Tickets to Television Tapings
Not only are tickets to NYC's TV talk shows free, but they offer an opportunity to grab your fifteen minutes of fame. If you are requesting tickets by mail, we suggest that you send your postcard in well in advance of the date you want to see the show, since many tapings have 6-12 month waiting lists. Locals tend to get last dibs on mail-in requests, so if you are a New Yorker, consider having an out-of-town friend make the request on your behalf. Stand-by tickets are available for most shows for those who are willing to arrive (very) early and wait in line.
Geraldo Rivera
524 West 57th Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues)
(212) 265-8520
To receive tickets in advance, send a letter with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Standby tickets are distributed 45 minutes before taping, which occurs Tuesday through Thursday at 1 pm and 4 pm.
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
30 Rockefeller Plaza (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
(212) 664-4000
Send a postcard requesting tickets in advance or drop by before 9 am the day of the show to try to get one of the limited same-day tickets. Taping takes place on Tuesday through Friday at 5:30 pm.
Late Show with David Letterman
Ed Sullivan Theater
1697 Broadway (at 54th Street)
(212) 975-5853
Drop a postcard to Dave in the mail for advance tickets or try to snag standby tickets by waiting in line for the noon distribution. Taping takes place on Monday through Thursday at 5:30 pm.
Maury Povich Chelsea Studios
221 West 26th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues)
(212) 989-3622
You can request tickets by mail or by phone. Call a day in advance to check on the availability of standby tickets. The show is taped on weekdays at 10:30 am.
Montel Williams
356 West 58th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues)
(212) 989-8101
Tickets are available by phone or via their website (montelshow.com) for tapings at 10 am, 1 pm and 4 pm each Wednesday and Thursday.
Ricki Lake
2 East 37th Street (between 5th & Madison Avenue)
(212) 889-6767
Request tickets via postcard or show up at least an hour before the taping for standby tickets. Tapings are 4 pm and 6 pm, Wednesday through Friday.
Rolonda
411 East 75th Street (between 1st and York Avenues)
(212) 650-2077
Reserve tickets by phone for tapings Tuesday through Thursday at 5:45 pm and 8 pm.
Saturday Night Live
30 Rockefeller Plaza (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
(212) 664-4000
One of the harder tickets to get by mail: postcards are only accepted during August when the annual ticket lottery is held. Standby tickets are distributed Saturdays at 9:15 am for Saturday tapings at 11:30 pm.
Savings For Students (and others)If you are a junior or high school student, check out the High 5 program: participating theaters offer tickets for only $5! Incidentally, High 5 (
http://www.highfivetix.org/flash.html) isn't just for theater: tickets for hundreds of New York's best dance, music, film, museum and spoken word events are also available through this program. Best of all, there is no enrollment. There are no applications to fill out, and no lines to stand in. All you need is some form of school ID. Each student may be accompanied by one adult -- just buy one extra $5 ticket. That means a parent, teacher or mentor can tag along.
Another good program for students, as well as teachers and librarians, is the School Theater Ticket Program (
http://www.schooltix.com/), which provides discount coupons to musicals and plays on and off-Broadway, events at Lincoln Center (including Opera and Ballet) and other events in New York City.
School Theatre Ticket Program
1560 Broadway, Suite 1113
New York, NY 10036
NY - Live with Regis and Kelly Tickets
The minimum age for this event is 10.
Just send a postcard with your name, address, date of the show you’d like to see, to:
Live Tickets, Ansonia Station, PO Box 230777 New York, NY 10023-0777.
Day-of Standby Tickets are sometimes available. Arrive at the corner of 67th Street and Columbus Ave no later than 7:00am to request a standby number. After advanced ticket holders are seated, standby ticket holders are let in on a first-come, first-served basis.
The show tapes live, Monday-Friday from 9:00am - 10:00am. The audience must arrive no later than 8:00am.
The studio is located at: ABC Studios West 66th Street (Between Columbus Ave &Central Park West) NY, NY. You can call the automated Ticket Info Line at 212-456-3054 for more information.
No more than four tickets may be reserved per party. There is typically a 12-month waiting list for advanced tickets
NY - Last Call with Carson Daly Tickets
The long-running host of MTV’s TRL (Total Request Live) has now carved out a niche on the latest of late-night television shows. Known for his laid-back interviewing style, Carson Daily’s Last Call features top-notch celebrities and cutting-edge musical guests, presented in a comfortable setting. It's the best show (and last one) to watch before heading off to sleep.
The minimum age for this event is 16.
Phone Requests. You can also make a reservation by calling the Last Call Ticket Hotline at 1-888- 4LC-TIXX. Phones will only be open weekdays 11-3 EST.
Standby Tickets may also be available. For stand-by tickets: Arrive no later than 11:00AM on the morning of the taping, under the "NBC Studios" marquee at the 49th street entrance of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Any remaining tickets will be in the NBC Experience Store. Standby Tickets are limited to one per person. No one under the age of 16 will be admitted. Stand-by tickets do not guarantee admission.
Reservations do not guarantee admission. Shows are subject to cancellation at any time. You cannot attend a taping more than once every six weeks.
This show tapes at: NBC Studios – GE Building – Mezzanine Level 30 Rockefeller Plaza (At 50th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue) NY, NY
