The latter half of my trip out west has me in San Diego. On the tail end of my vacation to Vancouver, I came down early to San Diego. I have family here, so I spent a few days with them, then took the train up to LA to visit some friends there. While there, I was dead set on attending a taping of Craig Ferguson’s Late Late Show. I DVR his show and that’s how I start off my mornings. I’m sure there’s some partiality because not only is he a Scotsman, but he hails from the same area as my family does. I love Craig’s show and I figured I had to at least try to attend a taping since I was going to be in the neighborhood as it were.

So I hopped the Surfliner up to LA. The three hours passed before I knew it, because I got a business class ticket so I could plug in and do some geekery offline. I had cashed in hotel points at the Hilton that was next door to Universal. Things like that are the upside to being on the road multiple times a year for weeks to months at a time. So is the fact that the level it puts you as as a member.

Guest services: Since you’re a $level member, we’ll put you on the executive floor.
Chells: -blinsk- Ok

I tweeted more than once that I LOVED that hotel. Even if it was weird being called a Mrs [because that's my mom, I don't think of myself as a Mrs]. I get in and settled at the hotel by noon or so. I get in touch with the friends I was trying to meet up with and get that all squared away. I can say I’ve been to Universal..for five minutes or so simply because I took the shuttle up, thinking that maybe sorta possibly it made stops by the two hotels along the way. It..does not. However walking downhill’s more appealing that uphill and fiveish minutes later, I was on the walkway to the hotel anyway. Which brings me to the second part of the Guest Services discussion that gave me pause

Guest Services: It looks like the room we have for you isn’t ready…but we have one that overlooks the park.
Chells: -blink, it’s like Hong Kong all over again- $Ok [it could have been thank you or OK...I'm positive it wasn't Awesomesausen!]

I had reserved my ‘ticket’ for being part of the audience but needed to call the number. Part of the wiki they give is stating that there’s no bags, cells, etc allowed. BUT, I wasn’t driving myself, so I kinda needed to be able to pay the ferryman and have my phone on me…because let’s be honest…iChells is pretty much a lifeline. It gave me a scare later in the week- I think it was feeling vulnerable while I geeked out in Vancouver. I was hoping that there’d be some way to check the not alloweds for those of us not driving ourselves. The kind lady on the other end confirmed that I could check my phone and retrieve it after and a small change purse that fit into a pocket was OK. I was all set.

Next, a call to the front desk to arrange transportation – I figured it was perhaps the most expeditious way to get to Stage 58. I can say I hated LA traffic inside of 2 minutes and I wasn’t even the one driving in it. And here’s where it made with the interesting: It took fortyish minutes to get to CBS Television City, I had only general instructions about where to go to be led in, etc. I get there with little time to spare, dropped off at a main entry, by appearances. I follow the audience check in signs, breathe easier seeing a CBS security guard because now I had a person to ask wherefore and how. I tell him I’m there for audience check in, but beyond following the signs to where I was standing now..I had no idea what I was doing and where I needed to go. He told me to enter just off to the left and they’d get me all set. So off to the left I go, and I notice the sign ‘Artist Entrance’ above the entryway. With a perked brow I press on, because little good comes from going against instructions by Security. I’ve been in enough places where if someone was where they were not supposed to be, they’re enlightened. I figure if that applied, the fellows at the desk would do as the guard outside said- they’d get me squared away. I walk in, go to the desk, telling them why I was there when they ask what could they do for me. They tell me to sign in, ask me for what show, and then say ‘Alright, go ahead and have a seat.’

And there I sat, fairly certain I was turned about, as I didn’t see another audience check in sign beyond the first point, moreover, there’s no one else there but CBS staff. It’s teetering past 5 pm, and the instructions said, don’t be late. Now I’m sitting thinking I’ve manage to get all the way there and I’m going to have to call the car back to come get me and lament I was THAT.CLOSE. to experiencing a taping of Craig’s show. I’m also nearly certain I heard over security’s radio that they weren’t taking anymore audience members for that show’s taping. I was getting my phone out at that point, but the gentlemen [and guard] that had gotten me situated told me that someone should be down shortly to get me and lead me upstairs.

Considering this is my first taping ever, I went with the flow, and well, the whole do as Security hath commanded. So I saw a LOT of CBS news while waiting, made small talk with one of the other members of security briefly. The gentlemen that got me situated initially, had gone on break and Brain’s telling me that they’ve got a schedule to keep, they’re taping, I’ve missed it. I was at the point where if I called to get the car, it’d be that moment where someone was there to take me upstairs…you know that point, the just wait a little longer to see how things end up, yet it becomes apparent you should have taken action the first time it entered your brain for consideration point. I was there.

Just as I was about to power up my phone and call the car back, the aforementioned gentlemen was back off his break and saw that I was still there.

