TV Tapings

The trick to getting tickets for TV tapings in this city is to be from out of town. You visitors have a much better chance than we New Yorkers; producers are gun-shy about filling their audiences with obnoxious locals and see everybody who's not from New York as being from the heartland -- and therefore their target TV audience.

If you're set on getting tickets to a show, request them as early as possible -- 6 months ahead isn't too early, and earlier is better for the most popular shows. Most shows have "ticket request" areas on their websites, which will ask you the number of tickets you want, your preferred dates of attendance (be as flexible as you can), and your address and phone number. Tickets are always free. Even if you send in your request early, don't be surprised if tickets don't arrive at your house until shortly before the tape date.

If you come to town without any tickets, all is not lost. Because they know that every ticket holder won't make it, many studios give out a limited number of standby tickets on the day of taping. If you can just get up a little early and don't mind standing in line for a couple (or a few) hours, you have a good chance of getting one (note that the Letterman show no longer has standby lines, you have to call). Now, the bad news: Only one standby ticket per person is allowed, so everybody who wants to get in has to get up at the crack of dawn and stand in line. And even if you get your hands on a standby ticket, it doesn't guarantee admission; they usually only start seating standbys after the regular ticket holders are in. Still, chances are good.

For additional information on getting tickets to tapings, call the NYCVB at tel. 212/484-1222. And remember -- you don't need a ticket to be on the Today show.

If you do attend a taping, be sure to bring a sweater, even in summer. As anybody who watches Letterman knows, it's cold in those studios. And bring ID, as proof of age may be required.

The Colbert Report -- Jon Stewart's star reporter Steve Colbert, of The Daily Show, became so popular he was given his own show on Comedy Central. Now he is giving Stewart a run for his money in the ratings. As of press time, tickets to The Colbert Report were only available on a standby basis. Arrive at the studio no later than 5pm: 513 W. 54th St., between Tenth and Eleventh avenues. Check the website, www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_colbert_report, for ticket information.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart -- Comedy Central's irreverent, often hilarious mock newscast tapes Monday through Thursday at 5:45pm, at 513 W. 54th St. The Daily Show no longer takes phone requests. For tickets, send an e-mail with your full name and daytime phone number to requesttickets@thedailyshow.com. Last-minute ticket requests only are allowed by telephone on the Friday prior to the desired show.

Late Night with Conan O'Brien -- Conan's taking over the Tonight show in a couple of years, so if you want to see him on "Late Night," better do it soon. Tapings are Tuesday through Friday at 5:30pm (plan on arriving by 4:45pm if you have tickets), and you must be 16 or older to attend. You can reserve up to four tickets in advance by calling tel. 212/664-3056. Standby tickets are distributed on the day of taping at 9am outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza, on the 49th Street side of the building (under the NBC Studios awning), on a first-come, first-served basis (read: come early if you actually want to get one).

The Late Show with David Letterman -- Here's the most in-demand TV ticket in town. Submit ticket requests online at www.cbs.com/latenight; or stop by the Ed Sullivan Theater from Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 12:30pm or Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am to 6:00pm to submit an in-person request. Tapings are Monday through Thursday at 5:30pm (arrive by 4:15pm), with a second taping Thursday at 8pm (arrive by 6:45pm). You must be 18 or older to attend. On tape days, there are no standby lines anymore; call tel. 212/247-6497 at 11am for up to two standby tickets; start dialing early, because the machine will kick in as soon as all standbys are gone. If you do get through, you may have to answer a question about the show to score tickets.

Live! with Regis and Kelly -- Tapings with Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa are Monday through Friday at 9am at the ABC Studios at 7 Lincoln Sq. (Columbus Ave. and W. 67th St.) on the Upper West Side. You must be 10 or older to attend (under 18s must be accompanied by a parent). Send your postcard (four tickets max) at least a full year in advance to Live! Tickets, Ansonia Station, P.O. Box 230777, New York, NY 10023-0777 (tel. 212/456-3054). Standby tickets are sometimes available. Arrive at the studio no later than 7am and request a standby number; standby tickets are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, so earlier is better.

