can be a part of your favorite television shows…and for free!
If you are going to be visiting Hollywood there are many studios in the area where filming takes place. Warner Bros. in neighboring Burbank is one of largest. One popular show that films at Warner Bros. is The Ellen Degeneres Show.
The Ellen Show is a very hot ticket and is often booked up months in advance. For this and many other shows you can go directly to the main website for each particular show to request tickets. For example, for The Ellen Show, you would go here.
In order to give yourself the best chance for seeing a taping, I suggest requesting a ticket as far in advance as you know your travel dates. Do not wait until you are on vacation to try and get in to see a taping. While there is a possibility you can get into some smaller shows, the chance of seeing a fan favorite at the last minute is very slim to not happening.
Once you apply for tickets if any are available you will either get a confirmation email or a phone call to confirm your attendance. For the Ellen Show, I received a phone call, but for most others, I got an email. Always make sure you follow the instructions on your confirmation email. For the studios, they often have specific parking lots for the participating audience members, as well as a certain time and place to meet.
One tip I can not stress enough is DRESS TO IMPRESS! I don’t mean go overboard by wearing your fanciest ensemble. Do be creative and stylish…after all, it is the entertainment industry. I once read that tip before going to the Ellen Show and can I tell you that my purple dress that I splurged on from Anthropologie paid off! You see some of the shows file you into the seating area elementary school auditorium style. Hurry take your seat, single file line style. The others, however, like Ellen, place you in specific seats. Looking camera ready will up your chance of getting closer to the action!
I have been to several show tapings in Hollywood and they have been so much fun! Some, though, take up so much time due to their production process. For example, I once went to a Price is Right taping. It took up over ten hours of my day. And I didn’t even get to live my lifelong dream of playing PLINKO! So while Hollywood is exciting, I much more prefer going to show tapings in New York City. Just like most things in NYC the television show productions run at a quicker pace. Therefore shows there take up much less of your precious vacation time!
One of my favorite shows to attend is Good Morning America. I have been fortunate to get to be a part of this show as an extra twice. The staff and hosts at GMA are the best! The first time Diane Sawyer was still a part of the show. She and Robin Roberts made my first trip to New York City so special, by just being wonderful people. 
For shows that do not do ticketing straight through their website, many go through 1iota.com. Some of the shows that use 1iota to distribute their tickets include GMA, Live with Kelly, The Voice and the almost impossible to snag tickets to-The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Aside from places like Los Angeles and New York that are normal hotspots for filming, 1iota also often does specialty shows in other cities. For example, the Super Bowl will be here in Houston this year and 1iota is offering tickets to shows being filmed here leading up to the festivities.
One of the best parts of going to see live tapings is seeing the celebrities that are being interviewed that day! When I went to see Live with Kelly & Michael, not too long before Michael’s departure, Meryl Streep was one of the guests!
Another site that I love is On Location Vacations. This site does not offer tickets to tapings. They do, however, give daily updates on shows and movies being filmed along with addresses. Many of the locations are set on the city streets so fans can watch from a distance.
I hope these tips prove to be useful to you should you wish to be a part of your favorite television shows! Have you gone to a show taping? If so how did it go?
It looks like a fun day! This is really awesome! I’d love to be part of my favorite television shows one day!
Belle | One Awesome Momma
Belle one day you will have to! It is so fun!
Love all these shows and wish I lived closer to be a part of the studio audience. When I was in my teens, I was a part of Wheel of Fortune and still remember the fun (and all the constant applause we had to do!) at that show!
Karen Wheel of Fortune would be so fun! I would love to be a contestant on that show!
Being part of the audience on a television show is great fun. I am based in the UK and have been to X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and Top Gear. All were brilliant days out and lots of fun 🙂
Nicola that would be so fun! Especially if Simon Cowell was there because I love his snarky behavior! Haha!
I’d love to go watch Ellen live!! And dance with her! 🙂 Haha.
Divya it is funny because that was the part that was so surreal to me! I couldn’t believe we were there in person!
I’ve always wanted to attend a live taping. It always looks like so much fun! Great tips!
Thank you! If you get the chance you should go!
I have never been to a showing of a TV show. But I want to take my Mother-in-law one day to Ellen. Good to know they book up faster
Angela that would be such a fun surprise for her! She would love it!
This is so exciting! I would love to go see Oprah Live!
Laura Oprah would be a fun one to see for sure!
I’ve seen Jay Leno in CA before, and it was so much fun! My BFF and I got to be a part of the warm up show.
Lindsey I bet that was cool! It is so fun to see behind the scenes!
What a fun idea. I’ve never been to a TV show and to do something like this while on vacation would be so fun!
Rachel it is a really fun way to spend a bit on time while on a trip!
Wow this is so cool! I’m glad you were able to experience this and thank you for the tips! If I ever get the chance I will be prepared.
Thank you Silvia!
I honestly had never thought about how the audience process selection went. Cool post. I was part of the Disney World Christmas show-interesting to see how things like that are put on
Thank you Mandy! That would be so fun to be part of the Disney Christmas show! I watch that special every year!
It’s always been on my bucket list to go to a show taping! It seems like it would be so fun and such a great opportunity!
Brittany you would love it! It really is a lot of fun being there in person!
Great post! I’ve gone to a handful of tapings since I live in Los Angeles and my sister actually use to work on Ellen watching over audience members, but like you said, the filming can take several hours so I don’t do it very often – only when there is someone I really, REALLY want to see. I’ve only been to one taping in NYC for Jimmy Fallon and yes, it was much, much faster than anything in LA!
Amanda that is awesome! I bet your sister had a great time doing that job! One of these days I am going to get tickets for Jimmy Fallon. I have been unsuccessful to this point!
These are some great ideas for those who want to participate in these shows. I would love to see an Ellen show live, she is always so hilarious and sincere.
Thank you! Ellen was truly a blast!! Plus she has awesome guests!
So awesome. There are a few I’d love to be a part of and attend! So much fun, and probably something Id only ever do once if ever!
Jeanine you should!!
What an awesome trip! I have a friend who LOVES television! I will need to share this with her!
She would love it Reesa! It is such a fun and inexpensive way to spend the day!
Wow this looks so cool! I love this about LA and NY that you can get tickets free to watch some of these shows live. What a wonderful experience.
Nikki it does make for a great experience!!
Oh my this brings back memories. In 2004 (I think) we went to see Wayne Brady Show being taped. So much fun! We saw Blake Shelton on the show, and all got a free CD. It was hilarious as my hubby hates country music but faked a smile 🙂
Wayne Brady is hilarious so I know that would be so much fun! How funny your hubby had to pretend to be excited! Once we went to Chelsea Handler and Ray J was the guest. I remember the audience coordinator telling us that somedays the guests are good and even though today wasn’t that day we still had to clap! LOL!
Wow I had no idea you can do it!! I have so many shows that I love and I would be delighted to attend! Kelly and Michael is one of them!
Katya you should try it one day! It is really a great time!
Wow, this is so exciting – to be part of our favorite television shows. Never thought about this – absolutely love this!
Thank you!! So glad you enjoyed the post!!