‘Follow me ma’am, I’ll escort you up there’

He explained they usually had someone come down, but he’d take me up and get me to where I needed to be, and I thanked him muchly for this. He wasn’t sure about the floor and because of that, I saw from the elevator where they stored the prizes and such for The Price is Right briefly. I waved at the inanimate objects.

Next floor, intimidating filming studios, people in maroon blazers, security and guidance signs. I was led to Stage 58, where Gentlemen told the Maroon Blazers there that I’d been downstairs for a while and no one had come down to retrieve me…as per what usually goes down. I’m surprised I heard that because intermixed in that explanation was the term ‘VIP.’ I felt my eyes widen a bit, my mouth open and my voice trying to escape my throat in time to clarify I’m pretty dead on in my certainty that I’m not a VIP anything. Gentlemen disappears into the stage, one of the Maroon Blazers does as well to talk with someone. At this juncture I was able to say that I don’t know about my being a VIP audience member, I just went where I was instructed [though it seems serendipity led me delightfully astray]. Moments later I’m guided to an open spot in the back, it’s clear that they’d gotten under to a degree because Chunky D was already doing his thing keeping the energy up and the vibe high. Clips from previous shows were on the monitor, highlighting some great and funny moments on the show.

For those unawares, Chunky D is the warm up comedian for the show mainly, but he also signals the audience for applause when segments are starting up taping wise and the cues here and there for laughter [mostly as in 'it's OK to laugh at this point, so laugh.']. Great, funny guy, that Chunky D. What 1UPd the awesome was he was up by where I sat for a lot of the taping. So there I sat, watching Sept 11th’s show being taped and I enjoyed every single damned second of it. Drew Carey and Mindy Kaling were the guests. Saw a piece taped for a later sketch [promo for Craig's book, American on Purpose, where guests read excerpts of it]. In between, Craig talked with the people present. At times, the audience, at times Chunky and the production personnel. A key thing I recall was getting ready to film the opener. He told the audience to feel free to laugh..if it’s funny. If you saw the show, or you click the link later in the post, you’ll see why. [apart from the self- deprecation Craig throws at himself and abilities or lackthereof if you believe him and the show being funny]

I thought the stage he filmed on was bigger than it was, despite the whole ‘camera’ magic. Not the case. A few shirts were handed out in between taping bits, the candy was at the ready. The energy was great, and it’s quite something to see the show taped live. Quite the tight ship really too- that’s what watching everyone work reminded me of. A few times I had to watch the monitor when Craig was in front of the camera. And, like all things when you’re having a good time, it went by so quickly. After they’d taped the last bit, Craig waved bye to everyone, thanking them for being there and took his leave. There was pause, then I was tapped lightly on the shoulder. I looked over and there was Chunky D, handing me a LLSw/Craig Ferguson mug; I went slightly wide eyed from surprise, since my brows were already raised in that ‘Yes, how can I help you?’ fashion [tapped on the shoulder], processing I was being handed a gifty, and thanked him. [I've made mention the awesome factor, yes?].

So here’s the link to the show, broken into the segments between commercials. I saw everything taped, but the actual Prince Charles bit, as it was taped earlier..possibly during the earlier taping session. Afterwards, we’re led out, and I see the entrance I was supposed to have gone to, but the interesting thing is, unless I drove myself, there was little chance of me finding that unless I’d seen a crowd of people that I took to being potential audience members, the last audience check in sign I’d seen was prior to the security guard post where I asked for directions really.

Post Scripts of what else I can recall:

I may have saw Reba leaving the building.
Craig asked what they were going to use as a bleeping tone since it was the 9/11 show and they couldn’t very well use the Oo la la they’d been using. He said go for the regular bleep.
Seeing Craig live is awesome.
Craig, upon seeing the candy at the ready, lined it up while remarking he saw that it was set out. [It's usually thrown into the audience. This taping, it taunted anyone looking forward to that, as it wasn't thrown. At least, not towards the third row I was in].
I tried like hell to not cover my mouth when laughing, a reflex I’ve acquired no thanks to my ‘friends’ that like to send me notes at random during the work day trying to get me to literally LOL at my desk. Bastards.
The audience clapping along to the music played in between the taping of segments got ribbed on by Craig.
Pursuant to that, I’ll never think of penguins in the same fashion again and will most likely have them and seals co-associated because of it. And it’s all Craig’s fault.
‘But was the custard good?’ [you have to watch the clip]
Even though, just like that, it was all said and done, I’d gladly do it again. Though maybe if I get a next time, I’ll find my way to the right check in. Assuming they never move it.
Being mistaken for a VIP audience member..even now at the recollection, despite it makes for a story, is still quite a ‘waitwhathuh?’ moment. It endcapped an overall weird day of almost but not quite yet humorously unfortunate events.