Rachael Ray Show -- You can apply to be featured on the show (if you fit one of the topics they are doing a segment on, like "Do you have a crush on a reality TV star?" or "Kids not turning out the way you expected?") or request tickets on the website (www.rachaelrayshow.com). Demand for the tickets is high, and you may be in for a long wait (over a year!). When it's in production, the show tapes twice a day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at Ray's studio at 222 East 44th Street (between 2nd and 3rd aves.). You must be over 16 years old to attend a taping, and bring a valid photo ID. There's a rather detailed dress code (no capris! No sequins!). You can also stop by on the day of taping to see if standby tickets are available.

Saturday Night Live -- SNL tapings are Saturday at 11:30pm (arrival time 10pm); there's also a full dress rehearsal at 8pm (arrival time 7pm). You must be 16 or older to attend. Here's the catch: Written requests are taken only in August and the odds are always long. However, you can try for standby tickets on the day of the taping, which are distributed at 7am outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza, on the 49th Street side of the building (under the NBC Studios awning), on a first-come, first-served basis; only one ticket per person will be issued. If you want to try your luck with advance tickets, call tel. 212/664-3056 as far in advance of your arrival in New York as possible to determine the current ticket-request procedure.

The Today Show -- Anybody can be on TV with Matt and cuddly weatherman Al Roker and Meredith Vieira. All you have to do is show up outside Today's glass-walled studio at Rockefeller Center, on the southwest corner of 49th Street and Rockefeller Plaza, with your HI, MOM! sign. Tapings are Monday through Friday from 7 to 10am, but come at the crack of dawn if your heart's set on being in front. Who knows? If it's a nice day, you may even get to chat with Meredith, Matt, or Al in a segment. Come extra early to attend a Friday Summer Concert Series show.

Total Request Live -- The countdown show that made Carson Daly a household name is broadcast live from MTV's second-floor glass-walled studio at 1515 Broadway, at 44th Street in Times Square, weekdays at 3:30pm. Crowds start gathering below at all hours, depending on the drawing power of the day's guest. Audience tickets can sometimes be reserved in advance by calling the TRL Ticket Reservation Hot Line at tel. 212/398-8549 or send your reservation requests to trlcasting@mtvstaff.com; you must be between 16 and 24 to attend. If you're not able to score reservations, arrive by 2pm (preferably earlier) if you want a prayer of making it into the in-studio audience; a producer usually roams the crowd asking music trivia questions like "What's Lindsay Lohan's middle name?" (Morgan!) and "Who's the lead singer of Death Cab for Cutie (Ben Gibbard!)?", giving away standby tickets for correct answers. And don't forget to make your DAMIEN FAHEY RULES signs large enough to be captured on camera. You may also be able to watch or participate in other MTV tapings; stop by the MTV Store on the corner of 44th and Broadway, where flyers for tapings and events are sometimes stacked next to the register.

The View -- ABC's hugely popular girl-power gabfest tapes live Monday through Friday at 11am (ticket holders must arrive by 9:30am). Requests, which should be made 12 to 16 weeks in advance, can be submitted online (www.abc.go.com/theview) or via postcard to Tickets, The View, 320 W. 66th St., New York, NY 10023. Since exact-date requests are not usually accommodated, try standby: Arrive at the studio before 10am and put your name on the standby list; earlier is better, since tickets are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. You must be 18 or older to attend.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire -- The trivia show is filmed at ABC's Upper West Side studios from late summer through the end of the year. To request tickets to be an audience member, you can send a postcard to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Columbia University Station, P.O. Box 250225, New York, NY 10025. Ticket requests are limited to four, and you must be 18 or older to attend. You can also request tickets online at http://millionairetv.com or call tel. 212/479-7755.

Who Wants to Be on a Game Show? -- The syndicated daily version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, hosted by Meredith Vieira, goes through a lot of contestants and is always on the lookout for smart cookies to sit in the Hot Seat. Check the website (http://millionairetv.com) to see if auditions are being held while you're in town (auditions are usually held Aug-Dec). You can sign up over the 'net to attend a taping/take the test on a specific date, and will receive an e-mail confirmation. When the show is taping, you'll be expected to attend as an audience member for a couple of episodes in addition to taking the test (all the better to practice your skills on "Ask the Audience"). On your audition date, report to the ABC studios at 30 W. 67th St. (off Central Park West). Bring ID! You'll take a multiple-choice test and if you score in the top 10% or so, you'll have a brief interview with show staff. If you're selected for the contestant pool, you'll get a postcard telling you that you're in contention for a spot. If you're selected to go into the Hot Seat, you'll have to plan another trip to New York City!