The NBC tour was phenomenal and I would recommend it to anyone visiting the LA area. Totally worth the $7.50 admission. You get to see behind the scenes studios, sets, props and even sometimes a star or two. On the tour they take you through the Days of Our Lives studio as well as Telemundo and The Tonight Show studios were certain segments of the show are taped.
We saw Peter Reckell, aka 'Bo Brady' pushing a bicycle just outside of the Days studio. (I only know it was him because I watched Days when I was in Highschool around 1989.) Did he ride a bike there or was it a prop for the show? He was a short guy, I towered above him in my Espadrilles.
The best of the tour is seeing The Tonight Show "hallway" "parking lot" and other studios where they shoot various segments beforehand. That same parking lot that you see on his
show (you know where he races cars sometimes and such) is where Jay actually parks his car as well. Of course his spot is labeled with his name and apparently he brings a different car to work every single day. Our tour guide said she had worked there for over 3 months and had yet to see the same car there twice. She kept saying how, "Ridiculous" it was.. I say it is fucking sweet. (Spicy loves her muscle cars!)(Leno pic credit: emediawire.com)
The Tonight Show couch is worth more than you could imagine. Would you believe $50,000
!? It is virtually indestructible and is even equipped with hydraulics! For short guests and children the couch is lowered, and heightened for the tall leggy guests. The material cannot be ripped or marred by animal claws or by children jumping on it. Amazing isn't it. (Couch pic credit: newsday.com)The actual taping of Thursday's Tonight Show was a blast. Mr. Spicy has a producer friend in Hollywood who hooked us up on the guestlist so we didn't have to wait outside in line for hours to get in. (Thanks Harley!) We sat in the fourth row for the taping. Did you know that only 20-something's ever get to sit in the front row? I asked an usher about that and he said, "That's how we sell demo's." WTF ever that means.
Fifteen minutes before showtime Leno comes out (still in jeans) and talks briefly with the audience. He allows a couple questions, explains things and then is off to the dressing room and makeup.
The 10 minutes leading up to the taping some idiot who thinks he is George Carlin or something comes out bearing a huge dufflebag of Tonight Show memoribillia such as tee-shirts, mugs, hats, etc. Then he acts as though he is going to throw them out to the audience. He had some music going and no one was dancing. So he stops, bitches about no one being into it and puts the stuff back into his dufflebag. In order to try and get the audience excited he brought a few people up to dance. He mostly brought old people up there and when it came time for the show to start he shooed them offstage, and sure as hell the asshole took the entire bag of promo stuff with him in his fat dufflebag. I am still wondering how the shithead got that job. He was the only downer of the taping.
Kate Beckinsale was the first guest.
She is even more stunning and svelte in person. She has a way about her and carries herself like a lady. I like her. She was quite funny as well and seems very down to earth.
Then there was comedian Jim Norton.
That guy is one funny motherfucker!! I was nearly crying from laughing so hard. If you have never heard of this guy, you have got to see him when he is in your town. Check out his myspace..NORTON
The band was 'She Wants Revenge' and I think they are growing on me. I couldn't find the Leno taping, so here is their music video of the same song that they played for us that evening called, 'These Things', featuring Shirly Manson from Garbage. Directed by Sophie Muller.
The song is a bit monotonous but eerie, and I like eerie. Reminds me slightly of old Bauhaus, or Joy Division with a contemporary fresh sound. Let me know what you think of them.